I attended the women's baseball clinic last evening and thought I would share a few things that were said... Players in attendance - Jordan Danks, Preston Clark, Russell Moldenhauer, Kyle Russell, Travis Tucker, Austin Wood, Kenn Kasparek (I think that's all?) Augie said he thought the starting line up would be: C -Preston Clark 1B - Brandon Belt 2B - MIchael Torres SS -David Hernandez 3B - Travis Tucker LF - Kyle Lusson, Kevin Keyes & Russell Moldenhauer are all competing for this and one of them will probably be alternating for DH CF - Jordan Danks RF - Kyle Russell No real surprises there Skip talked about the pitching staff (18 players) and our lack of experience - apprently the total pitching experince we have coming back is 75 innings . I'm not sure how the transfers from other schools played into that number, or if they did. He did mention Riley Boening was doing well. I don't believe he said when exactly he would start playing. He mentioned the "closer by committee" concept, needing 5 starters and 3-4 relievers - but no mention of who would fill which roles specifically. Preston and Kyle were asked why they decided to come back to school and not go pro - Preston answered for them and said they both had always had it in their heads from the start to come back to school unless they were given an offer they couldn't refuse - which they weren't. One thing that I know has been brought up on the boards earlier last Fall was about our schedule not having any big away series like we have in the past - Augie said that with the new 5 game a week schedule he tried to play a lot more home games so that our guys would be able to still go to class and have a chance of doing well in school, especially the younger guys. This is also why we aren't playing the full 56 games allowed. The players and Augie all talked about the new Disch and they all love it and seemed genuinely excited to start playing there. There were pictures from Flintco as well showing the new locker room and stadium shots - and it looks very nice. Much more fitting for the caliber of program we have. It was said that it will again be what it was when it opened in 1975 - the premier college baseball facility in the country. Augie also discussed the moving of the home team dugout to the first base side. It seems that decision was made becuase of real estate - there just wasn't enough room to put all the facilities that they wanted on the third base side - batting cages, workout room, etc. I believe the numbers he used were that the old Disch had 4000 square feet for home & visitors locker rooms, their meal room, a weight lifting room & coaches offices. The new Disch has 13,000 square feet for the same thing. The two most important things were learned were that there will be 71 bathroom stalls for the gals and I think 16 for the guys...and don't ever steal Kyle Russell's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups before a game. Overall it was an great evening and the players and coaches all seem ready to get going and get back on the road to Omaha! Hook 'em! PS - I didn't take notes so if someone remembers something differently....
Saying Baylor's stadium is nicer than the new Disch is just ridiculous. It is an appealing place, but I have never thought the fan amenities were very well thought out. Also, there is no way tearing down the old DFF would have provided us a better facility...in fact, keeping the skeleton of what we had probably gives us a much better facility than we would have wound up with starting from scratch.
Wow. I struck a nerve with that. I am in the camp that they should have built a new facility elsewhere. Where? I don't know. They could have designed a new stadium to include any thing they wanted in any configuration they wanted. By remodelig the existing structure, the shape, footprint, seating were already there. The rest of the remodeling had to be designed around what was already there. With regards to NU, they play their home games there. During Nebraska games, it is a college baseball facility. As for Baylor, 1. Grass 2. Sightlines 3. Proximity of all seats to the playing field 4. Parking 5. Location - DFF adjacent to an Interstate highway and a cemetery. Baylor - middle of a beautiful, well-maintained college campus 6. Concessions - variety/efficiency (this may change with the new Disch) 7. Fan involvement - music (ex. "Happy Dance"), chants, cheers 8. No hillbilly-looking U-Hauls, buses or wild bunch (just kidding whith this one) Only 8 days until Baseball Season in the new and improved DFF!
"7. Fan involvement - music (ex. "Happy Dance"), chants, cheers " ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! The happy dance makes Baylor better?
Baylor's place is nice as long as you stay in your seats. The concourse sucks. The only mens room is on the 1st base side, so if you are on the 3rd base side you have to walk to the other side of the stadium, and if I remember correctly they only have 1 concession stand.
1. turf is OUR advantage...it may be replaced in the next few years, but Augie did not want that disruption now. 2. don't even understand what you are talking about. I see no problems, from any location. 3. ??...have you actually been to the Disch...?? 4. I agree, but UT has made this an issue with every sport, because of LF donation requirements. 5. to each his own. I enjoy the proximity to the cemetary. 35 is not a bother. love the view of DKR, the Capitol, the Tower, etc. I also enjoy the scenery and sounds of ROT Rally. 6. this will be much better than BU...I personally think what we had was better than BU's. 7. we have gone to more of this crap over the past two seasons. some doesn't bother me...some makes me want to throw up. if we ever go completely to the 'Dark Side', like Baylor, I will probably have to stay in the parking lot and listen to the games on the radio. 8. I know this was a joke, but when did you last go to wacko?...the last two or three games I've been to there, U-Hauls have been set up behind the right field fence...keeping up with the Jones'. we actually have a pretty nice concourse area down the left field side. don't know exactly how it is going to be used, but lots of space. I do know, at some point, they plan to erect bleachers above the berm area...the ones they removed from right field...but not in the near future. I could easily see them setting up concession kiosks in this area, which would be nice. I'm really hoping they have improved their audio/video, down under, so when you do go for food or a restroom break, you can know what is going on.
