Helton gives Vols pep talk as practice starts

It was a little chilly, but the Tennessee baseball team warmed up quickly Friday thanks to a guest speaker.

The Vols opened its first official practice of the 2008 season with a pep talk from former UT star Todd Helton.

"What better way to start the season than having Todd Helton speak to the team?" UT coach Todd Raleigh said. "He started out here and worked his way to being one of the game's best players. He sets a great example for this team."

Helton, a former standout at Central High School, had his No. 3 jersey retired in a ceremony on Wednesday.

"You all can beat a lot of teams in this conference if you just know you can beat them," Helton said. "Play with confidence and play for one another.

"To me, when I'm done playing, I don't care about the stats and all that stuff. I just want them to say ‘Todd Helton was a good teammate.' Try to pick up one guy every day, and see what you can do to make him better. And in turn, your whole team becomes better."

The five-time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies got his point across.

"Having Todd Helton speak just to us was one of the coolest experiences ever," UT third baseman and former Farragut standout Cody Brown said. "He plays the game exactly the way it's supposed to be played.

"And personally, I can really relate to him because I'm a country boy just like him."

The Vols have three weeks to prepare for their season-opener against Morehead State on Feb. 22.