CASPER, Wyo. - Shawn Griffin isn't in a hurry to spill the details.
But the former University of Tennessee outfielder also hardly goes out of his way to refute an uneasy relationship with UT coach Todd Raleigh.
Raleigh's first year and Griffin's last with the Vols didn't exactly go quite as planned, but despite the difficulties the two might have had, Griffin is hesitant to criticize the school that helped launch his professional career.
"No comment. I can't say anything about that," said Griffin, who is playing left field for the Idaho Falls Chukars. "You never regret going to play for one of the best schools in the country, an SEC team that's been to Omaha a couple times (for the College World Series). You just wish things could have turned out a little bit better.
"You know, you just had to do what you could. I'm glad I got the opportunities I did to play. Wish I could have got a few more at-bats, but I thought I did pretty well considering the circumstances."
His plate appearances this season were cut dramatically after a bat-throwing incident at Mississippi State with the Vols still alive in the SEC race, an act Griffin said was "blown out of proportion."
Either way, Raleigh benched the .314 hitter for the next two games of the series and largely limited Griffin to a supporting role during the rest of UT's ugly slide to end the season.
That certainly didn't help Griffin's transition to the rookie Pioneer League after the Kansas City Royals picked him in the 20th round of the draft on June 6, but he's rounding back into shape.
He had two hits and an RBI in the series opener against the Casper Rockies on Friday night, and Griffin rapped three extra-base hits in his first five games for the Chukars.
Griffin's also been flashy in the field, chasing down a couple long drives and gunning down a runner at home by about 20 feet during the weekend set.
"I think it's been actually a little slow," Griffin said. "I felt like it really could have been a better start, but I feel like I'm getting the hang of it now.
"Any second now I could take off and start hitting it really well. In the SEC you face pitching like this every day, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Everybody out here is legit and working the aluminum to the wood is quite an adjustment, and it takes some time to get used to it."
He's got plenty of it now.
It's still early, but Griffin has played in every game for the Chukars and appears to be locked into the three-hole in the lineup - though he's had to make one pinch-hit appearance.
He has received nothing but praise for manager Jim Gabella.
"Coach Raleigh is very discipline-oriented, very strict to the rules," Griffin said. "I was a lot more comfortable the year before with Rod (Delmonico). Rod was more of a performance guy, line up and play kind of coach.
"I think (Raleigh) just wanted to give as many guys an opportunity to play as he could, because he knows he's going to need them down the road. You just take advantage of the opportunities you've got."
Griffin has a new one now - and a fresh start.
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Comments » 14
BleedsOrangeinMO writes:
I have never really understood why UT let Delmonico go. Would someone explain it to me?
GreerVol22 writes:
Delmonico was a self centered jerk and despite that he can coach, but at his convenience. Follow his record, he only performed well during contract negotiation years.
VolMoment writes:
I can. Look at his record and talk to some of the other players that didn't throw bats.Also he applied for other jobs ever chance he got. One right after he had been at UT a short time. This was after saying to the press, when he got the UT job,this was the best coachiong job in the nation. I like many others are glad he is gone. but unlike some who post, while he was there he was our coach and even though I didn't like him, I was for him.
Cherokee writes:
Delmonico did some good things while at UT, like taking us to 3 CWS (75% of the CWS we've been to in our history), but after 16 or so seasons, he still had an overall losing SEC record and our good seasons were few and far between. It was feast or famine, and more of the latter, under Rod. We failed to make the SEC Tournament (the top 8 teams in the league go) more than any other SEC team I believe. Just way too much inconsistency, and it is a testament to our lack of a strong baseball history that he was able to last at UT as long as he did. Few, if any, other SEC schools would have allowed him to stay as long as we did.
Pullingguard writes:
The question must be... Is Raleigh capable of producing a competitive team at Tennessee. There are rumors that his personality is self centered and that he is not an easy guy to know or to play for, and if true, this will not unite a bunch of kids to win in the SEC... Does anyone really know what Raleigh ball is... He seems to have his own concept of the game.. Question is..Will it produce the expected results.
BillVol writes:
This is a complete non-story. I read about five words before I started writing this post. Slow time of year.
WVVOLFAN writes:
I'm a little concerned. this is the second story where Raleigh does not seem to get along with some of his players. he benchs a .314 player for a temper tantrum. lets go of an SEC catcher because they don't see eye to eye. i hope he knows what he's doing. my way or the highway mentallity can catch up to you very quickly if you are not producing.
tigervol9802 writes:
So we've lost a .314 and a .310 hitter. Both of which are .20 points lower than the WORST hitter in the FSU starting lineup.
I guess I am old school in that the coach is the boss and you do what he says. If not, then you need to get out of Dodge. Sorry that he's abrasive and actually makes the players work.
WorkinLikeHeck writes:
I guess we should be mad at Raleigh for not running Fox Den Country Club at UT anymore. I find it funny that none of our commits that haven't signed letters of intents have switched their commitments from UT since Raleigh is so hard on his players.
btlogistics#207991 writes:
How many scholarships are Men's baseball allowed to give anyway?
volboy81#211803 writes:
Delmonico told the press that if UT fired him, "they owe me a lot of money." I always got the impression that he didnt really care about doing anything that wasnt required of him. As long as he had a good record every 3-4 years, and made it to Omaha once in a while, he was satisfied. If Fulmer, Pearl or Summitt coached that way, we wouldnt have much of a sports program!
WVVOLFAN writes:
well boys. it's like i said. i hope he knows what he's doing. i think the coach is the boss as well, but when you can't see the forest because of the trees. kevin o'neal had that same mentality. CBP imbraced the players he inherited and look where he is. I don't think Raliegh will have near the same results.
workin' i'm surprised you didn't mention CPF. you're slipping.
KennesawVol writes:
BTlogistics:
It was once 9 1/3 scholys the baseball team could give. Not sure how many now, but that's why so many players on the baseball team are involved in other sports.
randybaseballvol writes:
I played for Rod in 90 and 91, he pulled me and 12 others out of Florida when he moved from FSU.
I want to give you my thoughts from someone that played for him. I was on the team with Mike Defilece, Joe Randa, Mike Basse so we had guys left over from the old coach (defilece and basse and many others) and some new and I can honestly say that Rod treated us all alike. He was an excellent coach and he cared about his players and for the program.
It is so hard to develop a program like LSU or FSU b/c the key is you have to win for 3,4,5 years in a row to really build a deep program (due to the level and depth of recruits) and that is what Rod's downfall was - they were too inconsistent and high level recruits want to go to a program that is a given that they will compete for championships (SEC and CWS). If he could have put together 4-5 years in a row of constant success than I think things would have been different.
After reading these posts, I did want to give you all views from the inside and to me Rod was a professional and he had a desire to be the best -
p.s. One example of the type of guy he was is when I got married, which was 3 years after I left UT to play for Milwaukee, Rod sent us $100 for a wedding gift and I hadn't talked to him in a year.
Randy MacNeill 90' & 91' Vols
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