Dave Serrano had good reason to call Thursday's baseball practice ''scout day".
The four-hour workout at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, opening UT's fall baseball practice schedule, was the first chance Tennessee's new coach had to get an on-field workout out of his new roster.
"It was great to be around the guys today," Serrano said. "We made mistakes, we did some good things, but we'll go back next time we're around them and reinforce those things we need to do to be successful.
"We kind of just let them play today. We don't have the system in yet. This is more, get scouts out here and showcase our players."
Serrano was hired in June to replace Todd Raleigh, who was fired after going 108-113 in four seasons without reaching the postseason.
Thursday's workout served as a clean slate for all involved.
"I'm a senior, but in all reality, it's kind of like I'm a freshman," said shortstop Zach Osborne, who started 160 games in three seasons under Raleigh. "I'm learning just like I was when I came in here as a freshman.
"It's new. It's a new system, but it's going to help a lot."
UT has 18 returning players in all, including five position players and eight pitchers who played in at least 10 games last season. New names and faces make up the other 21 roster spots.
"You just try to be a sponge," said Chris Fritts, a junior who started 40 games last season. "Soak everything up and learn as much as you can so that when it comes spring time, you're in the system, nothing is new, you've seen everything."
Serrano said the impressions made during fall camp are up to the players.
"It's in their hands. We haven't formed any opinions. It's a clean slate with anybody and everybody. No one played for us last year. No one won a job for us last year.
"It's open game for everybody and that's the best situation for a player to be in."
The transition to the new coaching staff was felt, even if it was just one workout.
"Everything is so upbeat," Fritts said. "Everything is so continuous, nonstop in everything we do.
"He really runs us like crazy during the week and he really wants us to be in shape, and lean and ready to go so whenever we do get on the field we can play at a pace where no one can keep up with us."
Grant Ramey is a freelance contributor.
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Comments » 6
shoalcreekvol writes:
Wow I can read baseball articles again without feeling like the coach is a creepy moron. It's amazing how a coach with credibility can rejuvenate interest. Who knew? (certainly not our previous administration, apparently)
Ayres_Hall writes:
It'll be great having baseball back on the sports calendar of spring road trips.
THEKIDWISCONSIN writes:
I'm fully on board with CDS, he's a breath of fresh air compared to Raleigh.
Now, it's time for the KNS to get on board...a "freelance contributor?" Really KNS? I sure hope when February rolls around you assign a full time staff writer to the BaseVOLS.
voldog70 writes:
Dave is going to bring UT baseball back to the top.
Most of the time, I would rather read an article from a "freelance contributor" than I would from a full-time News-Sentinel writer. If I am not mistaken this "freelance contributor" covered the Vols Baseball most of last year and had some good articles about a baseball program that was sinking fast.
arkyvol writes:
gosh! how wonderful it feels--to have a coach who knows what the hell he is doing.
Prostar writes:
I especially like the last paragraph where CDS wants his players to be in shape and lean. I'm so tired of looking at all of the pro players who are fat and out of shape. GBO, be able to out-work and out-play your competition.
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