Tim Corbin has guided Vanderbilt Baseball to preeminence in college baseball. Vanderbilt is unquestionably the top program in the country by a pretty good margin. There are some other programs like Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Oregon State and Texas that have been good for quite some time, but Corbs has produced a program that is consistently the best in baseball year to year. In 2019, the team, led by JJ Bleday, Austin Martin and Kumar Rocker, among many others, finished 59-12, 23-7 in the SEC, won the SEC regular season title, the SEC Tournament championship coming back from a 9-1 deficit to Ole Miss in the championship game to win 11-10, the Regional championship, the Super Regional championship and the National Championship. It was a stellar group of players with 7 seniors led by Ethan Paul, Stephen Scott and Julian Infante. But there were so many contributors to that prolific team. Pat DeMarco, Kumar Rocker, Harrison Ray, Mason Hickman, Tyler Brown, Ty Duvall, so many heroes. It’s a team that will go down for the ages as maybe the most successful in Corbs’ career, though that’s a high bar with 2014, 2015, 2011, 2013, and 2007 being phenomenal seasons with spectacular players as well. I asked Corbs which team he would consider his best, and he replied, “I won’t do that. They have all been special. That’s for others to judge.” I would say 2007 may have been the most talented with first overall pick in the 2007 MLB draft David Price, who went 11-1, with a 2.63 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 133.1 innings. That team also had Mike Minor, who went 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA. Pedro Alvarez hit .386 with 18 homers and 68 RBIs, and Ryan Flaherty hit .381 with 4 homers and 57 RBIs. David and Mike are still excelling in the big leagues, with David leading the Boston Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title and now pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mike had a phenomenal season last year with Texas. Pedro and Ryan had solid major league careers. It was a loaded team. That team finished 54-13 and 22-6 in the SEC, won the SEC regular season and the SEC Tournament title, but lost in the Regional final to Michigan. The most successful team was 2019. They went 59-12, an SEC record for victories in a season, and 23-7 in the SEC. They also had 13 players drafted off of that team, an SEC record. The 2014 team won it all, so it’s an all time great. They finished 51-21 and 17-13 in the SEC. Corbs has always said that they were his most surprising team because they weren’t expected to win it all, but just kept finding a way with superb effort. The 2015 team, with Dansby Swanson, Walker Buehler and Carson Fulmer back as juniors and Bryan Reynolds back as a sophomore, made it to the CWS championship series with Virginia, where we fell in the 3rd game to them. Heartbreaking to lose, but it’s tough to repeat and it was a fantastic season. That team finished 51-21 and 20-10 in the SEC. The 2011 team was our first team to go the CWS with Sonny Gray, Tony Kemp, Curt Casali and Yaz. They finished 54-12, and 22-8 in the SEC. The 2013 team with Tony K, Yaz, sophomore Tyler Beede and freshman Carson Fulmer put together a 54-12 season and an amazing 26-3 record in the SEC. Corbs says he’s not sure that will ever be done again. That was an all time SEC record for victories in a single season.
So those teams were all historically good, and Corbs has a lot left in the tank. He’s in superb physical condition and wants to coach many more years. At 58 he’s still got the same fire and drive he had when he first came to the program in 2003, so there is a lot of history still to be made at Vanderbilt. The 2020 team started out well and Corbs saw some real potential in the group, We had lost several position players to the draft, so guys like Harrison, Ray Austin Martin and Ty Duvall took over the leadership roles. The great Kumar Rocker, the awesome Mason Hickman and top shelf closer Tyler Brown were all back. We had the best freshmen class in the country led by right hander Jack Leiter. Corbs saw a team that could peak in late April and become a special squad. But heartbreakingly, the season was cut short by the Cornavirus, and our team ended up finishing 13-5. We’ll lose some to the draft this year, which Corbs and I will discuss forthcoming in this piece. Austin Martin was back in his element hitting .377. Mason was pitching well, Kumar was getting warmed up, and we had some new faces like Isaiah Thomas and others who looked like very promising pieces to this squad. We had some veterans and some young arms out of the bullpen who also looked solid.
So we’ll have to wait till 2021 to see the next chapter in Vanderbilt Baseball. It also looks promising and we’ve got another No.1 class, the 2020 class, coming in. The MLB draft, which starts tomorrow, at 6 PM CT on ESPN and the MLB Network, and continues Thursday at 4 PM CT, is only 5 rounds, so we could keep all the players in this incoming freshman class. Austin is projected to go 2nd to the Baltimore Orioles according to several mock drafts, so he’ll be going pro. Ty Duvall and Harrison Ray will be testing out the draft. And there are some juniors like Mason Hickman, Tyler Brown, Cooper Davis and Jake Eder, among others, who may go out. But we’ll see. Will be fun to keep up with whoever of our players go out for the draft as it is a thrill to keep up with our guys in the big leagues and the ones who are matriculating in the minors. It’s quite up in the air whether MLB will play this season. The complications of COVID are challenging and the players and owners can’t agree on a deal on how to conduct the season. The players want more regular season games and the owners want a shorter regular season schedule, so they have to work it out before any season transpires. Hopefully things will get worked out and they’ll be cleared to play so we can see David, Sonny, Walker, Bryan Reynolds, Dansby, Yaz, Tony Kemp and all our other guys compete in the big leagues.
Tim Corbin has posted a 753-359-1 record, 68%, in 18 seasons at Vanderbilt, with 4 SEC regular season titles (2007, ‘11, ‘13, ‘19), 2 SEC tournament titles (2007, 2019), 15 regional appearances, including 14 in a row, an SEC record, 9 Super Regionals, 4 College World Series appearances (2011, 2014, ‘15, and ‘19) and 2 National Championships, in 2014 and 2019. He’s a 3 time SEC coach of the year in 2007, ‘13, and ‘19, and 3 time national coach of the year in 2007, 2014 and 2019. He’s produced 15 first round draft picks and 121 players drafted in the Major League Draft since 2003, which leads the SEC. David Price in 2007 and Dansby Swanson in 2015, were the first players selected overall, Price by the Tampa Bay Rays, and Swanson by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Pedro Alvarez was the second pick of the 2008 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. JJ Bleday was the 4th pick overall by the Miami Marlins in 2019. Kyle Wright was the fifth pick overall by the Atlanta Braves in 2017. And Mike Minor was the 7th pick overall by the Atlanta Braves in 2009.
What a coaching resume.
I spoke with Corbs a couple of weeks ago. Here’s my conversation with him as he talks about many subjects, what he’s up to personally, during what was a lockdown, his family, the relationships he has with other coaches at VU, and Vanderbilt baseball.
DW: How’s life been treating you?
TC: Life’s been treating me well. Getting to do a lot with Maggie (his wife) and really enjoying it, so everything’s good. Can’t complain at all.
DW: You’ve been doing this a long time, how nice is it to have some time off?
TC: It’s different. 1971 is the last time I had time that wasn’t competitive. But it’s been good. It’s like a sabbatical where I can do things I’ve never thought about doing before. From that standpoint, not to make light of the problems everyone else has had with it, I’m using it to my advantage.
DW: What kind of hobbies have you been up to?
TC: Just working out more in the morning, not having to rush. I take my time doing that and that’s been good. I’ve lost 12 pounds, which I probably didn’t need to lose, but I want to be coaching for a long time and I’ve been keeping my mind active by listening to a lot of things and playing pickelball with Maggie and watching documentaries at night. So it’s been good, yeah.
DW: What kid of workouts do you do?
TC: I lift weights 5 times a week. I do hard cardio the other 2. I haven’t taken a day off since September 4th (2019). I usually try to burn 1,000 calories a day. I’m on 251 straight days of working out.
DW: When you say hard cardio, what exactly do you do?
TC: I do the stair climber and usually burn 800 calories on that. I’ve got a new hip, so I do a lot of jump rope with ankle weights, and we’ve got a Peloton, so I do that twice a week an hour, an hour and a half.
DW: What kind of weight lifting do you do?
TC: I’ve got a trainer I’ve had since 2000 whatever and he’s written a book and has me doing heavier weights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and more repetitions on Tuesday and Thursday.
DW: Do you still hit the speed bag some?
TC: Oh yeah, I do that once a week too. I’ve got a speed bag, a heavy bag, pretty much everything.
DW: How’s Maggie doing?
TC: She’s great. She’s wonderful. We’ve had a good time together.
DW: How are your girls doing?
TC: They’re good. They’re in Charleston, South Carolina and we’ll see them June 12th. I’m doing the MLB Draft on Thursday (television). So we’re looking forward to seeing them then.
DW: How old are they now?
TC: 34 and 31. Molly’s the oldest and Hannah is the younger one.
DW: What are they doing in Charleston?
TC: Molly is a clothing designer. She designs clothing for business people, sports people, people on TV. She loves it and she’s good at it. It’s been something that stimulates her. And Hannah works for a non profit organization which she likes too. They’re both actually very happy. Not married yet, but they both date. They’re both good.
DW: Tell me Coach, do you talk to your players and what do you tell them and what are they doing?
TC: It depends on who you talk to. I just got off the phone with Hugh Fisher and Hugh’s got resources. He’s got a gym he can go to,. He’s got a place where he can throw bullpens. Then you talk to another guy and they don’t have any equipment, and they can’t throw with anyone. It just depends on who you ask and that’s the most important thing. Outside of that, they’re all doing well. They’ve got a lot of questions and I don’t have a lot of answers for them. There’s not much I can tell them right now. I want to, but I can’t share with them much. They seem to be hanging in there. They are just befuddled by what’s going on. No one can explain it to them. Our lives will be a little different, but we can still be effective.
DW: Let me ask you specifically about Harrison Ray and Ty Duvall and others. What are their plans right now?
TC: They graduated ,Number one, so they’re done with that. They both want to play professional baseball. While they still have a year back, getting into graduate school is tough. So what they’re doing is working out and hoping they can get involved with professional baseball.
DW: What about both those guys, how have they’ve been as individuals and players for your program?
TC: They’re both special kids. When I thought about the ‘19 group I thought about Duuvy and Harry being part of that. From a leadership standpoint, they had the same thought processes as the older kids did. They led and did it in a way that created a lot of harmony in our program and I’m forever grateful for that. They’re beyond their baseball skillset. They’ve got other abilities that have allowed them to really help this program.
DW: So they were part of your leadership group in 2019?
TC: Yes, I would say that that whole group was a bunch of leaders. It was a a family full of boys that had high expectations and held everyone accountable including themselves. And because of that, no one was one of those who said I have to be in front all the time. They pushed and pulled when they needed to and I felt Duuvy and Harry were part of that.
DW: Coach, I know you heard Kumar say after the national championship clinching victory last year that you’re “the GOAT” and “like Saban.” What about this year’s team, did you feel like this year’s team had a chance to be an Omaha team?
TC: I always feel like we’re an Omaha team. I just felt like this team was going to catch its stride as we continued to play in April. I felt like once we get to that point, we’d be pretty good. I felt like the younger guys would have played enough where their offense would grow. Defensively we were coming around very well. After the Toledo game (the last game), I told them, we’re getting better. You could see how the group was getting better. It was early so we didn’t go through a tough period. I felt like we were headed for a pretty good year because we could pitch, we could hold people down, and we were taking care of the baseball. I always feel like pitching and defense are the key elements to having a good team and I felt like we had that.
DW: Isaiah Thomas looked like he was going to have a big year for you?
TC: He was blossoming mentally. Isaiah’s got tools, Whitey. He’s got tools. He can run, he’s got power, he can hit, But guys get better the older they get because they start understanding the mental part of the game. I just felt like he was one of those kids who was starting to get it. I felt like that kid was continuing to get better.
DW: What are Austin Martin’s plans?
TC: He’s 1,2 or 3 in the draft. I’ve gotten a lot of calls about him. He’s a good player. He’s a real good player.
DW: How has he matured in your program?
TC: Just more consistency off the field. Maturity is a very positive word, especially in our program, because it’s a goal of kids to get to that point because when you start making good choices that enhances your productivity both academically and athletically. Then you have a chance to blossom. Austin, forget his age Whitey, he’s been a good player since he’s been here. He’s got high confidence and he knows how to compete. I think the key for him was the growth he needed more off the field, academically, because he chose a school that probably wasn’t in his window athletically when he first started getting involved in baseball. Once he saw that his baseball skillset was going to afford him that opportunity to play baseball at Vanderbilt then it became a reality of, wow, this is going to be good. I’ve got a chance to help myself, and yeah, he did.
DW: Do you expect him to have a successful pro career?
TC: Yes, God willing if he’s stay healthy. The next progression for him is how he takes care of his body and how he eats. And he loves the weight room. The only thing that concerns me any time one of these kids leaves early is the people they’re around and the people that help them manage their thoughts. And if those people are in question, or if their agents or advisers have their own thoughts or own goals, sometimes it can be disruptive to the development of the kid. So I think he’s around the right people. He’s got the right agent.
DW: What position do you see him playing professionally?
TC; I see him playing in the infield or outfield. He’s got that ability. If you put him in a position and you let him stay there and you feed him balls, he’ll be good.
DW: Who are some of the other underclassmen you might lose this year?
TC: Well, I’d say Jake Eder is a potential guy we could lose because of his arm. He’s got a really good left-handed arm. He’s getting better too. Then there are other guys on the bubble with a five round draft (MLB has cut the draft down to 5 rounds this year due to the COVID). Tyler Brown is one of them, Mason Hickman is one of them, Hugh Fisher is one of them. Cooper Davis could be one of them. Ethan Smith could be one of them. But it being 5 rounds I don’t know if that’s going to happen or not.
DW: What do you think about next year’s team, do you like what you have coming back, depending on the draft and with a stellar recruiting class coming in?
TC: I think probably the same. It’s all going to be decided on the growth of the leadership, how they respond to what’s happened, how they take care of themselves, how the harmony is on the team. It’s the other 16 hours of the day that matter (After 8 hours of sleep). The hours we can control are good. It’s the other 16 hours that determine how your team will fare. if your team can’t control the other 16 hours, then they probably don’t have a chance. There are skills and abilities that will be on this team that will match any other team that we’ve had here, I can see that. But now it’s going to depend on how we can develop as a group and the kind of harmony we have as a team. Everyone’s going to be good. There are a lot of great players in college baseball. So it’s all about how we handle ourselves.
DW: What do you expect from Kumar and Jack Leiter next season?
TC: I just expect them to get better. That’s all I expect of them. If they get better their year will take care of itself. I think they’ll both get better mentally and physically.
DW: What do you like about them as pitchers?
TC: There’s a high care level for what they’re doing. You don’t have to motivate them. They know how to direct themselves. You’re not going to bed thinking about how they’re operating. You know they’re operating at a high level all the time. What they’re doing off the field and what they’re doing on it. They’re just making good decisions. They’re not careless. They still need to mature, too. At the same time, they’re plugged into the environment and they love to win. And because they love to win, they’re going to do more than just throw a baseball to help this team win. They understand what they can do at practice to help this team win. So I look forward to seeing that next season.
DW: Do you want them to be leaders next year?
TC: I just want them to be the best versions of themselves. I want them to maximize their opportunities.
DW: How is the 2020 class looking coming in? Do you expect to keep most of them?
TC: I don’t know. I expect to keep most of them, which is 80 percent. (There are 19 players in the class). We could lose 1 or 2 of them. But yes, we can keep most of them.
DW: Do you think you can keep Robert Hassell?
***Hassell is the No.7 player in the country, an outfielder and left handed pitcher who throws in the low 90’s. He projects as an outfielder.***
TC: Not sure. He’s a high level player. We’ll have to see.
DW: Do you like this freshmen class you have coming in?
TC: From afar, I do. Once I get them in, I can tell what their personalities are like. But from afar, yeah, it’s a competitive group of kids. Like some other classes we’ve had in the past, so we’ll have to see.
DW: I see you already have an excellent 2021 class committed (No.1 in the country by Perfect Game) and some good players in 2022. How does that work, are you recruiting 2022 or still recruiting 2021?
TC: We’re always evaluating. We recruit when we’ve evaluated enough that the fit of the young man at Vanderbilt works. Once we find that out, we make the necessary moves. We’re trying to stay as localized as we can on these next two classes.
***Probably because it’s harder to recruit outside the state due to COVID.*** Still No.1 class in 2021 and excellent class so far in 2022.
DW: When is typical recruiting time? Is it every day, do you make calls or see players play all the time?
TC: Well, we can’t see anyone right now. We may not be able to see anyone till September first, so to be determined. But we make calls, yeah.
DW: Coach, you’re in phenomenal shape and you love Vanderbilt and everybody cares a lot about you at VU. How long do you think you’ll continue to do this? Have you thought about that at all?
TC: No, I don’t think about it because I just enjoy doing it. I just don’t take anything for granted. I don’t want to sound morbid, but I don’t ever think tomorrow is a given, and I just want to stay as current with the kids as I can. I feel like I’m mentally present and physically present. So if I can do that, then I have a chance to help them. If I ever feel like I can’t help them any more, then I’ve got to choose to do something else. But I can tell you the word that starts with an R that people want to do at the end of their career is not something I want to do.
DW: How is it working with Candice Lee?
TC: Great, she’s a good person. She’s a really good person. She’s one of those who really cares about the people she’s around. She’s a good decision maker. She’s fully invested in Vanderbilt. She’s got a great way about her.
DW: Tell me about each of these coaches. What their characteristics are as coaches and people.
DW: Derek Mason
TC; Good leader of young men. Team guy inside the department.
DW: Stack
TC: Thought he did a great job of bring a non-skilled group together. They never gave up.
DW: Geoff McDonald (women’s tennis) and Scott Limbaugh (men’s golf).
TC: Awesome guys, love them both.
DW: Have you spoken to Incoming Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, and if so, what have you heard from him?
TC: Yes, he’s a good guy. I had a long conversation with him about a week ago. Really, really enjoyed him. He’s a good man.
DW: Do you expect him to be invested in the sports programs?
TC: Yeah, I do. He knew a lot about our program, and he’s very engaging. I really enjoyed him a lot.
DW; Coach, couple of final things, I wanted to ask you about your pro players. I wanted you to make a comment on each of them. Doesn’t have to be long. What you think about them, and also your special teams. Let me start with the players.
DW; David Price, LA Dodgers
TC: He’s a one in a million kid. Great builder. A great helper to building a program. He’s a good dad and husband. Totally committed towards the cause of the team.
DW: Do you think he’ll do well in LA?
TC: I do. I think he’ll do very well. I think he does well everywhere he is, but particularly LA, yes I do.
***David was drafted first overall by Dodgers President Andrew Friedman in 2007 when Friedman was the general manager of the Tampa Rays. Friedman is a first class baseball man. It’s an awesome organization with its sights set on a World Series title, if it’s this year or next. David and Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts, one of the best players in baseball, joined the team in the offseason. ***
DW: Was he was your first would you say special player who really got it going for you?
TC: Yes, just because of the time of when he came here. Jeremy Sowers was a good player already. Vanderbilt wasn’t voided of good players when I got here. Vanderbilt had good players. But he was that guy who started another wave that happened during my first few years. He was certainly the right guy at the right time.
DW: That was quite a recruiting story?
TC: I give all the credit to him. He could have signed professionally, but he decided to come to us.
****David was drafted in the 19th round by the LA Dodgers in 2005 out of high school in Murfreesboro, Tennesse.
DW: Sonny Gray, Cincinnati Reds
TC: Another one that’s great. Sonny’s just got a good attitude, happy go lucky kid. Great dad, great husband. Just enjoyable. He and David are close. I was fortunate to get him too because I don’t know if Vanderbilt was first on his list, (Sonny was drafted in the 27th round by the Chicago Cubs in 2009).But he really grew into this program. He took it on as a great challenge and it’s really helped him. Sonny’s one of those all time favorite guys for sure. He makes things better because he’s quite fun to be around.
DW: Like David he’s quite a bulldog.
TC: Yeah, he was a bulldog as a high school kid being a quarterback at that size. ***5’11” probably 175. Sonny was an all state quarterback in Tennessee. He played at Smyrna High School.***
DW: Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves
TC: Dans is a special player. He did some special things here. He only played two years here because he was injured his freshman year and that was the ‘13 year when we had a such a great team and he would have added to it. They’re not a lot of guys who operate like he does.
DW: Do you think it’s going to go well in Atlanta for him going forward?
TC: I do. I just think Dansby’s the type of guy who gets better and better and better as time goes on.
DW: Walker Buehler, Dodgers
TC: Confident. Good player. He stays healthy, he’s got a chance to really, really flourish. He’s got magic in his arm.
DW: Mike Yastrzemski, SF Giants
TC: Yaz is self made, doesn’t ask for anything. His name could have been Mike Smith and it wouldn’t have mattered. ***Carl Yastrzemski, his grandfather, was one of the best players of all time in Major League Baseball in the 60’s and 70’s.*** He got himself to where he was. He’s a tremendous kid.
DW: Mike MInor, Texas Rangers
TC: Love him. One of the most unheralded pitchers that has come through our program and his career has been special. Talk about another one of those self-made kids. Really got into working on his body and recreated himself after injury which a lot of people would not have done. A lot of people would have stopped playing and pushed themselves out. But it pushed him back in because of his perseverance. His perseverance is second to none. He’s going to another level after going through a major shoulder injury, so yeah, a special kid.
DW: Tony Kemp, Oakland A’s
TC: One of the happiest kids you’ll ever be around. He really makes the environment better. Not to minimize his baseball abilities, but he’s got great abilities in the clubhouse and is great for a team. Tremendous.
DW: Do you expect him to do well in Oakland?
TC: I do. I think it’s a good fit for him.
DW: Bryan Reynolds tore it up last year for the Pirates hitting over .330
TC: Yeah, another tremendous player. I think he ends up playing in centerfield. One of the best players we’ve had in this program. Can hit from both sides, can run, runs the bases as well as anyone. Makes good decisions,. Good power. He’ll continue to hit with power and can really, really play defense.
DW: What about Kyle Wright developing in the Braves system?
TC: He’s a great person with great parents. His dad was a coach, so he gets coaching. Smart, great worker, fully invested. All about the team. More of a quiet person, but when you know him, he’s not. Funny, sarcastic, fun to be around. Great, great player.
DW: Do you expect him to be in the Braves’ rotation if the season starts this year?
TC: I expect him to have a role. Someday I expect him to be in the rotation. Having a role on that team is all that matters.
DW: What about Tyler Beede? He’s a great person. What about him and his role with the Giants going forward.
TC: He’s continued to grow, but he’s injured his arm so he’s out for the year. Tyler’s a special kid, too. It took a lot for him to be here at Vanderbilt (Tyler, from Worcester, Massachusetts, was drafted 22nd overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012, but chose Vanderbilt). He’s self made, and he continued to improve. He reinvented himself as a pitcher and he was just starting to get going before he got injured.
DW: Do you expect him to stick with the Giants? I’m sure he’s got a good attitude about it.
TC: Oh , yeah, he’s got a positive attitude. But he’s got to work through this injury first. But he can do it.
DW: Do you think he’ll stick with the Giants? They seem to like him.
TC: I hope so. I think they like him, too.
DW: Curt Casali, Cincinnati Reds, and Ben Bowden, Colorado Rockies.
TC: Casali, like Yaz, has continued to grow since he left the program. He and Yaz are tight. He’s the type of kid who, if he continues to develop, can have a big career because he can really catch. It’s like having a great quarterback on your team,. He communicates with your pitchers, knows what he’s doing, and can help pitchers. He’s a great clubhouse guy.
DW: He’ll work well with Sonny, too.
TC. Oh yeah.
DW: Is Bowden in the pros? Colorado Rockies.
TC: He might be on the 40 man, but sooner or later he’ll be there. Big arm and tough. And great personality for a team.
DW: Two more, Carson Fulmer first.
TC: He’s with the White Sox. Outside of trying to win a role, I don’t know what his deal is. One of the best Vanderbilt pitchers of all time. (14-2, 1.83 ERA in 2015, SEC Player of the Year. Drafted 8th overall by the White Sox in 2015). His freshman, sophomore and junior years there was not much more you could do than he did. One of the best competitors I’ve ever seen.
DW: I remembered you describing him as a freshman as an old soul. What did you mean by that?
TC: He acted more mature. Made great decisions and he had a great way of communicating.
DW: What about Drew Verhagen,? He was with the Detroit Tigers.
TC: He’s playing baseball overseas. I think he signed a contract in Japan. Loved Vergie.
DW: Talking about your great teams, what about those squads. First what about your 2007 team.
TC: One of the best we’ve ever had here. Kind of stimulated the program. The Omaha team that didn’t get to Omaha. Had some great components. You had Price and Minor on that staff. Casey Weathers closing (8th overall pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2007). Flaherty, Alvarez, David Macias, Alex Feinberg, Shea Robin. Just a really good, balanced team that got along well.
DW: Could you say that was your most talented team.
TC: No, I wouldn’t say that because they all differ. But they were a very talented team.
DW: 2011
TC: One of the best. It was a team that unfortunately Florida and us got pared up too much that particular year. Twenty eleven was a team you’d like to recreate all the time. Great leadership on and off the field. They knew how to win, they knew how to compete. I liked them. They were tough.
DW: 2013, ‘14, ‘15.
TC: ‘13 was one of the best we’ve ever had. We were 26-3 (SEC) because we missed one game (in the conference). it was one of the most consistent teams we ever had from start to finish. There was no deviation. There were some older kids. Yastrzemski, Tony Kemp, who was SEC Player of the year, but that team was just special. We were 51-9 going into the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately we won 3 and lost 3.
***That was a super regional team that lost to Louisville twice in the Super Regional.***
DW: What about the 2014 and 2015 teams
TC: ‘15 was a great team. ‘14 just found a way to get better at the end of the year when it mattered most. They were relentless. We only had 40 wins going into the SEC Tournament and we ended up winning 51 games after the SEC Tournament. The last 13 games, we were 10-3. We were pretty darn good.
DW: How surreal was it when Adam Ravanelle struck out the Virginia hitter and we did it?
TC: It was enjoyable to see those guys finish what they had started. That was certainly enjoyable to me to see it from afar.
DW: It had been frustrating for you because we had come so close so many times. Was it a feeling of relief to get over the top? I know it was elation, but relief too?
TC: I guess so in some ways. Yeah, it was. You can’t take for granted that situation because it’s so difficult to do. You talk about winning a national championship, you’re lucky to win a national championship. But that team was gifted, it was enjoyable to watch them, and, in some ways, it was probably a relief, yeah.
DW: In 2015, was it hard to play Virginia a second year in a row and get over the top with them? They were the hunter and we were the hunted. How did that dynamic work out?
TC: The fact that we were playing them really didn’t matter. It was more about they were really playing well at the end. They pitched really well. They were the hot team. The fact that we were playing them, I don’t think that mattered much.
DW: Finally, 2019, your second national championship team, talk about them a little bit.
TC: Just a fun team. They were really enjoyable to be around. Mature. Just so mature. Handled themselves so appropriately.
DW: They just accomplished every goal you set out to achieve, wouldn’t you say that?
TC: Well, yeah, they did. They played extremely well from start to finish. And because they weren’t looking at goals they ended up achieving them. They wanted to create the best team they could create.
DW: And you had seven seniors on that team.
TC: Yep, we did.
DW: Is that unusual?
TC: Yes, it’s unusual to have seven seniors that’s for sure.
The seven seniors who put themselves in the history books were Ethan Paul, Stephen Scott, Julian Infante, Patrick Raby, Walker Grisanti, AJ Franklin and Kiambu Fentress.