Two questions for Jay Brown, Byron Jeffcoat and Michael Roth
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BASEBALL
In this feature, Gamecock baseball lettermen Michael Roth, Byron Jeffcoat and Jay Brown each answer two questions -- one about this year's team and another about their careers.
If you're a Gamecock letterman -- in any sport -- and would like to participate in features on Gamecock Central, please send an email to publisher Brian Shoemaker (shoe@gamecockcentral.com).
1. What should we take away from being swept by Georgia at home to open SEC play? Is there anything different you'd like to see against Tennessee this weekend?
Byron Jeffcoat: First of all, Georgia has a very good ball club and looks to have the pieces to make a big run through the SEC barring any injuries. It certainly doesn't feel good to get swept, but it's no time to sound the panic alarm. We actually played well enough to win the Saturday and Sunday games, with solid pitching for most of Sunday's game. I think the areas that I would like to see more consistency would be our hitters cutting down on the strikeouts. Our hitters are go enough to stay aggressive in hitter counts, take advantage of shifts, and still protect with two strikes. Pitching just needs to limit the big innings and pound the strike zone early. Overall, stay positive and win the series again Tennessee to get back on track! Go Cocks!
Michael Roth: We've all mentioned how this team has a big power component. Unfortunately, with that comes a good amount of swing and miss. They don't want to live and die by the long ball. They need to cut down on punch outs and make the opposing pitcher work. I know launch angle is the buzz word for modern baseball but you can't launch what you don't touch! The pitching staff as a whole is young and inexperienced. They are going to be put into tough situations and asked to respond. It's going to be a learning experience for all of them. When you get put into a situation you are unfamiliar with it is human nature to be timid. The staff needs to go at and attack hitters. Believe their stuff is better than whoever is in the box and execute quality pitches. When you get on the mound, forget about who is in the stands and what your feel like that day. Do your job.
Jay Brown: What should we take away from being swept by Georgia at home to open SEC play? Georgia is legit. They have some high-level arms who are going to be high-draft picks at some point. USC was in a position to win two games. What is the old saying? Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, right? Doesn’t make Gamecock fans feel any better that we almost won, but in baseball, it is all about putting yourself in position to succeed, whether that is in the weight room, on the mound, at the plate, or as a team. Gamecocks were in position to win two games this weekend against a top-level SEC team, just couldn’t get it done. Next weekend hopefully it shakes out differently, but they have to continue to put themselves in position to win. 15-12-14. That's the number of strikeouts UGA pitchers had against the Gamecocks each game. Over half of the outs UGA recorded over the weekend were via strikeout. The arms were really good for UGA, but Gamecocks have to find a way to put the ball in play.
2. Which player(s) did you hate playing against?
Byron Jeffcoat: Chris Burke, shortstop, Tennessee. Couldn't get him out at the plate or on the bases. Kentucky, all of them.
Michael Roth: I could never get Mike Zunino out. That guy was a doubles machine off of me. What made it worse was that I could not hate him because he was the nicest guy!
Jay Brown: Jared Mitchell and DJ LeMahieu for LSU. We couldn’t get those guys out. I think they were both first-rounders in 2009 and LSU won the CWS that year. That whole team was stacked.
