Baseball

Roster | Schedule | Statistics | Archives

Sept. 13, 2006

Hey Orange and Blue fans, this is senior Mike Rohde with the second report on fall baseball practice here at Illinois Field. With two weeks of full team workouts completed, there is a lot going on not only on the field but off it as well.

First, the feeling among the guys is that the workouts have been sharper lately. We are all starting to feel more comfortable with the structure of practice and a lot of confidence improvements have been made. We have been scrimmaging an average of six innings per day and the pitchers have had the hitters' number in recent practices.

Sophomores Scott Shaw, Aaron Martin, Ben Reeser and Tanner Roark have all had strong outings, while two freshmen, Lee Zerrusen and Kevin "Chuck" Manson, have both shown promise. Manson, who's from Park Ridge, Ill., has been especially tough to hit with his towering 6-7 frame. Two hitters worth noting having success are Lars Davis and Daniel Webb. Lars averages one long home run a day with Webb constantly hitting the gaps for extra bases.

One aspect where all of the pitchers have shown improvement has been in fielding their position. Each day, pitching coaches Ken Westray and Brett Herbison stress the importance of fielding ground balls and bunts during pitcher's fielding practice. Having a pitcher who can field his position will improve our overall team defense this spring.

With our season five months away, one of the best parts of the fall is being able to focus on improving each day without the grinds and pressures of a season. This really gives us a chance to break down our techniques and mechanics in all aspects of the game. This is essential for success during the regular season and the guys have all been working toward that goal.

One way we break things down before and after each practice is through video sessions. Mike Schroeder, the best team manager in the Big Ten, films practice each day and organizes the footage so we can view our at-bats or pitching mechanics with the coaches in order to adjust and improve how they see fit. I've found out just how much you can learn from taking a step back and seeing yourself from a different angle.

Scott Shaw has been one of a number of Illini pitchers who have had strong fall seasons.

Switching gears, with the football season in full swing it has given us a chance to be regular college students and fans each Saturday afternoon. Many of us players just finished playing 50-plus games during the summer after 58 games in our spring season, so there's nothing better than taking in a game at Memorial Stadium with our fellow students. This also gives us a chance to host some of the best high school baseball players from around the Midwest on recruiting visits. Each weekend we've hosted a handful of players all with the hope they will sign with the Orange and Blue and carry on a successful tradition in future years.

We've also just begun our fall weight training sessions over at Huff Hall. These sessions, which will continue for the duration of the fall, help our power and, as former Illini third baseman Chad Frk would say, "explosion." They also help us avoid injuries during a 56-game season.

Well fans, that's all I have for you right now but keep checking in with us each week for updates on our fall practice and we can't wait to see you this spring at Illinois Field.