With their season on the horizon, the Memphis baseball team met with the media last week to discuss a variety of topics, including offseason training, goals for the upcoming season and adjusting to a new-look roster.
Coming off a 27-28 season good for seventh in the AAC, Tigers manager Daron Schoenrock is feeling confident about his re-tooled roster entering his 16th campaign at the helm.
“We had a number of seniors in the lineup, in the everyday position player lineup that are gone now,” Schoenrock said. “The ways we scored runs last year was just batting the ball around the park, doubles, extra base hits; there wasn’t a lot of foot speed. Now, we’re a little more multi-faceted. We’ve got some base stealers, some bunters, some runners in the lineup and of course we return a couple of very good RBI guys to hit in the middle. I think we’re going to be a little tougher to pitch to.”
While losing as much senior production at once as this team did over the offseason certainly provides its challenges, senior third baseman Alec Trela believes the talent is in place for the team to still flourish, it just may take some time for it to all to gel before it really comes together on the diamond.
“I think we’ll see that unfold as the season gets underway,” senior third baseman Alec Trela said. “It’s definitely going to be a new offense. Losing six everyday starters is definitely a big hit but I think we have some young bats who could really do a lot of damage for us and we have some good returners, so I think we’ll be just fine.”
Among those returners, sophomore Hunter Goodman returns ready to take on more responsibility in year two after being taking home league newcomer of the year honors his freshman season. After leading the Tigers in batting average, hits, RBI, runs and home runs as a freshman, Goodman is eager to continue improving and leading by example.
“Obviously I want to do some of the same things I did my freshman year, but there’s things I need to work on,” Goodman said. “I struck out way too much. That’s something I’m trying to cut down on. My defensive ability is something I’ve really been working on lately because I’m moving from outfield to catching, going back to my primary position, and I didn’t get a lot of experience there last year so that’s what I’ve been working on the most.”
While a revamped roster that features several freshmen offers plenty of intrigue, every clubhouse still needs a few reliable vets to offer wisdom and situational awareness for the younger players. Sixth-year senior Chris Durham, who was named to the all-conference second team a season ago, offers both.
“I’ve been the oldest guy, this is the second year in a row now,” Durham said. “I grew up playing with a bunch of guys on the team. They were younger than me, some were two years younger and now they’re already gone and I’m still here. I just try to set a good example for guys on the team and go out there and compete and try to keep the energy up.”
Although his insight is surely appreciated, the young guns still don’t let the Collierville native off too easy.
“Some of them call me grandpa,” Durham said. “Some of them call me random old names because I’ve been around here so long. They’re little kids I feel like.”
The focus of this offseason has centered around one word: culture.
It is essential to any championship locker room, and it starts from day one. It seems like these Tigers understand its importance as the new season approaches. The leadership is in place. There is talent all across the field. The wait to see how they put it all together is almost over.
“I don’t try to put the pressure on myself,” Goodman said. “I know I’ve got a lot of good teammates around me this year and we’re trying to build that culture of everybody’s got everybody’s back. You shouldn’t have to have a lot of pressure on yourself because if you mess up, the next guy is going to come in and he’s got your back.”
Memphis is set to open the new campaign with a three-game home series against Xavier. The first game against the Musketeers is set for Friday, February 14th at 4 p.m at FedExPark on South Campus.
Hunter Goodman celebrates with teammates after blasting a home run. The sophomore looks to continue off an impressive freshman campaign that saw hime being named Third Team Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball in Dec. 2019.
