Everything Tony Vitello said on a midweek win over Alabama State

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello met with members of the media following Tuesday’s 10-2 midweek victory over Alabama State. The following is a written transcript from the Tony Vitello postgame press conference on the win and the weekend series ahead.

Up Next: No. 5 Tennessee is back on the road to continue Southeastern Conference play with a three-game series at No. 6 Ole Miss beginning Friday night at 7:30 ET on the SEC Network+.

On what’s going well for Chris Newstrom as of late…

“I think, to be honest with you, just the usual. A lot of self belief, extreme amount of athleticism. He’s a good runner, he’s strong and he can play anywhere. So just describing athleticism. And then I think relishing in the fact he’s getting to be out there. And that’s, the pitchers, I think, hopefully, understand that too, is kind of how this thing goes— is in cycles a little bit. You get your opportunity, you take advantage of it. You’re not getting your opportunities. You make sure you’re prepared, and you wait your task. And when you get it, you attack it. He’s kind of gotten a little bit of action sprinkled in there at the beginning, and now he’s getting a lot of it. And I think he’s enjoying the fact he’s playing too, which i what you got to do. Because I would say the flip side of it is you start stressing out, like you gotta, you know, it’s mandatory, you got to perform, or put up numbers or anything like that.”

On AJ Russell’s outing, what’s next for him…

“I think that’s a conversation to be had where it’d be nice to get him into some situations where he’s got guys on (base) and he’s got some pressure on him. But it was just good to double up the pitch count, double up the amount of innings. I think he even went down again (to the bullpen). That was his request this go around, was to go down and even get some more pitches in the bullpen. So I know he’s hungry to do more. I think we want to do it in a proper progression. So what the next step is, I’m not sure, but for me, I’d like to involve some guys on base whether it’s against our hitters or another team. And then the ultimate question that you want to ask is, SEC play? I don’t think it’s too far away, but again, I think we want to keep making steps up rather than climb to the top of the ladder right away.”

On if he could come out of the bullpen in his next appearance…

“Yeah I think that’s possible. I don’t know. Three outs is three outs, especially in league play. And (Chros) Stam(os) was kind of an opener for us. We haven’t done a whole lot of that stuff, so not opposed to giving a guy a start, even though you know he can only give you two or three innings.

But Tegan has been good for us. The other guys have been really good for us. We’ve got other options, so we’ll have to have a conversation. And to me, he’s a guy that’s a leader, who you know, like Ensley, we’re willing to give those guys tasks and also willing to accept feedback. So AJ, more than anybody it’s kind of a two part conversation, our piece and his piece. And we’ll come together and see what probably what the next step is. But what are the next two or three steps too.”

On Chris Newstrom and Blake Grimmer having big games as young players…

“Yeah, it is important. But I think what’s most important is to get them out there and get repetitions and to try and spread the wealth enough to where guys are staying, building reps where they get experience and and they can build confidence from the success is important too, but to also keep everybody in a rhythm where you don’t go too long without a rep. And it is college baseball. It’s not pro baseball, but getting some guys a breather every now and then is effective too. Sometimes mentally, sometimes physically. 

Ensley, just to beat, beat you to the punch. I don’t think anyone was, well, maybe you were going to ask. He fouled that deal off his leg, just physically, didn’t know if he needed to get treatment or anything, so we took him out of the game, but he’s fine. 

But anyway, balance is key as far as getting guys out there on the field. And it does help when they have success.”

On if the team did a good job flushing the Texas A&M series the last few days…

“I think Sunday was a day for everybody just to get away a little bit and probably feel a little bit of frustration. It is easier to go back out there and play the next day and just sit on it. You don’t want to stew. But everybody handles it differently. And I think for everybody to get a Sunday and do their own thing is, I don’t think we get Easter Sunday (off) this year. So hopefully everyone made the best of it, because it’s a rare commodity, I’d say. And then Monday was right back to business, and today was good just needed that first run to break through to where everybody could relax a little bit. Sometimes you need permission. You don’t want it to be like that. But we were knocking on the doorstep there for a couple innings. But when it came in the fourth it kind of piled on for us.”

On the confidence of Ariel Antigua’s glove anywhere he plays…

“Yeah, a ton. And it was good to get Manny [Marin] some reps at short. We even talked as a team that, Jay [Abernathy] takes pride in his reps on the infield. And we said it to him with all sincerity. And I told you guys too, we want him leaving this [place knowing] he’s proven that he could play shortstop, which is the most talked about infield spot. But it doesn’t mean it’s the most valuable – Ariel [Antigua] showed that tonight that playing at third. Two of those plays he made and decisions he made with the baseball were vital in a game that could have been closer than it was at the end.”

On if he anticipates Gavin Kilen being available at all this weekend…

“Yeah, I would think so. I think at South Carolina, we were just fortunate that his pinch hit opportunity – the game on the line, never really took place. Then he had a little bit of soreness creep in again. So, against [Texas] A&M, it would have been nice to have him. It would have only been in one game. It would have been nice to start him against [Justin] Lampkin, but he had a little bit of a setback. So, going into this weekend, I feel like we’re back to where we were against South Carolina. So, it makes you feel better when you compare it to what happened last weekend. If you had a crystal ball and I was to say that to you two weeks ago, we might all together be a little frustrated, at least those of us that are cheering on the orange – which I hope is everybody, to some extent. But yeah, he’ll be able to do something.”

On how the team is mentally and emotionally ready for the weekend after tough Texas A&M series…

“I don’t mean to speak for everybody, but I’ve kind of heard a couple comments. And then for myself, too, good to get back on the road. You do kind of like that little rhythm. And maybe it’s from experience of home-away-home-away. Playing back-to-back road weekends was a little bit of like – we felt like we were on the road forever, and it was great to be back at home. We didn’t take advantage of it. It’ll be good for new scenery, a new challenge. And when you play on the road in this league, you know how tough it is, but if you can just win a game, it’s invaluable. So, I think everybody’s in a good spot mentally to go do that.”

On if he’s had any conversations with Liam Doyle and Andrew Fischer about keeping their emotions in-check going back to Ole Miss…

“No. I mean, it’s funny you ask it that way, because you don’t have a prayer at talking to Liam about controlling his emotions. That’s a waste of time. And then speaking of – Jersey Shore isn’t coming out of Fish [Andrew Fischer]. He’s going to act like that at all times. I think that’s his quote, actually, to be honest with you. So, no one can be mad at me about that. In all sincerity, John [Wilkerson] asked the same question in January. I don’t remember why, but it came up in an organic conversation the team was having. But that’s where I’ll leave it. Maybe it’d be different if last weekend worked out differently. But based off the fact we got throttled on Saturday, we ain’t got time for anything else, for any extra riff raff. When the thing is over, there’s maybe friendships or old roommates. I’m all for that. But with our preparation tomorrow and then Thursday in Oxford, our practice and then the first game, we ain’t got time for anything other than to be a little bit more resilient, have a little more grit and definitely have a little more determination. Because of last weekend was a losing weekend, we need to find a way to make this a winning weekend.”

On Liam Doyle’s blister…

“Yeah, good. Again, that was not quite in the [Hunter] Ensley category, but being at 95 pitches [was] kind of similar. So, a little bit of precautionary, and it’s nice you got Woody [Jeff Wood] and those folks to hand him off to.”

O what stands out about Ole Miss…

“They’re good. I’m not on their Twitter board, so I don’t go up and down with what I think of that program. It was built, not out of – I’ve already said a couple dumb things. Not built from scratch. But he built that thing up from something small into something massive. And obviously they’re also [a] recent winner of a national championship. And this year, they certainly deserve the ranking that they have, because with the timing of our schedule of seeing kind of what they do a little bit, it’s a really balanced team. Their Friday guy has a great track record going so far. I assume he’ll start game one again for them. So, it starts from the top. And of course, their fans show out and make it a fun time in their park. So, there’s a lot of reasons why they have success in that ballpark and there’s a lot of reasons why the program has had success. That team is back to a standard look of strong pitching and a well balanced offense.”