Everything Tony Vitello said on a series-sweep of the Fighting Illini

Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello answered questions from members of the local media on Sunday afternoon following his team’s series-sweep of Illinois. The win marks the 15th-straight for the Big Orange.

Below is a written transcript of the Vitello press conference.

On the explanation for Blake Burke’s ejection…

“Well there had already been an unsportsmanlike conduct that was issued when both catchers were talking to each other during Janik’s at-bat. Blake hit the home run and when he crossed home plate, I don’t know what he was saying but he was clearly talking to the catcher about the home run or telling him about it. Which he’s a smart enough guy, he could see where the ball landed. There’s no need to do that so I don;t necessarily agree with Blake’s approach or some of our other guys’ approach in certain situations and how they handled it. That was our main point in our conversation out there (in right field after the game) how to handle tension like that. But I also don’t agree with how we got to that whole spot. It was not necessary. We’ll come out of today being the bad guys and maybe something gets posted and you see Blake Burke got thrown out and he’s a bad guy. I used to coach pitchers and we never had— I don’t remember back then anybody throwing baseballs, 90 MPH objects at guys when they’re not looking at it, but it started about six years ago. Our guys are guilty of doing it. I’m not calling out there guy. He’s doing what he’s got to do. We saw his video last night— he’s going to be really good. He’s already good as a young sophomore so I’m not calling him out but I don’t get that whole trend. I might as well be honest too, now I’ll be the bad guy. I’m not a rule maker and I’m not smart enough to and I haven’t been doing this long enough— they should rely on the older guys in the conference that know that stuff, but I think before bat flips let’s— I wouldn’t want Ben Joyce throwing at me when I’m not looking at it. That’s not good for anybody. One kid gets hit in the face kind of like the Evansville kid did when I was back in college and maybe someone will pay attention to it but it just doesn’t make sense to me. And there’s going to be a time— we’ve been fortunate enough to be playing good enough baseball but we’re not the best team in the country so there will be a time when we lose a game. I hope it’s because we’re not as good as we need to be that day or the other team just beat us, which that can happen every day at the park and it’ll happen at some point, but I’d rather it be that than cat and mouse. If we’re not good enough to hit a guy we’re not good enough to hit a guy. There’s statistic numbers off the stretch and off the wind up that kind of show what’s going on right there. I don’t think we needed to get to that point which I think is fair to say.”

On the Combs-Snead combo…

“Yeah really just two guys that I think need to pitch for us and build up their pitch count. [Aaron] Combs would have done the same thing [Nate] Snead did as far as building up his pitch count, where he could start if he needed to or long relief or just have the trips built in and the amount of pitches built in to go for a while. And Combs got cut short on his end of the deal because he was a little sore in January and February. So, he’s a little behind Snead but I think Snead has also thrown the ball so well the last couple of times out that it is kind of hard to take it out of his hand. But I think that both of those guys are good – I’m not smart enough to know what’s different about each pitch – I don’t think it is so much of a compliment, it’s just that both guys are very talented. They’ll both get an opportunity in pro ball when the time is right to show what they can do and until then, we are blessed to have them on our team.”

On why he likes Nate Snead out of the bullpen…

“You don’t know when there is going to be a swing moment in the game where it is either a tie game and the game is in kind of jeopardy like it was against Oklahoma when we played them, or your starter is out of pitches and you’re down a little bit, or just up, or a big hitter with the tying run at second base, and when those moments come up, he’s the type of guy that we would like to have available and ready to pitch. Same old song and dance, I’m sure he would love to throw the first inning, too, but that’s a pretty sweet feeling to be out there and throw that last out. That was his last hitter. We probably went 5-10 pitches further than we wanted to with him. Just off script. But that would have been a tough conversation with him, with you all, with the fans if we would have taken him out. But that was his last hitter right there. Huge confidence builder to be able to finish a game like that. Because their lineup 1-9 is – the 8 and 9, to me, looked as good as anybody – they ended up flipping [Asher] Bradd to the leadoff spot, but the bottom line is that was a really complete lineup, and today was a feisty day. And then to beat a really good team three days in a row, you have to execute really well. So, for him to finish a game like today should be the biggest confidence builder he’s had in his college career.”

On getting tension in nonconference games before SEC play… 

“There’s going to be tension, whether its — intense environments on the road, which is every single park in our SEC or back and forth with the other team for whatever reason just because both teams want to win. And I think our guys run into guys in the parking lot or in summer ball, they’ll chat about it and be cordial about it. But when the game starts, both teams are trying to win so different stuff happens – so yeah, I think you got to see what it looks like and be prepared and it’s our job as coaches to correct guys. 

“But I’d rather the first be burning a little too hot and calm that down then guys not care, or show up to the park thinking — they knew. They knew yesterday was a little bit of crazy weather, crazy set of circumstances. The guys off the bench played really well. They knew they’d be in for a dogfight today, I just think, you know, with how things started, it kind of lit a match and I would say — how we got there is a debate to have or I don’t even know if I’ve already said too much but I think, the way guys handled a few situations needs to be corrected.”

On how much he knows about the teams usually before entering conference play…

This weekend helps, I think, it doesn’t matter — in our sport more than any Power Five that anybody can beat anybody. If somebody has a pitcher on that day, or any kind of set of circumstances that you can imagine, they can pop up in a game and you can either win or lose. But when you play a Power Five team, big school, good recruiting area, they’ve got a lot of good resources, they’ve got tradition. That team across the dugout is the type of team we’re going to see week in and week out. But now, when you go on the road — it is a volatile environment. We’re fortunate enough to be at home this weekend which really helped us in some instances. I thought today was going to be a day where it came down to the last at-bat and we’d be fortunate enough to be at home. I think this gives us as good of a look, but you really don’t know until you start. It’s just baseball. It will be the same deal when we start conference. Of course, we’ve got Tuesday’s game before that. It’s just baseball and it only helps the more different set of circumstances leading up to it. I think for right now we have a good enough team to compete in our league. All that will do is give you that quote right there, if you want to print it. It’s not worth much more.”

On the Hunter Ensley home run…

“It was big. We had three guys – [Blake] Burke included and Robin [Villeneuve] – that stayed to the ball just well enough, long enough to get it. They needed that extra inch, all three of them on the bat to do what they did. I think it sparked the team. We just needed to score a run. Kind of have that mindset of when are we going to get that first one? It centers on him a little bit more, too, than something else. But he was itching to go and took advantage of it.”

On the at-bats leading up to Robin Villeneueve’s grand slam…

“Robin owes them. First of all, Robin texted me at I think 9:30 last night to tell me he was going to bed. Confirming that he knew it was daylight saving’s time. I think he really gets the biggest pat on the back but he needs to pay it forward and pat the others on the back. Billy’s [Amick] at-bat is taxing. The other guys, too. It all ties into one. As a fan or media members sometimes center in on one pitch. But usually, it’s not just one pitch. It can happen that way but it’s usually a compound effort and I think today illustrated that more than any. Hunter gets one. Blake gets one. But really getting us over the hump and getting us the lead that we were able to hold on to was a compound effort.”