Texas Tech University Athletics
Tech Baseball Preparing For The Homestretch
May 07, 2010 | Baseball
May 7, 2010
by Blayne Beal, Texas Tech Media Relations
I have been working with the Texas Tech baseball team for the last 10 seasons and in all that time I don't think I have ever looked forward to a break more than this one. Granted, I have not thrown a single pitch or ran a single base - but after 48 games since the end of February, I am tired. I can only imagine how tired our team and coaching staff is and I am thrilled for all of us that we are getting this break.
Final exams are underway and in just a few short days, these players will only have to focus on baseball. The burden on a student-athlete can be great at times balancing the pressure of a sport and academics. I know for a fact they are all ready for school to be out - as most college kids are this time of year.
Texas Tech (26-22 overall) enters the weekend knocking on second place in the Big 12 standings as the Red Raiders are currently in third place with a 12-9 record after taking two games over the weekend from Missouri. That series was HUGE for the Red Raiders and this team has set themselves up to make a move this weekend without having to play a single inning.
Tech can move into second place in the league standings if the following happens:
Texas wins the series at Kansas State and Oklahoma State wins at least one game against Oklahoma.
If both of these happen, Tech will enter next weekend's series against Baylor in second place - not bad!
This is the time of year when various pundits start predicting who is in and who is out of the NCAA Tournament. Kendall Rogers of Rivals (collegebaseball.rivals.com) has the Red Raiders as the No. 3 seed at Arizona State in the Phoenix Regional in his latest regional projections. Jeremy Mills of ESPN shares the same feelings in this week's edition of Bracketology. The College Baseball Blog has Tech as the No. 3 seed at Ole Miss in the Oxford Regional in their projections. Baseball America has the Red Raiders in the tournament but they have not forecasted where any teams will be placed since their midseason update on April 8.
Having said all that, the Red Raiders still have work to do in order to secure an at-large berth to the tournament. The NCAA Tournament is FAR from a lock. The Red Raiders need another good showing this weekend against Baylor in order to pad their NCAA resume and to secure a spot in the upcoming Big 12 Tournament. For those of you who are wondering, only Texas has clinched a spot in the Big 12 Tournament (May 26-30 in Oklahoma City) and the Red Raiders will not be able to do so until next weekend's round of games. Tech, Baylor, Texas A&M and Nebraska do not have Big 12 games this weekend so more teams will begin clinching spots on the weekend of May 14-16. Tech and Baylor begin its three-game series on Friday, May 14 at Dan Law Field.
I have been around a lot of teams in my time here at Texas Tech and I have never been around one that has so much desire to win as this group. Sometimes they can be hard to watch (due to an incredible amount of injuries) but most of the time they are a fun and exciting bunch that absolutely never quits. As a Red Raider myself, I am proud to have them wear the uniform and represent our university - and I know you are too. Remember, this was a group that was picked to finish last in the preseason by the league coaches and today they stand in third place with six games left to go.
Coach Spencer has done a remarkable job with this group and has managed to turn this baseball program around in less than two years. His greatest accomplishment has been that he has convinced this team that they can win and once a coach is able to change the mental thought process of a program - the sky is the limit. Not to take anything away from the job that Coach Garrido has done in Austin this year, but in my humble opinion Dan Spencer is hands down the Big 12 Coach of the Year. The job he has done with this group has been remarkable and I hope the league coaches reward him at the end of the year.
The Baylor series is your last chance to come out and watch this team play at home this year and I hope you won't miss the opportunity. This group has worked hard to earn the support from this community and I hope we see our first sellouts at Dan Law Field in over 10 years next weekend.
Sunday's game will be Senior Day and we will honor Taylor Ashby, Joey Kenworthy and Michael Reed just prior to the game for their great contributions to this program. These are three outstanding student-athletes and great kids who consider it an honor to put on a Texas Tech uniform every single day. Please plan on arriving early to the ballpark on Sunday and let them know how proud you are of them.
I must be getting old and sentimental, but I have never been more proud of a group of seniors. These guys didn't have much success early in their careers but their leadership skills have put this team where it is today.
After last Sunday's thrilling ninth-inning win over Missouri, my heart needs a break. I hope everyone enjoys a relaxing weekend and you start making your plans and buying your tickets for all three games of the Baylor series. The Tech Hecklers will have their reunion weekend and Friday's game will be the Susan G. Komen "At-Bat For The Cure" game - so lots of great reasons to bring your whole family out to the ballpark.
As always, Baylor has a great team and one of the best pitching staffs in the league so it will be another exciting series and it will be fun for all of us to see what the Red Raiders have up their sleeves next.
Hope to see you at the yard next weekend. Wreck'Em Tech!
