Eric Newman-Pitching Coach
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
When visitors walk into the Nebraska baseball office this season, one of the first things they see is a sign that is simple, yet very powerful.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
For seventh-year head coach Mike Anderson, the theme signifies putting yourself in the best position for success and it has been a message emphasized to the Huskers since the first week of the fall.
“When we determined that theme, we wanted our players to understand that there are many things that go into being successful on the field,” Anderson said. “The work they put in the classroom and the life skills aspect of our program shows them how important that details are to their success. We want players in our program that want to ‘make it happen’ in all phases of their college experience.”
For the Huskers, who return five everyday starters and six pitchers from a team that won 41 games and was a regional No. 1 seed, the fall was encouraging. The coaching staff was able to integrate 16 newcomers into the program, capping the month of practice with a strong exhibition performance at Iowa.
“I really liked how we progressed through the fall and in the off-season,” Anderson said. “The thing that impressed me the most was their work habits, especially of some of our newcomers. They have learned quickly from veterans like Jake Mort, DJ Belfonte, Erik Bird and Mike Nesseth, and put the time in to become better players.”
The focus on the details has already paid off, as the Huskers’ fall team GPA of 3.089 was the best by a Nebraska baseball team in nearly 20 years. The team also put in extensive hours of community service during the fall.
For Anderson, the focus on the little things also has a tangible payoff on the diamond.
“For us, it is two-fold,” Anderson said. “It helps to create great work habits. That is important in baseball because of all the tasks you need to accomplish to be successful. Things like moving runners along, being in position defensively and making the perfect pitch in a tight situation forces you to be both mentally and physically sharp all the time.”
“Second, it helps to create a positive team chemistry because everyone is invested in the success of the team.”
With five returning starters and a host of newcomers, the Huskers look to be a deeper team offensively than a year ago. All-Big 12 performer Jeff Tezak returns after missing nearly all of last year, and that underlies another change from an injury-riddled 2008 season.
“If you look at every spot in the lineup, we are in a position to put both a left-handed or right-handed hitter out there to create better matchups,” Anderson said. “The most successful lineups we’ve had in the past have allowed us to be able to pinch hit or pinch run in situations and also depth to challenge our players and also give them a break so they are at their best down the stretch.”
Creating depth will also be important for the Husker pitching staff, as they look to replace five draftees, including All-American Johnny Dorn.
“I think this is a deep enough group where we can put people in roles where they can be successful,” Pitching Coach Eric Newman said. “That was the key for us last year; finding spots for guys like Erik Bird, Casey Hauptman and Mike Nesseth. It took us some time to find those roles, but once we found them, it allowed them to grow.
“For this year, it is important that everyone understands the role they have in making our staff successful,” Newman said. “It may by going out and getting one or two hitters in a weekend, but that may be the difference between winning and losing a game or a series.”
