One topic that hasn’t been discussed yet is hitting/pitching introduction songs that are played as we step to the plate or head to the mound. Choosing a song is no quick task—hours, maybe even days, are wasted (literally) researching and deciding on the right song or beat. Our songs are one way for our fans to identify us. People who have their head turned may hear Jay-Z’s “A Star is Born” and realize that Joe Loftus is about to hit. So even though we probably spend way too much time figuring out a song that is played for fifteen seconds, it still means something to us.
Intro songs are also a topic on the road, because we like to see what players on other teams have chosen. No one ever copies another player’s song, but if it’s good, it will probably find its way onto the locker room playlist for the next few weeks. For instance, after we played at Auburn, Dan Gamache’s hitting song—B. Lloyd’s “Heavy”—a song from the show Blue Mountain State, started being played in the locker room. We all like different types of songs, but we’ll always give a good intro song a shot over the speakers after practice.
Jason Esposito’s “Moment of Clarity”, by Jay-Z, is one of the most recognizable songs for us. He used the song last year, too, so fans have really identified him with it. Aaron Westlake uses a version of 50 Cent’s “Get Up” with an exaggerated beginning. Everyone else’s songs play for 10 to 20 seconds, but somehow Westy walks around enough to have his entire song played sometimes. But maybe we all should start doing that so we can hit like him.
Anthony Gomez’s “Go-Go Gadget Flow” by Lupe Fiasco is probably the wittiest of our songs. We’ll probably never hear the end of Ant talking about how “witty” he is now—great. Curt Casali has changed his song each year, but always uses some sort of rock or alternative song. This year it’s “Cochise” by Audio Slave. But the newcomer song of the year goes to Conrad Gregor. Conrad comes out to Survivor’s “Burning Heart,” most notably from Rocky IV fame. It wouldn’t surprise me if he ever jumped rope from the on-deck circle to the plate just like Rocky does when the song is played in the movie.
The pitchers’ songs are played longer than the hitters because they need more time to warm up (Pitchers need more time than the hitters—weird). Corey Williams comes out to Dierks Bentley’s “Free and Easy Down the Road I Go”, but a majority of our guys decided to go with Techno or upbeat songs. Sonny Gray gets things started on Friday nights with Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad”, while Jack Armstrong, Mark Lamm, and Navery Moore finish games with Public Enemy’s “Bring the Noise”, “A La Menthe”, and The Beastie Boys’ “Intergalactic,” respectively.
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We were pretty successful last week, winning all three games against Tennessee. Hopefully we are hitting our stride going into the last three weeks of the regular season and into the tournaments. Since this is finals week at Vandy, we do not play again until this weekend at the University of Kentucky. They have one of the best pitchers in the country in Alex Meyer, so it will definitely be a showdown Friday night between Meyer and Sonny.
Also, congratulations to Coach Corbin for being added to the Vanderbilt Wall of Fame on West End Avenue in Nashville, joining Coaches Franklin, Stallings and Balcomb. This is Coach’s ninth season at Vandy, so it’s about eight seasons overdue. We’re all glad it’s finally getting done.
Until next week—Go ’Dores
Drew Fann
Proverbs 2: 6-8
*If you have any comments or questions that you would want to be answered in a future blog, email them to drew@collegebaseballdaily.com
