Stan Stolte
CBD: UNLV is coming off a 25-31 campaign while going a disappointing 10-20 in Mountain West Conference play. What are your expectations for the 2016 season?
The expectations remain the same, we expect to compete for a conference championship and postseason berth. We expect them to get it done in the classroom and be respectful of the opportunity that they are being given.
CBD: The Rebels return their top three starting pitchers from last year in Kenny Oakley, Blaze Bohall, and D.J. Myers. Do you still see these three still being your top pitchers to start the season?
SS: We have 6 guys competing for the 3 weekend spots, the 3 practice weeks in February will decide that. We have a couple different directions that we can go. In my mind I know that a couple of these guys are more suited for a starting role than coming out of the pen. The other 3 not mentioned are Ben Wright, Cody Roper and incoming JC transfer Dean Kremer. We also have a couple younger kids that are close to turning the corner but I anticipate those 6 being given the opportunity to keep those top jobs the first couple weeks of the season.
CBD: Last year, UNLV had a team batting average of .270. Who do you see making the biggest jump on the offensive side of the game since the last campaign?
SS: We had 3 freshmen starting in the lineup last year so I expect ALL of them to make a jump offensively (Nick Rodriguez, Austin Anderson, Payton Squier). Payton had probably had the best fall for us offensively and is developing into the really good hitter that we expected him to be. The return of Justin Jones will really change our lineup, when we lost him last year that really put too much weight on the shoulders of those kids not ready for it.
CBD: Have any of the incoming freshmen impressed you during Fall workouts? Do you expect any of them to break into the starting lineup/rotation this spring?
SS: I am very impressed with their abilities, now we just have to get that “summer league” mentality out of their system. Infielder Kyle Isbel and 1B/DH Nick Ames are going to be hard to keep off the field, and OF Max Smith and C Vince Taormina are pushing the returners for some AB’s. From a pitching standpoint, we feel that LHP Tevita Gerber, and RHP’s Larry Quaney and Ryan Hare are going to help us eventually in some role.
CBD: Coming into your 1st season as the head coach of the UNLV program, what is the biggest difference you are trying to make in the program?
SS: We’re just trying to get back to the “toughness” we had 2 years ago. Yes, we had key injuries and were very young at certain spots but we lost because other teams were tougher. In this Mountain West Conference, if you are soft you will get your lunch handed to you. We have really made them accountable about everything this fall and the kids have really bought in. Nobody’s getting anything handed to them and we have made that crystal clear with the kids.
CBD: One of the stories in College Baseball has been the decrease in offense over the last ten years but it came back last season with the introduction of a new baseball. How do you feel that this ball has impacted your coaching and recruiting plans?
SS: I think like everyone else we are looking for the more athletic player, but at the same time if a kid doesn’t have the + tools and just plays the game so efficiently and hard all the time we have a spot for a guy like that. From a pitching standpoint, I think 3 pitches for a strikes anytime regardless of velo can get the job done. From a coaching standpoint just like everyone else in the country you just have to minimize your mistakes and properly execute when the opportunity arises.
CBD: Who has been your biggest influence on your coaching philosophy or career?
SS: I try to learn from everyone I coached with or against, sometimes you’ll say to yourself, yes that’s how you handle that situation or no if that ever happens to me I’ll handle that differently. I was so fortunate to work under Gary Powers who taught how big holding the players accountable is. I also was so lucky to work with Jason Gill (LMU) and Jay Uhlman (Oregon) as fellow assistants and great friends of mine. The energy and knowledge those guys brought every day helped me develop. But my parents easily were the most influential. I was taught the old school way, there was no debate. My Dad was an ex-Marine who only knew one way-the right way and my Mom would emphasize treating everyone and everything you do with respect.
