ball5podcast
Welcome to ball5podcast, where Aggie baseball greatness meets passionate fandom! Join us as we dive deep into the world of Texas A&M baseball with none other than a former Aggie All-American, A&M Baseball Hall of Famer, and A&M Hall of Champions inductee, Scott Livingstone. Get exclusive insights from his 8-year MLB veteran experience as we recap Aggie baseball series, conduct interviews with current and former players, interact with fans, host engaging Q&A sessions, share captivating stories, and much more. Whether you bleed maroon or simply love the game, this podcast is your ultimate destination for everything Aggie baseball!"
ball5podcast
ball5podcast/Aggie Closer Clayton Freshcorn
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Listen in as Scott visits with Aggie Closer Clayton Freshcorn as the Aggies get ready to embark to the SEC Tournament. They discuss Clayton's journey to Texas A&M from the fields in Waller, Texas to the mound at Blue Bell Park as well as his excitement receiving his Aggie Ring for his soon to be Graduation. Clayton reflected on the competition with Aiden Sims for a Sunday starter and how their friendship and support for one another grew during that time. They also discussed the ABS system being used at this year's SEC Tournament and Freshcorn's thoughts on the implementation. The conversation also covered team dynamics, road trip experiences and much more. Enjoy!!
Hey everybody, thanks for joining the Ball Five podcast. I'm your host, Scott Livingstone, and I'm excited to bring to you in this episode today my interview with Aggie Closer Clayton Freshcorn. Enjoy. So uh how you doing, man?
SPEAKER_01Good, good. I mean, I feel like we're at a really good spot right now. Just want to keep rolling and having fun.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, I uh I appreciate you coming on, man. I know uh you guys are busy getting ready and stuff. So uh are you are you watching any of the games today?
SPEAKER_01Uh we actually got to watch a little bit of the Missouri and Ole Miss game, but other than that, I haven't really got to tune in yet. I'm I'm about to probably watch the LSU one. I think it it's close to started. If not, it's started already.
SPEAKER_00Oh, have they started already?
SPEAKER_01I don't know exactly. I think I saw four, but I might be wrong.
SPEAKER_00I know Vandy and Kentucky, what were they tied?
SPEAKER_01I think so. I think they were. I don't know what it is now.
SPEAKER_00Okay, all right.
SPEAKER_01So when do y'all leave? Uh we're leaving tomorrow. So we'll we'll have a practice in the morning and then we'll uh shower and get on the plane and get ready to go.
SPEAKER_00Okay, awesome. Well, I appreciate you coming on, like I said, because uh, you know, I want you know my listeners to get to know Clayton Fresh Corn a little bit. You know, do we call you Clayton? Do we call you Fresh? You know, you know, what are we doing?
SPEAKER_01I normally get if I get my first name, it's more of I'm in trouble. So everybody just calls me fresh or something. They come up with whatever.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, okay. No, that's cool. Well, uh, first of all, congratulations, all SEC.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. I appreciate it. It's pretty exciting.
SPEAKER_00I mean, you're on a pretty elite list right there that you're on, man. And plus, you know, also on the stoppers list, you're on that. So uh pretty pretty good, man. Pretty good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I I can't say anything less than we're just we're winning, and whenever you win, some some good stuff come our way, come your way. So, I mean, uh just gonna keep having fun with our guys and competing and see what happens.
SPEAKER_00And everybody's ready for Hoover, right?
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, we're all excited. I mean, uh we go yes, sir. We were talking about the mall and the hotel that we're staying at. Everybody's all giddy and excited now. So we'll see what happens.
SPEAKER_00Well, I I heard Coach early on on Texags or something about uh uh a better hotel. Is that is that a real thing?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir. So there's uh supposedly like a nice uh we didn't get to do it last year, but there's a nice mall and there's a hotel inside the mall. And everybody who was on the 2024 team was talking about how you want to get the nice hotel. So I mean, solidifying the series against Mississippi State was meaning we also got the nice hotel, so everybody was also excited about that.
SPEAKER_00So you got the hotel because of I believe top three, top four in the in the tournament.
SPEAKER_01I think get it. So I guess us winning somehow solidified that we were gonna be top four or top three or whatever and and get it.
SPEAKER_00All right. Well, that's cool. That's cool. So I'm assuming everybody's ready to get going.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. I mean, everybody's uh it's really exciting. We're getting like I think we're we saw Nico take ground balls and stuff, so I I'm excited to see if he's gonna be back. I think he'll be a big piece for us, so that'll be fun to see. We also uh I think everybody's getting back healthy. I think Chris is moving a lot better. So I mean everybody's ready to go. Everybody's excited to have some fun and and see, and and some of the new guys, of course, getting to see the SEC tournament and stuff like that. It's so much fun, it's a great place to play. So it's gonna be exciting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I think Chris is gonna move around even if he's in a cast, it ain't gonna matter, right?
SPEAKER_01No, I mean, even if his leg's broke, he's gonna find a way, he's gonna push himself. He's the kids, he's insanely tough.
SPEAKER_00For sure, for sure. So obviously, school's out. So what is what does a practice day look for you like before you leave? Like yesterday, today? What you know, you you're you're actually in three years my first bullpen guy.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's cool.
SPEAKER_00Well, I'm I was a hitter, man.
SPEAKER_01I'm honored. That's cool.
SPEAKER_00What did your day look like?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I mean, uh when school stopped, we started getting uh breakfast catered to the field, so it kind of starts well, we have breakfast from nine to ten. That means you can show up whenever between nine and ten, but as long as you show up, it means you uh oh, what just happened? Did you lose me? Yeah, my I all crap. Somebody called me and it kind of threw me off. But I'm still here. Can you see me?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I actually hear you pretty good now.
SPEAKER_01Oh gosh, all right. Well, yeah, so we'll have breakfast from nine to ten and then from there on we'll have uh practice right afterwards. We'll probably start. We normally start like 30 minutes to an hour after breakfast ends, and uh it'll be anything from working from first and thirds and bunt coverages to just pitchers getting their catch play in and uh and moving on with BP.
SPEAKER_00So you do a lot of long tossing, or is that kind of ball ball stuff?
SPEAKER_01I actually don't as much necessarily, which is kind of I mean, that's just how my that's my thing. I don't necessarily feel like I need to long toss as much. Uh I just I I'm a sure, I don't it doesn't take me long to get going. So it'll be days that I I need to necessarily pull myself back from throwing too hard and uh just have like lighter catch play days and whether about dabby to 75 feet or 90 feet.
SPEAKER_00Okay, all right. Well, you know, I want to talk a little bit about Waller, Texas.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00My wife and I for about three years ago started a uh screen print business, you know, t-shirts and stuff.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00And uh hats and all that stuff, and and uh we went to a we went to like workout competitions and one of them was in Katie.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00So we spent the night at the Fairfield off of 290, I think, in Waller.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00You probably know it well.
SPEAKER_01Yes, that's it's probably one of our only hotels there.
SPEAKER_00They had a couple. There was there's two.
SPEAKER_01I think there's two. There's two or three.
SPEAKER_00Is there Buckeys there now?
SPEAKER_01Yes, so the Buckies was put there when I was, I think, uh fifth grade in in elementary school, and it's it's been like one of our landmarks. I mean, you everybody jokes about that. When you pass through Waller, all they got is a Buckies, and I mean we'll take it. It's definitely cool to have.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's awesome. So how how's the baseball in Waller?
SPEAKER_01Oh, I mean, it's it's it's fun because I grew up with like four or five guys that we just try we played travel ball together and had a had a riot. Uh our baseball, unfortunately, is not the best in high school ball wise, like we it just necessarily doesn't come. And I mean, that'll probably change on the road. We're growing and getting bigger in size, but uh, I mean, we had a we we have a couple baseball parks around there, around the area, and uh, I mean, we grew up playing there and then just traveling around. And when I joined 12 when I was like 12, uh it was super fun because then we had a bunch of kids that I knew that I was playing against and stuff. So I mean, growing up, not a huge baseball town, but at the same time, you can meet your closest friends because I mean it's such a small group of baseball kids.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know, mentioned you mentioned 12. I mean, it seems like a lot of the a lot of guys have played in 12, you know, that that have gone A and M. You know, there's been a few of them, but uh Yeah, so you know, I know you you pitchers always talk about your hitting exploits and all that stuff. You know, Aiden Sims told me he hit a 3-0 home run in a playoff game or something like that. And uh, so did you hit when you were in high school? Or did you just pitch or what?
SPEAKER_01I was actually I was recruited to McClennon partially as a two-way and then chose that I just wanted to pitch. But hitting was fun in high school. I my senior year I started to hit great. I there was one game, uh, so it was kind of interesting. I didn't pitch my whole life. Like I played short and I would come in and I would close like the last inning of our high school games if we were winning. And I just I just threw hard. I wanted I wasn't a pitcher, I was just I threw the ball hard. Like I necessarily didn't know what I was doing, but I think there was one game that I uh we went extra innings and I like threw four innings with like 10 K's and I hit the walk-off to win the game. So I do have some some good hitting stories.
SPEAKER_00Well, you know what? You trump Aiden.
SPEAKER_01Oh, good. Yeah, I'll know that too.
SPEAKER_00That was a way better than his story.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna brag about that.
SPEAKER_00Bigger feat. You you tell him I said so. So uh you mentioned McClennan, you went there. What so I'm assuming the portal last uh last year before you came to AM?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00What was that experience like?
SPEAKER_01That was something completely different to me. I I out of high school, the only offer I had was McClennon, so I never really had to like had the whole aspect of having to talk to multiple multiple schools and people and like the downside of like having to tell a school no that you don't want to go there. And like that whole interesting aspect for me was completely different. And when leaving McClennon and choosing that option that I wanted to go to another school, I knew in the back of my head I wanted to go to AM. I grew up less than an hour, like it was ideal. I wanted to play there, I wanted to be an Aggie, and I mean it it took a little bit for them to reach out. I mean, with the whole coaching change and stuff like that, just it completely flared up the recruiting process for multiple kids, not just me. Uh so I had multiple schools in Texas, like I had DBU, like TCU, I had OU. So I had a couple schools that I was on my radar and stuff that I knew great things about them too. Like you grew up being fans of them too, but I always knew I wanted to be an Aggie. And when the coaching changes happened and and Caleb Longley was hired with us, uh he he instantly texted me and called me, and I I committed on the spot. I came then I came two days later and committed and committed in Coach Early's office. So I knew I always wanted to be here.
SPEAKER_00So so why did you always want to be here? Was there a family member that was here, or had you seen games there, or what was it?
SPEAKER_01Surprisingly, I didn't I don't have any family members that came here, which is really crazy to say because mostly everybody in Waller is an Aggie. And I feel like that's necessarily why I probably wanted to go there. I grew up with family friends that were Aggies, and they're my biggest fans to this day that are follow everything I do, and they and they're almost like my second parents. And uh I think growing up and knowing the tradition, the core values, like that was just something that I wanted to be a part of. And I knew that it was important when you graduated from AM and you get your Aggie ring, it it takes you farther than whatever baseball could. So I just knew that I wanted to be here and and get to play for this great university.
SPEAKER_00Wow, that's great, man. Well said, well said. Uh so speaking of school and the Aggie Ring is where are you at hours wise, and what are you studying?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir. So I I actually get to graduate this summer. So I'm ahead. I'm I'm an A-LED major, is what my credits could transfer over easier. Uh, I actually I got my Aggie ring in April. So I actually don't have it on right now because I just took a shower, but I I wear it everywhere. I I show it off to everybody. But uh uh got that in April, was super excited about that. I have three classes after doing the summer, and then I'm gonna graduate in August. So I got to technically do a mini graduation with the athletes because I'm not gonna have one in the summer. So that was really cool to get to do that with Blake Bender up and guys like Grant and Chestnut. So that was super fun, and uh I'll be good to go. So I'll be wrapped up and then whatever comes down the road, we'll we'll work from there.
SPEAKER_00Well, congratulations, man. That's awesome. Thank you. That's great. So uh obviously you had a pretty good year last year for us, and then you're coming into the fall. Were you? I mean, we had Moss and Sedeo, they were kind of ticketed for Friday, Saturday. Were you part of that competition for day three, the Sunday?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir. I would I would say me and Sims were were neck and neck. We were going at it. Uh, there's no question, which he me and him are super close. Like I'm I love that guy, and he loves, and we're we have a great relationship. It's like four of us are super close. And I we would we were just really open with each other. Like we knew that we were competing against each other, and but the end of the day, I was I knew I was gonna be his biggest supporter, and he was gonna be mine if I ended up getting it. But it came down to it, and and Aiden Sims is really good. I mean, there's just no question about I I I appreciate that, but I think that we we had conversations and I proved that I was a I was good out of the pen last year, and I was proved that I could go in the late games and get those final outs. So and he was a guy that he he just looked like a starter, he had the starter stuff, he had the uh way to go the long way, the efficient uh the efficiency. And so I I ate it and I knew that I wasn't necessarily going to get what I wanted, but I knew that I had a that God has a plan for me, and I knew that it was all gonna work out. So I'm still his big biggest supporter to this day, and he's mine. And I think he was the first one out there to hug me after Mississippi State. He was all excited. So it was, I mean, couldn't have worked out better. I'm I'm happy with how it worked.
SPEAKER_00Well, I think if the fans could have ran on the field, they all would have hugged you too. So, you know, they all have been out there too. So, how many pitches do you have? What do you what do you have? What's your repertoire?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I have what? I think I have five. Yeah, I have five. So I have the four seam fastball, which has a little bit of carry, uh, nothing crazy. And then uh the sinker, which occasionally gets thrown. It's just something that we mix up from the four seams, so it gets under barrels a little bit, maybe get a double play or something like that. Uh, then we have the cutter, which I throw a lot. That's the one that'll be anywhere from 85 to 88 around there. Uh, and then there's the sweeper, which is the bigger one, just a bigger slider necessarily to be anywhere from 82 to 84, and it's just more break, more bigger. And then I've been throwing a new kick change, uh, which I think was the ball that got put over the fence against Missouri State in the last game. But that's just the one that's it's new, and we're we're messing around with it. Just something that goes arm side to get away from a lefty or something like that. And uh all of them really comfortable with, and we're starting to uh showcase them a little bit now that we're getting towards the end of the season. So uh opponents aren't necessarily just sitting on the four seam or the cutter or something like that. So that'll be something fun to see and and hopefully have some more success.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you gotta show them something else.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, keep them in.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I remember when I was when I was playing, I you uh the toughest pitchers for me were always ones that had a real good fastball and a real good changeup. Curtball didn't matter because it was breaking into me most of the time, you know, because I was lefty, but right fastball's change ups, they they kind of wore me down. So but so what about at uh at home there in college station? So do you have roommates?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so last year I lived with a bunch of baseball guys. I lived with Gavin Lyons, Bear, and Sam Erickson. This year was kind of weird with like my whole house kind of moved out, and we had to find different places, and everybody was booked. So I ended up living with I'm living with a high school buddy uh that I went to high school with, and the coaches trust me, and they were really they were okay with it. Like they knew I wasn't gonna go out and be partying or anything like that. They knew who I am, and I and I was just gonna be with him. And then I'm actually living with my girlfriend as well. So when we we just tried to just we decided to try to test the waters and see how that's gonna go with Pro Bowl and stuff. So we're living together and we've been having fun, and it's just it's been all a good little dynamic.
SPEAKER_00So is another Waller guy?
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00All right. Well, is she a Waller girl?
SPEAKER_01Yes, sir, she is. I know since third grade, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Wow, wow, congratulations.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's pretty cool. So, what about the uh on the road? You gotta have somebody on the road, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, me and me and Shane are roommates. So it's a funny little dynamic. He's the he's hard on everybody, so he'll tell me if I if I suck that day, or like I mean, I think it was old miss after I threw. I felt like uh like I was like, hey, how was my four scene? Like, I felt like I was getting some little more carry or whatever. And he was like, it actually sucked. And I was like, all right, thanks. I appreciate it. I was like, I mean, I guess it somehow still worked a little bit, but I'll take it. I'll let and he's and it's all out of love, he's just constructive curticism. But I mean, he'll be the first, I'll be the first one to say, like, hey man, you got rocked today, and he'll be the first one to tell me that too.
SPEAKER_00Well, that that's great. I think all of you guys, I mean, it just seems like everybody gets along, it's great, absolutely a great group of guys, and you can you can really you can really see it, you know, from the outside. Absolutely, for sure. So it's pretty cool. So when you take a road trip, what's the one thing you can't forget, you gotta take, is it your your pods?
SPEAKER_01Uh well, that is a necessity, but I would say it it has to we me and Shane uh like flip off bringing our Xbox, like just to have in the room, like necessarily not to play games, but like we like to like to watch YouTube and other baseball games, so like that's a necessity. Like we cannot live just watching the hotel guide channels, and we have to bring one of those and watch something else or play a game or something like that.
SPEAKER_00That's that that's kind of the answer I was looking for, but when I asked TK, he goes, Oh, I can't forget my uniform. I'm like, Well, of course you can't.
SPEAKER_01No, of course you can't.
SPEAKER_00You can't forget that. But uh, so when you guys are you know being the bullpen guy, are are you down there the whole game? Are you in the dugout part of the time, or you split your your love, your love share between both?
SPEAKER_01I do split a little bit because like it depends. Like guys like Weston, like I like being in the dugout, so I can go talk to him. And like I mean him are really close. Like, I get I get to talk him off the ledge a little bit if he needs to, if he's getting too emotional or something. But and then also I like all the snacks are in the dugout. So I I I have to get a little bit of snacks in the dugout before I go down to the pen.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Well, uh, so are there any bullpen antics that go on while you're down there? Is there like, you know, I know like when I was playing, you know, in the big leagues, it was like those guys were always up to something down there, whether they're bowling on in cans or you know, I don't know. Is there anything something that we don't know what's going on as fans?
SPEAKER_01We we do have something that maybe people don't know. We have a time we have like a timeout system that's called cage time. So if somebody says something stupid or somebody jinks uh like this, like that bear has gotten three hits in a row, like, hey, bear, we need another one from Bear. Like, all right, no, that's you got to go sitting out in the corner or something like that. Like, that's our joke. So, like when we're home, uh, if one of the freshmen necessarily most of the time you end up getting it, but if they say something stupid, they have to go sit in the cage for however many outs we say that they needed that, depending on how bad it was. We'll be like, all right, you got two outs in the cage, you can't watch the game for two outs. And we'll on the road we'll find funny ways to mix it. Like there was, I think we're joking about there was a trash can we were gonna have to make them sit in or something. Like, obviously it didn't happen, but with that's our little game, and it just kind of keeps you it keeps you checked in because you want to watch the game, but also gets you a little moment to kind of like have some fun and like check out a little bit.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you gotta have some fun, man. You gotta do something. I mean, you know, those guys were always messing around down there, so it was always always fun. And there are the bullpen guys are good guys, too. You know, they're a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_01It's super fun.
SPEAKER_00So being in the bullpen at some of the game, what's the farthest ball you've seen hit down that left field line? Has there been like do they hit the building? Because it's hard to tell. It's hard to tell from the stands.
SPEAKER_01I think there's uh two times. Chris, Chris hit a ball that almost almost went on the balcony of one of the wrecks, and then Bendy, I think, one time hit a ball over the scoreboard and it hit the side of the wreck. And those two were like like they were off the bat. We were already standing up, like celebrating. We knew they were not getting that that ball was not staying in the ballpark. So I'd say those two, like, I think it was oh, I wish I remembered exactly what game, but I know Chris hit the crap out of one and Bendy did. I can't remember which ones, but those two for sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, okay, cool, man. So speaking of bullpins, is there a what's your you got a favorite road bullpen?
SPEAKER_01Oh I think the SEC tournament might be my favorite.
SPEAKER_00Yeah?
SPEAKER_01I think oh, I mean I'm trying to think. Oh miss was fun. Ole Miss was good. Uh, but I mean the SEC tournament's so fun. I mean, there's that place gets packed and you're and you get to watch it from a different perspective. And I mean the mounds and stuff, and they have the best fill field crew are there. So I mean it's it's super fun. I think that setup is probably my favorite.
SPEAKER_00How about the worst?
SPEAKER_01Oh, there was a worse. Which one was it? Uh surprisingly, LSU. Pretty bad. I think the mounds, not the fans, the fans were awesome. They were, I mean, I think one of them called me sweet corn. It was super fun. Like, we were just engaging with them, but uh, I think the mounds being really close together, and the one on the far right side is too close to the wall. So, like, I I'm all the way on the other side of the rubber, I'm on the third base side, and I have a big leg kick, like I would hit the wall. So, like, I think that setup's a little weird, but I would think that would be the worst. Yeah, I mean, we couldn't get two guys going at once if we had to.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Man, I would have thought the LSU fans would have been all over you guys, but you know. Even if they are, it's just fun. How about so like a favorite player team growing up? Was it the Astros? Usually the Houston guys are the Astros.
SPEAKER_01I would say the Astros, and I and George Springer was my guy when I grew up. I I loved watching George Springer, and then when he got traded, it ruined my ruined my whole year. Uh, but I the Astros for sure are my favorite. And I I mean they're not doing too great right now, but they're definitely still my home team, my hometown team that I got to root for.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Did you play any other sports?
SPEAKER_01Surprisingly, no. I had an old I have an older brother and he kind of he started playing baseball, and then I was like the neck, I was the next one. Like he was throwing a ball at me until I caught it, and I had no other option. I was gonna play catch with him and and go down that route. I played a little bit of basketball and football, but I'm not the biggest person in the entire world. So baseball was kind of my calling.
SPEAKER_00That's okay. I think it's gonna work out okay. I hope so. All right, so you're on a big league field, you're in the big league, you're in the bullpen, you're the closer. It's the bottom of the ninth. Gates open up. What's your song you're running to the mound for? What's it gonna be?
SPEAKER_01Jeez, that's such a hard question.
SPEAKER_00You can think about it.
SPEAKER_01I feel like I I can't I can't stride away from my No More Tears by Ozzy. I feel like that would be a good option, but I I would probably I mean you Hell's Bells is one of the best entrances ever. But you then you're copying somebody else. I don't I I think it would have to either be one of those two. I think No More Tears or Hell's Bells would be really cool. I mean, I think that would just be like the it would fit the atmosphere on the the per their persona you're trying to put off.
SPEAKER_00Right. So does anybody use Hell's Bells now? Because my teammate was Trevor Hoffman.
SPEAKER_01Really?
SPEAKER_00And he came out to that. Yeah, nobody uses it in San Diego, like in the 90s. Wow. So but yeah, so when you said you're kind of look copying somebody else. Else. I didn't know if you're talking about Trevor or not.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I wouldn't no, I was just I know how famous it is. I've I've heard it so many other times. I probably have seen him walk out to it at some point, but I just didn't even notice. I mean, everybody uses that song. It's it's great, obviously. It it matches it perfectly. But I mean, I haven't think I thought I thought about using it this year uh a little bit, but I just I've I've had too much good outings of mine and I don't want to change it up. And yeah, I mean I just can't I can't sway away from it.
SPEAKER_00Nah, stick with it, man. Stick with it. Yeah, he uh it's funny when you said that you went to McClennan as a two-way player because Trevor, I mean, he's a hall of fame closer, right? I mean and I mean just all around great dude, great teammate. But he was a shortstop and he threw hard, just like you said, you know, and uh I go, what how'd you become a pitcher? He goes, I just couldn't hit the curveball. I couldn't hit, but I had the best arm, so they put him at short. And then they started putting him on the mound, and you know, he developed a bug bunny changeup, and uh, which I'm still mad at him about because I got traded to St. Louis. He faced Trevor when he was closing. My good friend, my other good friend, Brad Osmus, is catching. So it's all three of us. We all hung out together, and I'm at the plate. And Trevor and Brad both know that I'm a first pitch fastball hitter, right? Because when you pinch hit or something like that, you want to be aggressive, right? You don't want to wait around, right? So he threw me a first pitch fastball right around my knees, perfect pitch, and I overthought it that he was gonna throw me a changeup, and I took it. It was right there. And then he threw me five more change ups and I stuck out. I was about to say never, never lets me forget about it. So that's it. But yeah, he was a he was a shortstop like you were too, and had a had a really good arm.
SPEAKER_01So I think I made I made the decision that I think that I didn't want to hit 95 every day. I think that's why I just stopped and I decided I want to instead of hitting 95, start throwing 95 and just be that guy.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, there you go. But you know, we were we weren't seeing much in 95, so it wasn't that bad back for us. You know, if you were throwing 95, 97 back then, you were like, oh my gosh, you were out of this world. Right now it's kind of the norm almost the normal, yeah. Crazy sucks, but yeah, but you you're pumping them in there though. I'm trying. So, you know, kind of speaking of speak speaking of the speed a little bit, you know, with all the metrics that are going on, I understand all the hitting ones and you know, exit velocity and all that stuff. And then I hear with you guys spin rate. And do you kind of what's is there one that you kind of look at more than another, or is it just hey, throw strike one?
SPEAKER_01I mean, at the end of the day, you got to compete. Like it doesn't matter what you have. Like, if you you just need to throw strikes and compete. I mean, we we kind of fall, you kind of fall into a rhythm uh with some younger guys, and and this happened to me last year was I got too invested in it. Like I wanted it, I wanted every number to be perfect, but at the end of the day, it didn't matter. Like I could have the best fastball in the country metrically, but it could still get hit. Like it doesn't matter, like the hitter's gonna hit if it if it's not playing the same or whatever. So at the beginning, I was like super invested in it. Like I wanted to see if my vertical uh break was my horizontal, whatever, and and kind of strided away from just competing with it. So I feel like that towards the beginning of last year, that was my issue. I was trying to be too perfect and try to nitpick, but instead of just competing with it. And so now I don't think about it. I just go up there, I want to throw hard. I want to hopefully get a little bit more ride, which is the vertical break. And I think anything above 15 to 16 plays well for me because I'm a little lower slot. So as long as those two things look good, I don't really care. I just want to go out there and and try to get as many people out as possible as fast as I can.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so you just went over my head. What are you talking about? 15-16.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so 15 to 16 inches, a vertical break is necessarily on paper, not that good.
SPEAKER_00Ah, okay.
SPEAKER_01But since my release spot and height and stuff, it kind of plays differently. So I know that if I look at it and I'm like, all right, my fastball average was 16 to 17. My heater carried like 20 from a dip from the from the eyesight kind of thing. So I those numbers are necessarily not what I ride or die by, but if I look at it and I'm like, all right, that was like 15 to 16 inches on the track man, then I'm like, all right, it's playing good, like it'll be fine.
SPEAKER_00But how would you I mean would you go out and change something like that? Like I like spin rate, what the heck does that mean? If you want to spin it harder, it feels like your elbow is gonna snap or something. So how do you get a better spin rate?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so spin rate is necessarily it's important, but it isn't at the same time. You're born with whatever spin rate you have, like you're not gonna necessarily go in the weight room and get stronger and then start spinning it more. But the spin rate just necessarily means what you're more capable of. So like somebody who spins it higher has more capabilities to make it either have more negative drop like a curveball, or like more horizontal for like a slider. So that all that means is that you have more capabilities to get more inches, which therefore is harder to hit. Or if you don't have less, then it doesn't necessarily mean you won't have more inches, it just means that you have less doors that you can unlock.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it seems like with the you know, like when I when I talk to the hitters and stuff, they don't really think about it either. They, I mean, I mean, launch angle, who cares? It goes out of the ballpark, it goes out, you know, jam shot 40 miles an hour over the shortstock, but still win a game.
SPEAKER_01Still a hit. Yeah, it's still a hit.
SPEAKER_00It doesn't matter. So you know, I feel like if people asked me what was my exit velocity, I'd go enough.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's kind of the same situation with uh Shane. I was asking how my heater looked, and it was like terrible, like the worst it's ever been. Like it was like nine inches of induced vertical break, which is really not good, but it still was getting out. So I was like, that's kind of the point of like, hey, it doesn't necessarily matter. Like I could be terrible net metrically, but it doesn't matter as long as I compete, I can still get anybody out. So that that's kind of like the whole idea of not wanting to feed into it too much.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think you gotta, it's kind of like a filter, you know, you put everything in it and you let stuff come out that you really are gonna use or not use. Because I, you know, as a hitter, when back in the day, when we were when we found what how we found out what a pitcher had was when we got in the batter's box.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, that was it, right? Now there's scouting reports and iPads and I know it's it's crazy.
SPEAKER_00It's crazy to see these big league guys go right back to the bench and look at their iPad. Yep. You know, when the you can see what the pitcher's doing, just look. Watched. Yeah. So it's it's crazy, but you know, somebody came up with this system, and I think it's some good, some bad. I totally agree. I I think it's a mix of both. Speaking of some good, some bad, golly, what a segue. What do you think about the ABS and Hoover?
SPEAKER_01I think it's going to be terrible. I think it's going to, it's I think it's a mix of good and bad, but I think we're going to see a lot of uh players that don't necessarily know the strike zone as well as they think. I think I I know for us we're most likely going to leave it mostly for the hitters. I think they're going to get to do it, or Bear will get to do it occasionally for a pitcher, but I it's interesting because the SEC tournament's doing it a little different than how the major leagues do it. So it's like the actual zone is bigger. So it's actually going to play better for pitchers, which is exciting for me, I guess, because I'm a pitcher. But at the same time, our hitters have to hit off the same thing. So I think it's going to be super interesting. We already saw a couple calls in the the first game of Missouri and Ole Miss that we were watching. I think an old miss catcher uh tried to do it, and it was like two balls off the plate, like not even close. Like that's how we're going to see a little bit of like, how well do you actually know the strike zone? And it was funny today. Uh, I threw a little touch and feel off the mound, which is like a very light pin. And we had Bear back there testing like what he thought was a strike and a ball. So we had the track man set up, so I would throw, and it would be like, all right, try to throw this one up a little bit. So I would throw it like heater, like forced team fastball mask, and like it'll be kind of playing either like a barely above the strike zone or in the strike zone, and have him trying to like call it a a strike or not. And he was he was actually like really good. So that's exciting. He's probably I think he missed like one out of like the 15. So it's gonna be interesting. I I'm excited to see what happens a little bit. I think it's I think it's gonna be good and bad, but we'll see.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think the Missouri guy was like six for six at one point.
SPEAKER_01He was awesome. Yeah, I think he saved, he actually got him out of an inning. It was a three-two, and it was it was really it's I seen on all over Twitter, it's really questionable right now because it looked like a ball, but it clipped, and the strike zone said that it was a strike, so it's it's it's gonna be fun to watch.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know, because when I first heard about it, I was thinking, yeah, Lee, this is gonna be long games, they're gonna take a long time, it's gonna be hitter-friendly. Guys are just gonna crush it, but I don't know. I think moving it off the plate a little bit is gonna kind of equalize that for the pitchers, and they're changing the measurements are a little bit different than the big league one. Yeah, and you know, I just think I think it's it's it's better. I'm gonna enjoy watching it more now than I was from if it was the big league one.
SPEAKER_01Right. I think it would be I think it would be extremely hitter dominant if it was the big league one. I think the pitchers are kind of being a disadvantage. So it's it's exciting to see that they with it like they kind of made the measurements a little bit different. So I don't know. We're gonna see, we're gonna have to see.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean back when I was playing, a lot of guys would, you know, run the ball just off the plate, you know, and they'd get two or three inches off the plate for a strike, and you you know, you're like you live with it. You're like, okay, they got it, you know, if they could nail that spot off the black all the time. But you know, I just I think it's good and bad just like anything else, right?
SPEAKER_01It's just gonna be it's gonna be fun to see what happens.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, for sure. All right, a couple more questions, I'll let you get going. Um I'm gonna ask you who would who on your roster, who on the team would make a good coach someday? Ooh. Take your time.
SPEAKER_01I I I actually have a uh one that came straight to mind. I think Josh Stewart is gonna be a great coach one day. And I don't know if he wants to stay in the baseball world. I'm not exactly sure what he wants to do, but I think he'll be a great coach one day if he wants to be. Uh, I mean, he's a leader, obviously. He's the our 12th man. We we chose that. I mean, but it's I think he has the capabilities to be, he's a great person and he has the abilities to make relationships and also kind of be a little bit kind of on you if he needs to be. So I think he'd be a great coach.
SPEAKER_00Okay, no, I can I can see that. I can see that uh the I would I was gonna say the guy on the team that would probably be the best football player, but I figure I know who you're gonna say. So I'm gonna say three guys. Give me three guys who you think would be the best football players, and most of the guys don't watch this podcast, so they won't know.
SPEAKER_01No, the the first guy by far is Jorian. Of course. 100%. I think he could be, I feel like he could be any, he could be the best quarterback in the SEC. A hundred percent. I mean, that dude is the most athletic and has an absolute rocket attached to his shoulder. So I mean, he number one. I think Gavin would be second. I think that his size and everything, I mean, it would and and third, I would have to be TK. He's just so he's so quick. Yeah, he'd be like a good slot receiver, something like that. I mean, those three, I would I mean, I don't think any of the pitchers would be.
SPEAKER_00I mean, you guys all say you're athletes, you're just gonna be able to get a lot of athletes.
SPEAKER_01I think we got an even mix. I think we're we're we have an even mix of athletes out there, but I mean, those I mean you can't beat Jorian and and Gavin and TK. They're they're athletic freaks, and I mean they deserve it. I don't think I couldn't say myself I would get killed. I would probably get broken half, but I mean I'd throw it pretty far, but that's about it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. I I I can see that. I can see that. Those are those are three good ones, man. Those are three good ones. Uh last thing here. So what was there somebody that kind of mentored you as you were growing up, or who do you is there somebody you kind of gravitate to that with your pitching, your mental, you know, any who who would you kind of like lean on?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I I kind of got fortunate enough that I I think most of my talent or whatever is just God gifted. Like I never really went to any pitching lessons. Like I said, I just played infield, I wanted to be athletic, and I learned to throw hard because I was always the smallest guy and I wanted to throw harder than everybody, and I had to learn how to use my body, and when I got a little bit more, not a little, I'm not huge, but a little more size for me, uh it kind of transferred over. So I mean, I think that credits all to my my brother. Like I said, uh he pushed me. He w I always wanted to be better than him. So like subconsciously, he was pushing me by me wanting to just chase him and be better than him. And I think when it graduated, when it when it kind of went on to like its next path and I got a little bit bigger, it just transferred over. Like, I mean, uh, he's still my biggest fan to this day. Like, he texts me paragraphs ever after every single outing, like, you did this, this, this well. Uh, you need to have better body language. I I saw you shake your head or something like that. You need to be better. Like, like he's he's on me, and it's all out of love. And I mean, I know that I can turn to him. I mean, even my mom is a big baseball fanatic. I mean, I think she knows more than any of us. She loves it. And so she's also a phone call away that always keeps me in a good headspace. And I mean, they're my biggest supporters, so I I can't I can't say that I would have would be where I am without them supporting me at all.
SPEAKER_00Uh, that's awesome, man. That's awesome. That's really cool. Well, uh, I'm gonna let you go because uh we need to go watch some baseball, right? Yes, sir. Go see what's up with LSU and OU. But uh I appreciate you coming on, man. And and uh I know you guys are busy and just you know, continued success, dude.
SPEAKER_01I appreciate. I mean, it's an honor to be on here. I I appreciate your time as well.
SPEAKER_00Nah, thank you, man, and just good luck the rest of the way. Yes, sir. Will do. Thank you. All right, man. See ya. See ya. All right, big shout out to Clayton Freshcorn for taking the time to join the Ball Five podcast. And you know, like I've said before, these are really, really solid young men. Hey, they're not bad baseball players either. All right, gang. That'll do it for now. Thanks again for listening.