Spent some time over at Doug Kingsmore Stadium yesterday chatting with a few players and coaches.
No news flash here, but this baseball rivalry is such a cool deal. The Columbia-Greenville-Clemson setup is as close to perfect as you can get, and of course everything is heightened when both programs are simultaneously elite -- as they've been for quite a while now.
Aaron Fitt of Baseball America made the series the centerpiece of his Weekend Preview.
March matchups don't get more meaningful than the annual Clemson-South Carolina donnybrook. The Palmetto State is simply bonkers for college baseball, and these two programs are two of the nation's best on a consistent basis.
And, of course, there's the rivalry—perhaps the fiercest in college baseball. So while a weekend in March will not make the season for the players or coaches, it just might for some of the fans.
"Clemson-USC is such a great rivalry that's been around in this state for a while—it gets ridiculous whether it's golf or baseball or football," South Carolina junior lefthander Michael Roth said. "Both sides have amazing fans, and both sides want to kick the crap out of each other on the field."
There's no doubt people appreciate this rivalry, and that'll be evidenced by the packed stadiums today, Saturday and Sunday. But it's often the case that glory days aren't truly appreciated until they are gone (see: Clemson football, 1980s).
A time will come, preferably later rather than sooner, when these two baseball programs endure a slump and we look back on this era and say: "Wow, those were some great times."
I'm firmly of the belief that one of the main ingredients that make the baseball rivalry special is the healthy respect each side has for the other. Jack Leggett and Ray Tanner want to beat each other's brains in, no doubt, but it seems each man holds the other in pretty high regard.
It feels like the same is true of the fan bases. Now, obviously Gamecock fans derived great and unmistakable glee in taking two from Clemson last year in Omaha on their way to the College World Series title. And for Tigers fans, enduring back-to-back defeats to South Carolina again (same as 2002) was akin to torture.
But there's something that's just different in the tenor of this rivalry compared to football. There's just not near the level of nastiness. Part of it, obviously, is because football is so much bigger and all-consuming. But you have to think that the health of a rivalry is improved when both teams are really good, and fans of both schools know the other is really good.
-- It's been interesting to monitor the reactions to the new bats in place this season in college baseball.
The Tigers haven't been all that enamored with the bats issued by Easton, and there was a perception that different brands used by Clemson's opponents (Nike, Wilson) produced more pop and even had a different sound than the sticks Clemson is swinging.
The good news is that Easton is shipping Clemson a new batch of "Omen" bats that the Tigers hope will be more hitter-friendly.
"Supposedly it's a little bit better," Phil Pohl told me. "So hopefully we can get our hands on those and start using those and see how they compare."
-- Don't look now, but shortstop Brad Miller has committed just one error in seven games and appears to have made significant improvement in his fielding since last season, when he racked up 32 errors in 69 games.
Miller told me it's largely about fundamentals and using his legs and feet more.
"Obviously you field with your glove, but I've learned you field with your feet and your footwork. You have to set up to field balls the right way, and that's something I've focused on and continue to focus on every day is having the right footwork. That's the biggest thing I've learned is, you field from the ground up."
-- Clemson hitters have already totaled 55 walks this season, including 12 from Miller.
Is this attributed to a more veteran presence at the plate? Or maybe new hitting coach Bradley LeCroy? Or ... what, exactly?
Here's Miller's take:
"I think we've got a lot of discipline. We've walked a lot, which is good. Those are extra base runners for us. Obviously guys laying off the right pitches and swinging at the right pitches is good. I know it sounds weird, but I think you get walked from being aggressive. When you're ready to go, you'll find yourself laying off some good pitches and only swinging at stuff in the zone. We've got to keep that aggressive approach for the rest of the year."
-- Dominic Leone won't be available this weekend as he deals with stiffness in his throwing arm, but Leggett told me the outlook is much more favorable than initially believed.
Last week, Leggett thought it could be a three- to four-week process before Leone would be able to pitch at full strength. That timetable has been significantly reduced, Leggett said.
-- Talked to pitching coach Dan Pepicelli about Kevin Brady, who will take the mound for the Tigers on Saturday in Greenville. Brady, of course, sizzled in Sunday's win over Michigan State at Fluor Field by striking out nine and allowing just four hits in seven innings.
Brady, a junior right-hander, managed to make improvements to his velocity in the offseason. Pepicelli says he's up to 95 mph.
Pepicelli also said a number of other pitchers began this season with added velocity as well. The second-year pitching coach said he was able to take a much more hands-on approach heading into his second season after feeling his way through leading up to the 2010 campaign.
-- Of course most of the questions from the media yesterday were about the rivalry and about last year in Omaha, and you could tell Leggett and his players were prepared for those topics.
Pohl said the way last season ended was agonizing for him and his teammates, and it's something they're trying to forget and move on.
But no doubt it supplies some motivation for them heading into this weekend's meetings with the Gamecocks.
"It's definitely tough to let go. You never want to lose, especially when you get that far and especially to your arch-rival. ... This is a new year, and that was in the past. But I think we're excited about the matchup. We're ready to get it underway."
Should be fun.
LW
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