[00:00:15] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:00:15] Speaker B: Welcome to the Roundhouse podcast with Paul Solentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. Thanks for your time. We appreciate you listening. We're going to continue talking with the baseball co coaching staff at Wichita State as we get you ready for fall baseball. Pitching coach Anthony Claggett joins us. Wichita State hired Anthony in June. He came to Wichita State along coach Brian Green from Washington State. Anthony spent the previous four seasons at Washington State. Before that, he was with Brian Green for two seasons at New Mexico State. Anthony pitched at UC Riverside. He was drafted in the 11th round by Detroit in 2005. He appeared in the big leagues in 2009 with the Yankees and the Pirates. So Anthony, you've played all levels of baseball professionally from 2005 to 2015. Good place to start, seems like. How does that experience help you as a coach?
[00:01:07] Speaker A: Tremendously.
I actually grew up, my dad was a coach for a long time, so an opportunity to play for that long and get into professional baseball, there was a point in time when I knew that it would probably be ending at some point and kind of want to follow the footsteps of my father and start coaching. So when you get to that point in your career as a player, you start to listen a little different. You start to hear information a little different, soak it in a little bit more and the understanding that once you're done playing and jumping into coaching, you're going to want to have that information to feed to the players that you're going to get the opportunity to coach.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: So you had a plan. Did you go into college thinking coaching was going to be your path or did it take you into professional baseball?
[00:01:51] Speaker A: No, it was before professional baseball. Yeah, I was entered UC Riverside kind of undersized player, kind of a fifth infielder as well. Little light with the bat. And so my playing days there as a freshman and sophomore, it was a pretty good picture of that my playing days might be over, so I knew I was going to jump into coaching right after that. But something clicked that summer and moving into my junior year and obviously got the opportunity to play professional baseball and really kind of took that upon that to learn and grow within the game and then had longevity of the career, but then also knew I was going to coach after I was done playing.
[00:02:36] Speaker B: So you moved from infield to being a pitcher. Tell us about that transition.
[00:02:39] Speaker A: I did. I was an infielder my high school days, actually. Funny story, my dad was coaching me in high school and he was more than an offensive guy and I might have pitched I think it was probably about five total innings my whole high school career. Had a decent arm from shortstop, but on the mound it wasn't overwhelming from a velocity standpoint and so it wasn't actually until about the end of my sophomore year in college of when I made a jump with the arm. And our pitching coach there at the time gave me an opportunity to get on the mound, throw a bullpen, and see what happens. And it looked decent enough to give me an opportunity over the course of the summer after my sophomore year to go out and pitch, but also play shortstop and develop that way. And then my junior year in the fall is when I came back and they put me on the mound and said, okay, this might be a real deal. So I pitched my junior year also playing middle infield, and still wasn't very good with the bat. So I knew that any chances at a professional career would have been on the mound. And so get an opportunity to get drafted that year. Decided to sign and go play professionally. But people give my dad a rational a little bit because he said, you got a professional pitcher under your belt in high school and guy pitching the big leagues, and he's your son and you never pitched him. But it just so happens just I was a late bloomer on the mount. So it was Coach checkits too. I want to make sure I mention his name, Andrew Check. It who's the head coach at UC Santa Barbara was the pitching coach at UC Riverside at the time and really helped me, really gave me a career.
[00:04:19] Speaker B: So what was it about growing up in a baseball family, I'm sure, watching your dad. Were you the kind of kid that went to practice, all that kind of stuff. What was it about that that led you into coaching?
[00:04:29] Speaker A: Yeah, it was I was that kid running around on the ball field, being a bat boy, running out there to shortstop, taking ground balls and do all that stuff. So since I could remember being a little kid, just playing, even playing Wiffleball in the backyard and actually mom being in the backyard, playing Wiffleball with me too, and throwing me batting practice and dad building a batting cage in our backyard as well. So I grew up on it, understood the game at a really young level, understand how to treat the game with respect, how to go about it the right way. And so I think all my years being in this game as a player, now coaching, just understanding how to provide value with that and now coaching and giving that same values to our players.
[00:05:16] Speaker B: So you've been with Brian Green for six seasons. Give us some insight. Why is he the kind of person you would follow here to Wichita?
[00:05:22] Speaker A: Tremendous human being, tremendous leader, mentor, friend. I mean, everything you can think of. Our opportunity to get a chance to talk with Coach Green before he offered the job at New Mexico State. We have the same mentors in Dennis Rogers in that same realm of Riverside City. College down Southern California. So that was the connection there.
I still remember to this day that conversation I had with Coach Green before he hired me. But it was a conversation of just talking. Know, you got all the notes in front of you, you're prepared for the interview, you think of all the questions that could be asked, and next thing you know, you talk for an hour and you don't even look at your notes. It was that type of conversation that I had with Coach Green. So we broke everything down, but really, we were just on the same page as what we wanted the culture to look like, what we wanted our players to play like, and what our pitching staff, from a philosophy standpoint, wanted to be like. So seven years later, down the road, we still have that tremendous connection. And we're great friends. Our wives are great friends.
But more than anything, I think our minds work really well together on the field. And being successful as we have been, it was a no brainer and the opportunity to come with them here.
Hi.
[00:07:02] Speaker C: This is Rick Muma, president of Wichita State University. Check out the latest episode of the Forward Together podcast. Each episode, I sit down with different guests from Shocker Nation to celebrate the vision and mission of Wichita State University. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:07:33] Speaker B: All right, we're back with Anthony Claggett after a little bit of a break. Anthony was telling us about coming to Wichita State, the baseball program in particular, the Shockers. Tell us about that, what you knew about the program and why it was an attractive place to come growing up.
[00:07:47] Speaker A: In Southern California and understanding college.
Really, two real names come to mind cal State Fullerton and Wichita State. The histories behinds of what those programs have done, being in the College World Series, winning titles, longevity of real coaches Gene Stevenson and Bret Hemnitz as well on the pitching end. But Wichita State just a historical program, and really, when I really thought of it and talking to people surrounding me as well, it's the nature of what this program is and what Coach Stevenson built. It's the toughness, it's the grind, it's the mentality, the competitiveness. So just things that are just a little different than some other programs in the best way possible, but a tremendous opportunity to get a chance to come here and be a part of that history, but also understand that this program has been around for a long period of time. It's done things right for a long period of times, and it's our opportunity to come in and continue that.
[00:08:55] Speaker B: So I'll be interested to hear your answer to this as a West Coast person. So if you've watched Wichita State baseball or even the NBC World Series, west coast teams come in, there's something that's maybe a little different. Maybe it's the way they wear their hats pitching. They seem to call a lot of pitches from the dugout. It just seems to be a different feel.
What's your explanation? Is that a real thing? Is there something different to the way they pitch on the West Coast as opposed to other parts of the country?
[00:09:23] Speaker A: Maybe a little. I wouldn't say right, wrong and different there's a little bit. And when you go out and recruit, you really kind of see it too.
Maybe Polish is the right word in the sense of having some pitchability, maybe a little bit more of a strike thrower, things of that nature. Just development on the West Side just happens on the West Coast, a little bit more of that. But you also see the greatness here in the Midwest. I mean, there's some power, there's some strength, guys size, ability with the fastball, firmer breaking balls. So again, right, wrong and different. It's just a little bit different. Nature of the beast in the brand of pitching, but also the physicality of the actual player. So being on the recruiting trail this summer, it's been really enjoyable to see that type of player a little bit more. Even though being on the West Coast, we still recruited out here quite a bit.
But getting an opportunity to now coach those guys a little bit more traditionally and the understanding of what those players are around here and then build that into the philosophy of what we want to do.
[00:10:29] Speaker B: Did you have a favorite big league team, favorite big league player growing up?
[00:10:35] Speaker A: I did grow up an Oakland A's fan when I was really young. Kind of the Bash Brother Dills and big fan of like, Dennis Eckersley and Dave Stewart and Weiss, you know, some of those guys, but then also grew up a Yankee fan. So getting opportunity to play for them was pretty tremendous as well.
[00:10:55] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, no doubt, no doubt. Is there a major league pitcher, current former, that you send video clips of to your guys or that you say, hey, get on YouTube and watch how this guy goes about his business? Somebody that sets a really good example that you like to point to?
[00:11:13] Speaker A: Yeah, it's really important actually to utilize that.
Know, different guys with different arm slots, different mechanics. We try to find some version of what our pitcher is here in somebody that maybe in the major leagues is doing, try to mimic that. It's just another learning aspect of saying, okay, this guy in the big leagues is very similar to you. Go break it down. Go look at him, go see what he does mechanically, his pitch ability, his stuff, his pitch movements, all the things that are out there in technology nowadays. You got access to a lot of video with that. So think it's really important that our pitchers be able to have the chance to do that and utilize that as a tool.
I think that there's so many variations of different type of pitchers nowadays.
We want to make sure that we're also matching it up with what our guys can do. It is a different level in the understanding of velocity and the movements in the big leagues nowadays. Those guys are pretty special. So there's a balance to that as well. But yeah, it's definitely utilizing some big leaguers that our guys can kind of look at from a video standpoint and kind of mimic.
[00:12:27] Speaker B: So the technology, the video, the availability of that spin rates, all those kind of things would have just mushroomed a lot. Since you started playing baseball, what are your favorite ways to utilize those teaching tools?
[00:12:39] Speaker A: We're lucky enough to have the resources here and the money here to be able to use track man and portable track man. So it's a big conversation around college baseball nowadays and kind of the understanding what we like to do here is, one, we got to educate our players on that stuff, the understanding of metrics and analytics and all that. Because really, if they get an opportunity to play professional baseball, they're going to have to know that at the next level anyways. So it's an obligation for us to teach them that, but then also for us as coaches to utilize that information to help their development.
We spend a lot of time on it. It's definitely embedded into our philosophy.
There are times when we do put that aside to making sure that we're teaching other elements of pitching competitiveness pitchability, understanding how to pitch to certain situations and compete and all that stuff. So we have a good what we like to think of as a good balance of utilizing that stuff. Our analytic team here as well with Emilio helping out and giving us opportunities to gather more information on the analytic side is really important for us. So our players dive into it, they do a good job with it, but I think they also understand that there's a balance to that as well.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: So Wichita State has been doing individual workouts, small groups, for a limited amount of time. You ramped that up later this week with full team practices. Tell us a little bit about how you go about organizing practices. What are the emphasis? How do you get everybody up and running so skill?
[00:14:14] Speaker A: With what we're in right now, skill phase, obviously there's time allotted that we're allowed with our players. So being detailed, being organized is really important, making sure that we're really efficient with our time on the pitching end. We've really kind of built up a phase of bullpens and different types of bullpens getting our arms prepared so that when we get into team, we're ready to throw in inner squads. So it's a whole phase and progression that we have leading up to this weekend. But yeah, when we start team, obviously you get more time. So we all put our heads together as far as the coaching staff and making sure that we're organized on a daily basis and we cover all areas of this game, whether it's individual skill work, whether it's team phase or team defense.
Obviously, we're going to try to play three to four times a week in inner squads and making sure that we get as many innings in from a competitive standpoint as we can. And so we got to see what our team's like and see what our team can do. So coming in as a new staff as well, we got to make sure we put together a good practice plan to see that our players and what our players can and can't do and then make sure we coach them up on any deficiencies that they have. But we're going to figure out what type of players we have and what's the model and the culture of our practice planning and how we go about our business. But I do know one thing, that Coach Green, you know, he wants to build that same kind of mantra as Coach Stevenson had here. And we're going to be tough. We're going to play the game really hard and really fast and really compete.
[00:15:53] Speaker B: So a lot of new faces from the coaching staff to I think Brian Green said 34 new players. How do you go about building some bonds, some team chemistry at this point in the fall?
[00:16:05] Speaker A: One thing that being around with Coach Green is understanding that culture is going to be number one. And seeing what he does with that with his programs is pretty tremendous. I'm sure he talked about it, but week one that we were with the team for the fall is all about culture and culture week and embedding and instilling the culture of what this program is going to be and players getting familiar with each other, like you said, on a lot of new faces, new coaching staff. But for us to utilize that week, which personally I thought went tremendously, get to a spot where we trust each other, where we're familiar with each other, where we can now hit the ground running on the field, I think has already shown up being leading into team. But we're in a good spot. I think you can see our locker room is in a good spot. From a cultural standpoint, guys seem to really enjoy each other. I think the relationship with player and coach has been really good.
I see a lot of activity with our players coming in and asking questions to the coaching staff and wanting to soak in information, get information, ask questions, all pieces that really help the development phase. So really looking forward to getting a team where we get some more hours. But I think we're in a really good spot foundationally with the culture to really hit the ground running and development is going to happen really fast.
[00:17:31] Speaker B: So you've got scrimmages coming up as you guys ramp up your practices.
Fans are welcome to come out and watch, give them a few names. Who should they be paying attention to when they come out and watch?
[00:17:42] Speaker A: A Shocker scrimmage yeah, we hope people can come out. It's going to be really exciting. We always like to have open doors, gates are open, come out, enjoy some baseball. We're going to try to play as many innings as possible. Obviously we've got beautiful weather, but a couple of names that we're excited about. Probably one of the biggest names that people probably know is Kaden Favors on the know returning and really excited for Kaden to come back and he's been kind of at the forefront of our pitching staff so far and developing really well and really looking forward to see his progression. Some newcomers that we're really excited about daniel Zhang, he's got a tremendous arm, he's out of Minnesota. He should be really exciting to watch. Gavin Oswald, he's a big left handed pitcher, good presence about him and then freshman Tommy Laporte and Ryan Garrity both have really tremendous arms and really young guys that we're really excited about. So there's a lot more that we're really excited but Nate Adler, I got to mention him as well. He's the one that also came back and that we're really excited about. So there's a good core group of some guys that came back that we pulled back out of the portal. A really good freshman incoming class that we held together that we're really excited about, really good high talent and then some transfers and junior college guys that coming in and fill some roles right away that we're really excited about.
It's been really successful so far up to this point. I don't want to say anything much for the future, but right now we're really excited. So looking forward to get on the field and play some baseball.
[00:19:23] Speaker B: Kaden Favors, I'll remind people you should remember him from last season lefty and did a lot out of the bullpen. I think he was an opener for Wichita State maybe two years ago. I don't know if he did any of that last year or not, but guy with a lot of experience and is back on the pitching staff.
Favorite moment, best experience from being a big leaguer?
[00:19:45] Speaker A: Oh well, I mean making a debut at Yankee Stadium is pretty special.
It was a day game, Saturday day game against the Cleveland Indians, not my best outing, but getting to run out of and it was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium too, 2009, so the an hour girls season and a lot of excitement and the same year that they won the World Series. So getting an opportunity to get lucky enough to get a World Series ring as well. But I will say that my favorite moment pitching in the big leagues was my second outing against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and pitching the 9th inning and getting out of there with a win and filling that rivalry.
I think it was a nine to one ball game or something like that in the 9th, but still 60,000 fans there screaming and yelling. So pretty special moment of mine that I got an opportunity to have. And those are some of the stories I like to share with our players as well.
[00:20:46] Speaker B: No doubt that would be quite the accomplishment. Best moment as a college player. What stands out in your memory bank from those days?
[00:20:54] Speaker A: Well, it's funny because probably most of them stick out when I was a position player and a hitter and facing guys like Tim Linscomb. And, you know, it's funny because I wasn't the best hitter. But that really told me, hey, I'd better put the bat down and start pitching if I want a career out of this thing. So some of those moments of really seeing what some tremendous pitchers and the Big West had some really good pitchers back in the day, too.
So I'd say some of those moments of facing those arms as a know versus maybe some of my moments as a pitcher.
[00:21:38] Speaker B: I think the Shockers had a particularly rough day against Jared Weaver, if I'm remembering that right. I think most a lot of people yes, yes. What's the last concert you.
[00:21:50] Speaker A: Been? I got a chance to see ACDC with a buddy at the Forum in La.
It had been a few years back, but that was pretty special. ACDC was one of my favorite bands growing up and get a chance to see them and in the Forum, too.
Pretty special day.
[00:22:10] Speaker B: That would be a good one.
Favorite TV show or movie?
[00:22:16] Speaker A: Well, me and my wife kind of get into the Hell's Kitchen or Master Chef Gordon Ramsay stuff, so I'd say some of those cooking shows is pretty enjoyable watching with my wife.
And then movie wise, I mean, Tin Cup Sticks Out is one of my favorites.
[00:22:35] Speaker B: Golf movie with Costner, right?
[00:22:37] Speaker A: Costner, yeah. And then for love of the game. Another costner movie. It was a good one.
And then you can't Go wrong with Moneyball. That's pretty good. And they did a good job with that story as well.
[00:22:51] Speaker B: I'm glad you mentioned your wife. I meant to ask you. So your son's name is Maddox. Is that a shout out to Greg Maddox?
[00:22:57] Speaker A: It's actually not. I completely respect Greg Maddox, but actually Maddox being a common name, kind of in Australia. My wife's from Australia, so, yeah, we just came to terms that it was going to be Maddox or it was going to be Miller was the other name. But when he came out, he looked like a Maddox, actually. He's going to turn one on the 18 October.
[00:23:22] Speaker B: Does he have a baseball in his crib? A glove in his crib?
[00:23:25] Speaker A: He's got a couple of baseballs, a couple of little gloves. Not sure if he's going to be right handed, left handed yet. So we'll kind of make him decide that, but hopefully he's got a little baseball in his blood and he'll be excited to play, but we're just happy that he's a healthy boy.
[00:23:40] Speaker B: Excellent. Congratulations. That's a fun time. Anthony Claggett. Pitching coach at Wichita State. Thanks for your time. We appreciate it.
[00:23:47] Speaker A: Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Thank you.
[00:24:04] Speaker B: Great insight, as always. Thanks for listening to the roundhouse podcast courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, you can always find more roundhouse
[email protected].
[00:24:21] Speaker C: Down to a three two pitch with two men on two outs in the 9th.
The stretch by Tyler Green. Here it comes. Suck him out. A no hitter for Tyler Green.
A spike three call on the outside corner. And Tyler Green has pitched the fourth no hitter in Wichita State history, the second in his many years, as he joins fellow classmate Charlie Gingrome as the author of a Wichita State no hitter and in the process struck out a career high 13, including all three outs in the 9th inning. Tyler Green completes a no hitter at Wichita. Ta State defeats New Mexico twelve to nothing.
