[00:00:15] Speaker A: Hello. Welcome to the Roundhouse podcast with Paul Solentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We are going to continue talking fall baseball at Wichita State with Clay Over. Ash clay is Wichita State's baseball recruiting coordinator assistant coach. He will work with the catchers. Clay comes to Wichita State after six seasons at the University of Oklahoma, which was highlighted by a trip to the College World Series final in 2022. Clay also worked 18 years as a scout for the Chicago White Sox. He co founded the Sandlot Sox, a youth baseball program in Tulsa. It's got a lot of Shocker connections. Former shockers such as Chris O'Brien, Brian Flyn and Jordan Cooper played for the Sandlot Sox. So Clay, the Shockers got things rolling in a full team mode over the weekend. Hit us with a few impressions from what you saw on Saturday and Sunday in the scrimmages at you know, I.
[00:01:07] Speaker B: Thought Saturday there were a lot of nerves and guys just trying to understand the new staff and how we're going to go about team practice for the first day. Day two was much better. Paid attention to details more and really got after it.
[00:01:25] Speaker A: I asked Anthony Miller this, he told me about a coaches retreat because I was interested know people, fans, we probably have a good idea. Well, here's how you go about teaching the players. How do coaches get on the same page as far as here's how we teach base running, here's the terminology we use. Tell us a little bit about that process that the four of you all got together and figured things out.
[00:01:47] Speaker B: Well, I think coach green did a fantastic job just allowing us as assistant coaches to put ideas out there. And obviously, he has the final say being the head coach, but he really listened to the details and our terminology, and we all had a chance to speak kind of in front of each other and talk about different ideas, different theories, different concepts. And I think it helped mold us into one group that is very aligned with our teaching now.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: So there's so many great Shockers from Oklahoma. Anybody who's followed Wichita State baseball would know that we could go all the way back. Joe Carter. Phil Stevenson, of course, gene was from Oklahoma and then all the way up to Brock Rodden last season. Tell us a little bit about baseball in Oklahoma. Why does that state produce so much talent?
[00:02:39] Speaker B: Well, I think it's been a great area for a long time.
The history there is very rich.
The guys there tend to be not so polished as the California, Texas, Florida guys, but they're guys that have room to grow in the Midwest. And I think that that's one of the attractions to a lot of players in Oklahoma. You know, they're going to work hard and continue to get better and do things right.
[00:03:12] Speaker A: So tell us about your evaluation process with a potential recruit. Do you have some key things that you're looking for. Do you have a checklist? Describe a little bit about that.
[00:03:23] Speaker B: Well, just being a former scout, I have several things that I look at depending on whether it's a position player, pitcher, and you go through your checklist and those things are your major tools. And then obviously with a pitcher you go to the radar gun some. But more importantly is, can they command two of three pitches, throw them for strikes, create movement, those type things, and then you look at the big picture of where you feel like you can get them to as a coach and staff, and you throw it in the mix and bowl and see what we need, and then we go from there.
[00:04:03] Speaker A: So the state of Texas is interesting around here for a couple reasons. There's been a lot more baseball players from Texas in the last few years and there's also a lot of just regular students coming to Wichita State from the state of Texas. And I guess the big reason is because there's just millions and millions of people in Texas from a baseball standpoint. There's also great weather. Tell us about recruiting in Texas because there's a lot of schools that are going to go there. How does Wichita State sell itself to a Texas baseball player?
[00:04:31] Speaker B: Well, I think the most popular thing that we know, shocker City allows us to bring kids in through kind of a funnel through the Midwest, down through Texas on an in state basis. I think that's a recruiting advantage cost wise. I think the other thing that's very attractive coming to Wichita State is there's no football. And the guys the main focus around here is on baseball. And I do think guys that are true baseball players and I think they really enjoy that and love that about being the focus on campus.
[00:05:09] Speaker A: Yeah, and then you mentioned the Shocker City and I think there's also the Shocker Connect program. So it's something that the university, it's open to all students, where you get in state tuition rates, tuition breaks all the way down into Oklahoma and through Texas. And for a partial scholarship sport such as baseball, that can be really important. Tell us about your connection with Brian Green. How did you come to Wichita State and work with Brian?
[00:05:34] Speaker B: Well, the story is I resigned on a Wednesday from University of Oklahoma. I was sitting at my lake house on a Saturday. One of Coach Green's former players that I've had long term relationship with, gunnar Glad, who played in my sand lot, watched him grow up, played for Coach Green at Kentucky. He called me and he said, hey, have you ever thought about going to Wichita State? And at that time I was like, no, I'm probably just going to go back to pro ball and ride it out there for the rest of my career. And then Gunner and I spent about 30 minutes on the phone. Next thing I know, I get off the phone with Gunner, I get a text from Coach Green. The next morning I'm on the phone with Coach Green.
I was sold to my family that, hey, I'm going to give it one more shot in college baseball if Coach Green offers me the job. And it came to fruition, and here I am.
[00:06:30] Speaker A: Tell us about that conversation. What impressed you about Brian?
[00:06:33] Speaker B: Why would you change think, you know, obviously he was a dynamic recruiter and he did a great job recruiting me in that. And I actually learned a you know, I just like what he stood for with the culture, the alignment of the coaching staff, the alignment of the culture of the players.
I really like that aspect and the leadership and how he went about things and how he goes about things daily was something that we had discussed at length in another phone conversation. And I think I just learned a lot about him and could tell he was a genuine person with great leadership qualities, and that's somebody that I felt like I could work for.
[00:07:21] Speaker A: Families are kind of an underreported part of this whole thing because they're the ones that are uprooted and moving around. Give us a look into what's the difference in maybe quality of life or lifestyle as a scout or college baseball. What are the differences, what are the pros and the cons when you're thinking about family?
[00:07:45] Speaker B: I think scouting, you pretty much have your winter months off, your November, December, little bit of January off in this area. I know other areas of the country that they work year round, but in this area you pretty much get November, December and most of January off. And in college know, I think the unique thing with Coach Green and Coach Johnson, who I was with at Ou, they allowed the families to be a part. And I always thought, I think that's fantastic that they do that.
You're home nightly for the most part. Yeah. The recruiting season is condensed. It seems like a lot at the time for the summer months.
Right now in this fall window, we have, it seems like a lot of travel, but compared to scouting, there's really no comparison to the nights on the road.
[00:08:39] Speaker A: Tell us why you got into coaching.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: Just to impact young men, to be around them more, to have more impact in more years with them. Scouting, you pretty much get them drafted onto the next crew or next age group, however you want to say it, next class. And it moves quick. And a lot of times I will say that scouts are some of the most underthinked people in the job. They're out on the roads where a lot of things can go wrong, and I think that they're the most underrated guy in the game of baseball and they travel a lot, a lot of time away from their families coming over to the college side. I just wanted to impact players and young men and help them continue to develop.
[00:09:26] Speaker A: Who's the baseball player that you scouted that you are most proud of or happiest about seeing them succeed? Maybe from a standpoint, not everybody saw it or he was kind of overlooked and I was able to see something and help him on his way.
[00:09:42] Speaker B: Well, I think probably Tyler Saladino from Roberts was the one guy I drafted 7th round.
He made played, had a great career in the big leagues.
I think he was one a lot of time with Coach Walden and those guys over there, just understanding who he was for him to come out of Oral Roberts. Yeah, he had a great career there, well coached. Obviously getting into the White Sox organization and making it to the big leagues was a big deal.
And then probably a guy I'm very proud of for what he went through is Jake Berger with his double torn Achilles and the perseverance he's had and the mental side that he went through and he just keeps persevering and I'm just super proud of him for sticking with it and not giving up.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: Jake Berger played at Missouri State, correct? Yes. So Shocker fans would remember him. It was a big rivalry back in the Missouri Valley Conference days and Missouri State had some excellent teams. Coaching mentors, who would you list whose voice is in your head when you're out there coaching and need an example or an inspiration?
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Well, I'd have to probably say my dad. He was a high school football coach in North Carolina.
Also Bill Springman coached with him at Union High School. I think the things I learned under his tutelage and those two guys were very impactful in my career.
[00:11:19] Speaker A: Top catchers that you like your guys to maybe watch on YouTube or send them video clips of who can they learn from?
[00:11:26] Speaker B: Well, I think JT Riamuto is probably one of the best in the game and I kind of have a connection with him and enjoy visiting with JT about catching styles, things that he picks up on, things that he's been able to do in the game.
I think it's a lot of fun to listen to guys that are up at that level and catching the type of guys they're catching. And I think he's been outstanding in always spending quality time with me.
[00:12:00] Speaker A: What are the early building blocks of coaching the catchers? What are the basics? What are you talking to them about here? Early in Fall practices, the main thing.
[00:12:09] Speaker B: Is just calm movements, just working on being quality receivers.
Then you go to the blocking skills and then the throwing skills and then understanding the game within the game of handling pitchers, the leadership, you got to possess those type things. And we're very fortunate here. I'm very fortunate.
Our coaching staff's very fortunate because we have veteran catchers and guys that have been here, guys that enjoy Wichita State baseball.
For me, as their positional coach, it's not really about making changes. It's just about tightening the screws, as I call it, making little adjustments at times and getting them to understand why and how and then moving on from there.
[00:13:00] Speaker A: What's the personality type that a catcher has to be? It seems to be a unique position in sports. The demands, the physical beating that you can take back there.
[00:13:11] Speaker B: Well, obviously, toughness is probably one, the ability to be a leader. But with that leadership, you have to be able to recognize personalities and understand your pitch and staff. And I think that's something that you have to work at daily with your pitchers. And I think that those are things that I would say besides being tough. And obviously, you have to know personalities and just being able to be a leader and realizing that it is a tough position. There's good days and bad days, and you got to be able to really have short term memory back there, make a transition from offense to defense in a hurry, because you're honestly more impactful in a lot of ways behind the plate than you are at the plate.
[00:14:00] Speaker A: So the returners you spoke of, Mauricio Milan and Alex Burge. Mauricio started 54 games last season. The data said that he was excellent at framing pitches. Give us your early impressions of working with Mauricio.
[00:14:14] Speaker B: Well, I think the biggest thing that stands out, number one, is he's the same guy every day, and his ability to be the same guy every day.
He comes in ready to work, does his work, gets after it, but everything he does is right on par.
There's never a big let down or a big high. He's just who he is every day and does a fantastic job. And that's where we're trying to get the balance with Burge and Logan. We're trying to get those guys to understand that. And Burge is doing a great job, and Logan is continuing to get better and better.
[00:14:59] Speaker A: Logan Cresky, a newcomer, a junior on the team Shockers, will be scrimmaging a lot. Brian Green has been pretty intentional about saying, hey, fans, come out and watch the Shockers hit the fans with a newcomer or two that's made a good impression on you, who should maybe keep an eye on if they come out and watch the Shockers practice.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: I think as a freshman, I would know. Tommy Lapore on the mound has been a lot of fun to watch, and then probably Daniel Zhang is another arm that has been a lot of fun to watch.
Cam Dernon has been a shortstop that has shown that solid tools, solid actions, just need a little bit more of the leadership to come out in him. But I think those three right now are the guys that to know that.
But they're all I mean, every kid has been unbelievable adapting and adjusting to us, and these guys are working their tails off, and it's been a lot of fun.
[00:16:08] Speaker A: Okay, Clay Overcast, assistant baseball coach with Utah State. Clay, thank you very much for your time.
[00:16:13] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:16:30] Speaker C: Hi. 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.
[00:17:01] Speaker A: Thank.
[00:17:01] Speaker D: You for listening to the Roundhouse podcast, courtesy of Wichita State University's Strategic Communications. We encourage you to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can find more roundhouse
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[00:17:16] Speaker E: It's over. It is over, ladies and gentlemen. Say it slowly and savor it. Wichita State is going to the Final Four for the first time in 48 years.
[00:17:30] Speaker B: Unbelievable. What a scene, folks. The Shocker fans are just going crazy in the sand.
[00:17:36] Speaker E: Just maybe the greatest win in the history of Wichita State basketball.
