TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

I’ve been here for four years and it definitely improves the morale of the guys. We have a really close nucleus of guys this year and I really think that this year is going to prove to be a great stepping stone, especially with the new coaching staff that we have and I think that UB will turn it around in the conference.

You started your senior season with a new, but familiar coaching staff. Was the transition between the old staff and the new staff a difficult adjustment to make?

I don’t think so because Coach Torgalski made it clear at the beginning of the season what he expected. The addition of Coach Koerner and Coach Hesketh was such a positive experience. They bring so much to the table that people caught on relatively easily and it has showed in the way we play in the field.

Last July, former major league and former UB star Joe Hesketh was named as Bulls’ pitching coach. How do you think someone with his experience has helped elevate your game on the mound?

Having a former professional pitcher be my pitching coach, having that experience, the way that he deals with me and the rest of the pitching staff, is an invaluable source to the pitching staff as well as the rest of the team. He brings not only knowledge about pitching, but about the entire game of baseball and its great to have him and that knowledge on the staff.

Early this season, you spent eight innings on the mound against Eastern Michigan. What kind of toll does that amount of work take on your arm?

It’s all about preparation for me. If you prepare as if you might pitch 12 innings every game, then you will be able to last and go as long as you can, as hard as you can every time you step on the mound. Depending upon what position you are, whether you are a reliever or a starter, you have to prepare mentally and physically for your role and for any situation that you have. I think that working hard and doing your conditioning prepares you to be able to perform long into games and it shouldn’t take too much of a toll on your arm.

Two years ago, Joe Michalics was the first player to be drafted from the Bulls in 18 years, going to the New York Mets in the 34th round. How important do you think that was for the growth of the program, being able to say that Buffalo can develop players for the next level?

Joe is a great player, he is a friend of mine and I think that his ability to become drafted is great for the program. Our record really doesn’t reflect the amount of talent that we have on our team and as the program grows and as we start to win more games I think people will start to realize that. I believe that, in time, UB will get the recognition that it deserves and that we can have more people play professionally in the future.

This year, the team has usually has at least six underclassmen in the starting lineup. What do you tell the younger players to them motivated throughout the year?

We have been playing this game a long time and I try to tell them that there is a definite transition period, especially at the beginning of the season. We had our losing skid early this year and they had to stick with it, stay the course and believe in the philosophy that we have, listen to the coaches and don’t hang your head. We play a lot of baseball and that is the beauty of the game, we are able to come out day-to-day and get better. Whether you win or lose everyday is an opportunity to get better as a baseball player. If you take every opportunity to do that, eventually the wins will come and you will be successful.

Because the weather doesn’t warm up in Buffalo until the end of the season, how hard is it to adjust to playing baseball in temperatures that are sometimes barely above freezing?

Everybody would like to be playing ball down in Florida or the Carolinas where it is 70 degrees everyday but you just have to stick it out, clothe up, layer up and stick it out. It’s going to be cold and you just have to deal with it but you will never really get used to it.

Because you’re on the road so often, how tough is it to balance academics and athletics?

We have a really great academic services office and they help us out a lot. If you need a computer or if you need tutoring, there is always somebody available. The teachers are relatively good about testing and doing homework assignments on the road and catering to your schedule. If you utilize the available facilities and the people that are there to help you then you shouldn’t have a problem being successful on the ball field and in the classroom.

According to your UB player bio, you volunteer at the Utica Zoo. What is your favorite animal and why?

I like the lion because it has a reputation for being the king. It has a swagger to it, it can be very aggressive when need be. That is a characteristic that I like to factor into my life.

What has been your favorite moment as a UB student-athlete?

I don’t really have one specific moment but I have enjoyed, throughout my four years, seeing the program grow. Seeing it become more and more successful and watching the guys mature. Now having guys look up to me and filter down my knowledge and experience so that the younger guys can become better players on the field and develop their character off the field.