• 11 months ago
Transcript
00:00 >> I wanna say it was 0-2, right?
00:02 >> 0-2, and we kinda talked about it when we were back up the middle,
00:07 and he put a really good swing on a pitch.
00:08 And it's just the type of hitter he is, he can do damage in any count.
00:12 So I'm glad that he's here for us and not anybody else.
00:17 >> How good is it for you to get back out there these last couple days?
00:20 >> It's awesome, man.
00:21 It kinda feels like first day jitters.
00:25 Just getting back on the field.
00:26 We've been doing some live outbats in the Fowler, but it's just kinda not the same.
00:29 Coming out here, even hitting DP on the field today was awesome.
00:33 But just continuing to try to get back and
00:35 seeing as much live pitching as I can before the season starts.
00:39 That's a big thing for me, still trying to get that comfortable feeling back in
00:42 the box.
00:43 And it's gonna take some time, but it's been awesome, and
00:47 I'm just super grateful to be able to be back out here.
00:49 >> What did you think of the first game of the last week and
00:52 the one that was straight to the last week?
00:53 >> It was tough, cuz I wanted to keep playing.
00:57 And I kept playing up until I couldn't anymore.
01:03 I ended up finally after that A&M series, I was like, it's too much,
01:07 enough's enough.
01:08 And that's kinda when we found out about my shoulder and stuff.
01:11 But it was definitely tough.
01:13 I remember getting the news, I was super upset.
01:15 And called my parents, and they were huge supporters for me.
01:19 But the rehab process, it was long and gruesome.
01:22 But I firmly believe in maybe a better player and a better person.
01:26 So I believe everything happens for a reason.
01:29 But it was super tough, but I'm glad to be back out here.
01:32 >> Do you know much about him before you got here?
01:34 Do you know much about him?
01:36 >> He was a dude.
01:37 >> [LAUGH] >> For sure, yeah.
01:39 I watched Jesse Seabold growing up, and
01:43 even when I was at Sacramento State, I saw him always ball out.
01:48 Yeah, I just wanted to be a part of this over here.
01:51 >> So what's it been like playing some live scrimmages with him now that he's
01:55 out there?
01:56 >> Yeah, I'm very fortunate to be able to play with him.
01:59 He's a very good player, and yeah, he gets me better every day.
02:03 >> Viva, let me ask you this.
02:04 You don't seem like the loudest guy, but whenever you hit a home run,
02:07 you seem to like to admire your work a little bit.
02:10 I was just wondering, is that the time you feel like you show your personality on
02:14 the field a little bit?
02:14 Is that kinda how you do it?
02:15 >> Yeah, I like to play very humble, but when it comes to the games,
02:20 I just let it rip, yeah.
02:22 >> Even your own teammates, you don't mind pimping one on them?
02:24 >> Yeah, it's all fun and games, yeah.
02:27 But yeah, that's it.
02:28 >> And you all had such a long injury time last year on the pitch,
02:31 you're gonna have to get a new degree.
02:34 >> They're digging me out?
02:34 >> Maybe it's a five more, maybe a double down, I don't know.
02:37 Let's come with that, go ahead and see what happens.
02:40 >> Yeah, I mean, it's huge.
02:41 At the end of the day, pitching's gonna win you.
02:43 It's gonna win you games, it's gonna win you championships.
02:45 And so the deeper that you can be with the staff, the better.
02:47 And it's kinda, everybody talks about that we got some dudes, and
02:51 then rightfully so.
02:52 But I think the biggest thing is just staying healthy,
02:56 just staying level-headed and not riding too high, riding too low.
03:01 There's gonna be adversity that we face, there's gonna be success.
03:04 And so just being able to continue to just stay level-headed,
03:07 that's gonna be huge for us.
03:09 The coaches, I think last year was kinda like a wake up.
03:12 And we've taken it honestly pretty light in practice,
03:15 making sure that we're healthy, injury-free.
03:18 And so that's been huge for us.
03:20 But as many guys as we can, healthy for the season,
03:23 especially with that staff and on the mound, it's gonna be huge for
03:26 us in the long run.
03:26 >> Also, young is still the start, but you get second and third,
03:30 you get second and third.
03:31 What does that say about you and Fuller?
03:32 >> I mean, I just think, honestly, it speaks more to Coach Van Horn than it does
03:35 to us, just the success and the longevity of his career.
03:39 And how great of a coach he is.
03:41 And I truly believe that he is the best coach in the country and
03:45 the best infielders coach in the country.
03:47 He makes us better every single day.
03:49 He's super tough on us and makes us better.
03:52 But ultimately, I think that all the credit goes to him.
03:55 But I mean, we also got a great freshman class, I think it was top three and
04:01 top five with a transfer portal class.
04:04 But when you bring in guys like him,
04:06 you're probably gonna be preseason ranked up there.
04:09 And so we're super excited, but we just gotta stay level-headed,
04:12 kinda like I said.
04:14 >> Peyton, you mentioned the jitters, I guess as the season gets closer,
04:17 have you allowed yourself to visualize how the season might go,
04:21 I guess, compared to seasons before?
04:23 >> Yeah, for sure, it's definitely different.
04:25 I kinda like to watch my parents and stuff.
04:27 And you kinda have a different mindset when something's taken from you for
04:30 so long that you love to do.
04:32 And for me, baseball, I wasn't really doing anything for eight or nine months.
04:37 Just really grinding out rehab day in and day out.
04:40 And so it just brings another level of joy and passion to the game for me.
04:43 And so that's why I'm so excited to be out here.
04:47 I was a little nervous.
04:48 I mean, there was probably 150 people out here yesterday, and I was like,
04:50 yeah, that's a lot.
04:51 We played huge crowds before.
04:53 So, but yeah, for sure, man.
04:55 It definitely kinda lights more of a fire for me going into the season.
05:01 >> Well, Hevo, I wonder about you.
05:02 You said you watched SEC ball growing up, and now you're, what,
05:05 two odd weeks from playing for an SEC team?
05:08 >> Yeah, I watched it growing up.
05:09 I always looked up to many people in the SEC.
05:13 Yeah, once I saw him, Peyton, working up in Arkansas, I was like, yeah,
05:18 I'd really wanna work with him cuz he's one of the best in the nation.
05:21 It just gets me better every day.
05:24 >> I'm sure you had some confidence after the year you had last year.
05:26 But this offseason, doing what you've done to this pitching staff and
05:29 had so much success in these scrimmages, did that help take it to another level,
05:31 knowing that you can pretty much hit against anyone if you're-
05:34 >> Yeah, it helped elevate my game.
05:35 I was able to face higher competition over here, especially just getting ready.
05:41 Yeah, we have one of the best pitching staffs in the country, I believe.
05:47 And yeah, it just gets me better every day.
05:49 >> Is there one pitcher that gives you more trouble than the others?
05:53 >> Mason Molina.
05:54 >> Why him?
05:55 >> I don't know.
05:56 I just can't hit him.
05:57 >> [LAUGH] >> How good of a pitcher was that?
06:01 I mean, just for you to count that.
06:04 >> What do you mean by saying that?
06:05 >> With Mason.
06:06 >> Yeah, Mason Molina?
06:08 Yeah, I mean, him having him.
06:10 Just a guy that has experience.
06:12 Obviously, it's not the SEC where he came from, but it's really close to it.
06:16 And having those guys, having those experience arms is huge for us.
06:20 And so I think the biggest thing for us is he needs,
06:26 I'd say a little bit like work on his command.
06:28 And he can kind of get a little wild and stuff.
06:30 But when he does command it, I mean, he's as good as anybody in the country.
06:33 I mean, he comes out here and his bad outing is he'll walk two guys but
06:38 strike out four.
06:38 It's one of those and so having him with Hagan kind of speaks for itself with him.
06:44 But having those two and Tiger and a couple other guys too as well,
06:48 it's gonna be huge for us.
06:50 >> All right guys.
06:52 >> Appreciate you.