TCU first baseman Kurtis Bryne speaks about his confidence as a hitter five games into the season and how he is adjusting to becoming a utility player.
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00:00 >> Three hits on the night for you, including your first home run of the season.
00:03 How well were you seeing the ball tonight?
00:04 What was working for you?
00:05 >> Yeah, me and Coach Bruce making some adjustments,
00:07 just trying to get back to my normal self.
00:09 I know last week it wasn't really the best for me, but
00:11 it was making sure that I was just taking it really day by day.
00:14 Not focusing too much on the results of it, and
00:16 just focusing on the process for everything that happened.
00:18 And tonight, really good ball game for everybody.
00:21 Teammates did awesome, just really well pitched ball game,
00:24 defense especially too, and took really good at bats.
00:28 >> Talk about the transition to being a utility guy,
00:31 catching a couple games, playing first base, how's that going?
00:33 >> Yeah, no, it's going good.
00:34 Any way to get in the lineup, and
00:36 especially the free up space for other players too, that's really the biggest thing.
00:41 That's been working on it all fall, and just keep trying to improve my craft at
00:45 first base, and especially catching whatever the team needs.
00:48 That's what we're gonna do, and we're just going from there.
00:51 >> We were mentioning earlier with Kirk about eight games in ten days.
00:56 Are you thinking about that?
00:57 Are you, how do you get your team through that?
01:00 >> Yeah, no, definitely.
01:01 I wouldn't say really thinking about it per se, just worry about each game as they
01:05 come, just because we're gonna have our hands full this weekend.
01:07 And the biggest thing is just focusing on what's important now, and
01:11 focusing on the task that we have ahead.
01:14 Can't really look forward too much, just because baseball is one of those games
01:17 that if you look forward, the team that you're playing is gonna beat you up pretty
01:21 good, so just really taking it day by day, and just worrying about the task at hand.
01:25 UCLA's a hell of a ball club, and just going from there.
01:28 >> This is the first ranked matchup of the season for you guys.
01:30 Is there a little bit more energy in the clubhouse before the day started?
01:34 >> I mean, not per se, just every game, every opportunity,
01:37 they're all really huge games.
01:39 And you have to have the mindset of anybody can come in to beat you.
01:43 It doesn't matter who it is, it doesn't matter who you're playing.
01:45 We just have to make sure that we're playing our style of baseball, and
01:48 just playing the game that we know how to play.
01:50 And not worrying about who's nearly dug out, per se,
01:52 just focus on exactly what we have to do moving forward.
01:55 >> You're one of the vocal leaders on this team, and
01:58 you work really closely with the pitchers.
01:59 What was your message to them this week after kind of a rocky first four games?
02:04 >> Yeah, it was the first four games of the year, and
02:06 stuff like that's gonna happen.
02:08 You're gonna have hiccups, offensively, defensively, and we have pitching staff.
02:12 Totally did an amazing job tonight, just filled up the strike zone,
02:14 the bullpen did a great job too, with Ayer, just Coyer.
02:18 And then Vinny at the back end of the bullpen, just going from there and
02:21 just focusing on just throwing strikes, getting the first guy out.
02:24 And just playing really quality defense and taking quality of bats,
02:27 that's really the biggest thing.
02:28 >> Do you feel like your communication with the pitchers has changed at all when
02:30 you're at first base?
02:31 >> Yeah, it's a different look, just because if you're catching,
02:33 it's a lot different, cuz you're a lot more engaged in a way.
02:37 But at first base, it's another time too that I'm able to just,
02:40 I'll see something different from a different point of view.
02:43 And just really point it out, so that's been the really biggest thing.
02:45 >> You think that's a benefit to have essentially two catchers on the field?
02:48 >> Yeah, I mean, yeah, it's actually, yeah, you could say so.
02:50 Yeah, that's a huge bonus with it, just because me and
02:53 Carson know exactly what's going on with the pitcher.
02:55 And especially if they're flying open or whatever they're doing,
02:58 just tell them to take a deep breath and not really worry about it so much.
03:02 So that's the biggest thing.
03:03 >> Nice.
03:04 (wind whooshing)