Mitch Gaspard Press Conference Transcript
9/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 2, 2009
"First of all, I'd like to thank Dr. (Robert E.) Witt and (UA Athletics Director) Coach (Mal) Moore for having the confidence in me to lead the Crimson Tide. Also, to Jim Wells. I had nine years with Coach and he is certainly the best baseball man that I have been around in my coaching life. The energy and the passion that he had, obviously at Northwestern (State) and here, both on and off the field. I learned so much from him. There will be a of lot things that I'll do as I take over as head coach and move forward and very appreciative to Coach also.
"The other thing, the last few days have been kind of wild when you you're named the head coach and all starts taking shape. I've been able to reminisce and look back. I've been in the game now for 21 years, obviously 15 of those as an assistant coach and six as a head coach. Fortunately, the majority of them have been at two places, Alabama and Northwestern State. Obviously, very grateful to both of those places.
"This is where you want to end, at what I consider the greatest University and playing in the greatest league (SEC) against the top competition that there is in the country in college baseball. It's the ultimate for me and I know I'm extremely excited and honored to take over the program and move forward and strengthen where we're at right now."
On plans for coaching the staff:
"Our first line of duty will be to hire a pitching coach. We started today making contacts, looking at our top two of three targets and we should know a lot more in a week or so as to what direction that's going to go, but we've already started making contact and it will definitely be a pitching coach."
On talking to any potential recruits:
"I did last night. Dax (Norris) and I came up and visited all the recruits, our committed kids, and everybody is excited. My relationship with those kids through the summer, being the recruiting coordinator, was very strong. All of those kids are really excited and can't wait to get to the University of Alabama."
On when he knew this was a reality:
"It was actually (Tuesday morning) about 11 o'clock. Jim had come in Monday afternoon and let me know he was definitely going to step down at that point. So obviously there was some nervous time, wondering which direction everything was going to go. I was told about 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday and the wheels started kind of moving forward at that point."
On your meeting with Coach Moore:
"We sat down briefly at lunch time ... and went over some topics on the program and what's expected of this job and being the head coach and what you're responsibilities are. It was a pretty brief meeting; it was a little bit of a Q&A. Jim told me on Monday and it was Monday at lunch and I was made aware of it Tuesday morning."
On how quickly the process went:
"I was certainly hoping it would work out the way that it did. We were hoping for a smooth transition as it has been. I think with my background and coaching background and head coaching experience and my experience here at the University, I think everyone here felt I was equipped for the job and ready to take it over. It worked, certainly as I was hoping it would and didn't go on for a real long period of time."
On indications that Coach Wells was planning to step down:
"It was somewhat a surprise. Obviously from two years ago when Coach stepped down, you always every year, just like you guys do, obviously we wanted Coach to go on as long as he wanted too, but there wasn't anything where we saw that coming. I think it was just a matter of Coach kind of feeling like the timing was right for him and it was just time for him to step away."
On what you and Coach Wells talked about on Monday:
"There was a lot of reflection for us. After he had his mind made up that's what he wanted to do and has made that decision, we went back over our 11 years together. One thing about it, we were a great team. I think every year we were together we were at least in an (NCAA) Regional together, the World Series together and not to mention the day-to-day things you do in the office. Even though we were coaches together, we had a really good friendship and it was a great working relationship."
On Alabama's baseball facilities:
"The one thing we are so grateful here, you look around this University and for our athletes, we have the top academic center that there is. We've got the top weight room that matches anyone in the SEC. I can tell you this from a baseball standpoint and our facility, we made 11 scholarship offers last year and we 10 of those kids commit to us. They all came on a visit. They all saw our facilities and we never had a negative comment about our facility. I think it's more so right now, what goes on on the field and the approach of how we are going to give it them. I think the area right now is Dax and I have a good relationship with our players. It's a very positive atmosphere. They enjoy playing here. They go out and they tell other players that they enjoy it here. You can look through Coach Wells' era here and I think it will continue on. It's good baseball that has been played here and the one thing we're going to do our best with is to strengthen where it is right now and continue on the field and in a recruiting aspect. We're fortunate to have the things we have and our biggest concern right now is playing great baseball and putting great people out there."
On this year's team:
"I like our team coming back. That's what makes every year a little bit different and fun. Looking on the positive side, we have our whole infield back, which may be the top infield in the country in (Jake) Smith, (Josh) Rutledge, (Ross) Wilson and (Clay) Jones. I'm truly excited about some of the young pitchers that we brought in, along with (Adam) Morgan and his development. He can certainly be a front-line guy. (Jimmy) Nelson is still that guy we are waiting to have the breakout year and has tremendous stuff. There are many others. We have (Taylor) Dugas back and we are going to move him to center field. He was a freshman All American. We have a couple of kids we redshirted last year that I am really excited about and I think area going to be great players. I fell like, overall, we are looking for the energy within the team and I think we will have good leadership. Will we be as deep personnel-wise? On paper, no question last year's team we had a lot of seniors that had a lot of at-bats and innings pitched. It's going to be a different team, but we're also going to play different."
