Schlossnagle remains 'confident' in fifth-ranked Ags after rough road stretch

One final conference series remains after what has been two rough road tests for No. 5 Texas A&M. Head skipper Jim Schlossnagle joined TexAgs Radio to detail the penultimate series in Oxford and this weekend's top-5 matchup vs. No. 3 Arkansas at Blue Bell Park.

Key notes from Jim Schlossnagle interview

• We got back about 1:30 a.m., so I apologize for not being in the studio.
   
• Coach Michael Earley was talking with our position players before the game. Yesterday wasn't awesome, but good. We had three or four of our worst offensive showings in the last week. We pitched our way through it yesterday. Friday, we pitched well.
   
• I don't like to go to Evan Aschenbeck before the eighth. I went to him in seventh. Credit to Ole Miss. They played great. I have confidence in our players. If we can keep the rain away, it should be a fun weekend.
   
• I don't think there is any causation. You have to give LSU’s starters credit. We have been very uncharacteristic in swinging. We are swinging a lot and chasing balls out of the zone. We haven't struck out looking that much. We are just chasing pitches. I’m assuming it's just a funk. We have to tighten it up, and I am confident we will.
   
• Better now than two weeks for now. We need to get healthy and get to playing better.
   
• Shane Sdao was the obvious and easy choice. He has shown the ability to start. He throws strikes. His fastball is better now and his breaking pitches are better now. He may have the best mentality on our pitching staff in terms of aggression. Evan Aschenbeck does too. 
   
• We brought Earley into the dugout because he thought he could be more effective. He could gameplan with the hitters and have conversations. Ryan Targac did a great job of coaching first base. We will stick with that. If Ryan has to come to the game, we will put someone at first. 
   
• Ted Burton's return is good for our team's psyche. I always ask him, “Where are you at? 1-10?” Until yesterday, it was 7-7.5. The fearful move was stretching at first base because that’s how he was injured.
   
• I had written a lineup on Sunday, but he was moving around and said it was his best day. It was good for all of us, and it lengthens our lineup. He can run and steal a base if he needs to. Right now, it's just swinging the bat.
   
• Travis Chestnut likes it when Gavin Grahovac hits behind him. I don't like to double up lefties or righties. There is probably something to that with Travis being in the nine-hole.
   
• Zane Badmaev has been a strike thrower in the midweek. He was the highlight on Saturday. Isaac Morton has an awesome simulated game. The best he has pitched at A&M. The game got out of hand. They scored off Justin Lamkin. We will go back to the workshop with him. We are not giving up on him. Josh Stewart did a nice job this weekend, too. He threw well yesterday.
   
• We are off today. We drove to Tupelo from Oxford to get on a plane. We will have a light workout on Wednesday. We will move up pitchers a day.
   
• Ryan Prager will be on Thursday. I think we will throw Shane in the third game. We will see about that middle game. There is a difference in playing Wednesday and Thursday in the SEC Tournament.
   
• Gavin is pretty banged up. He has had left shoulder problems. He will get injections today. If something happened to Gavin, Kaeden Kent goes. If something happens to Ali Camarillo, Kent goes.
   
• Caden Sorrell has a pretty quiet confidence. He has some Braden Montgomery in him, and he doesn't get overly upset or excited. Sorrell is a good player, a good defender and doing well against lefties.