Michael Earley talks availability, position battles ahead of Opening Weekend

Texas A&M head baseball coach Michael Earley joined us on Thursday's edition of TexAgs Live to talk all things Opening Weekend at Blue Bell Park. Preparing for the Aggies' series against Elon, Earley updated us on the team's overall health, starting lineups and more.

Key notes from Michael Earley interview

• I try not to let the weather stress me out. I think we know how the weather can change a game.
   
• The message yesterday, too, is that game one is not just the test, and then it's all over. We have to continue to grow throughout the course of the season. That was the message.
   
• We've had a lot of good luck. This sport has been awesome. I hear from people I might not have heard from in a long time. It's always good to touch base with former teammates and coaches.
   
• I feel good. Once the game starts, a lot of things slow down. I anticipate that being the same. It's how it was during the fall games and the recent scrimmage. I'm proud of everyone and the whole organization for what we've done to get to this point. They are the reason I feel good. The players, the staff, the weight coaches, training staff all the way to AD Trev Alberts and assistant AD Erin Jones. I feel like we're prepared. It takes a village, and we have it.
   
• With Caden Sorrell, it won't be rushed. He'll probably play later than he wants to play, but he'll be out this weekend.
   
• I don't know how many people know, but Hayden Schott had that meniscus tear, and he retore that about three weeks ago. So that’s why, if you see him hobbling around out there. It doesn't change his speed much, and he's been hitting great, so there's not going to be a change in performance. There was a chance he was going to play some left field. He played there last year, and he's been really good this year. He'll just have a knee brace on. I just want to put bubble wrap on everyone.
   
• I think the test is ahead for everyone. The battles for starting positions were a little more up in the air, and now it’s just wondering how they'll handle game one if they aren't playing. The message is always to stay ready to play. If we took a vote three months ago about who was going to play right field, it would have been 100 percent Sorrell, but just like that, he's not out there.
   
• Blake Binderup has gotten a ton better defensively, just more confident. He's going to play professional baseball. The catchers have been continuing to battle. You'll see some left and right-handed matchups. You might see some Gavin Grahovac in right field.
   
• Ryan Prager, Justin Lamkin and Myles Patton earned the starting pitching title with their past season and spring performances. It was an obvious decision at the moment. They've been great with Jason Kelly and the pitching guys. JK is really good at creating relationships and trust. He's good at making in-game and mechanical adjustments. I think that's why you've seen some jumps from freshmen who struggled a little bit last year. All those guys go about their business like professionals.
   
• It wasn't just like, “This guy is just a good baseball coach from a while ago.” Kelly knows ball. He knows the intricacies of the game. He's been under some really good coaches. I wanted him here for a reason, and for every reason I wanted him here, I feel like I was right.
   
• I think the biggest challenge is the target on your back. That is the reality of playing baseball at A&M. I know, if I were them, what I would be thinking. It'll be a good test early on. Their Friday starter, Justin Mitrovich, is good. He's a professional baseball player at some point. He would pitch on our team, just like a few guys on their team. Everybody has their players. I guarantee Mitrovich will go on the top 10 rounds of the MLB Draft, so it'll be challenging all the way around. We are confident in executing what we do and playing good baseball.
   
• Mitrovich has a fastball at 95 or 96 mph. It was a little down in the summer, but that's to be expected after a long season. He pitched in the Cape Cod league. He's got a really good change-up. Some right-handed pitchers throw the change up to lefties and the slider to righties, but he can do it to both sides. He's got good stuff. I think he's uber-talented, and we’ll see how the fastball plays. We'll make adjustments.
   
• The hardest guys to prepare for are the first couple of series. I remember at Arizona State, the first series of the year after COVID-19, we were facing a sinker-slider guy from the year before. He threw his first pitch, and he went with a top-to-bottom breaker fastball. Some guys throw over the top and then come out for the first series of the year and throw sidearm. On the first weekend, you just have to play baseball.
   
• The weekend will influence Tuesday’s starting pitcher. In a perfect world, we would go Weston Moss on Tuesday and do a true four-man rotation with him competing on Tuesday to play in the weekend. He is a full go, though, this weekend if we need it. If he doesn't pitch, he'll go on Tuesday. In a perfect world, we would have four starters, but Moss is up and ready this weekend. If he plays sparingly, he'll go on Tuesday.
   
• I think we have to play to win the game. I have some ideas for who I want to throw in at right or in different spots, but Terrence Kiel II has earned the right to play right, and I want him to play a little bit. I want to get Sawyer Farr in the game. It's the first game, so I don't want to get too crazy, but it will come as the game presents itself. Preconceived notions will get blown up. If a guy plays well, he'll play well.
   
• You are going to see Clayton Freshcorn. It just depends on if it's a tight game. That's the guy I feel good about pulling out of the bullpen. You've seen what they can do in practice, and I'm not holding anything they've done before against them. Brad Rudis will get an inning, too.  If I asked them to close, start, or come out of the bullpen, they can do it.