Friday, January 30, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Strength is basis for baseball season
Players pinpoint muscles and work on building power
By John Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
Preparation for the season involves more than spring days spent under a blue sky for the baseball team.
To stay competitive in the Big 12 Conference, the squad has worked throughout the offseason four days a week on a weight program developed by Fred Roll, strength and conditioning coordinator.
"We decided this season to develop the specific elements of baseball, power and speed as much as possible," Roll said. "We worked more on straight cardiovascular conditioning in the past, but this year pure power was the key."
Roll said he had broken down the muscles needed for baseball and identified the specific needs for the sport.
"Baseball is a game based upon
Roll: Designed training schedule for baseball team
quick explosions," Roll said. "In other sports like track and field, flexibility is more important, but baseball players need brute strength more like football players."
said he had gained size and strength.
"The coaches looked more for pure power than conditioning this winter," Dimmick said. "Now that we've gained the strength, we're hitting the sprints and conditioning harder."
Coach Bobby Randall talks with an assistant during practice. The baseball team was practicing at Hogland-Maupin Stadium on Wednesday, taking advantage of the mild weather. Photo by Geoff Krieger/kANSAN
Junior pitcher/outfielder Les Walrond said the change of focus from conditioning to pure strength had helped team morale.
"You could see your lifting ability increase a great deal in a short time," Walrond said. "That success just makes you work harder."
Coach Bobby Randall said the team average bench press had increased 45 pounds and the team average
squats had progressed 95 pounds in eight weeks.
He said he could already see differences on the field through the first weeks of practice.
"We're faster, we're bigger and
we're stronger than any other team I've had here," Randall said. "The balls have been jumping off our bats and arms in practice a little quicker than before."
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'Hawks face tough contest in Big 12
Conference teams widely considered top baseball powers
By John Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
As the Big 12 Conference opener approaches, Coach Bobby Randall said he thought the traditional powers on the national scene would again lead the conference in its second baseball season.
The Jayhawks will open the season Feb. 22 at Oklahoma State. The Sooners, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Baylor, the top five finishers in 1997, look to lead the conference again.
Randall said the Big 12 was
one of the top two or three baseball conferences in the nation, making the round-robin conference format a challenge.
"Any time you have five out of 12 teams ranked in the top 25 of various national publications you know it's going to be a tough road," Randall said. "We have to play three games each against all five of those powers."
Last season the South Division captured five of six Big 12 post season tournament votes, with all four of the conference's representatives in the NCAA Tournament coming from the southern half.
Oklahoma State should have
its deepest team in 10 years and will be built around junior second baseman Billy Gasparino (.336 batting average, 18 home runs and 62 runs batted in) and junior catcher Josh Holliday (.323-14-60).
"We got to the NCAA Regionals last year, and we've improved every weakness," said head coach Tom Holliday.
Oklahoma returns eight of nine starters in the field, highlighted by senior outfielder Brian Shackley (384-16-70).
Senior utility player Keith
Ginter (.426-17-77) is the leading returning hitter in the conference and pitcher Monty Ward (9.4 record, 4.07 earned run average) has pitched for the amateur team.
Missouri should again be the best of the northern teams after placing sixth last season.
The Tigers return senior shortstop Griffin Moore (.348-18-72) who was all-conference in 1997 and senior outfielder Ryan Fry (.317-8-65).
The Jayhawks should compete with Missouri and weaker South Division teams like Baylor and Texas for lower spots in the conference tournament.
"That sixth spot in the tournament will be up for grabs," Randall said. "It will just depend on whichever team is playing the best ball in the final weeks of the regular season."
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