Baseball Media Availability Today

[NO SIR EEE]

Camden Sewell
- Camden Sewell on new catcher this season: guys so far are doing a good job. Says Evan Russell is taking it seriously and doing a good job.
- Sewell on his own game: worked on attacking the strike zone and mixing and matching pitches. Says he wants to get into the rotation despite the competition.
- Sewell on Vols pitching: the more arms you have the better. Getting everyone out there is going to be important.
- Sewell on Blade Tidwell: he’s a warrior. Got shut down in the summer but is working himself back up.
- Sewell says the infield competition is fun to watch. Says lots of pieces that can get involved and compete.

Tony Vitello
- Vitello on his team: they sense the competition around this team. Doesn’t think a set lineup will be as easy early on.
- Vitello on the exhibition: love that they get to see another team. Excited to get back into a gameday atmosphere.
- Vitello on Evan Russell: catching is a necessity for this team and he wants a shot at pro ball. Says he’s listening and taking in all information he can.
- Vitello on Burns: ambitious kid that approaches work the right way. Says his stuff and pitch ability has been outstanding. Can be a weekend starter in his career.
- Vitello on infield: flexibility of the guys competing for a spot. Says he can move guys around and they have handled it well.
- Vitello on Christian Scott’s loyalty to the Vols: he wants to be here. He has relationships here and he’s found a home.
- Vitello says he’s energized for the season to get here.
- Vitello on Kirby Connell: he was asked to do a lot and handed it well.

Evan Russell
- Russell on starting to catch again: says it’s awesome. Credits seeing former guys play for so long to his preparation in getting back in it.
- Russell says his decision to come back was easy. Wants to play pro ball but saw the opportunity to come back and took it. Says part of the deal of coming back was expanding his role, such as getting behind the plate.
- Russell says being one of the older guys on the team is gonna help him most. Says he’s gonna be a “general” behind the plate.
- Russell notes the toll catching takes on his body. Says it’s a learning process all the way around.
- Russell says he’s most impressed with freshmen Christian Moore and Chase Burns. Says their confidence is elite.
- Russell says he been communicating with Conner Pavolony and that he’s going to use him and work with him to get more comfortable behind the plate.
- Russell says he enjoys playing catcher more than left field right now. Calls it his “true love”

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Camden Sewell
- Camden Sewell on new catcher this season: guys so far are doing a good job. Says Evan Russell is taking it seriously and doing a good job.
- Sewell on his own game: worked on attacking the strike zone and mixing and matching pitches. Says he wants to get into the rotation despite the competition.
- Sewell on Vols pitching: the more arms you have the better. Getting everyone out there is going to be important.
- Sewell on Blade Tidwell: he’s a warrior. Got shut down in the summer but is working himself back up.
- Sewell says the infield competition is fun to watch. Says lots of pieces that can get involved and compete.

Tony Vitello
- Vitello on his team: they sense the competition around this team. Doesn’t think a set lineup will be as easy early on.
- Vitello on the exhibition: love that they get to see another team. Excited to get back into a gameday atmosphere.
- Vitello on Evan Russell: catching is a necessity for this team and he wants a shot at pro ball. Says he’s listening and taking in all information he can.
- Vitello on Burns: ambitious kid that approaches work the right way. Says his stuff and pitch ability has been outstanding. Can be a weekend starter in his career.
- Vitello on infield: flexibility of the guys competing for a spot. Says he can move guys around and they have handled it well.
- Vitello on Christian Scott’s loyalty to the Vols: he wants to be here. He has relationships here and he’s found a home.
- Vitello says he’s energized for the season to get here.
- Vitello on Kirby Connell: he was asked to do a lot and handed it well.

Evan Russell
- Russell on starting to catch again: says it’s awesome. Credits seeing former guys play for so long to his preparation in getting back in it.
- Russell says his decision to come back was easy. Wants to play pro ball but saw the opportunity to come back and took it. Says part of the deal of coming back was expanding his role, such as getting behind the plate.
- Russell says being one of the older guys on the team is gonna help him most. Says he’s gonna be a “general” behind the plate.
- Russell notes the toll catching takes on his body. Says it’s a learning process all the way around.
- Russell says he’s most impressed with freshmen Christian Moore and Chase Burns. Says their confidence is elite.
- Russell says he been communicating with Conner Pavolony and that he’s going to use him and work with him to get more comfortable behind the plate.
- Russell says he enjoys playing catcher more than left field right now. Calls it his “true love”

Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

 

[NO SIR EEE]

Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

Anytime.

 

[Aerie Vol]

Don't know who they were, but some reporters were on Sporttalk on WGOW in Chattanooga today. One of them said he had a chance to talk to Evan Russel during today's event. He asked Evan what he thought of Saturday night's events at Neyland. He replied:

If any of those people who got roudy in Neyland on Saturday night want to come out to Lindsey Nelson, tell them they're welcome anytime.

I'm betting most UT athletes felt similarly.

 

[TN/LA]

 

[NighthawkVol]

Camden Sewell
- Camden Sewell on new catcher this season: guys so far are doing a good job. Says Evan Russell is taking it seriously and doing a good job.
- Sewell on his own game: worked on attacking the strike zone and mixing and matching pitches. Says he wants to get into the rotation despite the competition.
- Sewell on Vols pitching: the more arms you have the better. Getting everyone out there is going to be important.
- Sewell on Blade Tidwell: he’s a warrior. Got shut down in the summer but is working himself back up.
- Sewell says the infield competition is fun to watch. Says lots of pieces that can get involved and compete.

Tony Vitello
- Vitello on his team: they sense the competition around this team. Doesn’t think a set lineup will be as easy early on.
- Vitello on the exhibition: love that they get to see another team. Excited to get back into a gameday atmosphere.
- Vitello on Evan Russell: catching is a necessity for this team and he wants a shot at pro ball. Says he’s listening and taking in all information he can.
- Vitello on Burns: ambitious kid that approaches work the right way. Says his stuff and pitch ability has been outstanding. Can be a weekend starter in his career.
- Vitello on infield: flexibility of the guys competing for a spot. Says he can move guys around and they have handled it well.
- Vitello on Christian Scott’s loyalty to the Vols: he wants to be here. He has relationships here and he’s found a home.
- Vitello says he’s energized for the season to get here.
- Vitello on Kirby Connell: he was asked to do a lot and handed it well.

Evan Russell
- Russell on starting to catch again: says it’s awesome. Credits seeing former guys play for so long to his preparation in getting back in it.
- Russell says his decision to come back was easy. Wants to play pro ball but saw the opportunity to come back and took it. Says part of the deal of coming back was expanding his role, such as getting behind the plate.
- Russell says being one of the older guys on the team is gonna help him most. Says he’s gonna be a “general” behind the plate.
- Russell notes the toll catching takes on his body. Says it’s a learning process all the way around.
- Russell says he’s most impressed with freshmen Christian Moore and Chase Burns. Says their confidence is elite.
- Russell says he been communicating with Conner Pavolony and that he’s going to use him and work with him to get more comfortable behind the plate.
- Russell says he enjoys playing catcher more than left field right now. Calls it his “true love”

Sewell on Moore and Blake Burke not being like typical freshman: "They're freaks, to be honest. They're really good so it's fun to compete against them. Hopefully they save their hits for the spring, right now." (from a Tweet by Ryan Schumpert)

Blake Burke really flew under our radar in this recruiting class. Top 300 recruit, obviously impressive so far, but there was no talk of losing him to the draft and those of us on this board projecting next year's lineup didn't mention him. Including me.