Tennessee baseball head coach Tony Vitello met with the media following the Vols’ series sweep of St. Bonaventure Saturday in Knoxville to discuss the 13-2 run-rule win.
Vitello shared his thoughts on the nine arms who saw time on the mound, the luxury of a Cannon Peebles & Stone Lawless catcher duo and more.
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Additionally, Vitello updated the status of pitchers Andrew Behnke and AJ Russell.
“I would think more getting into April as we get into those last two months of the season,” Vitello said on Russell’s status. “And obviously you want to pay play past the month of May, but May’s the big one that college coaches I think talk about and the kids look forward to when school’s out and as we march towards May, March is an important month too, but I think looking at those months of April and May, I think that makes more sense with kind of the pow wow that was had again, just with all parties involved.
“So if the button needed to be pressed, it could be pressed, but I don’t think that’s the case. I think he’s definitely wanting to pitch but also has the mind. He’s been there, he’s seen what last year looks like with what needs to be done for a team to have success in the long run. And then we certainly all know, I joked with you the other day, he (can) pitch for 12, 15 years, so not necessarily tying everything down to one week in front of us.”
When asked if Russell had suffered any setback, Vitello was adamant that the junior has not.
“Zero. Not even close, the opposite,” Vitello said. “No setbacks, got going too fast and so hold your horses. So maybe that thoroughbred that you let, and I’m not gonna go rodeo. I’d love to be a rodeo guy. I had that damn cowboy hat on for a night. I don’t know that I’ve earned the right to do that.”
