January 22, 2025 • 38 mins
Discover the secrets behind balancing passion and performance in collegiate baseball as we chat with Ohio Wesleyan University's outfielder Sammy Stoner and Otterbein University's pitcher Luke Walter. These former high school teammates share their compelling journey from the carefree days of youth baseball to the intensely competitive world of college athletics. Listen as Sammy and Luke reminisce about their high school escapades while offering keen insights into adapting to higher expectations without losing the love for the game.
Sammy and Luke also open up about the challenges and rewards of being college athletes, particularly in D3. Their stories highlight the intense work ethic required to excel, and the unique perspectives each brings: Sammy as a dual-sport athlete juxtaposing the physical demands of football with baseball, and Luke detailing the rigorous preparation and recovery routine of a pitcher. Emphasizing that passion for the sport can lead to opportunities at any level, they share valuable lessons in dedication and resilience.
Wrapping up, Sammy and Luke reflect on their summer league experiences, drawing parallels to the minor leagues and the camaraderie that grows from playing with teammates from diverse backgrounds. They express gratitude for the relationships built through baseball and the significant influence of their coaches and community. This heartfelt conversation offers a fresh perspective on the profound impact sports have on personal growth and professional life, leaving listeners inspired by the power of teamwork and the enduring bonds formed on the field.
Join the Baseball Coaches Unplugged podcast where an experienced baseball coach delves into the world of high school and travel baseball, offering insights on high school baseball coaching, leadership skills, hitting skills, pitching strategy, defensive skills, and overall baseball strategy, while also covering high school and college baseball, recruiting tips, youth and travel baseball, and fostering a winning mentality and attitude in baseball players through strong baseball leadership and mentality.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged with Coach Ken
Carpenter, presented by AthleteOne.
Baseball Coaches Unplugged is apodcast for baseball coaches,
with 27 years of high schoolbaseball coaching under his belt
, here to bring you the insidescoop on all things baseball,
from game-winning strategies andpitching secrets to hitting
drills and defensive drills.
We're covering it all.
(00:22):
Whether you're a high schoolcoach, college coach or just a
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that make the difference on andoff the field.
Discover how to build a winningmentality.
Inspire your players and getthem truly bought into your game
philosophy Plus, get the latestinsights on recruiting,
coaching, leadership andcrafting a team culture that
(00:42):
champions productivity andsuccess.
Join Coach every week as hebreaks down the game and shares
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Your competitive edge startshere, so check out the show
weekly and hear from the bestcoaches in the game.
On Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Hello and welcome to another edition of Baseball
Coaches Unplugged.
I'm your host, coach KenCarpenter, and on today's show,
a refreshing perspective fromformer high school teammates who
compete against each other atDivision III, ohio, wesleyan and
Otterbein University.
The outfielder is Ohio WesleyanUniversity's Sammy Stoner and
(01:24):
the pitcher is Luke Walter atOtterbein University.
They share what many playersthink about their high school
playing days, to the challengesof not being the best players on
their team, because every teamat the college level is filled
with the top players from theirhigh school program.
At the college level is filledwith the top players from their
(01:47):
high school program.
They open up about the grindand why you have to be different
to play and succeed in collegesports.
Oh, and did I mention one isalso a starter on the football
team?
Before we hear from Luke andSammy, let's talk about what it
takes to have your facilitieslooking their best.
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(02:56):
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If you'd like to be a guest ofBaseball Coaches Unplugged, go
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form.
If you enjoyed today's show, besure to share it with a friend.
(03:18):
And now to my interview withOhio Wesleyan University, sammy
Stoner and OtterbeinUniversity's Luke Walter.
Hello and welcome to BaseballCoaches Unplugged.
I'm your host, ken Carpenter,and joining me today is Sammy
Stoner, outfielder and pitcherfor Ohio Wesleyan University,
(03:42):
and his high school teammate,luke Walter, who's a pitcher for
Otterbein University.
Guys, thanks for taking thetime to be on Baseball Coaches
Unplugged.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Of course.
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Seriously thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Well, guys, it's middle of January, central Ohio.
I'm looking out right now andit's blanketed with snow and I
would imagine you guys areprobably pretty anxious.
And when I talked to you justbefore starting here, luke,
you're saying you're ready to go.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I'm all, yeah, I'm ready to go, ready to get after
it.
What about you, sam?
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, I'm ready to.
I'm ready to go outside again.
I want to want to see a flyball one more time.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, looking.
I want to start with.
You know I met you guys whenyou were in high school.
I had the opportunity to coachwith Chris Huseman and Sam your
dad was the pitching coach thereand that's where I got a chance
to meet you guys as players.
And you know, I'm sure at somepoint throughout your career one
(04:48):
of the coaches was saying youknow, your four years in high
school is going to fly by andyou know, looking back on it,
luke, what is it that you missabout those days?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I think the freedom within the game really Once you
kind of step outside, once youget to college.
You come in as a freshman,you're not expecting much, but
especially I think it was thesame for me and Sam we both got
some good playing time ourfreshman year in college and
then ever since that starts,then you kind of set too many
expectations on yourself, youkind of lose that loose feeling
(05:22):
where you're just showing up tothe field with the boys trying
to get after it, just trying tohave a good time, enjoy the game
, and and you kind of get caughtin a loop of I gotta do this, I
gotta yeah, that's that's.
I think that's what I miss themost about high school what
about?
Speaker 4 (05:36):
you sam, yeah, I'd agree a lot more.
I mean, I, I agree witheverything that luke said,
definitely just kind of it's alot less, a lot more, just kind
of go have fun, and that's kindof what I'm trying to get back
to now.
But also, um, one of the thingsthat I was thinking about is
that uh, oh well, I forgot whatI was just thinking about
(05:56):
actually.
So maybe not, but, um, um, inhigh school, I mean, there's a
lot, it's a lot more.
Yeah, it really is just a lotmore playing with your, playing
for fun, I guess.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah Well, most high high school players don't go on
to play college baseball, andthat's just the reality of it.
And what was your biggestsurprise for you, Sam, when you
started competing at thedivision three level there at
Ohio Wesleyan?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
um, one of the definite big things that changed
for me right away was just like, kind of not being one of the
best players on the team because, like in high school I mean
junior year obviously got cutfrom COVID, but senior year,
like, I was one of the one ofthe better guys in the team and
I was just kind of I've alwaysbeen just one of the like you
know, I thought of myself as oneof the best players.
(06:49):
But then all of a sudden incollege freshman year, um, I'm
fighting for even especiallycause I played football.
I play football as well.
So I didn't, I wasn't there inthe fall.
So then when it came to thespringtime, I was fighting just
to be able to make it like onour spring break trip and able
to actually go.
So that was kind of a big bigculture shock for me, but it was
.
It was definitely good for me.
I felt like having that reallymade me work all that much
(07:13):
harder to get to that spot whereI'm actually on the team and
trying to be one of the bestplayers.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
So what about you?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Luke, I think one of the biggest realizations for me
is there's dogs everywhere, likeespecially here at Otterbein,
we kind of funnel.
Like Grove City, I'd say, isour main, like that's where
we're getting most of our guysfrom.
But then you're getting intoguys from like D3, d4, like
(07:40):
smaller high school schools,like around Central and kind of
just all throughout ohio and andthose what sammy to harp on
what sammy said like those guyswere the guys at their school
and even though it's d3, likethey're not good, they're not,
like they're not overwhelmingwith talent but the work ethic
that comes with a guy that isn'tnaturally as talented like
(08:03):
those guys.
Those guys played most of theguys here, at least, were on
varsity, sophomore, junior,senior year of high school and
like they're not expectinganything different from them,
like they're ready to play.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, basically all these guys are the best,
probably the best players ontheir high school team and it
changes a little bit.
And what would you tell a highschool player right now who is
good enough to play in collegebut has that uh, d1 or I'm not
gonna play attitude luke?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
I think it.
It comes down to the love ofyour game, like the love of the
game for you, because there's ashelf life on this game.
We're all granted with theability to play this game for
you.
Because there's a shelf life onthis game, we're all granted
with the ability to play thisgame for as long as you're able
to, and that's that's how I lookat it.
I want to play this game aslong as possible because I love
it.
I'm rooted within it, like it'sa part of my daily routine.
And it just comes down to thefact, like, are you going to go
(08:57):
to a big school and say you'regoing for academics and you're
going to be sitting there?
Man, I wish, I wish I couldstill play baseball.
Like cause that once you passthat opportunity up, there's no
really getting that back.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Sam.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, and I would say also, I agree with everything
that Luke said.
But also there's a it's still.
It's still good baseball.
It's not like like obviouslyyou know D1, you're going to get
the most looks, but there areguys from D3, d2, naia, guys
from D3, d2, naia, juco everyyear who can easily transfer up
to D1 or even get drafted out ofwherever they're from.
So there's definitely like,obviously, going D1 right away,
(09:33):
that's the main goal as a highschooler.
But I feel like I mean, you'regoing to find good baseball no
matter where you go, and if youplay well, then there's always a
chance to move up to D1 or justget drafted out of there.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, I totally agree with what you guys are saying.
Now, sammy, you just mentionedit earlier, you're one of the
rare college athletes that yousee out there.
You also play safety on thefootball team at Ohio Wesleyan,
which is you know.
You just don't see very manycollege athletes getting a
(10:07):
chance to do that, and I got toask you which is tougher to be
more successful at baseball orfootball.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
I'm going to say, if I have to choose, I'm going to
say football, because withbaseball, I know, I know, I know
hot take Because with footballthere's a lot more conditioning,
got to be in shape, got to beat the top of your game for
those 10 weeks, versus withbaseball.
(10:43):
I mean, you always have an offday with baseball, I guess, so
you can kind of you have to.
There's a lot more time to getback into it.
I feel like that was one of thethings that I didn't have a
great as good of a senior yearfor football as I wanted to, and
I feel like a big issue forthat, big reason for that, was
that I didn't, I didn't get backinto shape as early as I should
have.
So I was still kind of fightingthrough it weeks one and two
(11:05):
and then I had a pretty badweeks one and two.
So once I got through that Iwas a lot better.
But with baseball I've justfound that it's, I mean, other
than my arms, because my armshave been hurting, but other
than that, everything has beenreally easy to get back into and
start swinging again, startthrowing, start doing some bands
, get myself going.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
So yeah, that makes sense.
Well, luke, I wanted you totake us through how you prepare
yourself between outings,because you know, when you're a
pitcher, you're not like Sam,where you're getting to run out
there every day and play andyou've got to have that downtime
(11:44):
where you're getting to run outthere every day and play and
you've got to have that downtimeand take us through your
routine from you know, you justpitched a game until the next
time you start.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Okay.
So typically for us we playdoubleheader on Saturday and
then Sunday.
I think within the first coupleof days less is more.
Like I'm a guy that I love likedoing as much possible in each
of my days to become better.
But once you get into season,like your work is already kind
(12:15):
of done.
So you just kind of you got totake that downtime.
So Sunday I'll go in, I'll hitsome stretching, probably like
45 to an hour of just stretching, mainly working on my back and
my hips, because that's that'skind of where I struggle as a
player is I get, I get sore inthose areas.
And then Monday just a lightthrow, just we're playing some
catch, we're we're not, we'renot getting the ball down really
(12:37):
on a line, we're just kind offeeling it, seeing how it's
spinning out of our hand, makingsure like there's no major
issues with we're cutting theball too much, it's got too much
tail, just getting thatforeseam right, just making sure
because that's the table,that's all the other pitches are
set off, how the foreseam isspinning.
And then Tuesday, but for us atOtterbein, that's when we'll
(13:02):
get back into practice for thoseweeks so we'll be doing some
pickoff plays, some PFPs, somedefense.
And then I like to throw twolight intent bullpens before I
go out and start, besides justone heavy intent bullpen,
because I feel like, as apitcher, where do I play?
(13:22):
I play on the mound.
You need to be off the mound asmuch as possible.
It's shown that on a flatground there's more stress on
your arm and when you'rethrowing off a slope it's around
the same level of stress put onyour arm if you're throwing off
a mound consistently versus ifyou're just throwing a flat
ground.
So Tuesday for me that would bea light bullpen day, always
(13:44):
keeping it light.
I I always throw way too manypitches always.
So I always gotta I alwaysgotta say I'm gonna throw 15, I
go throw 25, but then I think,okay, 25, that's fine.
Take wednesday pretty light.
No, no throwing, juststretching, a lot of stretching.
I think that's where pitchersget into this loophole of they
get caught up in the weight roomtrying to become as strong as
(14:06):
possible when that only has alittle bit to do with your
ability to create velocity andthrow the ball hard consistently
.
It's about being able to throwthe ball hard, consistently and
healthy.
Can't do anything if you're notable to play.
So Tuesday, thursday for me ismy light and 10 bullpens, and
then Friday, we're getting somegood carbs in.
Friday night, just relax andget into bed early.
(14:29):
Yeah, that's my week.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
How hard are you throwing right now?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
We just we're starting practice next week.
I threw lives on Thursday.
I was 70, I mean not 70.
I was 86 to 88 on, uh, our lastlive day.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It's pretty good, and you're off.
Speed is what what's that?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
so I'm throwing.
I got a whole bunch.
Right now we're really, we'rereally mastering the craft.
I got a, I got a nice sinkergoing, a good change up, a gyro
slider because I'm a pronator soit's hard for me to throw a
pure slider and then I'm workingon the sweeper right now.
And then a good 12-6 curveball.
The slider is about 77 to 78right now, curveball below 70s
(15:17):
and then changeup is high 70s aswell.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Okay, well, sam, you showed up in college, you
pitched in high school and youwere playing the outfield.
If you go on the Ohio Wesleyanwebsite, there's a picture
you've thrown the ball to.
Are you going to be pitching alittle bit this year?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
then sure, um, probably not.
I mean, the last time I threwfor owu was freshman year,
because I kind of came in andand that was like the spot
either our outfit was full ofolder guys so they were playing
there, and then we needed somepitching so I filled in there.
But then since then I've reallyonly played outfield, other
than my the stint on the paintswhere I threw seven innings.
So, but other than that, no,I'm full-time outfield for the
most part, but if I can get myarm feeling good again we'll see
(16:09):
if I can get some innings in,yeah there you go.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
I was Sammy's bullpen catcher right there.
Yeah, For the paints.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I was designated bullpen catcher for Sammy Stoner
, the only guy I could have outthere.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
There you go, but why do talented players in high
school fail or struggle whenthey start playing the college
game?
Luke?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I think it's a little bit with the people around them
, especially as a coach, I don'tthink you should be telling a
player what they're capable of,so you kind of set up their
mental landscape in a differentway when you're telling it could
be variable goals.
Say, you're a young guy, you'resucceeding in high school,
(17:03):
you're throwing hard, and thenyou get to college and these
coaches are telling them whatthey want these players to be at
.
Like it kind of sets up thisguy that's constantly pressing
when he's already good enough toperform.
And it's just also some of theguys that I noticed in high
school that succeed aresometimes a little more
(17:25):
physically developed, like at ayounger age, so they're better
than the competition.
And as you get older and getinto college, all those guys
that were smaller than you theystart to catch up and then
you're kind of on an evenplaying field.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Well, sam, what do you think about the talented
players in high school?
But they struggle when theyshow up there on campus.
Why do you think that happens?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, I definitely agree with Luke.
I think a lot of it has to dowith just the mental side of the
game we talked about earlier,with kind of like not being the
best anymore.
You're going to have a lot morestruggles when you're facing,
uh like guys that so in highschool I mean, there's a lot of
pitchers that you know they'renot going on to play anywhere at
the next level, but then whenyou get to call it, these are
(18:12):
the guys that went on to play atthe next level.
Everyone here is has the, hasthe want to be there, has a
drive like is trying to getbetter all the time.
And if you don't have that sameor a similar drive, then you're
not going to, you're not goingto find as much success as you
did in high school, where I mean, everyone's just getting,
everyone's getting better.
And if you're not gettingbetter, than obviously you're
(18:32):
going to find you're going tofind a lot more struggles and
success.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
So and on top of that you've got college coaches, and
this is their job and they're.
They're looking for somebody toreplace you and you yeah, you
gotta fight.
Why I, I gotta ask you guys hadthe opportunity to play summer
collegiate ball with the chillacoffee paints and you know what
(18:56):
was that experience like.
And how do you compare playingsummer ball versus for your
college team?
And we'll start off with you,sam.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I mean it really was a lot of fun.
There was definitely some timeswhere I was wondering why I was
there, just because I meanyou're playing 60 games in under
60 days, so there's a littlebit.
Or was it 50 games in 60 days?
So you're, I mean you're there,it's, it's a full-time job,
like you're there the whole time, whole summer, you're not doing
(19:31):
anything else.
And then, if you're, if youmiss it, if, as as a fielder,
there were a lot of games whereI obviously didn't play in and
that was you know.
So it started to piss me offthat I wasn't playing all the
time.
But I mean, at mean, at the endof the day, like it was a great
experience.
I'm so glad that both Luke andI did it, because it was a lot
of fun hanging out with him thewhole summer.
So I really did enjoy it somuch.
(19:53):
And it was just compared to.
I mean it was great to see,like you're seeing guys that are
, you know you're seeing the D1level guys.
You're seeing NAI that are, youknow you're seeing the D1 level
guys, you're seeing NAI.
You're seeing D2, d3, juco,everything.
So you kind of it's kind ofcool to see how you stack up
against these other guys andwhen you find success against uh
guy against you know schoolslike you're finding success
(20:15):
against these other schools thatyou're competing against,
basically like, oh wow, so Iguess I am, I am, I am good, I
am, uh, I'm good, I'm a goodplayer, I can compete with these
guys.
So it was really fun at the endof the day, a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Well, I know that they wouldn't ask you guys to
play for them if you guysweren't doing the job in the
spring.
What was your experience?
Like Luke?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
I played for the Paints my last summer too, my
sophomore summer.
I think it's just such a funexperience.
You kind of it is a lot ofgames though, so you kind of get
down there, you hit, you hitthe middle, the middle months,
like you're in the heart of thegames and you're kind of like
like I'm ready to go home.
I'm ready to go home.
(20:58):
Like it's a lot of baseball.
My teammates, all from school,are sitting back at home
relaxing, enjoying their summer,but as soon as that last out's
recorded in the last game of theyear for the paints especially,
it's like what a hell of asummer, like that's just.
I think it's.
It's such again like harping onwhat I was talking about with
the shelf life of the game, likeso now I'm two years and I've
(21:23):
played two full college seasons,but in reality I've really
played four at this point.
So I just just playing morebaseball and I think it is.
The schedule is a lot differentcompared to spring schedule,
especially for d3 players,because I think it's pretty
standard what we do and I thinkSammy's kind of in the same boat
.
We play weekend double headersfor our conference and then we
(21:45):
play some weekday double headersfor our conference and then,
like throughout the year, you'replaying weekends, in a
wednesday normally, and justkind of like learning how,
because that's it's like.
It's like a simulated, likeminors slash indie ball, like
environment, like you're just,you're just grinding and I just
personally, I love it and beingable to be with sammy and other
(22:07):
guys like you're on a team and Ithink, especially with guys at
smaller schools.
They like, when they get to aplace like that, they're
thinking about their label,they're thinking about that
title behind their name, becauseit always says where you're
from.
And once you get, once youstart playing, you get that that
anxiety shaking off a littlebit.
Then Then you're like there isdogs everywhere.
(22:29):
We played with a lot of guys.
We played with some Juco NAIAguys and those are the guys that
are playing professional rightnow, and there are some D1 guys
that aren't doing that and it'sjust like it's different, it's a
different landscape.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Yeah, and the game can be very humbling and it
doesn't matter what level youplay at, that's for sure.
And you know I got to ask whenyour careers come to an end and
you know you guys are trying toget every last ounce of fun out
of it, but it does come to anend for everybody how will you
(23:12):
look back on your high schooland college playing days and do
you think?
I'm a big believer in this itprepares you for the next stage
of your life being a husband,you know, an employee, a father,
things like that.
And Sam, we'll go back to you.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Yeah, I definitely think that.
I mean there's so many lessonsin the game of baseball.
It's just like I mean even justlike the basic you know,
working hard will lead tosuccess.
I mean there's so manydifferent things in baseball
that will just help set you upfor success as you go on in life
.
And I think that honestly, likeplaying baseball in college,
(23:52):
it's even more of those lessonsthat we learned in high school,
but even more so Now I'm free.
I don't have my parents over myshoulder like I did in high
school anymore, but now I stillhave to be able to go out and
succeed so that when they docome and watch me, I'm not
sitting on the bench or notstriking out eight times in a
(24:14):
game.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, what about you, Luke?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I think I agree with what Sammy's saying.
I think the discipline is ahuge factor into how you carry
yourself for the rest of yourlife.
And I also feel, like when youwere talking about being a
husband, like I think it helpswithin relationships because a
lot of the times like you arejust living your own life, like
it's easy to individualize, butwhen you're on a team like
(24:39):
sometimes you're not going toagree with things that coach is
telling you or the other guysaround you are telling you, but
you got to realize it's biggerthan yourself sometimes.
So I think that's one of themost valuable lessons you kind
of learn and it just kind of Ithink it shapes you into a
better man.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Well, I've said this before on podcasts my wife is a
vice president of talentacquisition and when she has two
candidates that are equalthroughout the interview process
and if she looks down and seesone is a college athlete, she
typically goes with that personbecause she knows what it takes
(25:19):
to be a college athlete.
It takes more than just whatthe average college student goes
through than just what theaverage college student goes
through.
But this is the part of thepodcast where I like to have a
little bit of fun.
Okay, so you guys gave somegreat answers to some questions,
(25:40):
but this is where I wanted youguys to kind of take us behind
the scenes a little bit.
I always start off with hatelosing or love winning.
Luke, you go first, hate losing.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Why is that?
It's just especially inbaseball.
It's your group of guys.
You're going to school withthese guys, because that's what
it is when you come in, the falllike you're not playing yet,
but you're getting close tothese guys and it's your nine
versus their nine.
Just hate losing.
I hate the taste of it.
How about you, Sammy?
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, I definitely agree Hate losing, like
obviously it's going to happen,but you got to.
I mean, if you, if we talkedabout this a lot during the
football season, we had a lot ofguys that just loved winning
and didn't hate losing, and thatwas why we struggled, because
everyone was just trying to beas good, like be good enough,
not be better.
You got to be the best of thebest.
(26:35):
You can't just be good enoughto win some games.
You got to be the best of thebest if you want to achieve your
goals of winning a conferencechampionship.
So you have to hate losing ifyou want to succeed like that.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Well, your best story from your high school playing
days.
You know I'll go with Sam, I'lllet you lead off.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Yeah, I got to think.
You know that was years ago.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
All right.
Well, luke, do you have one?
Speaker 3 (27:06):
I got one.
It was my.
This wouldn't say he wasn't onthe team with me, but it was my
senior year.
We were second round of theplayoffs.
We were up in Mount Vernon andwe went up there on a Wednesday.
We had Krenzel on the bump andthen started pouring on us and
so we called it after the firstinning.
(27:28):
I think we were down a coupleruns.
We came up back the next dayand we just fought Like it was.
I think it was like 10-8,something final score, but I
remember I got a clutch buntdown, beat it out to first and
then I was lucky enough I playedfirst the first five innings
and then Huey trusted me enoughto put me in there close the
thing off.
And that was that, because itwas like it was a tight-knit
(27:52):
community up there, so they hadlike 200, 300 people and they
were all.
They weren't nice fans Eventhough you were in high school
they weren't nice, so being thevillain for me was definitely.
that was my favorite experience.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Yes, definitely.
The villain for me wasdefinitely.
That was my favorite experience.
Yes, definitely, and I believe,uh, uh, we were the the lower
seat on that.
Oh yeah they were?
Speaker 3 (28:13):
they were like 10th, we were 30 something.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
That was huge upset yeah, all right, sam, your turn,
you're on all right.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
well, uh, I think this would have been.
This would have been my senioryear.
I remember we were playingKauffman and I mean this is a
pretty personal one, but Iremember.
So my best friend, hunter Hickshe went to Kauffman, played a
little baseball at Dubuque, orno, sorry.
(28:46):
I started that gamepitching-wise.
I started that game pitching-.
I started that game pitchingwise and I was kind of all over
the place at first and I thinkHunter ended up going over three
on me with three like ballsthat got smoked right at someone
.
And then he came in, he came into hit and he or he came in to
pitch at the end of the and Igot a hit off of him.
(29:06):
So I remember being superexcited about that.
But also, just, we ended upbeating them, I believe 2-0.
And I was on base when MattMcClemmons hit a two-run shot to
win us the game.
Basically, and that kind ofsticks out Beating the Crosstown
rival will always just be oneof the most fun things of my
(29:29):
time.
The other memory I have is whenwe beat them on JV, my
sophomore year.
We started off the game, Ibelieve, down 8-0 in the first
inning and then ended up winningsomething.
We ended up run-ruling them,I'm pretty sure, beating them by
like eight or nine runs.
So that was a fun game.
That was crazy, oh my, but itwas a lot of fun still.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Yeah Well, let me ask you this the transfer portal is
the huge thing that you seewith college football right now.
As athletes, how do you guysfeel about the transfer portal?
And I'll start with you, Luke.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
For the most part.
I think it's especially whenyou're looking at football,
because that's kind of the it'sgetting highlighted on because
all the NIL deals.
I feel like that's a littledifferent purpose than what it
was intended for.
But for a lot of the guys likethat I know especially, we have
a lot of.
We had a lot of transferscoming this year from Otterbein
(30:35):
like guys looking for new homes,and I think it's just.
I think it's a great thing.
I think guys are looking forthe best spot to where they they
can find a home, becausesometimes you're really just
you're really just picking acollege like there's research
you can put into it, but youdon't know if you're going to
fit in until you get there.
A lot of the guys I see leavingis, after their freshman year,
just looking for a new home,looking for a fresh start.
I think it's a really good tool.
It's a little misused sometimesbut for the most part I feel
(30:56):
like it's very useful.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Your take Sam.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Yeah, I definitely agree.
I think that having thetransfer portal is huge.
Like Luke said, people justdon't enjoy the sport with
certain people, so finding aplace where they enjoy the sport
and can go on and succeed helpsthem a lot more.
But I do want to say that I sawsomething about moving the
(31:25):
transfer portal for football toonly just a one week after bowl
season and I think that was agreat idea, because having the
Marshall situation, where theyweren't even able to play the
bowl game is tough.
So I think that they should tryto find a way so that people
don't have to go transfer beforebowl games like that and kind
(31:46):
of take out the integrity of thebowl games.
But that's not really baseball.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah Well, I totally agree with you on that.
And you know I was sitting hereand I'm writing down questions
and I'm thinking I got to trysomething different here.
You guys face each other.
Luke, you're on the hill, Sam,you're batting, you get three
ABs.
So that means Luke's beenpitching well and he's into the
(32:15):
seventh or so inning.
Who wins that battle?
And let's go with the hitterfirst, Sam.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Well, the last time we faced each other was in
Florida this past season, and Ibelieve the third at-bat was the
walk, right or was?
It the strikeout.
Okay, because I think it wenthit strikeout walk.
So the fourth at-bat.
I think I have you got, I thinkI have you there, I think I'm
(32:47):
locked in now ready to go.
So I'm calling, I'm sayingdouble off the wall wow, okay
luke let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
I think that was a fair battle.
I wasn't.
I wasn't pitching that welldown there.
I was still.
I was still getting the season,I think.
But I think if we run it backright now, I think I got 0 for 3
with three strikeouts.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
What pitch, are you?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
going to throw Sam that he's going to struggle with
oh two-seam changeup combo.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
He's a great contact guy, but once you get that ball
further from the eyes, that'swhere those whiffs start to come
in.
I threw plenty of sliders andcurveballs on that inside part
of the plate and I'm justlooking at him smiling after it.
I'm like how did you get yourbat on that?
How are you still alive?
I threw I think I threw acurveball like off the plate in
(33:40):
the dirt.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's out of the box how is it
off?
Speaker 3 (33:43):
and I'm just smiling.
I'm like what, what am Isupposed to do?
That's where I wanted it.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
But no, I think.
I think.
I think I'd win the matchupright now, but I'm not striking
them out three times.
This guy, if you look at hisstats for the last, he's not.
He's not a strikeout guy at all.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
That's great, that's the goal.
Yeah, there you go.
Well, I want to finish up withthis right here.
We had some characters on theDublin Jerome High School
baseball coaching set.
Oh yeah, you know there was apart of me that felt like we had
as much fun as you guys did,and you know that was one of the
(34:24):
big things I've always enjoyedabout coaching.
And one of those coaches, likeI said earlier in the podcast,
was your dad, sam.
What do you remember about thecoaches?
When you look back on it,you're like man, those guys are
definitely enjoying themselves.
Speaker 4 (34:44):
Well, I mean, this is a culmination of things, but
every time he always tries tocome to like a, not come to a
practice, but every once in awhile he'll drop some story and
I'll hear the story and thenI'll be able to recite said
story, because he says he haslike five stories on rotation
(35:05):
that I think I've heard about 50or 60 times, so every time I'll
I'll.
I think I went to uh, it wasfunny too, actually.
So he coached, so my dadcoached Mott, um, in high school
, my my uh college coach coachMott and, um, I went and had
like my first meeting with himand he and he goes.
The first thing he says to mehe says how's your family?
(35:27):
Is your dad still telling that?
Uh, that starfish story andthat and it's the?
I don't know, I feel like youmight have heard that before,
but I was like, yep, I, that'sthe, that's the one that I can
recite from memory actually.
So yeah, it was, oh, he, heloves, he loves his, uh, his,
his jisms.
So, yeah, what?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
about you.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Luke he loves his J-isms.
Yeah, what about you, luke?
I think one time I showed uplike I think I was one or two
minutes late to practice and oneday he said he's just go.
He's just like go Go to thefootball stadium and I just
start running and then I getback.
The next group is about to gorun too and he's like, no, you
(36:11):
watch this one.
And that made me.
I was like well, that's thefirst time something like that
had happened and I just I lovethat about Huey, after being his
player, is dude just loved thegame.
(36:32):
And I think it's hard when youhave high school guys, because
you got some guys that reallylove it, but most of the guys
showing up they're just kind ofmessing around and you just love
the game more than us sometimesand I think that's where we got
to.
But I think my biggest momentwere them having fun.
I mean I love Coach C and CoachSeeley.
They would just give me crapall the time Just about little
(36:53):
things, just all the time, justthings they probably shouldn't
know as coaches.
But I just loved it.
I loved especially Coach C.
I loved that dynamic.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Well, we had, we definitelyenjoyed it and you know you kind
of hit on something.
Sometimes coaches getfrustrated when they you know it
feels like they want it morethan some of the players do and
you you kind of hit on thatbecause there's always going to
be guys on the team that are,you know they're they're high
school guys.
They they're not really goingto go on like you guys did and
(37:26):
it was a lot of fun.
But, guys, I can't thank youenough because I know you're
probably getting ready to go topractice here and you know it
was fun getting a chance to bearound you guys in high school
and I love following you andwatching the success you're
having and wishing nothing butthe best.
(37:47):
And you know, thanks again fortaking the time to be on
Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Thank you for having us.
This was a great experience.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Seriously.
Thank you so much, coach Karp.
You'll always be my secondfavorite coach after Jay Stoner.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
Special thanks to Sammy Stoner at Ohio Wesleyan
University and Luke Walterpitcher at Otterbein University.
Today's episode of baseballcoaches unplugged is powered by
the netting professionalsimproving programs one facility
at a time.
Contact them today at844-620-2707, or you can visit
(38:25):
them online at wwwnettingproscom.
I'm your host, Coach KenCarpenter, and, as always,
thanks for listening to BaseballCoaches Unplugged, Thank you.
Welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged with Coach Ken
Carpenter, presented by AthleteOne.
Baseball Coaches Unplugged is apodcast for baseball coaches,
with 27 years of high schoolbaseball coaching under his belt
, here to bring you the insidescoop on all things baseball,
from game-winning strategies andpitching secrets to hitting
drills and defensive drills.
We're covering it all.
(00:22):
Whether you're a high schoolcoach, college coach or just a
baseball enthusiast, we'll diveinto the tactics and techniques
that make the difference on andoff the field.
Discover how to build a winningmentality.
Inspire your players and getthem truly bought into your game
philosophy Plus, get the latestinsights on recruiting,
coaching, leadership andcrafting a team culture that
(00:42):
champions productivity andsuccess.
Join Coach every week as hebreaks down the game and shares
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Your competitive edge startshere, so check out the show
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On Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Hello and welcome to another edition of Baseball
Coaches Unplugged.
I'm your host, coach KenCarpenter, and on today's show,
a refreshing perspective fromformer high school teammates who
compete against each other atDivision III, ohio, wesleyan and
Otterbein University.
The outfielder is Ohio WesleyanUniversity's Sammy Stoner and
(01:24):
the pitcher is Luke Walter atOtterbein University.
They share what many playersthink about their high school
playing days, to the challengesof not being the best players on
their team, because every teamat the college level is filled
with the top players from theirhigh school program.
At the college level is filledwith the top players from their
(01:47):
high school program.
They open up about the grindand why you have to be different
to play and succeed in collegesports.
Oh, and did I mention one isalso a starter on the football
team?
Before we hear from Luke andSammy, let's talk about what it
takes to have your facilitieslooking their best.
The netting professionalsimproving programs one facility
(02:10):
at a time.
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and install custom netting forbaseball and softball.
This includes backstops,batting cages, bp turtles,
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They also design and installdigital graphic wall padding,
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(02:32):
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And the netting pros aren'tlimited to just baseball and
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They also work with football,soccer, lacrosse and golf
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Contact them today at844-620-2707.
That's 844-620-2707.
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(02:56):
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If you enjoyed today's show, besure to share it with a friend.
(03:18):
And now to my interview withOhio Wesleyan University, sammy
Stoner and OtterbeinUniversity's Luke Walter.
Hello and welcome to BaseballCoaches Unplugged.
I'm your host, ken Carpenter,and joining me today is Sammy
Stoner, outfielder and pitcherfor Ohio Wesleyan University,
(03:42):
and his high school teammate,luke Walter, who's a pitcher for
Otterbein University.
Guys, thanks for taking thetime to be on Baseball Coaches
Unplugged.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Of course.
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Seriously thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Well, guys, it's middle of January, central Ohio.
I'm looking out right now andit's blanketed with snow and I
would imagine you guys areprobably pretty anxious.
And when I talked to you justbefore starting here, luke,
you're saying you're ready to go.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I'm all, yeah, I'm ready to go, ready to get after
it.
What about you, sam?
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Yeah, I'm ready to.
I'm ready to go outside again.
I want to want to see a flyball one more time.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well, looking.
I want to start with.
You know I met you guys whenyou were in high school.
I had the opportunity to coachwith Chris Huseman and Sam your
dad was the pitching coach thereand that's where I got a chance
to meet you guys as players.
And you know, I'm sure at somepoint throughout your career one
(04:48):
of the coaches was saying youknow, your four years in high
school is going to fly by andyou know, looking back on it,
luke, what is it that you missabout those days?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I think the freedom within the game really Once you
kind of step outside, once youget to college.
You come in as a freshman,you're not expecting much, but
especially I think it was thesame for me and Sam we both got
some good playing time ourfreshman year in college and
then ever since that starts,then you kind of set too many
expectations on yourself, youkind of lose that loose feeling
(05:22):
where you're just showing up tothe field with the boys trying
to get after it, just trying tohave a good time, enjoy the game
, and and you kind of get caughtin a loop of I gotta do this, I
gotta yeah, that's that's.
I think that's what I miss themost about high school what
about?
Speaker 4 (05:36):
you sam, yeah, I'd agree a lot more.
I mean, I, I agree witheverything that luke said,
definitely just kind of it's alot less, a lot more, just kind
of go have fun, and that's kindof what I'm trying to get back
to now.
But also, um, one of the thingsthat I was thinking about is
that uh, oh well, I forgot whatI was just thinking about
(05:56):
actually.
So maybe not, but, um, um, inhigh school, I mean, there's a
lot, it's a lot more.
Yeah, it really is just a lotmore playing with your, playing
for fun, I guess.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah Well, most high high school players don't go on
to play college baseball, andthat's just the reality of it.
And what was your biggestsurprise for you, Sam, when you
started competing at thedivision three level there at
Ohio Wesleyan?
Speaker 4 (06:29):
um, one of the definite big things that changed
for me right away was just like, kind of not being one of the
best players on the team because, like in high school I mean
junior year obviously got cutfrom COVID, but senior year,
like, I was one of the one ofthe better guys in the team and
I was just kind of I've alwaysbeen just one of the like you
know, I thought of myself as oneof the best players.
(06:49):
But then all of a sudden incollege freshman year, um, I'm
fighting for even especiallycause I played football.
I play football as well.
So I didn't, I wasn't there inthe fall.
So then when it came to thespringtime, I was fighting just
to be able to make it like onour spring break trip and able
to actually go.
So that was kind of a big bigculture shock for me, but it was
.
It was definitely good for me.
I felt like having that reallymade me work all that much
(07:13):
harder to get to that spot whereI'm actually on the team and
trying to be one of the bestplayers.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
So what about you?
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Luke, I think one of the biggest realizations for me
is there's dogs everywhere, likeespecially here at Otterbein,
we kind of funnel.
Like Grove City, I'd say, isour main, like that's where
we're getting most of our guysfrom.
But then you're getting intoguys from like D3, d4, like
(07:40):
smaller high school schools,like around Central and kind of
just all throughout ohio and andthose what sammy to harp on
what sammy said like those guyswere the guys at their school
and even though it's d3, likethey're not good, they're not,
like they're not overwhelmingwith talent but the work ethic
that comes with a guy that isn'tnaturally as talented like
(08:03):
those guys.
Those guys played most of theguys here, at least, were on
varsity, sophomore, junior,senior year of high school and
like they're not expectinganything different from them,
like they're ready to play.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, basically all these guys are the best,
probably the best players ontheir high school team and it
changes a little bit.
And what would you tell a highschool player right now who is
good enough to play in collegebut has that uh, d1 or I'm not
gonna play attitude luke?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
I think it.
It comes down to the love ofyour game, like the love of the
game for you, because there's ashelf life on this game.
We're all granted with theability to play this game for
you.
Because there's a shelf life onthis game, we're all granted
with the ability to play thisgame for as long as you're able
to, and that's that's how I lookat it.
I want to play this game aslong as possible because I love
it.
I'm rooted within it, like it'sa part of my daily routine.
And it just comes down to thefact, like, are you going to go
(08:57):
to a big school and say you'regoing for academics and you're
going to be sitting there?
Man, I wish, I wish I couldstill play baseball.
Like cause that once you passthat opportunity up, there's no
really getting that back.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Sam.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yeah, and I would say also, I agree with everything
that Luke said.
But also there's a it's still.
It's still good baseball.
It's not like like obviouslyyou know D1, you're going to get
the most looks, but there areguys from D3, d2, naia, guys
from D3, d2, naia, juco everyyear who can easily transfer up
to D1 or even get drafted out ofwherever they're from.
So there's definitely like,obviously, going D1 right away,
(09:33):
that's the main goal as a highschooler.
But I feel like I mean, you'regoing to find good baseball no
matter where you go, and if youplay well, then there's always a
chance to move up to D1 or justget drafted out of there.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Yeah, I totally agree with what you guys are saying.
Now, sammy, you just mentionedit earlier, you're one of the
rare college athletes that yousee out there.
You also play safety on thefootball team at Ohio Wesleyan,
which is you know.
You just don't see very manycollege athletes getting a
(10:07):
chance to do that, and I got toask you which is tougher to be
more successful at baseball orfootball.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
I'm going to say, if I have to choose, I'm going to
say football, because withbaseball, I know, I know, I know
hot take Because with footballthere's a lot more conditioning,
got to be in shape, got to beat the top of your game for
those 10 weeks, versus withbaseball.
(10:43):
I mean, you always have an offday with baseball, I guess, so
you can kind of you have to.
There's a lot more time to getback into it.
I feel like that was one of thethings that I didn't have a
great as good of a senior yearfor football as I wanted to, and
I feel like a big issue forthat, big reason for that, was
that I didn't, I didn't get backinto shape as early as I should
have.
So I was still kind of fightingthrough it weeks one and two
(11:05):
and then I had a pretty badweeks one and two.
So once I got through that Iwas a lot better.
But with baseball I've justfound that it's, I mean, other
than my arms, because my armshave been hurting, but other
than that, everything has beenreally easy to get back into and
start swinging again, startthrowing, start doing some bands
, get myself going.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
So yeah, that makes sense.
Well, luke, I wanted you totake us through how you prepare
yourself between outings,because you know, when you're a
pitcher, you're not like Sam,where you're getting to run out
there every day and play andyou've got to have that downtime
(11:44):
where you're getting to run outthere every day and play and
you've got to have that downtimeand take us through your
routine from you know, you justpitched a game until the next
time you start.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Okay.
So typically for us we playdoubleheader on Saturday and
then Sunday.
I think within the first coupleof days less is more.
Like I'm a guy that I love likedoing as much possible in each
of my days to become better.
But once you get into season,like your work is already kind
(12:15):
of done.
So you just kind of you got totake that downtime.
So Sunday I'll go in, I'll hitsome stretching, probably like
45 to an hour of just stretching, mainly working on my back and
my hips, because that's that'skind of where I struggle as a
player is I get, I get sore inthose areas.
And then Monday just a lightthrow, just we're playing some
catch, we're we're not, we'renot getting the ball down really
(12:37):
on a line, we're just kind offeeling it, seeing how it's
spinning out of our hand, makingsure like there's no major
issues with we're cutting theball too much, it's got too much
tail, just getting thatforeseam right, just making sure
because that's the table,that's all the other pitches are
set off, how the foreseam isspinning.
And then Tuesday, but for us atOtterbein, that's when we'll
(13:02):
get back into practice for thoseweeks so we'll be doing some
pickoff plays, some PFPs, somedefense.
And then I like to throw twolight intent bullpens before I
go out and start, besides justone heavy intent bullpen,
because I feel like, as apitcher, where do I play?
(13:22):
I play on the mound.
You need to be off the mound asmuch as possible.
It's shown that on a flatground there's more stress on
your arm and when you'rethrowing off a slope it's around
the same level of stress put onyour arm if you're throwing off
a mound consistently versus ifyou're just throwing a flat
ground.
So Tuesday for me that would bea light bullpen day, always
(13:44):
keeping it light.
I I always throw way too manypitches always.
So I always gotta I alwaysgotta say I'm gonna throw 15, I
go throw 25, but then I think,okay, 25, that's fine.
Take wednesday pretty light.
No, no throwing, juststretching, a lot of stretching.
I think that's where pitchersget into this loophole of they
get caught up in the weight roomtrying to become as strong as
(14:06):
possible when that only has alittle bit to do with your
ability to create velocity andthrow the ball hard consistently
.
It's about being able to throwthe ball hard, consistently and
healthy.
Can't do anything if you're notable to play.
So Tuesday, thursday for me ismy light and 10 bullpens, and
then Friday, we're getting somegood carbs in.
Friday night, just relax andget into bed early.
(14:29):
Yeah, that's my week.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
How hard are you throwing right now?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
We just we're starting practice next week.
I threw lives on Thursday.
I was 70, I mean not 70.
I was 86 to 88 on, uh, our lastlive day.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
It's pretty good, and you're off.
Speed is what what's that?
Speaker 3 (14:51):
so I'm throwing.
I got a whole bunch.
Right now we're really, we'rereally mastering the craft.
I got a, I got a nice sinkergoing, a good change up, a gyro
slider because I'm a pronator soit's hard for me to throw a
pure slider and then I'm workingon the sweeper right now.
And then a good 12-6 curveball.
The slider is about 77 to 78right now, curveball below 70s
(15:17):
and then changeup is high 70s aswell.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Okay, well, sam, you showed up in college, you
pitched in high school and youwere playing the outfield.
If you go on the Ohio Wesleyanwebsite, there's a picture
you've thrown the ball to.
Are you going to be pitching alittle bit this year?
Speaker 4 (15:46):
then sure, um, probably not.
I mean, the last time I threwfor owu was freshman year,
because I kind of came in andand that was like the spot
either our outfit was full ofolder guys so they were playing
there, and then we needed somepitching so I filled in there.
But then since then I've reallyonly played outfield, other
than my the stint on the paintswhere I threw seven innings.
So, but other than that, no,I'm full-time outfield for the
most part, but if I can get myarm feeling good again we'll see
(16:09):
if I can get some innings in,yeah there you go.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
I was Sammy's bullpen catcher right there.
Yeah, For the paints.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
I was designated bullpen catcher for Sammy Stoner
, the only guy I could have outthere.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
There you go, but why do talented players in high
school fail or struggle whenthey start playing the college
game?
Luke?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I think it's a little bit with the people around them
, especially as a coach, I don'tthink you should be telling a
player what they're capable of,so you kind of set up their
mental landscape in a differentway when you're telling it could
be variable goals.
Say, you're a young guy, you'resucceeding in high school,
(17:03):
you're throwing hard, and thenyou get to college and these
coaches are telling them whatthey want these players to be at
.
Like it kind of sets up thisguy that's constantly pressing
when he's already good enough toperform.
And it's just also some of theguys that I noticed in high
school that succeed aresometimes a little more
(17:25):
physically developed, like at ayounger age, so they're better
than the competition.
And as you get older and getinto college, all those guys
that were smaller than you theystart to catch up and then
you're kind of on an evenplaying field.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Well, sam, what do you think about the talented
players in high school?
But they struggle when theyshow up there on campus.
Why do you think that happens?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, I definitely agree with Luke.
I think a lot of it has to dowith just the mental side of the
game we talked about earlier,with kind of like not being the
best anymore.
You're going to have a lot morestruggles when you're facing,
uh like guys that so in highschool I mean, there's a lot of
pitchers that you know they'renot going on to play anywhere at
the next level, but then whenyou get to call it, these are
(18:12):
the guys that went on to play atthe next level.
Everyone here is has the, hasthe want to be there, has a
drive like is trying to getbetter all the time.
And if you don't have that sameor a similar drive, then you're
not going to, you're not goingto find as much success as you
did in high school, where I mean, everyone's just getting,
everyone's getting better.
And if you're not gettingbetter, than obviously you're
(18:32):
going to find you're going tofind a lot more struggles and
success.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
So and on top of that you've got college coaches, and
this is their job and they're.
They're looking for somebody toreplace you and you yeah, you
gotta fight.
Why I, I gotta ask you guys hadthe opportunity to play summer
collegiate ball with the chillacoffee paints and you know what
(18:56):
was that experience like.
And how do you compare playingsummer ball versus for your
college team?
And we'll start off with you,sam.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I mean it really was a lot of fun.
There was definitely some timeswhere I was wondering why I was
there, just because I meanyou're playing 60 games in under
60 days, so there's a littlebit.
Or was it 50 games in 60 days?
So you're, I mean you're there,it's, it's a full-time job,
like you're there the whole time, whole summer, you're not doing
(19:31):
anything else.
And then, if you're, if youmiss it, if, as as a fielder,
there were a lot of games whereI obviously didn't play in and
that was you know.
So it started to piss me offthat I wasn't playing all the
time.
But I mean, at mean, at the endof the day, like it was a great
experience.
I'm so glad that both Luke andI did it, because it was a lot
of fun hanging out with him thewhole summer.
So I really did enjoy it somuch.
(19:53):
And it was just compared to.
I mean it was great to see,like you're seeing guys that are
, you know you're seeing the D1level guys.
You're seeing NAI that are, youknow you're seeing the D1 level
guys, you're seeing NAI.
You're seeing D2, d3, juco,everything.
So you kind of it's kind ofcool to see how you stack up
against these other guys andwhen you find success against uh
guy against you know schoolslike you're finding success
(20:15):
against these other schools thatyou're competing against,
basically like, oh wow, so Iguess I am, I am, I am good, I
am, uh, I'm good, I'm a goodplayer, I can compete with these
guys.
So it was really fun at the endof the day, a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Well, I know that they wouldn't ask you guys to
play for them if you guysweren't doing the job in the
spring.
What was your experience?
Like Luke?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
I played for the Paints my last summer too, my
sophomore summer.
I think it's just such a funexperience.
You kind of it is a lot ofgames though, so you kind of get
down there, you hit, you hitthe middle, the middle months,
like you're in the heart of thegames and you're kind of like
like I'm ready to go home.
I'm ready to go home.
(20:58):
Like it's a lot of baseball.
My teammates, all from school,are sitting back at home
relaxing, enjoying their summer,but as soon as that last out's
recorded in the last game of theyear for the paints especially,
it's like what a hell of asummer, like that's just.
I think it's.
It's such again like harping onwhat I was talking about with
the shelf life of the game, likeso now I'm two years and I've
(21:23):
played two full college seasons,but in reality I've really
played four at this point.
So I just just playing morebaseball and I think it is.
The schedule is a lot differentcompared to spring schedule,
especially for d3 players,because I think it's pretty
standard what we do and I thinkSammy's kind of in the same boat
.
We play weekend double headersfor our conference and then we
(21:45):
play some weekday double headersfor our conference and then,
like throughout the year, you'replaying weekends, in a
wednesday normally, and justkind of like learning how,
because that's it's like.
It's like a simulated, likeminors slash indie ball, like
environment, like you're just,you're just grinding and I just
personally, I love it and beingable to be with sammy and other
(22:07):
guys like you're on a team and Ithink, especially with guys at
smaller schools.
They like, when they get to aplace like that, they're
thinking about their label,they're thinking about that
title behind their name, becauseit always says where you're
from.
And once you get, once youstart playing, you get that that
anxiety shaking off a littlebit.
Then Then you're like there isdogs everywhere.
(22:29):
We played with a lot of guys.
We played with some Juco NAIAguys and those are the guys that
are playing professional rightnow, and there are some D1 guys
that aren't doing that and it'sjust like it's different, it's a
different landscape.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Yeah, and the game can be very humbling and it
doesn't matter what level youplay at, that's for sure.
And you know I got to ask whenyour careers come to an end and
you know you guys are trying toget every last ounce of fun out
of it, but it does come to anend for everybody how will you
(23:12):
look back on your high schooland college playing days and do
you think?
I'm a big believer in this itprepares you for the next stage
of your life being a husband,you know, an employee, a father,
things like that.
And Sam, we'll go back to you.
Speaker 4 (23:30):
Yeah, I definitely think that.
I mean there's so many lessonsin the game of baseball.
It's just like I mean even justlike the basic you know,
working hard will lead tosuccess.
I mean there's so manydifferent things in baseball
that will just help set you upfor success as you go on in life
.
And I think that honestly, likeplaying baseball in college,
(23:52):
it's even more of those lessonsthat we learned in high school,
but even more so Now I'm free.
I don't have my parents over myshoulder like I did in high
school anymore, but now I stillhave to be able to go out and
succeed so that when they docome and watch me, I'm not
sitting on the bench or notstriking out eight times in a
(24:14):
game.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Yeah, what about you, Luke?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
I think I agree with what Sammy's saying.
I think the discipline is ahuge factor into how you carry
yourself for the rest of yourlife.
And I also feel, like when youwere talking about being a
husband, like I think it helpswithin relationships because a
lot of the times like you arejust living your own life, like
it's easy to individualize, butwhen you're on a team like
(24:39):
sometimes you're not going toagree with things that coach is
telling you or the other guysaround you are telling you, but
you got to realize it's biggerthan yourself sometimes.
So I think that's one of themost valuable lessons you kind
of learn and it just kind of Ithink it shapes you into a
better man.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Well, I've said this before on podcasts my wife is a
vice president of talentacquisition and when she has two
candidates that are equalthroughout the interview process
and if she looks down and seesone is a college athlete, she
typically goes with that personbecause she knows what it takes
(25:19):
to be a college athlete.
It takes more than just whatthe average college student goes
through than just what theaverage college student goes
through.
But this is the part of thepodcast where I like to have a
little bit of fun.
Okay, so you guys gave somegreat answers to some questions,
(25:40):
but this is where I wanted youguys to kind of take us behind
the scenes a little bit.
I always start off with hatelosing or love winning.
Luke, you go first, hate losing.
Speaker 3 (25:52):
Why is that?
It's just especially inbaseball.
It's your group of guys.
You're going to school withthese guys, because that's what
it is when you come in, the falllike you're not playing yet,
but you're getting close tothese guys and it's your nine
versus their nine.
Just hate losing.
I hate the taste of it.
How about you, Sammy?
Speaker 4 (26:13):
Yeah, I definitely agree Hate losing, like
obviously it's going to happen,but you got to.
I mean, if you, if we talkedabout this a lot during the
football season, we had a lot ofguys that just loved winning
and didn't hate losing, and thatwas why we struggled, because
everyone was just trying to beas good, like be good enough,
not be better.
You got to be the best of thebest.
(26:35):
You can't just be good enoughto win some games.
You got to be the best of thebest if you want to achieve your
goals of winning a conferencechampionship.
So you have to hate losing ifyou want to succeed like that.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Well, your best story from your high school playing
days.
You know I'll go with Sam, I'lllet you lead off.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Yeah, I got to think.
You know that was years ago.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
All right.
Well, luke, do you have one?
Speaker 3 (27:06):
I got one.
It was my.
This wouldn't say he wasn't onthe team with me, but it was my
senior year.
We were second round of theplayoffs.
We were up in Mount Vernon andwe went up there on a Wednesday.
We had Krenzel on the bump andthen started pouring on us and
so we called it after the firstinning.
(27:28):
I think we were down a coupleruns.
We came up back the next dayand we just fought Like it was.
I think it was like 10-8,something final score, but I
remember I got a clutch buntdown, beat it out to first and
then I was lucky enough I playedfirst the first five innings
and then Huey trusted me enoughto put me in there close the
thing off.
And that was that, because itwas like it was a tight-knit
(27:52):
community up there, so they hadlike 200, 300 people and they
were all.
They weren't nice fans Eventhough you were in high school
they weren't nice, so being thevillain for me was definitely.
that was my favorite experience.
Speaker 2 (28:06):
Yes, definitely.
The villain for me wasdefinitely.
That was my favorite experience.
Yes, definitely, and I believe,uh, uh, we were the the lower
seat on that.
Oh yeah they were?
Speaker 3 (28:13):
they were like 10th, we were 30 something.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
That was huge upset yeah, all right, sam, your turn,
you're on all right.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
well, uh, I think this would have been.
This would have been my senioryear.
I remember we were playingKauffman and I mean this is a
pretty personal one, but Iremember.
So my best friend, hunter Hickshe went to Kauffman, played a
little baseball at Dubuque, orno, sorry.
(28:46):
I started that gamepitching-wise.
I started that game pitching-.
I started that game pitchingwise and I was kind of all over
the place at first and I thinkHunter ended up going over three
on me with three like ballsthat got smoked right at someone
.
And then he came in, he came into hit and he or he came in to
pitch at the end of the and Igot a hit off of him.
(29:06):
So I remember being superexcited about that.
But also, just, we ended upbeating them, I believe 2-0.
And I was on base when MattMcClemmons hit a two-run shot to
win us the game.
Basically, and that kind ofsticks out Beating the Crosstown
rival will always just be oneof the most fun things of my
(29:29):
time.
The other memory I have is whenwe beat them on JV, my
sophomore year.
We started off the game, Ibelieve, down 8-0 in the first
inning and then ended up winningsomething.
We ended up run-ruling them,I'm pretty sure, beating them by
like eight or nine runs.
So that was a fun game.
That was crazy, oh my, but itwas a lot of fun still.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Yeah Well, let me ask you this the transfer portal is
the huge thing that you seewith college football right now.
As athletes, how do you guysfeel about the transfer portal?
And I'll start with you, Luke.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
For the most part.
I think it's especially whenyou're looking at football,
because that's kind of the it'sgetting highlighted on because
all the NIL deals.
I feel like that's a littledifferent purpose than what it
was intended for.
But for a lot of the guys likethat I know especially, we have
a lot of.
We had a lot of transferscoming this year from Otterbein
(30:35):
like guys looking for new homes,and I think it's just.
I think it's a great thing.
I think guys are looking forthe best spot to where they they
can find a home, becausesometimes you're really just
you're really just picking acollege like there's research
you can put into it, but youdon't know if you're going to
fit in until you get there.
A lot of the guys I see leavingis, after their freshman year,
just looking for a new home,looking for a fresh start.
I think it's a really good tool.
It's a little misused sometimesbut for the most part I feel
(30:56):
like it's very useful.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
Your take Sam.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
Yeah, I definitely agree.
I think that having thetransfer portal is huge.
Like Luke said, people justdon't enjoy the sport with
certain people, so finding aplace where they enjoy the sport
and can go on and succeed helpsthem a lot more.
But I do want to say that I sawsomething about moving the
(31:25):
transfer portal for football toonly just a one week after bowl
season and I think that was agreat idea, because having the
Marshall situation, where theyweren't even able to play the
bowl game is tough.
So I think that they should tryto find a way so that people
don't have to go transfer beforebowl games like that and kind
(31:46):
of take out the integrity of thebowl games.
But that's not really baseball.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Yeah Well, I totally agree with you on that.
And you know I was sitting hereand I'm writing down questions
and I'm thinking I got to trysomething different here.
You guys face each other.
Luke, you're on the hill, Sam,you're batting, you get three
ABs.
So that means Luke's beenpitching well and he's into the
(32:15):
seventh or so inning.
Who wins that battle?
And let's go with the hitterfirst, Sam.
Speaker 4 (32:25):
Well, the last time we faced each other was in
Florida this past season, and Ibelieve the third at-bat was the
walk, right or was?
It the strikeout.
Okay, because I think it wenthit strikeout walk.
So the fourth at-bat.
I think I have you got, I thinkI have you there, I think I'm
(32:47):
locked in now ready to go.
So I'm calling, I'm sayingdouble off the wall wow, okay
luke let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
I think that was a fair battle.
I wasn't.
I wasn't pitching that welldown there.
I was still.
I was still getting the season,I think.
But I think if we run it backright now, I think I got 0 for 3
with three strikeouts.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
What pitch, are you?
Speaker 2 (33:11):
going to throw Sam that he's going to struggle with
oh two-seam changeup combo.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
He's a great contact guy, but once you get that ball
further from the eyes, that'swhere those whiffs start to come
in.
I threw plenty of sliders andcurveballs on that inside part
of the plate and I'm justlooking at him smiling after it.
I'm like how did you get yourbat on that?
How are you still alive?
I threw I think I threw acurveball like off the plate in
(33:40):
the dirt.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's out of the box how is it
off?
Speaker 3 (33:43):
and I'm just smiling.
I'm like what, what am Isupposed to do?
That's where I wanted it.
Speaker 4 (33:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
But no, I think.
I think.
I think I'd win the matchupright now, but I'm not striking
them out three times.
This guy, if you look at hisstats for the last, he's not.
He's not a strikeout guy at all.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
That's great, that's the goal.
Yeah, there you go.
Well, I want to finish up withthis right here.
We had some characters on theDublin Jerome High School
baseball coaching set.
Oh yeah, you know there was apart of me that felt like we had
as much fun as you guys did,and you know that was one of the
(34:24):
big things I've always enjoyedabout coaching.
And one of those coaches, likeI said earlier in the podcast,
was your dad, sam.
What do you remember about thecoaches?
When you look back on it,you're like man, those guys are
definitely enjoying themselves.
Speaker 4 (34:44):
Well, I mean, this is a culmination of things, but
every time he always tries tocome to like a, not come to a
practice, but every once in awhile he'll drop some story and
I'll hear the story and thenI'll be able to recite said
story, because he says he haslike five stories on rotation
(35:05):
that I think I've heard about 50or 60 times, so every time I'll
I'll.
I think I went to uh, it wasfunny too, actually.
So he coached, so my dadcoached Mott, um, in high school
, my my uh college coach coachMott and, um, I went and had
like my first meeting with himand he and he goes.
The first thing he says to mehe says how's your family?
(35:27):
Is your dad still telling that?
Uh, that starfish story andthat and it's the?
I don't know, I feel like youmight have heard that before,
but I was like, yep, I, that'sthe, that's the one that I can
recite from memory actually.
So yeah, it was, oh, he, heloves, he loves his, uh, his,
his jisms.
So, yeah, what?
Speaker 2 (35:48):
about you.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
Luke he loves his J-isms.
Yeah, what about you, luke?
I think one time I showed uplike I think I was one or two
minutes late to practice and oneday he said he's just go.
He's just like go Go to thefootball stadium and I just
start running and then I getback.
The next group is about to gorun too and he's like, no, you
(36:11):
watch this one.
And that made me.
I was like well, that's thefirst time something like that
had happened and I just I lovethat about Huey, after being his
player, is dude just loved thegame.
(36:32):
And I think it's hard when youhave high school guys, because
you got some guys that reallylove it, but most of the guys
showing up they're just kind ofmessing around and you just love
the game more than us sometimesand I think that's where we got
to.
But I think my biggest momentwere them having fun.
I mean I love Coach C and CoachSeeley.
They would just give me crapall the time Just about little
(36:53):
things, just all the time, justthings they probably shouldn't
know as coaches.
But I just loved it.
I loved especially Coach C.
I loved that dynamic.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Well, we had, we definitelyenjoyed it and you know you kind
of hit on something.
Sometimes coaches getfrustrated when they you know it
feels like they want it morethan some of the players do and
you you kind of hit on thatbecause there's always going to
be guys on the team that are,you know they're they're high
school guys.
They they're not really goingto go on like you guys did and
(37:26):
it was a lot of fun.
But, guys, I can't thank youenough because I know you're
probably getting ready to go topractice here and you know it
was fun getting a chance to bearound you guys in high school
and I love following you andwatching the success you're
having and wishing nothing butthe best.
(37:47):
And you know, thanks again fortaking the time to be on
Baseball Coaches Unplugged.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Thank you for having us.
This was a great experience.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Seriously.
Thank you so much, coach Karp.
You'll always be my secondfavorite coach after Jay Stoner.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
Special thanks to Sammy Stoner at Ohio Wesleyan
University and Luke Walterpitcher at Otterbein University.
Today's episode of baseballcoaches unplugged is powered by
the netting professionalsimproving programs one facility
at a time.
Contact them today at844-620-2707, or you can visit
(38:25):
them online at wwwnettingproscom.
I'm your host, Coach KenCarpenter, and, as always,
thanks for listening to BaseballCoaches Unplugged, Thank you.
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