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Josh Elander moved from third base coach to the Tennessee baseball dugout.
It’s where most head coaches spend the game with a few obvious exceptions like Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin. And Elander is a first-year head coach who's still making adjustments after Tony Vitello took the San Francisco Giants manager job.
Third base is just a few feet away from the dugout, a distance that varies between home and road games. But Elander was aware that even a minor move like that would draw attention.
“I knew that was going to be the first (question),” Elander said after Tennessee’s 13-4 win over Austin Peay on March 31, the first game that he moved to the dugout.
Elander coached third base under Vitello, and he wanted continuity in the program. But at midseason, he decided players and coaches needed his presence more in the dugout.
“I love coaching third. But I think at this point for the team, it was the move for our staff to be able to communicate on a higher level throughout the game,” Elander said.
Craig Bell, UT’s director of program development, is now third base coach. He was a longtime Major League scout, and he served as third base coach on Florida’s 2017 national title team.
There are logistical reasons for Elander’s move. But baseball is often impacted by vibes, and even the most subtle change can shake up a team in the right way.
Elander is searching for the right levers to pull to get the Vols winning on a consistent basis. Three walk-off losses to Vanderbilt demonstrated how close UT is to winning but also that it’s still out of reach.
Tennessee (19-10, 3-6 SEC) plays defending national champion LSU (20-10, 4-5) in a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Game 1 is April 3 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Game 2 is April 4 (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Game 3 is April 5 (1 p.m., SEC Network+).
Here are other moves that Elander is pondering to shake up the Vols.
Catcher Stone Lawless suffered fractures in his face and nose, according to Elander, when he was hit in the face by a pitch against Vanderbilt. There is no clear timetable for his return, at least not until swelling subsides.
Elander said Garrett Wright will assume some of Lawless’ catching duties along with Levi Clark. Freshman Trent Grindlinger is also a possibility. Those replacements are predictable, but how the catching duties are distributed could impact a talented pitching rotation and a batting order that lacks consistency.
Wright underwent surgery on the hamate bone on his catching hand in preseason, so his condition must be monitored. Clark, who mostly plays first base, is coming out of a slump but still hitting .190. Grindlinger has a .480 average in limited at-bats.
Elander, a former catcher who still coaches the position, said he’ll consider defensive consistency and the pitchers’ comfort level in choosing the catcher each game.
Elander indicated that Wright will remain the leadoff hitter against LSU. He’s been in that spot the past two games, going 4-for-8 with a double, home run, three runs scored and two RBIs.
Blake Grimmer was the leadoff hitter for the five games before that. Jay Abernathy has been the leadoff hitter in 10 games and Henry Ford for six games.
Elander said Wright was initially uncomfortable in the leadoff spot, but he’s warmed up to it. The Bowling Green transfer is hitting .333 with 15 runs scored in 17 starts since his UT debut following the hand injury.
Middle infielder Ariel Antigua hasn’t played since March 24 against USC Upstate due to a nagging shoulder injury. Elander indicated that Antigua is day-to-day despite wanting badly to play.
Elander must balance Antigua’s health with the team’s needs and determine whether he helps or hurts the Vols. Antigua is a defensive specialist, and the Vols have had some shaky fielding moments in the middle infield.
Shortstop Manny Marin has committed three errors. Part-time second basemen Abernathy and Tyler Myatt have committed two errors apiece.
But UT needs better hitting, and Antigua doesn’t help in that department. He has a .206 batting average with one home run, five runs scored and seven RBIs.
Tennessee fell out of the Top 25 in the major polls after being swept by Vanderbilt. The Vols are now 29th in the USA TODAY coaches poll. LSU is 26th in the coaches poll, so this series offers a chance for both teams to jump back into the mix.
If the Vols turn things around, it’ll probably happen at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, where they have a 16-4 record. In SEC play, they are 2-1 at home and 1-5 on the road.
But it’ll take Elander pushing the right buttons at the right times. That's a tough task for any first-year coach, but especially in the SEC. But any move could impact the season, even a small one from third base to the dugout.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Elander moves from third base coach to Tennessee baseball dugout vs LSU
Continue reading...
It’s where most head coaches spend the game with a few obvious exceptions like Vanderbilt’s Tim Corbin. And Elander is a first-year head coach who's still making adjustments after Tony Vitello took the San Francisco Giants manager job.
Third base is just a few feet away from the dugout, a distance that varies between home and road games. But Elander was aware that even a minor move like that would draw attention.
“I knew that was going to be the first (question),” Elander said after Tennessee’s 13-4 win over Austin Peay on March 31, the first game that he moved to the dugout.
Elander coached third base under Vitello, and he wanted continuity in the program. But at midseason, he decided players and coaches needed his presence more in the dugout.
“I love coaching third. But I think at this point for the team, it was the move for our staff to be able to communicate on a higher level throughout the game,” Elander said.
Craig Bell, UT’s director of program development, is now third base coach. He was a longtime Major League scout, and he served as third base coach on Florida’s 2017 national title team.
There are logistical reasons for Elander’s move. But baseball is often impacted by vibes, and even the most subtle change can shake up a team in the right way.
Elander is searching for the right levers to pull to get the Vols winning on a consistent basis. Three walk-off losses to Vanderbilt demonstrated how close UT is to winning but also that it’s still out of reach.
Tennessee (19-10, 3-6 SEC) plays defending national champion LSU (20-10, 4-5) in a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Game 1 is April 3 (5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Game 2 is April 4 (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Game 3 is April 5 (1 p.m., SEC Network+).
Here are other moves that Elander is pondering to shake up the Vols.
Who catches after Stone Lawless suffered face fractures?
Catcher Stone Lawless suffered fractures in his face and nose, according to Elander, when he was hit in the face by a pitch against Vanderbilt. There is no clear timetable for his return, at least not until swelling subsides.
Elander said Garrett Wright will assume some of Lawless’ catching duties along with Levi Clark. Freshman Trent Grindlinger is also a possibility. Those replacements are predictable, but how the catching duties are distributed could impact a talented pitching rotation and a batting order that lacks consistency.
Wright underwent surgery on the hamate bone on his catching hand in preseason, so his condition must be monitored. Clark, who mostly plays first base, is coming out of a slump but still hitting .190. Grindlinger has a .480 average in limited at-bats.
Elander, a former catcher who still coaches the position, said he’ll consider defensive consistency and the pitchers’ comfort level in choosing the catcher each game.
How long will Garrett Wright hit leadoff?
Elander indicated that Wright will remain the leadoff hitter against LSU. He’s been in that spot the past two games, going 4-for-8 with a double, home run, three runs scored and two RBIs.
Blake Grimmer was the leadoff hitter for the five games before that. Jay Abernathy has been the leadoff hitter in 10 games and Henry Ford for six games.
Elander said Wright was initially uncomfortable in the leadoff spot, but he’s warmed up to it. The Bowling Green transfer is hitting .333 with 15 runs scored in 17 starts since his UT debut following the hand injury.
When will Ariel Antigua be on the field again?
Middle infielder Ariel Antigua hasn’t played since March 24 against USC Upstate due to a nagging shoulder injury. Elander indicated that Antigua is day-to-day despite wanting badly to play.
Elander must balance Antigua’s health with the team’s needs and determine whether he helps or hurts the Vols. Antigua is a defensive specialist, and the Vols have had some shaky fielding moments in the middle infield.
Shortstop Manny Marin has committed three errors. Part-time second basemen Abernathy and Tyler Myatt have committed two errors apiece.
But UT needs better hitting, and Antigua doesn’t help in that department. He has a .206 batting average with one home run, five runs scored and seven RBIs.
How urgent should Josh Elander be in key decisions?
Tennessee fell out of the Top 25 in the major polls after being swept by Vanderbilt. The Vols are now 29th in the USA TODAY coaches poll. LSU is 26th in the coaches poll, so this series offers a chance for both teams to jump back into the mix.
If the Vols turn things around, it’ll probably happen at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, where they have a 16-4 record. In SEC play, they are 2-1 at home and 1-5 on the road.
But it’ll take Elander pushing the right buttons at the right times. That's a tough task for any first-year coach, but especially in the SEC. But any move could impact the season, even a small one from third base to the dugout.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.
Get the latest news and insight on SEC football by subscribing to the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Josh Elander moves from third base coach to Tennessee baseball dugout vs LSU
Continue reading...
