This week, KPB (aka Ethan Guevin) sat down with Drew Saberhagen, pitching coach for USC Upstate in the Atlantic Sun Conference, to pick his brain about college baseball. Saberhagen played for Pepperdine, Western Carolina, and Southern Poly. In addition to serving as a student assistant for University of Tennessee, he has served as a pitching coach at both the DI and DII levels, as well as manager of the Alexandria Beetles in the Northwoods collegiate summer league. He is the son of former Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen. Saberhagen was born a day before his father pitched a shutout in game 7 of the 1985 World Series (and thus the lead-up to our first question).
KPB: You have been around big games, literally since the day you were born. If you could say one thing to a HS pitcher before a big game, what piece of advice would you give him?
Drew Saberhagen (DS): I would say that nerves are normal. You should be excited. That’s why we play the game. Once you stop getting those nerves, it’s time to re-evaluate how much you care about the game. Once the game starts, you have to learn to channel those nerves into positive things and not worry about negatives ones. It’s a 9 vs. 1 mentality. You and 8 other people are working together to get one person out.
KPB: What is the most important intangible you like to see in a pitcher when out recruiting?
DS: Composure. When you are recruiting a kid, you want to see him at his best and at his worst. How he responds to failure and if he can make adjustments throughout his start are a big deal. You see so many pitchers who, once they have one bad inning, their outings are over. They tend to give up instead of battle. Coaches don’t want to see that. Pitchers need to realize they are one good pitch away from turning things around.
KPB: Finish this sentence. College baseball is…
DS: The most fun time you should have in your entire life.
KPB: You played at 3 different schools during your college career and must have had some good times. What is your best memory from college baseball as a player?
DS: Pitching in the regionals in Cary, NC (for Western Carolina) against Jacksonville. It was an elimination game and there was a different environment. I threw my worst bullpen of my entire life before the game and had to get myself in check. Coach asked if I was okay to throw. I said I would be alright when I got out there, and I ended up going 8 scoreless in a win.
KPB: What is your favorite memory as a coach?
DS: Clinching a spot in the Northwoods League playoffs (Only the 2nd time in the team’s history).
KPB: Okay, lets get serious now. You go out to visit your pitcher and you realize he is very tense. What’s your best joke to loosen him up?
DS: I usually tell him I really have to go to the bathroom and I would appreciate it if he would get us back in the dugout so I can use the restroom.
KPB: We can’t let you go before getting some Big League wisdom. You grew up around the Big Leagues and in Major League parks. What is the best piece of advice you ever received from a Big Leaguer (other than your dad)?
DS: I think it would be from Pedro (Martinez). It wasn’t really advice, just observing him and seeing how much fun he had at the field. He respected the game but still had a ton of fun while going about his business. So many kids play travel ball year-round and end up going through the motions and don’t enjoy it. There is a way to be loose and have fun while still respecting the game. So I guess the two biggest things I took away from being around Big League locker rooms are, how much joy (big leaguers) have playing and how immense their respect is for the game.
KPB: Thanks for taking the time to share with us and high school baseball players around the country. We’ll end this inning so you can get to the restroom.
