Tracking the Cats
Wide ranging discussion of Western Carolina University athletics hosted by long time alumni and supporters, Bob Sabin & Steve White.
Tracking the Cats
Copy of WCU Baseball Coach Alan Beck 1/21/2025
Welcome to Tracking the Cats. I'm Bob Saban, along with Steve White, and we've got a special guest with us today. We will introduce in just a second. As you know,
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:you
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:the Tracking the Cats podcast is all things catamount, and it's brought to you every Couple weeks when we do this
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:appreciate that.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:The host of Stanbury Insurance with offices in Silva, Highlands, and Waynesville. And we appreciate their sponsorship on this. Today we do have with us our baseball coach entering his third year, Coach Alan Beck. And you Return to Western after having been here as a player back in the day. What does it feel like to come back and have a a team of your own here in color, we coach.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:It feels great, you know, it feels it feels like I got some work to do to get back up to the standard of Western Carolina baseball, but it's, it's it's been, it's been really fun leading. We got a great group of guys and so it's been good.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:That's great. Steve, you got something?
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Most of you remember Coach Beck as one of Western's all time hitting leaders, having posted some great numbers in the early 2000s. He was the three time All Southern Conference selection, Southern Conference Player of the Year back in 2003, when the the southern conference and then advanced the N. C. Double A. Tournament down in Wilson, hosted by N. C. State. That was the 10th time we had been in the N. C. Double A. Tournament. And then he was That was his senior season and he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and then got into coaching. And and here we are, you're, you're the fifth WCU baseball alum to serve as our head coach. And we all know about story. You know about our stories of the great tradition, including the Southern Conference record for the most Southern Conference championships. Was that a factor for you in your desire to return to Cullowhee? Just this, all your memories and everything like this, your experience as a player, assistant coach, and just the tradition of the program. So what attracted you back?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:far as this time or the three others or the two others.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:As the head coach. Yeah.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, it's just you know, I want to win a championship as a head coach. I mean, I got one as a player. I mean, we won the regular season and tournament in 2003, is hard to do. It was a special team, but I don't think it had been done since Chad Miller did it last year in 2023 with women's soccer to win the regular season and the tournament undisputed champ. So that was, How we've got to go out as far as the Southern Conference. And know, I think just trying to, to help Western baseball carry on the tradition just, you know, obviously it's been a dream of mine to, to lead the program since I got into coaching you know, but, just no real, I mean, it was a no brainer decision, but it's, it's more just trying to leave a mark, leave Western baseball better than I found it when I came in and, and trying to do something that everybody here in front of me has done. So, and that's when,
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:You were a contemporary of our AD, Alex Gary. And how did that get, pull everything together for the
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:you know, I
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:comeback?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah, I mean, I think just the familiarity with him when, when I got the call and, you know, just kind of his expectations and his vision for Western Carolina baseball and, and trying to do something that hasn't been done here yet. it was a huge, you know, I mean, Alex has been good to me and you know, I can. I had no idea when we were both 18, 19, 20, that we'd be working together and he'd be my boss. And we were trying to get Catamount baseball, getting some wins and and winning championships. But it definitely had a factor just knowing him and knowing what he's all about as a person made me feel like the decision was pretty easy.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Well, Coach, you returned last week from a long holiday break, So, excited about the season opener in less than a month. But a winter storm sort of left Children's Field at Hennon Stadium. I'd call it maybe unplayable. It was looked like a quagmire out there when I was down there last week. How? How's your team adjusted? How you and the team coaching staff?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, I mean, about as well as we can, you know, it's with layers right now, with it being 16 degrees outside or whatever the temperature is. You know, it's just, you got to do what you got to do. We don't have an indoor or anything like that to work with here. So we're outside and the elements, which we haven't been on our field yet. We won't get on there today. We're not even going to go outside and do anything today. It's not supposed to get above feels like 23. Okay. All right. that's not the best conditions to go hit. Obviously wish we had someplace to work out. I think we're gonna throw some pins in the auxiliary gym today so the pitchers can stay on a schedule. But it makes it tough. So you just when you do have those days, you gotta get out and get on it. We've been taking some ground balls on the turf, been lifting, been training, trying to get back into it, hitting in the cages. But it's just one of those things where we'll hopefully as this week comes on, we open our official team practice up on Friday that the weather is going to turn and I know Saturday and Sunday look good Friday. I think it's a high 35 right now, but it'll be good enough for us to get out there in it. So, but we're still, we're, we're getting our work and there's no excuses here.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, I think thick gloves, you're still feeling the sting of the bat if you're out there and it's this cold. So
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah. No, I'm all about getting out in the cold and you got to play in it, but I don't even know if they'd allow us to start a game today. And, you know, like you're saying, with that we do with machines and balls coming at you, the equivalent of 1992, that doesn't make for a good use of your time going out there or the coaches 3 or 4 hours straight. We might drop a coach if we went out there all day, so we can't, we can't handle that. So, but we, you know, the, the good part about this week is we have, we have four hours to get in between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. And then we start our team segment on Friday. We have 20 hours, so going to be able to go the next two days for a little bit longer, almost like a little mini camp before our team practice starts and the weather's turning. So it's looking better. But yeah, last week was snow came. We had promised our boys when we were taking the job, me and my wife that we would get out. It's snow and be awesome. We'd sled what hadn't snowed for two years. So we were happy about the snow. Just wish it could have came a week before our guys were supposed to get back. So it'd be gone.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah. Well, we've had some Improvement over the last couple of years. We had third place finish last year. We'd love to see it get even better this year. But we did lose some pretty heavy bats on the starting lineup. Tell us what you're thinking about with the lineup this year and, and how things are loose. Looking as far as you're concerned.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, we lost a lot of experience. A lot of those guys were 4 year starters or made major contributors over the course of their career. So, you know, it's gonna, it's gonna be a little different for sure. But we got, we got a couple good baths back. I mean, Jack spikes back. He's played for 2 years for us. Mason Holton at third base was a junior college transfer from Kansas last year, and he was excellent Trent Turner shortstops as good a glove and a bad combination as there is not just in the Southern Conference, but in all the Southeast. I mean, he's, he's a really good player and then Hayden freeze who worked his way into the starting lineup. Yes, last year. Didn't start opening day. I think I got to give him a start on the second game. And, and every time he just kept giving us good at bats. So he kind of worked his way in there. So we got four guys back along with some others that, would have played last year had we, we needed them to just, we were so old and had such good seniors, you hated giving any at bats away. To any of the young guys, just because, you know, like you said, we had a good year. It's third place finish our best finish in the last seven years. and the eighth best conference in the country. That's what some people don't understand how good southern conference baseball last year was better than the american, better than conference USA. so every game is tough. I mean, non conference conference, but inside the so con it's, it's a difficult league. So we'll have to replace a lot of those bats, Henson, Needham, Keddie, Stoke. I mean, you know,
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah,
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:guys that had played every day for a long time. So we got some work to do for sure.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:Personal comment for me on being a strong conference. I wish there was a way we'd get a second bid in the NCAA playoffs because,
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:know, the top two teams are usually pretty solid and that's, it's frustrating to me.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah. No. And you know, if, if the conference, if like it was last year and a team really does what they're supposed to do as far as getting in that large bed, it could happen. It's just a lot tougher now. You know, it's just a lot. You got to schedule good non conference opponents too, and you got to win those games, you know, and then you got to really run through the regular season and the summit conference. Because back in, when I first started as an assistant, I mean oh nine, three teams, 2010, three teams, 2012, three teams. And then we went in 13 and 14 regular season and just one team got in. So that was, that was a bummer. But but cause I don't like seeing what either one of those teams could have done in a regional. So got some work to do, but I'm with you. I think the Southern Conference is too good a league just to be a one bit league.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Well, coach, another thing too is the emphasis now that, throughout the Southeastern Conference and the ACC, the SEC and ACC have put so much more emphasis on baseball over the last 10 years than they were maybe back when you were even playing. You'd have four or five good teams. Now they'll have maybe 8, 10, 12 real good teams in the SEC, for example. So that's changed, but officially on the record, you lost 65 home runs out of your lineup last year. Just to let everybody know what you did lose.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:didn't know that I need to need to get out of the cages. Maybe I need to rethink what we're doing today and get out there and hit a little bit.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:I can still count. I can still count.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah,
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:But pitching, pitching is always the key to me to success on any level of baseball. have a new pitching coach, Dusty White and a mix of new and old arms. do you see this from the fall you had him out there in the fall? What do you see about your pitching staff improved? Maybe about the same. What have you? Yeah.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:no, I think that you know, obviously just since the fall when dusty came in, I think that I think the guys have improved a lot. I think that they bought into what he is about as a head coach and a person and guys are eager to learn. And then, you know, and like you said, some of the old returning guys are the ones that I've seen the biggest jumps with you know, whether that's a certain pitch or a getting them in the zone more making them more competitive. So when you see guys make strides within a couple of months, you feel good about your, what you've done, hiring a good pitching coach to come in here and work with them. And, because pitching, it's the key. you don't have it, you got no shot. And and I think that this year's and we lost some big arms last year. I mean, Gavin was our Friday night guy. He went out and set the tone. Dante was the second team all conference. Jonathan Todd, first team all conference, closer Toronto blue jays draft pick. So we, you know, we got some work to do to. To replace those guys. But I really liked the mix that we had to choose from. We have one of the best arms in the league and dusty Revis. He's a stud could potentially have one of the best. You know, closers, you know, in, in the, in the league world, whatever if cannon figures it out he showed some good signs. I think that's one of the guys that I look to take a huge step forward this year. Just because he's got a plan B, you know, some of those guys last year, if what they were working with didn't work day, there wasn't much they could do for us. And I think you know, hopefully this year that those guys have something to fall back on a little bit more when things don't go well, because, you know, when it goes well, it's easy when it doesn't go well. That's who you see your true competitors are and the guys that can, you know, Pitch out of some situations.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:You're having a, a solid staff of course is gonna be really key to winning. And we've got some new recruits coming in, but there's also been changes like NIL and the changes to the scholarship rules from the NCAA. How do you see that affecting you guys? And, and the team makeup?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, you know, this year, I don't see it affecting us at all. We're kind of, it is what it is at this point as far as, you know, our, our team. But I think moving forward, it's going to become tougher. I mean, I think not only to. to get a good team together, but you know, to figure out to help guys out, how to pay him a little bit of money, keep them around. You know, so that's going to be new waters for me as far as navigating. I don't think that we're opting into the deal until not next calendar year, but the following the or 26 27 season. So it's going to give me a little bit of time with the roster. limits and everything. But yeah, baseball, it's gonna be a tough time to make a division one baseball roster. It's going to go back pre covid to where it's 34 guys. We had 35 that we used to recruit to from 2009 to 2020. And you had to stay at that number. But now it's kind of rosters have kind of gotten out of hand. You know, we we start the fall of 45 46 guys. So obviously You know, not only are some of the guys on the current roster, I mean, I try to be up front with them and tell them the rules as they're changing, but it's going to be a different time. It's going to be tough. You're going to have to do something to help the team in order to stay around for sure. Which, which is tough because, you know, Western's got a lot of good stories about guys sticking it around and figuring it out their senior year. And I don't know if those stories are going to be as prevalent as in the past because you got to go with somebody that can help you immediately. Absolutely. You don't have time to, let somebody develop, they have to develop somewhere else. And then you get them and play them. I still believe in homegrown talent. Western North Carolina has provided a lot of great baseball players over the years, North Georgia. You know, and we're, you know, so we're still going to be looking for high school kids and anybody that can make a difference for us at a skilled position or anybody. I won't take any picture out there. If they can help us, it doesn't matter where they come from.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Coach, just along that line now, I don't know if our listeners viewers here would understand the scholarship situation. Now it used to be what 11. 5 or 11. 7 what it was. Now it's just about unlimited. I think what, 35 maybe years. That's the number of players you can have on scholarship. Or
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah, I think so. Everybody can be on a full ride and get money.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah,
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:schools. So like, you know, whenever that comes about, I don't know if if our scholarships, if they'll help me out any in that regard or not, we haven't even got there as far as what we'll have to work with. I wouldn't assume it'd be much more than the 11 7. Just got to spend your money, you know, just like in baseball is one of those sports where you don't have to a roster of 50 million to win a World Series. You know, you can, you You just have to pick the right guys and they're still going to be out there. It's going to be a little bit harder I think, you know, we'll see, there's no telling it's always provided where we got great players on our roster right now. And when we'll continue to have them.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:yeah. Back in 1961 when I came here, I think our scholarship was an extra milk and a brown cafeteria
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, that's
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:and maybe an
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:up.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:extra glass of either juice or milk.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Coach the season opening series, we said, less than a month away down at Georgia Southern on Valentine's Day, February the 14th. It's gonna be maybe a little strange for you going back to Statesboro as the opposition after seven seasons there. You, don't know if you're going to be able to react to being the opposing team at at Rodney Hennon's place in Statesboro.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:it's I'm excited about it. You know, coach and was a reason that I committed to Western in the 1st place. He, and Mike Tiddick recruited me and I felt really at home. I know my mom loved the fact that they were both family men and, she just thought that was an environment that I needed to be a part of. So, you know, long story short, you know, I get the opportunity to go down there and work for them. Best decision I ever made. I had a blast for seven straight years. I never thought I'd like Statesboro when I used to go down there every other year on a weekend, but me and my family loved it. And it's going to be a lot of fun going down there. They're going to be, know, just from when I got there to what they do now, I mean, it's going to be a sellout crowd. It's going to be, you know, 3000, 4,000, 5,000 people which is gonna be a great environment for our guys to play in. And, and ultimately that's what it's all about. Early. You wanna challenge yourself. You wanna have a good schedule to where your guys can go and see what they're made of. And, and we'll find, we'll know a lot coming outta state spur on the 17th, or the 16th if we're, what kind of team we have. And you know, I, I look forward to, I know my fam we're all going down. Easton, my oldest, had a bunch of buddies and hopefully he'll get to see all them. My wife had a bunch of close friends. So, you know, we're looking forward to going down there and being ready and showing well.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, I wish I could get down for that series from Atlanta. My youngest went to Georgia Southern or as we used to refer to it as Natboro. Do have a quality schedule coming up and you mentioned the quality of schedule earlier. We got Maryland coming into color. We app state. You're coming into Atlanta. So I'll get to see the Georgia state and the Georgia tech. Two series. That's going to be great to have those in town for, for the Atlanta fans to come see y'all.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah, we've done, we've done very well in Atlanta, recruiting alumni, everything. So it's, it's such an easy trip too, but it's, it wasn't planned like that, but we go to Georgia four times, Georgia Southern, Mercer, Georgia State. Georgia Tech. So I just need to get the dogs on the schedule and we got them all down there. So, but no, it's, it's a good schedule and I haven't figured out the best way to do that yet. I mean, this is just, it's tough. That's one of the tougher parts about being a head coach and trying to make your schedule and have it line up with what others want to, you know, it's not just what's good for Western, but you know,
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:Now
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:games, they don't, it'll be some really good competition and good games.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:I've been to Athens when we played UGA in the past. And of course, seeing them at Georgia Tech and Kennesaw, but what is the rest of the conference looking like, what are you thinking about there?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:You know, we have, it's our bad year as far as scheduling with conference. So we go to four teams and only three come to us. So it's you got 12 road games, nine home games, which is tougher, you know, immediately it's tougher. But if the league's good, the coaches in it are outstanding. They they recruit well, as far as people coming back, I don't even really know. Who all is coming back off what team? I know UNCG returned a lot of pitching. I think Mercer returned a lot. And some teams got completely wiped out, flipped upside down. So with graduation, with portal so it'll be a good league. I know not one game. Is going to be guaranteed we're going to have to show up and compete from pitch one to when the game ends, the 27th out is made in order to get any wins. So just really try to focus on what we're supposed to do, how we come off the bus, how we're, you know, get ready to play. And when everybody's good, that's, that's the only thing that you can do is worry about yourself.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Well, coach, just looking back now, thinking back in your past, the the reception been your old teammates, the players that you coached here at Western as an assistant coach and our baseball alumni in general, in general, how has the reception been? to you from them. What have you heard? What? What's your feeling about that?
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah. When You know, when we the alumni weekend, my old teammates love it because they get to come up here and be in college again for a weekend. So it's, you know, I, I couldn't ask for anything more from all the alumni. I mean, it's been outstanding. I mean, it's the best part of back here. Is everybody will visit at some point, whether they're passing through or, you know, I get to be here and get to see them, you know, with all those years that it went by. love my guys and the guys that I played with even those weekends seeing guys that I coached and seeing how their families have grown, they bring their kids to the baseball field. It's just, it's really cool. It's, it's different than the guys that you played with, but it's equally as cool and and the support. I mean, I couldn't ask for anything more from rooting you on, hoping your team wins after you get a big win to the support financially. Through fundraising, giving you know, we raised 1, 400 last year in an hour at a home run derby. That we were able to put up and, and, you know, use something to help us out with what we need coming in the spring. So it's been, it's been really good. We don't see us on the road. Hey, what can we do? Can we buy a meal for the team? You know, that's the thing that makes Western baseball so special is the people have so, so much pride that played here that they just want to see it better. They want to see it better for the next group
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:You know, we The stadium is not notoriously the best stadium with the best facilities in the conference, but it's a fun place to come. I got a brief story. We came up for a game, probably 2, 3 years ago and told hooker that I was going to be there. He was doing the PA at the stadium. And so I gave him a little wave when I got there, came to the 7th inning stretch. And hooker gets on the, the, the speaker and says now we're going to be led in the take me out to the ballpark song by Bob Saban.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:and you got to do that.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:That was everybody's looking at me. Nobody's singing along. I was like, oh, man. Look, are you, you,
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Do
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:But I love going, going to games up there. What, what's your thoughts on home field? I mean, I miss the, the beer victory laps from the left field lunatics. But tell us a little bit about playing at home.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:I mean, I think that, you know, you got to defend your home turf. That's something that's very important to us. I made sure that the guys knew was that we went at home western. You know, you got you got to, you got to find a way and both year one and two, we were able to finish above 500 at home. that doesn't sound like a big deal. You know, for Western Carolina storied program, it had only been, it's only been done three times in the past seven years that you finished with an above 500 record at home. And that was from years that you never finished below 500. I think my freshman year actually was the worst season for the longest time. Until a couple of years back. And that was the only year that we finished below 500. So, I think that, you know, obviously we'd love it if we had an indoor space to work or some new cages or we're getting there where we're trying to make it better. But as far as our backdrop, I'll put it up against anybody's in the country. our infield surface we redid last year. And it, it worked out wonderful. I mean, our guys fielded better one you know, it's, it's, It looked better to we added irrigation this year. So we're but surely making some progress because it does matters. I mean, even it can get somebody. I mean, at the time where I was recruited to Western Western Carolina was 1 of the only. Colleges that were recruiting me that actually had a covered grandstand. And that doesn't sound like a lot, but it was like a stadium. Look, there were schools, even in bigger conferences that didn't have a, any type of hang overhang, you know, over the stadium. So, you know, unfortunately it hasn't really changed a ton. mean, what mo did in 2010 11 was awesome with the expansion, the lower level seating, the brick walls. It was outstanding. The dugouts got done in 22. some of the that we did this past couple of years, but, you know, we hadn't changed a ton, you know, so we have to. You know, we have to look past that a little bit and it's definitely not any type of excuse. It doesn't matter what you get between the lines. It doesn't matter what kind of building you hit in, but it does make it very difficult for times like these where you can't go outside and there's no real options. So, but as far as the pride that we have to play with, and the energy that we need at home. You know, that starts with the players and just having pride in the program and and then it goes to the crowd too. And we were able to have some really good crowds last year. So I hope that, you know, moving forward that we'll be able to continue packing the stands at Hennon Stadium.
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:Bob just wanted to remind you. He talked about Coach Peck talked about his freshman year here. We won only 15 games a season lost a lot more.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:Yeah,
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:That was Todd Raleigh's first season here at Western and But also he didn't tell you that, what, two years later, we were NCAA Tournament, we were Southern Conference Champions, so that's how fast it could turn around, but again, that was a very, very, very special group that he came in with and his teammates at that time. And you still see a lot of those guys around College Week.
squadcaster-62i0_1_01-21-2025_113133:oh, yeah, no, it's it's the best. I mean, it's we didn't know what we were getting into. We got recruited by Hennon, got coach Raleigh and either way. I wouldn't have wanted to change anything. I don't think any of us would have.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:Well, it's been great talking to you this morning. We appreciate your time that you put in over the last three years and looking forward to a good season here. Steve, you have any closing thoughts, questions?
squadcaster-e188_1_01-21-2025_113133:you know, as always, I'm looking forward to what I call my blood sport. That's why I came here back in 1961 when we played up where the University Center is now and the bell tower and everything like this. That was no center field fence. You just hit it out there. I never had that opportunity just to leg out a home run. But, but that times have changed a little bit, but that's how far I go back. And it's been beautiful. three fields since then to where we are now, but I'm really looking forward to that season opening series with Georgia Southern again, Valentine's Day, February the 14th down to Statesboro, those home series, early home series with USC upstate, followed by Maryland series. We got some good things happening, a very attractive schedule and forward to this baseball season. I'd like to say I get, get a break out a little bit of a high this time of year when I'm thinking about baseball.
bob-sabin_1_01-21-2025_113133:I know I've always loved it, too. It's been great following through the years. Coach, thanks for your time today. We really appreciate it. Folks, we will be back in two weeks with another edition of Tracking the Cats. We'll Brought to you as always by Stanberry Insurance in Silva, Waynesville, and Highlands. Thanks again, and we'll see you all soon.
