KANSAS

Kansas Baseball Ready For Success This Season

The new look Jayhawks are expecting big steps forward in year one under new coach

Lucas Murphy

Kansas Baseball Ready For Success This Season
Kansas Baseball Ready For Success This Season /

The Kansas Jayhawks baseball team will head south to Corpus Christi, Texas, as they prepare to kick off the season and play their first game against Valparaiso on February 17th. The 2023 season will be the first for head coach Dam Fitzgerald, who is ready to get the season underway after taking over for long-tenured head coach Ritch Price.  

When a new head coach takes over any sports program, they bring a new culture, coaching style, vision, and plan. All those traits were instilled into two players who bought into his blueprint at LSU and followed him to Kansas. It speaks to what type of coach Fitzgerald is. Luke Leto and Collier Cranford decided to transfer from LSU and play at Kansas. Cranford was asked why Kansas, "It worked out perfectly when coach Fitz got the job up here. He contacted me immediately, and I already knew the type of person he was. What kind of man he was. I really trusted him and the staff he was going to put together, and it worked out perfectly." These words echo through this program and for many, would be the reason why they chose Kansas.

"These guys have worked their tails off, and we are ready for weekend one."

Coach Fitzgerald continued the press conference by speaking highly of all his players, "I could go down the list of our roster and go over all the guys we brought in and say very similar things in terms of work ethic, grit, toughness, and a level of want." He continued, "I think a lot of it is as a staff, you try to recruit like-minded individuals, and guys who are all going to pull in the same direction, move in the same direction and have each other's backs in the same direction."  

Through the offseason, the voice of the Jayhawks, Brian Hanni, would meet each week with coach Fitzgerald in a segment called "Fitz Fridays." From those brief conversations, we learned how the program was forming at each position. The expectations of this baseball team were developing from every facet. It was evident in the press conference that coach Fitzgerald was seeing his plan come to fruition. "A couple of weeks ago, I thought we had a bit of a breakthrough at a scrimmage where they kind of came together."

One of the positions of focus for coach Fitzgerald was starting pitching. Starting pitching is extremely valuable for a series, and he recognizes that. The Jayhawks' staff were able to recruit two significant starters in Sam Ireland and Collin Baumgartner. "We had some great battles. I think Baum and Ireland early on rose to the top. Just before we did anything, there was a certain level of comfort with their experience." Fitzgerald continued, "They started a ton of games, and they have done it on the weekend their whole career. There is a little bit of their experience factor that kind of factored in." These two pitchers will headline the Jayhawks' rotation, and I expect them to log significant innings this season. Both these pitchers have experience and bring leadership to an up-and-coming program which is valuable long term.

All the players spoke about their anticipation for the season to begin and I don't think there is any person more excited than coach Fitzgerald who said, "There is no doubt in my mind that on Friday morning, I will wake up and not really feel like eating a big breakfast, but can't wait, couldn't be more excited. These guys have worked their tails off, and we are ready for weekend one."

The Jayhawks start the season with a three-game series against Valparaiso down in Corpus Christi, TX. Friday's game starts at 3pm, Saturday's game starts at 1pm and Sunday's game starts at 12pm. All three games in the series are available on FloBaseball.

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Lucas Murphy
LUCAS MURPHY

In addition to writing at Blue Wings Rising, Lucas Murphy is a contributor at Inside the Royals, and Blue Wings Rising. Lucas also started a YouTube/podcast channel called “The Beat of Kansas City" and is a co-host on a podcast called "Royals Rundown". He attended the University of Saint Mary, earning his degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Coaching. He played four years of college baseball. Follow him on Twitter @TheBeatofKC

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