A special edition of Hudson Homers from Step Up to the Plate. The guys catch up with a few returners and some new faces who will play big roles in 2026. Stay tuned as Hudson Homers ramps up with preview episodes starting next week!

Yeah.

What's up on our fans?

Yeah.

Hey, the band doesn't look quite the same without the intro music on this one.

It it was confused.

Yeah.

As we're doing things slightly different, 'cause this is a special

time, this is a special one.

It is.

We are, we can't start off technically season three without Finny and talking

about baseball and all that stuff.

So special episode, highlighting everything that we got to

experience at Step Up To the Plate, which was really awesome.

Packed house in the Priority Club too.

Yeah, it's really great.

It's, it's been fun over the years watching how the baseball, I, I

still say baseball banquet, I dunno if I even called it baseball banquet

in my head, I still call it that.

Um, and, and watching it go from, you know, this thing they had at

the, like, the Omni Hotel downtown in like a giant ballroom with, you

know, like 40 tables full of things.

And it was just, you know, and, and half time you're like, I didn't even see

most of the people or talk to anybody.

And, you know, and having the.

They would, I think they, they'd bring in like keynote speakers, you know,

having, you know, big names and all, and you know, like some recent ones

I can think of like John Smoltz and, and Don Sutton, Bob Gibson was the

one, um, know, and that was great.

Those guys are all phenomenal, amazing.

And, and, and great folks.

But you.

I, I do like that this transition to a kind of a smaller thing.

It's the people who really want to be there really wanna

support and talk ODU baseball.

Um, not necessarily just wanna be in a room full of big money

and show how great they are.

Uh, although we, we do welcome the big money folks.

Um, yeah, please.

And yet, and as much as you know, the keynote, again, all those

keynote speaker guys are reminding.

Sm and, you know, I'm a, I'm a brave fan.

SM is, you know, all time brave legend and the guy who's always

been super, super nice to me.

And same for Dom Sutton.

You know, he is the guy that come into my living room growing up.

And, and then, uh, same thing.

Always been super nice and so.

Nothing against the keynote speakers, but I think taking it down to make

it more about, about the team and then about talking about the team,

talking to our, you know, seniors, they do a good job with John.

I mean, John Malign did a great job with that.

And then having the Bud Metheny winner get to talk.

Um, it's, again, I think it's seeing the way the event has, has gone over the years

and how it's growing more about just being about OD baseball is, is really neat.

I think.

It

was nice to get to know the players a little bit, to kind of introduce each

player in, in this era of the transfer portal and constantly changing rosters.

That was kind of a good names of faces for me.

I know you've been out to some practices and camps and things like that.

I hadn't had as much exposure to 'em.

Uh, and then also their major.

We were keeping count of a specific major.

We won't tell you which major or how many there were, uh, but I was impressed.

A couple finance majors, sociology majors, psychology is a, yeah.

Little, little, uh, more of that than I was expecting.

Uh, the speakers, I, I want to give Michael Dyer another award

because it was professional.

I mean, professional grade, clear, concise, hit his time.

Markers, didn't drag it on.

I mean, he can come sing the national anthem or give any speech anywhere.

He is, he is on time.

I can tell you that.

Yeah, I, I actually ran into him on the way out and I got a chance to tell

him, like, that was, that was great.

That's the best one in years.

I mean, again, the guy is, I, he, so he's a couple years older than me,

so, you know, he is a guy where I, like, I'm in high school and I think

I, I guess I'm a sophomore and he's getting drafted and you know, just.

As, as a guy who played baseball poorly, but was really more like a

baseball card collector and being able to have cards of this guy and, you

know, go and see him certain places.

And he was always, he's been the exact same guy his entire career up to today.

He is just a really super nice guy who was always gonna spend

some time and, and talk with you and, and yeah, it was nice to say.

Yeah, you, it, it was perfect.

Like he said, professional, the guy is just really good at everything he does.

Yeah, it was, it was very impressive.

Um, I'll also say the guys were looking sharp.

Professionally dressed.

Yes.

The jackets a couple ties.

Yes.

Haircuts, hat configuration.

Might need some work.

You'll see 'em in some of the videos here.

I'll let you make your own judgment on those things.

Maybe watching too much.

1923. It could have been some mustache choices

too.

We had a few mustaches out there, so it's, uh.

It's interesting, but hey, you know what?

That's, uh, some people might not know the, the, the boys earn

their opportunity to grow facial hair by getting good grades.

And uh, I think they pointed out they had what, a 3.3 GPA, uh, in the

fall, which is one of the better ones they've ever had, and they've Yeah.

Gone long stretch of time having a 3.0 or better.

Um, and so every time they do that, they're allowed to have

their beards and have whatever bad mustache is, is in vogue right now.

Do do that.

The worse the facial hair, the better they're doing in the classroom.

Yeah.

Bringing up the team.

GPA, there you go.

But no, Cole

Lanford.

I even saw him.

His, his beard is fantastic.

Oh yeah.

Cole's got a, I didn't recognize him.

I mean, I,

it it's not, I mean, yeah, every time he saw him mad, but he really,

uh, I mean for the, the kid got, what is he, 19 and going on like 47.

Like what a, what A beer.

Amazing.

Yeah.

Well, and you know, you obviously can't tell anything about what the

team is gonna be going into the year from a banquet that we went to, but.

Uh, there were some guys that had been on the team for a year, two years

that seemed much more confident, much more talkative, more outgoing, uh,

kind of did I guess some just growing up in that 18 to 22-year-old range,

it kind of took a big step forward.

So that was really cool to see.

Uh, you'll hear from the interviews that multiple guys unprompted talking

about how well this team has already come together and jelled with JUCO guys

coming in, freshmen coming in, transfers.

Mixing with the guys that are still here in that great culture

that's kind of carried them through the crazy road street last year.

Seems like that was shining through quite a bit.

Uh, but these guys just look, look a little more confident this year.

And maybe it was just the evening, I don't know, but they looked a

little more confident, at least that stuff up to the plate.

Everybody's a little more confident you throwing a, uh, a button up shirt

and a, a nice jacket and nice event.

But it's true.

And I, and I made sure to, uh, talk to Finny and, uh, and Mike

Maron, our pitching coach about that, you know, that, you know, I,

I told 'em, I was like, I forget.

'cause you know, you guys have been around each other and you know, but

for me it's been, you know, since what November that I saw anybody,

and it's like, oh yeah, they're all just really, really good people.

I mean, that's just, it's one of those things and you know, like Maron pointed

out is like, that's really what we're trying to make sure we focus on and, and,

and figure that part out first and then worry about getting good ball players.

Um, and you know, I, I, I think it's a great, you, you spend a

lot of time together as a team, especially playing baseball.

I mean, they, they play what four times as many games as football

does twice as many as basketball.

They just play out.

They're out there a lot together and it's a lot of failure and

success together and you gotta have some good people next to you.

Yeah.

And they've done a great job of building that culture up over

the last couple years, getting it back to where it needs to be.

And it's, it's just shining through as you can see, kind of them passing

the torch from the guys that are now in the miners are off, you

know, onto their professional lives.

Uh, passing that culture baton around is, is really, really big.

A couple of housekeeping notes where we jump into the interviews here.

Next week, January 27th, will be the first episode of Hudson Homer 4 20 26.

Uh, coach FEMA will be on there with us.

I'm sure we'll have another guest, but we're gonna give you a good

idea of our lineups, rotations, big arms in the bullpen, starting to

get you ready for that first home opening season against Quinnipiac.

It'll be here before you know it, even though I think in enrichment.

Anyway, we're slated for 20 to 24 inches of snow sometime between this episode and

the first episode of the baseball season.

We were, we were having some conversations.

I was gonna come out and, uh, do some stuff with Tiger Forum this weekend,

and it's like, well, we'll see.

We'll, later in the week, we'll figure out if that will or won't happen.

Yeah.

I, I'm hoping it just becomes, you know, maybe it's just rain like

we had this weekend, so who knows.

I know you up there, Richmond, you got a little more?

We do.

We got a dusting on the grass.

That was enough.

I don't need to see anymore, but it looks like that may not be in our future.

Well, speaking of all the, the fun things that can cause some treacherous

travel, I was a little delayed getting down to step up to the plate on

Friday night between work and traffic.

It was just not in the car for me to get there anywhere close

to on time, but have no fear.

Aaron Zelensky stepped in in a big way.

Mike links in to help us out.

CB, you took on the first couple of interviews, I think you had Evan

Holman and Ethan Huble first, correct.

Yeah, we got, we got our North Northwestern Boys, our, uh, the Mariners

Boys, which we, uh, we may, I I think we, we had decided we're probably

gonna need to bring them on the podcast together at some point so they can hype

each other up and talk about the, uh, how great the Mariners 2025 season was.

Yeah, be two Mariners and an Astros fan here and a Braves

fan, so that'd be a lot of fun.

Uh, we did have some fun and excitement to kick off the evening though that I missed.

'cause when I pulled up to Espy Ballard Stadium, uh, there were fire trucks

everywhere because the fire alarm had gone off in the football stadium.

So you get to enjoy all the sight and sounds of that for a few minutes

as well, uh, during CB's interviews.

But, uh, here's, uh, Evan Holman and Ethan Hubble to get us started

off with step up to the plate.

All right, we're good.

Alright.

Uh, so we are here.

We have, uh, senior pitcher Ethan Hubble and Senior catcher

third baseman, uh, Evan Holman.

So, what's up guys?

How we doing?

Good.

Doing really good to be here.

Good.

Awesome.

Awesome.

Glad, glad to have you.

So this is your second year with us, uh, Evan is your third year.

I was losing track now.

Yep.

So.

How have you grown in the time you've been at ODU?

There's a lot of grow, a lot of growing up.

Just facing like obviously last year going on the road and facing teams

like Georgia Tech, uh, even teams in our conference, Southern Miss Coast,

Carolina, Troy, like all those teams.

I mean, it's just like really cool to like actually be able

to get, get out here and play.

Yeah.

A lot of time, a lot of times, especially being from the Northwest,

it's like you're really like protected by the schools that you're playing,

that you're playing, you're playing.

You have like the northwest schools like Gonzaga, Oregon State, Oregon, Washington.

It's just like, it's a lot of fun to like play the play like teams you

wouldn't even think about even, yeah.

Playing.

So that's awesome.

How about you have anything you've grown over the years?

Yeah, I think it's just, uh, less of a baseball growth.

I would say that I recognize more of like a personality and maturity

thing, and that's just from adversity.

Like as Hubble said last year, being on the road living out of a suitcase like.

Like that was a duffle bag.

Like that was right?

It was, it was, it was a grind, but it was fun and we definitely,

it made us grow up a little bit.

Yeah.

I was only with you guys a little bit, but that sitting in the Atlanta airport

at like 4:00 AM was like, oh yeah.

I grew a little bit that weekend myself.

Definitely.

Yep.

Um, so you're both, as you mentioned, the North Northwest, right?

You're both from the northwestern part of the country.

Um, what's, I mean, what's the biggest, what do you, I

guess, what do you love here?

Uh, and what do you miss?

There is a good question.

I mean, uh, not even a week ago, it was six five degrees out here.

Yeah.

In January.

So that's just a huge plus.

Like, was that, was that the same week that he had the Homer off you?

Yeah.

Yes, it was actually, yeah, it was.

Maybe the wind was blowing out that day.

I don't know.

That thing went pretty far, so left it a sinker over the middle

that probably shouldn't do that.

Um, especially now that he's sitting only ride, so.

Right.

Yeah.

But no, it's just like being able to get outside and do everything

out there and not have to worry my.

About the rain over here is just such a big, huge part of our development and

just being out there, like not having to hide in indoors or anything like that.

I think that's like a big thing that I really enjoy about out here.

And then just back home, I didn't, there's not like a whole bunch I miss

about it other than just like my family.

Right.

Being away from my family, but good answer.

They're gonna watch this.

They won't know that.

Yeah.

How about you Evan?

What do you, what do you love here?

What do you, what do you miss there?

I would agree that the weather is a big difference, like 65 in January.

I don't even know, like I can't.

Where it's ever been like that.

Um, I obviously at the same miss my family a lot.

Um, and also like we're not very close to the mountains here and I grew up

around the mountains and, and love that.

But I do enjoy being next to the beach.

That's pretty cool.

Yeah.

Beach is really nice.

Yeah.

Hard to get both at the same time.

Yeah, definitely.

It's a weird Yeah, in the summer though.

The beach here is, yeah.

Amazing.

Yeah.

Love it.

It's good.

Yeah, it's good.

Remember that recruits.

Remember that?

Yeah.

Um, so.

Evan, the end of last year, um, you really did, you gave

up switch hitting more or less.

You kind of, so now you're, you're switching to just hitting right-handed.

Yep.

How's that been different?

I mean, I have to imagine it's been a long time since you faced a right-handed

pitcher as a right-handed bat.

Yeah.

So when I switched to just hitting right-handed, like I

hadn't seen a same sided breaking ball in eight years, you know?

Yeah.

So that has been the majority of my work.

Little been p the first time.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So yeah.

Right into the Marshall Series, just hitting right on, right.

Yeah.

Um.

So I've been doing, yeah, a lot of same sided breaking

ball work, that kind of thing.

And it's just more reps too, like just seeing the ball from a different slot,

like going from facing Hubble my freshman year, sophomore year left-handed, and then

now facing him in the fall right-handed.

It's a much different look.

Um, and it's picking it up from a different slot, different angle.

But I've enjoyed it.

It's been really fun.

It's been challenging, but, um, it's been very rewarding.

That's great.

And, and Ethan, you really, as a season went.

Last year, you really seemed to find yourself where you

were throwing your best.

At the end of the season.

Have you been able to feel uhoh?

Huh?

Uhoh?

Is that real?

That's, I don't know.

Hey, Chris.

Gordon's the,

someone probably just like bumped into it or something.

They were not.

Yeah, yeah.

Right.

We're all iner.

All right, so we, we didn't get set on fire.

That's a plus.

Uh, and it's funny 'cause I was probably about to wrap it up with you guys, but so,

you know, Ethan, the end of last year, you really came on strong, you were throwing

your best really at the end of the season.

Have you felt like you've been able to carry that into the fall and then through

winter workouts and then now to the start of the year, you feel like you're, you

were able to build on that continually?

Yeah, I mean, I honestly, I didn't perform as well as I

wanted to this fall, but like.

I'm honestly all for it.

Like I, even though I didn't perform as well in the fall that I did last

spring, like I'm, we had upgraded so much on, on the offense and I was

working on a lot of stuff and we figured out a bunch of stuff about myself that

really is gonna help me out this season.

And a lot of adversity that I will, that honestly will help

me a lot through this season.

Appreciate it.

Any you guys wanna say to, to the Monarch fans?

Uh, just before we start the season here?

Uh, we just really appreciate the sport.

Yes.

And we're very excited to be back at home this year and hopefully see a

lot of you guys out in left field.

Yep.

Um, but yeah, just thank you and we're very excited for the season.

Yeah, we are.

Yeah.

Excellent.

Thank, appreciate you guys.

Yeah, thanks guys.

Sweet.

Appreciate.

Yeah, those guys are much more talkative this year.

I'm starting to learn.

Yeah.

Yeah.

No, um, you know, Ethan, uh, really is, uh, uh, come out of his shell as far as

like, I I, I've seen a guy, and maybe it's just a guy that I, I didn't go

outta my way enough to interact with.

I, I. Seemed like he never wanted to talk to me much.

So I'm kinda like, all right, I'm not gonna bug him.

And now he is, you know, I'm like, Ethan's never, never

didn't think he was a good kid.

Just, you know, seemed like he didn't wanna talk.

And, but yeah, he's, I, I love it 'cause you know, you love

seeing guys' personalities.

Um, and so that it's very fun to see 'cause uh, because great kid parents

are wonderful people and you know.

I fully believe he's gonna have a big year this year.

And, and Evan of course is, you know, I, I told him, I was like,

Evan's one of my favorite guys.

I think he's probably ever worn a ODU uniform.

He's just such a good guy.

Glad, glad we got a chance to have him and have his family be a part of ODU baseball.

Yeah, definitely some indications that Evan might see a good bit

of time at third base this year.

I guess that's kind of the positives of having so many quality catchers on your

roster that can play multiple positions.

Yeah, I think it's gonna be an interesting year.

I think as versatility wise, we got some guys that can do several things and you

know, it might be one of those years where it's like, man, don't have a bad weekend.

You might never see it again.

You might, you might be deep on that bench because there, there might be

other guys, but you know, but that's the other thing too, is baseball's a long

season and it comes around back around sometimes where you, you maybe you got

some at bats and then things didn't go as great, and then later in the year you

get some again and all of a sudden you're the guy when it comes conference time.

Who knows?

Yeah.

Well speaking of the guy come conference time, the next group

of two that you chatted with, one's Maverick Stallings, who Yes.

Well known for his late, late, uh, late season.

Just kind of being able to step up.

I think the Florida boy gets warm and starts crushing the

baseball, and you also had.

Will Johnson also gonna be another kinda utility guy in the infield.

Uh, so we'll go ahead.

Yeah.

Will's

got, that's a pretty good shot to be our double play combo.

Um, Will's a pretty phenomenal shortstop mean obviously, uh, Cole McKenna or other,

I mean, again, Finny will tell you all this, but our other, uh, our freshman

shortstop is really, really good too.

So, you know, there's, seems likely this will be our double play combo

and they, they were getting along together, kind of, kind of had a theme

in their, in their clothing also.

Yeah.

So e enjoy that with Maverick and Will.

Alright, so we are here with, uh, with graduate students.

Is that what we're calling it?

Graduate student?

Student, uh, second baseman, sometimes third baseman.

Yeah.

Maverick Stallings and Junior.

I believe that's what you, you're, yes.

Now you have junior from a junior college.

Uh, will Johnson shortstop joining us?

Uh, so first of all, appreciate you guys joining us.

Glad you're here.

How you feeling?

Good.

How are we feeling for this young?

Really good.

Yeah.

Excited.

Okay.

Yeah.

So you, so you guys probably gonna be forming a double play combo at least, if

not all the time, some of the time, yes.

How?

You feel so met each other in the fall really for the first time.

Mm-hmm.

How do you feel you've been working together?

Good.

I mean, all the inner squads we've played, me and him have been up the middle, so

we've gotten a lot of reps. We've done a lot of work up the middle on ground

balls and practice and stuff like that.

So we've gotten a lot of reps together.

Uh oh.

Yeah.

We just, we've got a ton of reps and we're just gonna trust our preparation.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Going into the games and the double plays will come to us, so.

Yeah.

Okay.

So Mav, you're back for your third year with us.

Yep.

Fifth year college overall kind of, kind of became a surprise.

This thing kind of came up through the year.

Yeah.

Last minute.

How does that feel?

I mean, do you, how do you feel different today than when you were three years ago

about to start your first year with us?

Um, I'd say I'd just appreciate it more, just having the opportunity to have

another year and just, uh, keep it going.

Just keep playing.

It's super fun, super exciting, and I love the game.

That's awesome.

And will.

Correct me, I'm wrong.

You started a D one, correct.

And Red shirt.

And then you've been in a junior college out in Oklahoma last couple years.

Correct.

Um, so really gonna get your first chance to actually get in some games at D one.

How do you feel like that's, you feel prepared, you feel ready?

I feel like along the road, the experiences that I've, uh, been presented

with, um, uh, it's gonna help me a lot.

It's gonna help me a lot to, um, just be ready for the moment and when the moment

comes, I'll be, I'll be prepared for that.

So.

Excellent.

I love it.

Yeah.

Um, so came from Oklahoma.

How do you like Virginia?

What, what's different out here that you like?

What's different that you prefer in Oklahoma?

Um, in Oklahoma there's nothing just land everywhere, so, uh,

I do like having a more social, yeah, social life around here.

I like the beach.

The beach is awesome.

And you're from a small area in Texas too, right?

I am, yeah.

Yeah.

Is that so kind of small where you are there too?

Yes, it is.

Okay.

Yeah.

And then you're from Florida?

Yeah.

So what's, uh.

I have to assume you probably enjoy the weather a little bit more down there.

Yes.

Love the hot weather.

Yeah.

Cold weather kind of scares me a little bit.

Messes me up sometimes.

Yeah, I was, I was gonna, I don't wanna tell you that August 13th

or April 13th has been your day.

Yeah.

The last two years where you get hot all this sudden.

I know.

So hopefully we can, hopefully we can make it February 14th.

We can figure it out a little earlier.

Alright.

Alright.

Well I appreciate guys joining us.

Just wanted to, to make it real quick, so anything you wanna

say to, uh, old Dominion, uh, fans before we start the season?

Uh, we're just super excited.

Uh, no.

Super excited to see y'all come out and watch.

It's gonna be awesome.

Alright, great.

Appreciate it.

We'll do that.

Sweet.

I don't know if I'm in on the hat, but I can respect

it.

You know?

It's, it's one of those like, Hey, I wouldn't do it.

I wouldn't feel right.

But if, if that's what's in Maverick's soul, then I want him to, to live

his, live his truth and be himself.

Man.

That's awesome.

He felt great.

He was getting compliments on it.

I know.

So it's like, Hey man, why?

Do, do what makes you happy?

Yeah.

I, I think we let him borrow Aaron's, uh, electric heated jacket maybe for

some of these early season games.

Get the bat going a little bit earlier.

'cause when that dude is on it, it's like watching a pro play, like anything near

the plate is getting hammered somewhere.

Uh, and he just manages to turn that on.

So excited to see that that double play duo up the middle there.

Yeah, be exciting.

Uh, and speaking of guys, we're excited to see, um, it is actually a guy I did

not get a chance to see in the fall.

Every time he was pitching it just happened to be, you know, like a

weekday when I couldn't get there.

It just didn't work out for me.

Uh, but JJ Gatty is a guy that's coming to us from, uh, from Dayton, um, and.

Awesome kid.

I mean, phenomenal.

I think, I think Finny pointed out at one point, he's from Long Island,

but he doesn't have the, the Long Island accent that nobody can stand.

Um, which is nice 'cause I, yeah, I, I agree.

I don't think it's, it's not, it's not a great accent.

I'm sorry that anyone on Long Island.

Um, but so very excited to see what this guy can do.

It sounds like he's gonna be one of our guys in the rotation

and I was actually able to get there about 30 seconds before

we started recording with jj.

So this was, uh, a good timing on my part, but we'll let you hear from JJ himself.

It's meet you.

Alright, so we're, we're here.

We got Gary's here.

Now, finally, man, I don't know if we're gonna use an order or not,

but Gary's here and JJ Gaddy, I'm gonna say it correctly, right?

JJ Gadi is with us.

Uh, you're a junior, is that correct?

That's correct, yes.

Yes.

So Junior, uh, right-handed pitcher transferred from Dayton.

So first year here with ODU.

How's it been?

How, what, what do you like, what, what's, what's been great for you?

Yeah.

Um, I've absolutely loved it.

I've had a great experience since coming over.

I was at my old school for three years, so coming in.

There was a lot of nuances that I, coming into a different program after, you

know, only knowing one type of thing.

And the thing that really sticks out to me, or stuck out to me and during

my process was the people, um, that are involved in this program, from the coaches

down to the guys that were already here.

It made that decision jump out at me because it was a really welcoming

environment and I felt like it was the best step for me in my career,

um, that would put me in, that would.

Me where I needed to be to move on, to play professionally.

And you know, coming from Dayton, you know, what's been the biggest

difference that you've seen just in the off season, been in school, difference

between where you were at Dayton and then what you're seeing now in terms

of growing programs and all that?

Yeah.

Um, just on a daily, um, day to day, getting our work in with Coach

Marin has been the biggest thing.

Just the way that we take in every pitcher at the start of every year

and work them into the system that.

We have Coach Marin is just the most personable and like,

selfless, um, you know, leader of our group that we could ask for.

I think that he's been the most influential, um, coach for me and the

way that, like I said, our, our pitching development is structured, is something

that I haven't been exposed to before coming here, and it's, I've had, I

had my most successful fall, no doubt.

Um, of my four years in college as far.

That's great.

Uh, so a lot of Monarch fans, I know, we've been wondering who's

gonna be in the rotation and we had a really great rotation last year.

All three of them signed professional contracts, got drafted.

Uh, right now it sounding like you're probably gonna be one

of the guys in the rotation.

So how you feeling about that?

You feel excited, you feel ready, you know, what does it mean to you

to be, to make a, a spot in rotation?

Yeah, I, uh, we, like I said, we manage our pitching very well.

We.

Like you, you just touched on that group that we had last year.

Um, they set a, a great foundation for us and also having started every

weekend last year, I feel like I gained a, a ton of awesome experience

and I'm as ready as I've ever been to kind of attack this season.

I think that granted, we did lose the three starters, but I think with what

we have, um, from what I've seen this fall, I think that we'll be able to put

together a really competitive group.

And I'm, I'm, I'm very excited to see where that leads us.

So coming from the A 10 to now, the Sunbelt, you're looking at the

schedule, any teams you're kind of putting a star next to, or any teams

you're just excited to play because it's different from what you've had

in the a 10, the last three years?

Yeah, I'm excited.

Mainly, um, the difference in conferences with the geography playing most of our

games in the Sunbelt down south is, uh, what I'm most excited about for

sure, because sometimes, you know, in the Midwest, in, in March and uh, early

April, it gets a little bit tough to play.

Um, but yeah, in terms of other teams or stuff like that, I'm not, I'm not

as, um, wrapped up in who we're gonna be playing, but I'm definitely excited

about the, the kind of venues that we'll play at and opening up at home

is something that I'm also not used to.

I'm looking forward to that for sure.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

A lot of the, the road game you, you referred before us

last year, right, exactly.

Road Warriors last year.

Exactly.

So, and you're originally from Long Island, right?

Yeah.

So, so Long Island out to Ohio now, Virginia, do you.

Feel like as a, as a New York guy?

Like are you, is it the Midwest South?

Are we a little, little too slow for you?

Are you like No.

Well, I, I dig it.

How, how do you feel about it?

No, I, every, every place kind of has their own, own style,

own kind of demographic.

Um, like I said, I've loved every, every person that I've encountered around here.

Um, I think that I can kind of see there's definitely contrast from New

York to these different kind of places.

Definitely bustling up there.

Um.

But I think that I do kind of carry that same kind of, um, attitude, so to speak

while I go to these different places.

I don't really mind, um, being, say, by myself, so to

speak, in a new kind of place.

I was almost excited to take on that challenge this fall.

All, but I know, I'm sure you've built a lot of relationships with the pitchers.

You're talking about Coach Marin, but anyone stick out as kind

of a closer friend that you've made since you've been here?

A good buddy to kind of get you introduced to.

Not just ODU, but the whole 7, 5, 7 in general.

Yeah.

There's been, there's an awesome group of guys that we have.

They've been so great with me.

Um, kind of getting the lay of the land and all that, like, uh, Luke Waters

and, and Maverick Stalling, Scott Young.

Um, Bailey Ella for sure.

Kellen Davis, Connor, who we have a, I could go on and on.

We have a, we have a ton of guys.

List.

All the guys.

Yeah.

I literally could go on and on.

They get your roster, so, uh, right.

Exactly.

But that's, that's how I feel about the group that we have.

There's no e. O on the team we're, I feel like I'm good friends with

all these guys and we just met, um, I will say Mac, Mac dye also.

He just transferred in too.

So we met over the summer when we were coming in and I love throwing to him.

He's an absolute beast back there.

So we've gotten pretty close, I will say.

That's awesome.

So, uh, just last thing, anything you wanna say to, to ODU fans before

we get started with the season here?

Yeah, I think that, uh, I think that there's a real vision for.

The direction that we're heading in and the energy within the group that we have

and within the people in the building.

I think we're really heading towards something special and I, I want as many

people to be a part of it as as possible.

That's fantastic.

Appreciate jj, we're definitely gonna get you on the, uh, the podcast

during the week here at some point.

For sure.

Yeah.

Thanks a lot man.

No, I appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

Thanks for having me on.

Great to meet you.

Yeah, you too.

All right.

JJ was great to get to know because that's the first time that I met him as well.

But when you lose your three weekend starters, you need to bring someone in

that's got the experience of being a weekend starter before he provides that.

Coming from the A 10 from Dayton, I imagine that he's very much

enjoying getting to work with Coach Marin and developing a little

bit more pitching plan there.

Yeah, absolutely.

I think that's seems to be the, the, the trend when you talked a

lot of the pictures is the plan between what Marin and then, and

then having the work of it, uh.

That John Keen put in before he left, and then having Ryan Moore and Brandon Pond,

those guys really, uh, getting after it.

Um, I heard your, your, your boy, uh, Rollins, that Daniel Rollins there

with camp was telling me he was, he really loves Brandon Pond has been

trying to take, steal him away from us.

Um, I'm, I'm throw that outta the pod, I guess, but yeah, just, just to let you

know how, you know, our, our guy, our guys who are graduate assistants are,

are that good that, that they're wanted, um, and that's the, that's the, the level

of respect that we're getting for guys.

Um, I'm sure that Rollins would love to have a pond down there.

Maybe one day that happens.

We'll, we'll see.

That's what I

said.

I said keep, I told him, keep going after him.

I'm like, I'm, I'm, you know, it's, it's a good place to be, so just keep asking him.

I was like, maybe, you know, if he just wants a little bit more of the

experience, like why wouldn't you

keep the JUCO pipelines open too?

I'm, I'm all about that.

Yeah, all about it.

They do a good job out there camp.

Yeah, well two other guys that we talked to kind of after the ceremonies had

kind of concluded there, so there's a lot of people roaming around.

We were just walking around trying to find some baseball players to chat with

and we came across our, our old friend, three time guest of the podcast, TJ Aiken.

Uh, it's funny, if you go back and watch all the TJ Aiken videos,

you can just see him grow up, like right in front of your eyes.

Yeah, you can be a proud parent as well.

Uh.

And just, just great talking to him like he, he's one of those

guys I feel like has a lot more confidence going into this year.

Yeah, he, he seems like, and we were talking about in the fall, just his

state, like emotionally and mentally is so different than where it was in the spring.

Um, I think he, you know, he just was toing his head and, you know, I know

we, he and I had a lot of conversations like, just go out, play some ball, man.

And he's, he's really seemed to embrace that.

And, and it showed every time I was out there, he was hammering the ball.

Um, and so for a guy that I think we all have looked at and said, you know, this

guy has all the skills and potential in the world, the idea that that could

really get realized this year is exciting.

And at the end of TJ's interview, we're gonna tack on Darren Kuski, who's a

right-hander coming into us from, uh, uc.

Up or USC upstate, not uc.

Upstate.

Yeah.

Not in California.

Uh, just another big right-handed arm with a lot of weekend pitching experience

that we're pretty pumped to get in.

Yeah.

Another guy probably be the rotation.

And every time I was out there watching in the fall, I think I did

see him pitch almost every time.

And, and there were, uh, scouts checking him out every time

because he is got some stuff.

Yeah, he could do some big things for us that you, you can kind of see

the rotation starting to line up.

I know we'll get more from Finny here next week, but you can kinda

start putting two and two together and seeing who the guys are competing

for those three weekend spots.

So we'll let you hear from TJ and Darren.

All right, we are back here with junior outfielder tj, because

that doesn't even sound right.

I know.

It's crazy.

That's crazy.

It's crazy.

Okay, so you are a junior now.

I mean, you, you're the point where you, we've got Nick Felton, your

freshman, you're calling him nephew.

Yeah.

Because you're, you're the, you're the o now, I guess, right?

Is that, am I, am I we're doing that correct.

Seven.

That, that's definitely right.

Uh, he's basically, I think he's basically my little brother.

So's your little, little brother.

Okay.

He's trying to take care of him.

So how, how are you feeling?

I, like you said, you got two years of college on your belt.

You, you've been to do it well.

How, how you feeling about it now?

Uh, I feel good.

Um, I feel like last year I really learned a lot about myself

as a player and as a person.

So I feel like I've kind of lost my confidence towards

the end of the year last year.

And, uh, I feel like just this fall, getting it back,

I feel like I'm myself again.

I feel like I just got my swagger back.

Uh, yeah, I know we had a lot of conversations.

I mean, I, I've told you many times, like, man, just play.

Yeah.

Like, you could tell sometimes I think you think too much.

Yeah, yeah, sure.

And you, it's like, bro, you're so good in athletic.

Like just go out and do it.

Oh, yeah.

It's been fun to watch from the sideline.

Like you said, I'm sure it was hard for me to watch.

I know it was hard for you to experience the spring.

Oh, yeah.

It definitely was.

It was, like I said, the, the difference, the night and day between

being around you in the spring and the fall has been, has been progressive.

Oh yeah.

No, it, it was, I mean, I'm talking about this fall.

I don't feel like I just took it, I took everything day by day.

I didn't tried to, I feel like I tried to force lot stuff during the spring.

I tried to, I put so much pressure on myself that wasn't really even there.

And uh, I feel like that's where I kinda hurt myself fat.

And this year, this year, I mean this goals was like this fall, taking this

fall, going to the spring, just not.

Just having fun again and just, uh, just playing my game.

It's like a great life lesson.

Yep.

Oh yeah.

It's almost like sometimes sports.

I played that, that fight.

That's really what it was.

I like, it was a really good life lesson, so, yeah.

That's great.

So you're kind of getting three very different seasons at ODU U

so you got kind of a normal one.

Yeah.

Hone the whole ballpark.

Mm-hmm.

53 games on the road.

Yeah.

And now we're back on the home field, not quite in the home ballpark.

You're gonna have fans out there in the outfield with you.

What are you kind of looking forward to with this kind of interesting

hybrid season we're gonna have at home?

Um, I would say just being here, being able to play here.

Again, I feel like this is awesome being a play here.

'cause being 53 row, 53 row games last year was crazy.

I mean, honestly, just being in a hotel that much, I never thought I'd

be in a hotel that much in my life.

But I'm just happy that we're playing here again and that's, it's gonna be fun.

Well, since you're gonna be in outfield in some capacity, any snacks that fans

should bring you to toss to you on the field during the games next season.

Okay, so I am a very big gummy.

I'm any kind of gummy.

I love gummies.

I do love gummies.

Okay.

Alright.

Keep that mind.

My mom usually brings those from my dad.

Oh yeah.

And I love, so make sure she knows.

Mom's cookie soon.

I love him.

Love him up there.

Frisbee to the alfield between love.

Yep, yep, yep.

So, so Nick Feld, we mentioned freshman coming in.

Tell us about this guy.

Like you said, he, he's your little brother.

Talk up your little brother, man.

Tell us about this.

Okay.

Nick is a very, he's a funny guy.

He is from Maryland.

He's got a little accent to him.

Uh, and it, it's like a, everything on, you know what TikTok is, but

it's like I'm aware of TikTok.

Baltimore.

Baltimore.

I'm very old, but I'm aware they exist.

Baltimore, Maryland is like very, like the trending very high right now.

TikTok just 'cause like they're.

Accent and stuff, and I'll just give him crap about it all the time.

But, uh, he's a good kid, tall, lanky, and I feel like especially

once he grows into his body, he's gonna be really, really good.

I think he's gonna be a really good player.

Yeah.

We had JJ Gotti up here earlier, Gati, sorry, I wanna make sure I say right.

Gati.

Me too.

Um, he said the team has really jelled, even with the guys

that transferred in the new.

Would you say like, in comparison to your previous two off seasons, you

know, where would this rank in terms of like the team kind of coming together?

I, I feel like this is probably the best, honestly, if I'm being completely

honest, this is definitely the best.

'cause I feel like everybody loves to do the same.

Thing out, even on the field and outside the field.

So, uh, I feel like this is definitely the best team.

What's the number one off field activity?

Um, everybody just hang, everybody just hanging out the house.

Like everybody comes to my house that corner like every Saturday

we get done scrimmaging stuff, you know, got scrimmage on Sunday.

Uh, everybody just comes to the house kicking, having a good time.

Watch football.

I mean, everybody loves to do it.

So what's your team?

What's your, what's your protein with college?

Okay, so college.

I'm a Clemson Tiger fan.

I know, I mean, obviously not great right now.

Yeah.

Outside the ODU.

Okay.

I'm a Clemson Tiger fan.

Um.

We're not, not the greatest right now.

Had better years.

When I was younger, they just picked up an OD U guys.

Yeah, yeah.

You told me better, right?

Oh yeah, yeah, I saw that.

Um, I'm glad Dabo Wass dabbing into the portal, figuring it out.

So yeah, he's trying to figure it out.

I feel like it was more of like a ego thing, I think so I, I think

it was a big ego thing, but, um, but yeah, I'm a Clemson fan.

I'm a Yankees baseball fan, and I know a Dallas Cowboys fan.

So you kind of put it together.

Yeah, really not a big basketball.

I love LeBron James.

Yeah, that's good.

LeBron is better than Michael Jordan, though.

I mean, you know, it's one of those, y'all agree on that?

LeBron's better than Michael Jordan.

Uh, it's, it's one, you know, I'm, I'm old up.

I've seen him both.

I think realistically.

Is he more physically talented?

Yeah.

Does he have the, does he have the killer spirit than Michael had?

No, no.

I don't say so.

It's, but like interesting.

But like we're talking about greatest player.

I know.

It's kind of off topic.

Not talking about baseball right now.

No, it's not.

We're talking about sports.

Sports, man.

It's good.

We're talking, uh, player.

I think LeBron has it, but we're talking about team player.

Michael has it.

I mean, I would, I would definitely argue the same way.

Like the reason Shhe Italian is a better baseball player than Babe Ruth.

Yeah.

Is because the sport is harder.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Agreed.

In the same way the NBA is harder today than it was 30, 40 years ago.

Exactly.

So I would, I would, it's one of those like is he a better Probably, yeah.

You take prime, LeBron Prime mj.

He's, he's turning 80 pounds.

He probably knocked him on his butt.

Yeah.

No, do not, do not tell Coach Hayes this.

He will.

He will.

He will.

So it's a point of contention I see.

With, oh yeah.

We talking about.

All that.

That's the biggest like sports, uh, conversation of all time.

Oh yeah, for sure.

Here's, he's the goat, so we, we appreciate it.

You are the goat in my mind.

So that's, that's what matters.

Appreciate anything you wanna tell the fans, you know, before

we get the season started here, anything, um, just come out, man.

Just come out, have a good time.

Gonna win a lot of games.

You heard him get to, to the ballpark?

Yes sir. Tj, thank you so much.

Yeah, thank y'all.

Appreciate y'all.

All right.

We are back with, uh, junior.

That's correct.

I make sure I get right.

Junior, junior Righthand picture.

Darren Kuski.

I'm saying that correctly too.

Kuski, Kuski, Ky I was so confident and I messed it up.

Darren Kuski.

All right.

So Darren Kuski and Darren, I completely forgot where you,

where you came to us from?

South Carolina.

Upstate.

Yep.

Yes.

South Carolina Upstate wasn't the name of that.

What's the, what's the mascot for that?

Uh, we're the Spartans.

The Spartans.

There we go.

That's good.

Okay.

We got Spartans right down the road here.

That's fine.

Yep.

Okay.

So how are you enjoying it?

Here at, at uh, old.

That's good.

It's been nice so far.

I like it.

It's good change.

It's right by the water.

I mean, everything here has been awesome.

That's great.

Awesome.

I know we talked to a couple different guys and I kind of saying the team seems

to be gelling a little bit quicker.

Yeah.

Have you had that experience coming in and kinda getting to know the

guys and understand everything?

Yeah.

I think the team's gelling really well, actually.

I mean, especially like now I have a different team to compare it to.

Like I think this seems jelling better than what we did at Upstate.

Like I like where we're going right now.

We're in a good spot.

Nice.

That's great.

I. Know our fans, you know, since last year we had that,

our outstanding rotation.

Mm-hmm.

All three of the guys got drafted to play pro.

So for a lot of fans right now, it's like, well, who are gonna be the guys?

Yeah.

Well it seems like angling right now, like you're probably

gonna be one of our starters.

Yeah.

How do you feel about that?

You feel prepared to step into that role?

Yeah, I'm excited.

I mean, I got some big shoes to fill, right?

Yeah.

So gotta get after it.

Hey, luck you.

You'll be the same path this year.

Yeah, exactly.

I'm very excited.

It should be a lot of fun.

That's excellent.

Yeah.

How much did that success of the pitch.

From ODU going to probe the last couple years going into the minor league

systems, how much did that influence your decision to choose Old Dominion?

Huge.

That was like the leading factor actually.

I mean, yeah, Marin's done a great job of pitchers.

ODU has a great track of pitchers and getting 'em to pro baseball,

so this was the best option.

Alright.

Anything you want to let the Monarch fans know heading into the season here?

Uh, come to our, come to our games, you know, come watch us play.

Love that.

Alright, Aaron, we appreciate you.

Thank you.

Thanks so much.

Appreciate it.

Talk to you soon.

All right.

Great hearing from those guys.

Uh, yeah, TJ Aiken, just third year here.

You don't usually get a lot of guys that are here for three and maybe

more years beyond that, but it's just cool to hear his perspective being

here for a couple of off seasons.

Now, comparing those.

Uh, to this off season and he just has a little smile to his face.

Like you, you're, y'all are gonna see some fun stuff this year.

I love it.

I'm excited.

One of my mom's favorite player, my mom always has a, a player too

that are some of her favorites.

And you know, Evan Holman's right there.

And then TJ's one of her guys and she's, she's asking him what, uh,

what, what treats he should be.

Oh no, he, he, he told us what treats she should be throwing out

at a minute from the outfield seats.

Yeah, I think he said sour patch kids and Haribo gummy bears.

So yes, when Wemy Bear get the seats seed that are out there, I, I think I told

them my.

Yeah, my dad, uh, needs some, some gummy treats for snacks during

the games anyway, so she probably already got 'em in her pocket.

Just come load it up and, and toss 'em out there if he needs a, a little pick

me up or something in the outfield, there go gonna be some fun things with

having those seats in the outfield.

Yeah.

And uh, actually kinda wanted to tee up now the conversation that we

had with Finn where, talk a little bit about the stadium, kind of what

the guys have been going through.

We hear a lot more from him next week, but we wanted to grab a few minutes

fresh off of hearing Michael Dyer speak.

Yeah,

All right.

We are back here, uh, with Hudson Homer Podcast at the Step Up

To the Plate Fundraiser Dinner.

Just had a wonderful, uh, speech from Michael Dyer, of course, big

League All Star batting champion.

Uh, great Bridge, Chesapeake native.

He was great.

Uh, Finney.

What, what did it mean to have, uh, Cudi here and get, to get to celebrate him?

Well, it means a lot.

I mean, he, he's top of the food chain, like human being.

Yeah.

Uh, we all know what a great.

Player he was.

But you know, the way he gives back to the community through his, his, um, you

know, academy that he has, the summer teams that he has, the time he spends

with USA baseball on the youth side.

Um, just, and, and when we told him, Hey, we'd like you to be our Bud Metheny Award,

as I mentioned, he was just humbled by it.

Like, he, he actually said that to us.

I don't think I'm worthy of it.

And I go, no, no, you're worthy, you're plenty worthy.

So, um.

Nice to have 'em.

It fits right into the, the mold of all the other great ones.

Well, before Michael came on, you were talking a lot about the light

blue jerseys that are now known as Hudson Blue Jerseys and wanted to

make clear that baseball started that.

We talk a little bit about how that came to be and then kind of why that

was an important thing for tonight.

Well, I mean, I think it is, you know, people, I think that's

what's cool about college, right?

Like college athletics, all the little nuances and traditions that

pop up along the way, and that's.

A pretty recent one, like all things Considered, you know, um, the light

blue was kind of a throwback color for ODU and then that, you know, I

think back in the day they called it Ian or something like that.

Right.

Which I don't, I don't think anybody makes that color actually anymore.

So, you know, then it went to, you know, the traditional Is Columbia Blue

or Carolina Blue or, uh, I think they were actually talking about calling

it Monarch Blue, and I said, why don't we just call it Hudson Blue?

That's the guy, you know, let's find a way to honor, you know,

c Hudy standing right there.

And just a neat way that it'll always be, you know, Hudson Blue now.

And I'm glad we had a, a little small part in making that

happen and we set the record.

Let's make sure to point out that you were against the Hudson Blue Jersey

advance for, I, I had to tell you that for like six, seven years before you

finally were like, all right, let's do it.

Yeah, you're probably right.

It's a great look.

It has been a great look.

Yeah.

It, it reminds everybody of the old, uh, Kansas City Royals Powder blue.

Yeah, unis.

And, uh, I think it looks a lot like that.

So, yeah, we're excited about it.

It's, uh, we get a lot of couple bits on it.

Yeah.

That's great.

So, um, you know, four weeks from today we're, we're at this time,

four weeks from today, we're gonna be one to, oh, how you feeling going?

I mean, I know we said first scrimmage is today, right?

Yeah.

First one was today.

We went six innings Today, I think we've got nine tomorrow.

Um, the guy, I'll tell you this, the guys came back in shape.

I. Came back in good shape, which is really important.

And you know, it is been a good group.

They've checked the boxes so far, so had a good scrimmage today

and we got another one tomorrow.

And you know, this time of the year, you're not looking for like perfection

or it doesn't have to be beautiful.

It just has to be solid.

And it was very solid today.

So it was a good start.

You know, the questions that I've heard rolling around here, thinking, pitching,

pitching, staff, starting rotation, got a lot of good arms, a lot of good talent.

What I've noticed the most is the guys I haven't gotten eyes on since

we were down in Montgomery to now the physical changes that have occurred.

These guys look bigger, they look stronger, maybe a more media trained for

some of them coming into this season.

But was there any shock to you when these guys came back in after this

break that like, while they really worked, got after it in the off season?

Yeah.

I think it is a cumulative thing.

Like we lifted, uh, we added a day of lifting each week in the fall.

We lifted three days a week through the whole.

Fall instead of two.

Cade Kelly does a great job with our guys, and I was mentioning

who knows how it shows up, right?

But I was mentioning to some of our coaching staff today, like just in

batting practice, even on a cold day is like, we're hitting the ball outta the

park a lot more than I can remember.

And so hopefully that's a good sign of things to come.

We'll see.

If nothing else we can get like a, a Monarch boys calendar going, yeah,

well maybe we need like a fundraiser.

You know, that's, yeah.

There's always.

And, and the cool thing is, you know, that left field, we gotta

come up with a cool name for that.

Yeah.

We do left field bleachers because there's gonna be some balls flying out there.

Yeah.

And I had a couple people out here mentioning, you know, the, the

left fielders on the opposing teams are gonna get abused this year.

Like, when did we start drinking?

You know, they're like, and that's what we talked about.

It, it'd be great if we could keep that and have that especially become maybe

the student area where they come be.

It'd be awesome.

Really Give it to them.

Yeah.

We need to make that happen for sure.

I mean, I, I don't plan on letting 'em take those.

Things down ever.

So seeing to it.

Yeah.

Yeah, for sure.

Is there, uh, is there anything that you're really looking

forward to this season?

Well, I mean, obviously just we want to play the best baseball we can.

Getting back at home, even with the, you know, the, the things we're gonna

have to work around, it's still gonna be really nice for us not getting on

a bus, playing on our home field, you know, in front of some of our home fans.

It's not gonna be perfect or ideal, but it's gonna be better.

Than what it was.

Right.

And then one of the cool things, and, and I, I was talking with our guys about this

'cause we don't candy coat any of it.

I mean, as soon as we knew we weren't gonna be, you know, playing in an

open stadium, why wouldn't you tell the guys they need to know about it?

And there was kids that came here 'cause they thought that

was gonna happen this year.

And so it didn't.

But I do think this is a, a neat thing that's gonna happen

unintended, but it will happen.

Ability to see something get built every day while you're there and watch it grow.

We're already doing that now, but to see like the finishing touches of

it towards the end of the season, I think is gonna be really gratifying.

Gotta make sure I get a picture, like opening day and then Yes.

Yeah.

You should take 'em every weekend.

Yeah.

Honestly, you're would, and especially from left field or wherever, you know,

uh, you can, you can watch it really, you know, come to fruition I guess.

So it should be to get a nice time lapse out of that.

Yeah.

Field this how, without a doubt.

Yeah.

It, it'll be cool.

And you know that, that part of it, I'm, I'm, every day I look forward

to seeing something else go up.

Yeah, well, any message from you to the fans other than go buy

your ticket booklets and get there for point Apeak in four weeks.

I think it's gonna be a cool experience.

Like I think there'll be people that come and sit in those left field

bleachers and even though we got this nice new stadium back there, yeah,

they'll want to go in it obviously, but that may end up being their spot.

Because there's a lot of people that grew, grew up in the bleachers.

Yeah.

Watching games from the, from the cheap seats, right?

Yeah.

And you get back there and you're watching a game and it's neat.

And you know, you yelling at the left fielder and, uh, I mean it's,

it's just that ball's a strike.

Yeah.

It's a completely different view of the ball game.

Yeah, it is.

Yeah.

Um, and so, you know, I think there'll be some people that

really embrace that and enjoy.

Love that.

Well, I'm looking forward to embracing during the season.

Yeah.

We're looking forward to it as well.

Four weeks from now, make sure you get up.

Out there to the ballpark for these early season games.

Finny, we'll let you get back to the party here, but thanks

so much for hopping on with us.

Yeah.

And, and next mon the next Monday we do this, we'll, you know, talk about

like lineups and potential lineups and starting rotations and things like that

as we get a little bit closer, you know, it's an exciting time for everyone.

And, um, I think the, the things you know that are important right now is

the guys are, came back in shape and for the most part we're, we're healthy.

Alright.

Fantastic.

We appreciate you guys.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Appreciate it.

I still think we are super lucky that we get Finny pretty much every single

week on this podcast during the season, and great to hear from him again.

Um, really cool night.

He, he looked very excited when we were talking to him.

Yeah, it, it's a blessing.

You know, Finny is just, and I told him, I said, that's the one

thing since the day he showed up.

It's just, it's been different than, it just feels like a family and he's always

doing things that kind of reinforce that as, you know, the way he gets good people

and the way he cares about everyone, the way he, he really wants to make you

feel like you're involved and included.

Yeah.

It's, it's Finny Finny's the man, and we, we are very lucky that he decides he wants

to hang out with us and talk to us and give us a bunch of good info and, and let

the fans in on things too is, it's great.

Yeah, great.

Great for him to give us a peek behind the curtain, but the, uh, the next

person that we chatted with, I'm gonna let you do most of the talking

here because you have been watching Mac Dye play for quite a long time.

Yeah, and I think it's awesome that we're getting him here in Norfolk this year.

Yeah, I love this one.

You know, so Max's a kid, um, started his high school career at Cape Henry.

Um, he won the state championship with them in I think 2022.

Um, and then went to Cox for his junior year, which ended

up being his senior year.

He actually graduated a year early.

Um, and so he, he won the state championship with the Cox also that year

with, I think, I believe Ethan Henderson, Ethan Anderson, um, who played at UVA,

who's now in the Orioles minor leagues.

Probably be a tide here before too long.

Um, so, so Mac was there.

Um, he went to Liberty, played really phenomenally for them,

so saw the opportunity to go in the portal, uh, went to UNC.

And you know, sometimes those, those bigger schools, they, sometimes I think

they just don't realize what they have.

I think they bring guys in just because they can and they have the money.

And, uh, you know when, when I saw Mac winning the portal.

My first thing was like, man, I hope we get him.

And so I could, can't tell you how excited I was that we picked him up and because,

not just 'cause of who he is as a baseball player, but who he is as a person.

He's just a wonderful guy.

High energy, great family.

Um, this is exactly what, when I, I think what you want in the portal,

those, those guys who, who left home that you can get to come back

home and say, Hey, come back home.

Let's finish out this maybe one year.

If you play is great, two years, uh, and, and do it.

Do it at home, and then go play your pro career.

All right, we are back with junior catcher Mac Dye, uh, making a return home.

Right.

So you, you, uh, graduated from Cox, where you won state championship,

had played at Cape Henry before that and won state championship.

Uh, you junior year at Liberty, uh, I'm sorry, freshman year of Liberty.

Had a great year of liberty.

Auction is now blue.

That's unfortunate.

The irony of the silent auction not being silent.

Just keep going.

It doesn't matter.

They know it's all live.

Um, so freshman year at Liberty had a great, were you a all conference?

Am am I correct about that?

Or you're all all freshman?

Freshman all conference.

Yeah.

Freshman.

Freshman.

All conference is all conference.

Let's do it.

Alright.

Freshman all conference then you transferred to UNC didn't play as much.

Right.

Now you're back home.

How you feeling?

Getting to be back home?

Super excited.

You know, I mean, being back home only 30 minutes away from home, it's, it's

big for my, my family and my friends who are, you know, able to come out.

So, I mean, I'm looking forward to the spring and every time I was out there in

the fall, your dad was out there watching.

He, I mean, he was, he was there today.

He actually flew in from Charlotte this morning, was out there.

So, I mean, he, he loves being, having me close home.

You, you're coming into a team that's got some pretty good catchers.

Some guys are gonna play some different positions this year with m and Evan.

How's it been gelling with those guys And then also just.

How excited are you to kind of get out there on the field

with the rest of the team?

It's been great.

I mean, f and e Hole, I mean, they're, they're awesome guys.

I mean, just great team guys.

Um, have never had a problem with them and it's been fun just going out there,

competing with them every day and just helping us each get better so we can come,

come together as a team and, you know, do what we're supposed to do in Austin.

Um, so, you know, again, last year you at UNC, I guess, being a guy who's now in

your third year of college at your third.

College, what's that been like going from school to school?

Hopefully this is the last time you been to school.

Very.

That's, uh, that, that's my goal to, it's, it's very unique.

I mean, I, I, I think it's super cool, you know, being able to build

new relationships with others, uh, new coaches and just, just

building connections from all over.

I mean, I know guys from Evan and Oregon, guys from Memphis Jersey.

I mean, it's just super cool being able to, you know, meet new people.

But I mean, it's also an adjustment, you know, you gotta go through, you know,

the whole process of meeting new people.

But, uh, you know, I love it.

I mean, I think I'm pretty good.

Being able to kind of go with the flow and go on the run.

So it's been cool.

Did OD U have conversations about recruiting you when you

were in high school and married?

No, I actually never taught in high school.

Yeah.

It was interesting because you graduated a year early, is that right?

Yeah.

What, what was the, the reason you did that at the time?

Yeah.

I mean, just go and fulfill my lifelong green, you know?

Yep.

I mean, especially with the, you know, the transfer portal nowadays and just

recruitment's getting really tough.

I thought it was the best decision for me to go out there and try to try to

go out there and do what I'd love for.

I've seen off seasons at Liberty, seen off seasons at UNC.

You know what, what was probably the best part of this off season for you?

What did you focus on and what were you most impressed by coming here?

Yeah, I mean, it's, it's really the same thing year, year after year.

I mean, just going home and just making sure you're doing the work, staying on top

of the workouts and hitting, um, nothing really changes in terms of my preparation.

I think it's cool how we were able to come out here a little bit earlier and just

being able to go out, catch more bullpens.

I feel like this year has been like the.

The year where I've caught the most bullpens ever at in college.

So, I mean, it's been, it's been fun going out there and seeing the guys

and seeing how much, you know, we've progressed over the last couple weeks

in the off season, so most guys aren't excited about catching a lot of bullpens.

You know, I, I, I used to not like, catch a bullpens a lot, but now it's like,

I, I enjoy, you know, just make, making a building relationship with pitchers.

So I think that's the most important thing because you're, I mean, that's the thing

is like, you're there to support that guy.

Help him, your teammate get better.

You can't do that.

That's the biggest thing with, with, you know, pitching.

You gotta have a good catcher who has a good relationship.

With all the guys 'cause they're not gonna be, if they don't have a good

relationship with with you, they're not gonna be able to trust it on the balance.

So, alright.

Who's throwing the nastiest pitch so far in the off season?

Well, today had a pretty rough day plate today.

I heard a few guys had tough days before today.

Darren Sliders looked as best as look so far.

Kellen Davis slider, Bo got me two times today.

So, uh, say Darren.

Darren and Kellen Davis.

Alright.

Was it, were you catching Ezio today or was he Caio?

He looked well, yeah, that's how heard he was looking.

He looked really good.

Caught Maddox, he looked decent.

Yeah.

And, um, yeah, I mean I, I've been pretty impressive far with, with all

the guys and how, how, you know, well we've done first week, so I love it.

Awesome.

Uh, any message for the fans before we kick off the season

here in about four weeks?

Yeah.

I was excited to have you guys out.

Um, you know, just ready to work and ready to go out there and, you know, try to hit

some hormones so you guys out and lift.

So there you go.

Get your gloves ready 'cause he's gonna get a few out there.

Yes, yes.

Alright, Matt, thank you so much for joining us sir. Really appreciate it

sir. We'll let you get outta here.

Thank you guys.

Appreciate you, appreciate it.

Alright, thanks.

Alrighty.

Yeah.

I love that idea of guys coming home.

We see it sometimes in, in football and basketball and some other sports

like that, like getting back in front of family and friends after being away,

getting some distance for a while.

Uh, it's pretty good.

But I, I love what he brings to the team with being a very solid catcher

who's catching a lot of bullpens now.

Yeah.

And kind of going through that grind.

But we have the ability to flex that across like three or four

different guys behind the dish.

And two of those guys in Evan, you can go and play third and we can get some guys

in the outfield and things like that.

So that position flexibility is something you don't normally get with

catchers, especially in an era of going to roster caps and things like that.

Mm-hmm.

So just really love that we tacked on this weapon, even though we were very strong

at at the catcher position to begin with.

Yeah.

All right.

And our last conversation that we will leave you with

here, cash J transfer in What?

A name?

All name team.

We gotta be in the running for all names.

I mean, we've got 'em up, up and down.

Just

great

names.

Names.

Catch

J is phenomenal though.

It was great to chat with him.

He's a grad students, I think we only get him for, for one year.

Mm-hmm.