He's really pitched very well. His first outing was dominating. He didn't get a decision, but he pitched about as well as you can pitch. The second outing, he didn't have his best stuff, but he was able to battle through it, and that's a maturity level we didn't see from him early in the season last year.

Last year, he worried about a lot of things he couldn't control. This year, he worries about things he can control, and that's a sign of maturity.

That's when I thought this kid had a chance to be all right. That's something guys learn as they're going to the big leagues.

It's our contention that, in an effort to stop throwing the ball, it got away from him and hit (the batter).

He's definitely on the radar. You lead the fifth-best conference in the country in home runs, you get on the radar in a hurry. His biggest thing is to not worry about being on the radar.

Bases loaded with nobody out, I liked our chances. We just didn't convert.

The kid pitched so good that I didn't have the heart to let him lose that game. Stuff-wise, he was still good. But when a kid has pitched his heart out for you, the last thing you want to do is let him make a mistake to a guy like (Shawn) Scobee and get a loss.

That was our plan with him. He is the one guy in their lineup who you don't want to let beat you. He is physical and he can put the ball out of the ballpark.

I don't know. I'd rather ask him about hitting. He was one of the best hitters of all time.