Seattle Studs: An NBC Hall of Fame Inductee & Another Great Season

The Seattle Studs of the Pacific International League were once again in the thick of yet another NBC World Series run. They dominated their regular season schedule both with overwhelming pitching and very solid hitting. Once they entered the final tournament in Wichita, they played well and lost despite hitting the ball hard the entire game. I had the chance to talk to their head coach Barry Aden about that frustrating loss, their experience in the NBC World Series tournament, his plans for the 2012 season, and his NBC Hall of Fame induction. This is how it went down;

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) First of all, congratulations on being part of the 2011 NBC Hall of Fame Class. You’ve been recognized for both your playing career and your  22 year managing career. Tell how you felt when you got notice that  would be inducted?

A. (BARRY ADEN) I was at work when Steve Potter called me and gave me the news. I was overwhelmed, it has been a dream of mine to some day be considered worthy of being in that select group.  I have been blessed with tremendous players like Tim Lincecum, Brent Lillibridge, Randy Choate, David Riske, Willie Bloomquist, Justin Baughman, Justin Leone to name a few, with guys like that it is hard to lose.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) As far as your playing days, tell us what you remember most about  digging into the dirt. What was your biggest lesson as a ball player and how did you learn it.

A. (BARRY ADEN) Learning how to pitch from my Dad.  The mindset, the disposition, the control when you have the ball in your hand, and that the game does not start till you do.  I also
learned to prepare, plan and expect to win, not just hope to.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) As a manager you’ve had an extremely successful career. You’ve had  755 wins and you’ve managed 16 clubs to the NBC World Series. Isn’t that  10 in a row now? What is it about how you run your program that can  produce so many winning clubs?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Our team is on the road a lot as we play about 45 games on the road and and a 20 game home schedule. There is a lot of bonding opportunities traveling to Canada 4 times, California once each year and of course the World Series in Wichita.  We have built a great tradition of gathering some of the best college talent from the Puget Sound Area. Combined that with 6 to 8 ex-college or minor league players that love the game to come in as  instructors and influences on the younger players helps us have a solid team every year it seems.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) Tell us a little about the Pacific International League. In 2011, you  guys posted an 18-3 record and were two and a half games ahead of  Everett Merchants.  You clearly dominated with the best team pitching and  hitting.

A. (BARRY ADEN) We have been on a 10 year role in the PIL.  We attract the best talent in the  area and it clearly effects the other teams we play. We also have better depth than most of our league counterparts, a definite advantage in 4 games series and double elimination  tournaments we play in.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) What was the best part of the 2011 season in your mind or heart?

A. (BARRY ADEN) A moment that really turned our season around was in Kelowna, BC at the Canada Day Tournament. We were 16 and 9 and had lost our opening game of the tournament.  Bobby Joe
Tannehill had a 12 pitch at bat and then hit a double to tie the game.  We went on to win that game, the tournament, the next tournament and finish strong at the NBC World Series. We are 42 and 14 now, so from that moment we have gone 26 and 5 and felt unbeatable.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) You had a shortstop by the name of Derek Jennings. He led your team  with 48 hits during the summer and then in Wichita put up 6 more. How has it been to have him part of your club this summer in such a crucial  defensive position?

A. (BARRY ADEN)  Derek has been unbelievable for us over the last 5 years. Selected as an NCB All American in 2008 and 2010 Derek is the best non professional shortstop I have ever had play for me.  Derek signed a contract with the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League right after  the NBC World Series, Congrats and Good Luck to Derek Jennings from the Studs Family.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES)  After beating the Casa Grande Cotton Kings in game 1 9 to 4, you faced off against the Hays Larks in game 2. You guys won that game 2-0 off the great performance of Grady Wood out of Western Oregon University. In that game, Wood went 8.1 innings of shut out ball by scattering 9 hits, walking only 1, and striking out 6. Tell us about his season and what his development looked like this year.

A. (BARRY ADEN) We picked up Grady for the World Series.  Grady pitched for the Fairbanks Goldpanners and pitched against us in the Kamloops Tournament.  We beat him 1 to 0 but he was so impressive we asked him to go with us and he gladly joined us.  Grady is a tremendous young man and pitcher and will return to Western Oregon University for his Senior year for coach Jeremiah Robbins.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) In that same game, Taylor Thompson came in to close things up. He pitched to only batters and struck them both out. He won 6 games for the Studs this year. Is he the type of guy that can shut things down late in the game and dominate? Or do you see him more like a guy you’d rather see swallowing up innings during the course of a long stretch?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Taylor has been amazing for the Studs over the last 5 years.  An All American Selection in both 2008 and 2010 at the NBC World Series, Taylor has filled every role for us.
In almost 6 seasons Taylor has thrown over 400 innings, struck out over 500, posted a 30 and 8 win loss record while recording 32 saves.  Taylor is the Studs best pitcher at any role.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) In that 2nd game, you guys got roughed up by the Kenai Oilers. The score was 9-1, but you did get a great showing from Brian Corliss. He stepped into a situation where your pitchers had already given up 7 runs and he went for 2.1 innings without giving up a single hit or run. Tell us a little about his season what we can expect from him in 2012.

A. (BARRY ADEN) Brian is a talent. In 2011 he won the Western Division of the NWAACC MVP hitting over .420 as an infielder  for Pierce College.  Brian is needing to pitch also for his sophomore year there and we got him over 45 innings this summer preparing for his two way role.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) In game 3 you guys enjoyed a very solid 6-1 victory of the Hutchinson Monarchs. In that game, your right fielder Kyle Conwell was in the clean up spot and went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored. He was one of your top hitters during the season as well. He’s a junior out of Bellevue College. What was it like seeing his growth during the course  of 2011?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Kyle had to work a lot this summer to help with college expenses so he was only available for about 40 of our 56 games.  Kyle showed why the Los Angeles Dodgers selected him in the 22 round.  Great power to all fields and an excellent outfielder, Kyle will play baseball for pay for a long time.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) What was his brightest moment of the year in your opinion?

A. (BARRY ADEN) In the Kamloops tournament Kyle played flawless right field for us making 7 tremendous defensive plays to preserve the semi final game against Fairbanks and again in the Championship game, also against Fairbanks.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES In that same game, Bobby Joe Tannehill was hitting in the 8th hole and came up with a big 3 run home run in the top of the 9th inning. He was playing over at Green River College in the spring. Did you expect big things from him at the start of the season? He seemed to have been quite steady and consistent during the year. Who did you use at short more often, Tannehill or Jennings and why?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Bobby Joe was our Second baseman mostly this summer but also played shortstop and third base.  I rotate players to keep them fresh and to have them experience other positions so they are more versatile when they go back to college.  Bobby played great all summer in his preparation
to play at LC State in Lewiston, Idaho.  He will compete for the 2nd base or 3rd base positions there and will probably inherit the SS position when he is a senior there .

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) Continuing with that game 3, you received another great pitching performance from Scott Kuzminsky who was only a sophomore this spring at Bellevue College. He went for 8 full innings scattering 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, while striking out 8. Including the post-season, he posted an 8-0 record, a 0.62 ERA, and 68 strike outs after 58.1 innings. Was he  impressive to watch?

A.(BARRY ADEN) Scott showed everyone how good he was this summer. Scott developed tremendous poise and belief in his stuff and I think has emerged as a definite pro prospect for 2012.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) How would you describe what you saw from him in 2011?

A. (BARRY ADEN) The perfect season for a 19 year old.  Scott threw well once a week, got plenty of  rest between starts and worked on a pitch count and made the best of his innings. Scott threw many important games for the Studs this summer beating Fairbanks, Hays, Casa Grande and everyone else he matched up with.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES)  That game was finished off in style with another great inning from Taylor Thompson who came in and punched out 2 of the 3 batters he faced. Is it great to seal off a victory with such powerful pitching performances?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Our team is built on great pitching and defense.  With wood bats my philosophy is to have overwhelming pitching, play solid defense and manufacture run on offense……. it has worked pretty well over the last decade.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES)  In the final game it seemed like everything just fell apart for you guys. You guys committed 4 errors and the very same pitching duo in which you relied on heavily simply did not have good days. You pretty much lost the game in the bottom of the 8th inning when the Haysville Heat scored 2 runs to go ahead for good. What went through your mind as the game was lost quickly?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Frustration that what got us there, (pitching and defense) was faltering. When your strength fails you it is hard to take. It wasn’t our night, we hit balls hard…. right at them and everything they tried worked.  Just wasn’t meant to be.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES)  What did you tell your kids after the game? It must have been a very difficult way to lose, but was there a keen sense of positive pride amongst you and the player?

A. (BARRY ADEN) I pride myself on being positive and finding the good in what we accomplished.  Myself and my assistant coaches take moments after the game to praise the players and thank them for their efforts. No player tries to fail or play poorly, it just was the other teams turn that night. We were very young this year and probably 15 of the 22 players I had will be back next year to try and win it all.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES)  What can we expect from the Seattle Studs and you in 2012 ?

A. (BARRY ADEN) We will reload for 2012. Hopefully fill the missing pieces to the puzzle and put together a National Championship team.  Our returning guys know how good you have to be to win in Wichita and preparing all summer with that in mind will help us achieve our goals.

Q. (BASEBALL TRENCHES) Before we finish, tell us how you celebrated the Hall of Fame honors.  Were the festivities memorable?

A. (BARRY ADEN) Yes,  I would like to thank Jerry Taylor, Casey Walkup and Josh Robertson for putting together a great presentation/ induction.  I had my wife Ginger there and my youngest son Tegan there as well as my team and coaches behind me.  A truly great moment in my coaching career.  I was also inducted with Dick “Chief” Twyman, a great friend and baseball man and two other legends in Alaska baseball (Lefty Van Brunt) and Jayhawk league baseball (Bob Considine) so to be included, I am very honored.