Q & A with Baseball Shortstop Derek Dennis
11/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 2, 2010
Last season, Derek Dennis stepped right in and was the opening day starter at shortstop. The Ada, Mich., native had 52 starts and was impressive both at the plate and in the field. The Cape Cod League took notice and Dennis played this past summer for Wareham in the nation's top collegiate summer league. Now in his sophomore season, Dennis is part of a great defensive lineup U-M will put out in 2011.
Dennis sat down with MGoBlue.com for a Q&A about fall practice, his summer in Massachusetts and what he is expecting this spring.
Q: You guys finished up fall team practice a couple of weeks ago. How did fall practice go for yourself as well as the team?
A: I thought I did pretty well. All the guys pulled together towards the end of the fall when we had Scout Day, Parent Day and a few scrimmages after that. I feel like all of the freshmen picked it up and did a good job. Our pitching this fall was unbelievable, I thought. That has a lot to do with Coach (Matt) White. I know a lot of the guys have been saying he's great and if you mess up, he never gets down on you. He's a very positive guy.
Q: You just completed your second fall practice at Michigan. Was there a big difference this fall knowing what you were getting into compared to last year as a freshman?
A: Last year, I had no clue as to what I would be doing. This year, I feel a lot more relaxed and I can go out and play like I've been playing. It's not as stressful and I feel like our team is united, which obviously is key to have a close-knit group.
Q: You played in the Cape Cod League this past summer in Wareham. What was that experience like and how did it help you become a better player?
A: The Cape was awesome. The pitching definitely was something I've never seen before. You're facing guys throwing upwards of 100 miles an hour. That was a big experience for me. My defense was good. The hitting came along towards the end of the season. I had a little setback with my shoulder, but it was a learning experience and hopefully I'll be able to go back this summer and play even better.
Q: You played with (Michigan second baseman) Anthony Toth this summer. How did that help you playing with a teammate in the infield?
A: Getting to play with him last spring and then this summer was awesome. I think we led the whole Cape in turning double plays. He's a blast to be around and a great double play partner.
Q: Talk about the team defense. It seems like a pretty good defensive group on paper going into 2011.
A: Definitely. Having Pat (Biondi) out in center, it seems like he can track down any ball with his speed. We have Michael O'Neill coming in. He didn't play until the end of the fall but Coach Maloney has said he's just like Pat; speedy and can hit and that's what we need in replacing LaMarre. We have (John) Lorenz at third, Garrett Stephens at first. We're going to have a pretty solid defensive team this year.
Q: You guys are now through fall practice. The start of the season will be here pretty soon. Talk about your excitement level for the 2011 campaign?
A: Yeah, we're definitely excited. I know we have lifting and conditioning right now but once it gets to January, we're starting up with indoor practice. Once we get out of Oosterbaan, that's when you're excited to get the season going. I know we are traveling to California, Florida, Texas and South Carolina so I know everybody's been talking about it and we are excited about getting to play some top teams.
Favorite Class at U-M This Fall: English 225
Teammate that had a really good fall: John DiLaura "He hit the ball really well this fall."
Funniest guy on the team: Kyle Clark "He's just goofy and the mustache makes him even funnier."
If we had a home game tomorrow, what would your walk-out song be?: "I haven't even thought about that. I had 3 Peat by Lil' Wayne. I would probably say that one."
