TBR Interview - Austin Carithers

This is our second interview with a college player and we felt that it would be good to hear from a player from each division of the college ranks. Our first being with Jere Morton at Lenoir Community College.

Austin Carithers is a former player and graduate of Kannapolis A.L. Brown High School and currently a RHP for the Methodist College Monarchs. Methodist is consistantly ranked as one of the top D III baseball programs in the nation.

We at TBR would like to welcome Austin and we appreciate his taking time to offer his views on attending college and playing baseball at " The Next Level".

- Before we get to any tough questions, give us some background on your baseball career.

Well, I didn’t get serious about baseball until I was 12 or 13 playing AAU tournaments just about every week. I got most of my knowledge of the game by playing in the tournaments. When I wasn’t playing AAU I was playing school ball, but got cut in 7th grade. That really hurt my pride, so I started to work harder and made the team in 8th grade. I did well both hitting and fielding, and didn’t pitch at all. Then came high school ball. In my first JV year I mainly played 1st base and still didn’t pitch. During my sophomore year I finally started to pitch and did so for half the year until I injured my lower back and could barely walk. The injury ended my sophomore season. Then during my junior year I didn’t play a whole lot as we were loaded down with seniors and got eliminated by Ragsdale in the first round of the playoffs. The only game I started I threw a 4 hit shut out against South Rowan. During my senior year I threw only 5 innings from the mound, but the lack of pitching I made up for by hitting the second half of the year and it was the best stretch of hitting I have ever had.
I really got my chance this past summer playing legion ball at South Rowan after getting my released from Kannapolis. I led the team last summer with 5 wins and really played my best ball. Playing this summer really got me ready for the fall season here at Methodist. It kept me throwing and helped me figure out what adjustments I had to make on the mound.

- You chose Methodist College. Tell us about it.

Methodist College is a small division III, private liberal arts college in Fayetteville. There are a total of about 1800 or so people on campus. Also the class sizes are small. Most classes being filled at around 30 students but the average lower level class has around 25 people.
They also have a great baseball program. They have been ranked in the division III polls just about every year. Coach Austin is one of the best coaches in America too. This team has been one of the elite team’s year in and year out and most of that is due to the coaching of Coach Austin and his staff.

- What has been your biggest challenge in making the transition from high school to college in terms of baseball? Academics?

The biggest adjustments in terms of baseball is going to get someone and go out and throw and having to have the drive to get stronger and better each day you can. The consequences of not throwing on your own or doing one less rep on the weight room or letting up those last 100 yards of running is that someone is out there running those last 100 yards and lifting that last rep or throwing that one day, and it could cost you a spot. The biggest adjustments as a pitcher would have to be that these hitters are going hurt you if you miss one spot during an at bat and the running was killer at first too but once you gain your endurance it doesn’t seem that bad.
Academically it would be learning how to manage all the free time you have. I had a good 4-6 hours a day to do what ever I wanted. I had to learn how to not waste my time and not wait until the last minute to do something.

- Under head coach Tom Austin the Monarchs have become one of the premier D III teams in the country. What's it like playing for a coach of his caliber?

Playing for Coach Austin is great. He really focuses on the little things. Our fielders probably do the most throwing in practice of any team in division III in the nation. We practice every possible situation that may occur in a game, the routine plays, the odd plays, and also the hard plays. Most everybody leaves practice dirty. He doesn’t expect us to make the Sportscenter plays, but he expects us to bust our butts after the ball if we can’t make them and always make the simple routine plays.
Off the field he’s the kind of guy that is easy to talk to and isn’t afraid to sit there and talk with you one on one about a problem or just talk, if he’s not busy.

- Give us a time line of what your typical day was like during the fall season.

During the fall season we practiced Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. During the week I would wake up at around 10:00 am and go to my 11:00 and my 12:30 classes. Then I would go get some lunch from somewhere off campus or in the Lions Den on campus. Next I would go back to my room for about an hour and rest or maybe do some homework. At around 3:00, I’d get ready and head down to the field for practice. We would practice from 3:00 untill 5:30 or 6:00, then go to the cafeteria and eat dinner. After I eat id go back to my dorm and finish my homework if it wasn’t done yet or do what ever there was to do that night.
On Saturdays we would have to be at the field ready for practice at 9:00 in the morning. The first section would end at 11:00 for pitchers and 11:30 for the position players because they would take batting practice. Then we would go eat and meet back at the field by12:30 and start to scrimmage with each pitcher pitching 2 innings. The scrimmages were just like real games, lasting about 10-12 innings. They split the pitchers in half one group on Saturday and the others on Sunday.
Sundays would be the same except we only scrimmage and we start at 1:30.

- You've played with and against some really good players in your career. Can you name a few that stand out in your mind?

Catchers - Ryan Wilson, Ryan Query: Pitchers - Patrick Adams, Zach Ward, Andrew Morgan: Infielders - Seth Waller, Brian Graham, Brett Bartles, Bret Shore , Matt Harris: Outfielders - John Graham, Ryan Petty, Patrick Atwell:

- What stands out as the most exciting moment in your baseball career?

Throwing a 4 hit shut out against South Rowan in high school with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th and 1 out and we are up 1-0. Then 2 pitches later I get a ground ball and we turn a double play to end the game and win 1-0.

- Looking back, is there anything in your baseball career that you wish you'd done differently?

The only thing I would have done differently would be I’d have the drive that I have now to get better each and every day. I would have been in the weight room a whole lot more and ran more than I have so far in my career. The only other thing I might do is not play hurt for half of my sophomore year. If I had not done that I probably would have only been out a few weeks instead of a few months.

- Who do you feel has influenced you the most in baseball and why?

My Dad has definitely been the biggest influence on my baseball career. He pushed me to get better in every way imaginable. Whether it be asking what I think I could have done better and learn from my mistake, or if he sees something I’m doing wrong mechanically. We would go out and throw, hit, and take ground ball for hours on end. He is also the one that passed on his love of the game to me. If he wasn’t there then I probably wouldn’t be playing college ball and wouldn’t have played in middle school or high school.

- After you've hung up your spikes, what would you like to do?

Once I have hung them up after college I would probably stay at home for a little while, untill I had good financial means. I would then get an apartment and look for the best job I could get and start working. I’m not really looking that far ahead in life just yet. I still have 3 ½ more years left in school. I will probably have the answer to that in about 2 years.

- When people meet you for the first time and see you play, what would you like for them to say about Austin Carithers?

I would like for people to say that I’m a guy that wants the ball no matter what the situation is. And also it would be nice to be known as a scrappy pitcher. What I mean by that is, when the gas tank is on fumes I still find ways to get people out even though I don’t have my best stuff. If I’m down on a guy 3-0 or 3-1 and not give up a walk and somehow get an out and minimize the damage in that inning.

- Is there anything else you'd like to say to our TBR members?

For the parents, don’t be afraid to send your son or daughter to a small D III or junior college. There is just as much competition there as any where else, if not more. For the players, don’t think your to good to play at a small school, either D II or DIII. It’s a chance to do what not many athletes get a chance to do and that’s play ball after high school.

Thanks Austin. I'm proud to say that I've known Austin since those days of 12/13U AAU tournaments. I'm equally proud to have known his parents, Billy and Lori, who we at TBR salute for their efforts in developing Austin into the fine young man he is. Good luck this season Big Guy....I'll be keeping track of your progress.

 

What a great interview. I especially like Austin's answer about " If he could change anything..." I hope all the HS guys understand what Austin means.

The Austin Carither's make up the majority of the type player that play college ball. They work hard and want to be there. I salute you young man for achieving the dream that most HS kids have....and that is to play college baseball.

Thank you for all of your insight and keep us informed about what is going on at Methodist and your career...and say hello to Clayton Erickson from a South Meck fan.

 

Great interview Austin.

Just like it seems that most of the HS baseball attention is focus on the 85+ 4A programs in the state at the expense of the 275-300 3A - 1A and private programs, in college the 275 D1 programs get the attention over the 1275 other college baseball programs.

The baseball on all of these levels is exciting. It's also extremely difficult. The coaches work as hard at a D2 school as they do at a D1 school. The players at a D3 program are hitting the weight room as often as the JUCO guys and the D2 guys.

Each year, the pros "dip down" and pick some players in the draft from a school that you've never heard of. It will happen again this spring...

....but what should really happen???? You should go catch a few college games in your area and support your local programs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Austin, I wish you the best this coming season ... to every one else, "play ball!!!!!"

 

Good interview Austin.....I had the pleasure of catching his some this fall at Methodist as an incoming freshman.....i would like to say that he has one of the natiest splitters that I've seen in a while especially if all his other pitches are on

 

:xyzthumbs

 

Congratulations Austin, and I think you know that folks in Kannapolis are wishing you the best.