Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 18, 1991 TAG: 9104180084
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-8 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
In the case of Radford High's Brody Smith, not hardly.
"I'd like to take credit for the young man's hitting ability, but all I do is say, `Way to go, Brody' and leave him alone," Bobcats' coach Wayne Pridgen said.
Hard to argue with that philosophy or the results. Smith began the season with an 11-for-14 (.785) tear and hasn't let up much.
"I didn't really know what to expect this year because I didn't hit as well as I wanted to last year," said Smith, a junior shortstop. "But I got off to a good start against Floyd County and I've been going well since."
As a wise and articulate baseball man once said, "Ya gotta believe."
"That got my confidence up," Smith said of his opening flurry against Floyd. "That's what it takes to hit a baseball: keeping your eye on the ball and having the confidence that you can hit it."
Part of his confidence is derived from the tutelage of his father, Brack, who taught him the theory of situational pitching.
"I try to guess pretty much," he said. "My dad taught me when I was in the eighth grade that you're not going to know what they're going to throw every time, but you can try to figure it out based on the situation.
"My philosophy is that you're going to have three pitches to find your pitch to hit. If the first two aren't what you want, then you better swing at the third if it's anywhere close."
As may be gathered, Smith spends a lot of time with his mind on baseball. The only other sport he plays is golf.
"I enjoy golf, but nothing like baseball," he said.
He was offered the opportunity to play both football and golf in the fall, but he declined.
None of this should be much of a surprise to those who have followed Smith's career, which started young. By the time he was 12, he was playing the game with such uncommon flair that he landed in the "Faces in the Crowd" section of Sports Illustrated. As a sophomore, he landed the shortstop job when the incumbent left the team.
So far this year, he isn't entirely satisfied with his defensive play.
"I haven't been aggressive enough," he said. "I've made 16 out of 18 plays and on the two that I made errors on, I waited and let the ball play me instead of me playing the ball."
But nobody has been complaining about his production at the plate - except the pitchers.
"The main thing is to make the pitcher throw to me, to give me what I want to hit," he said. "If he doesn't, then I won't swing."
by CNB