BASEBALL: BriSox Arrive In Town, Hold First Workout

BY TIM HAYES
Bristol Herald Courier
BRISTOL, Va. – Bristol White Sox manager Ryan Newman was in a good mood on Tuesday afternoon. 

The first-year BriSox skipper led his team through its first official workout at DeVault Stadium and continued to prepare for next Tuesday’s Appalachian League opener.

He also seemed glad to leave Arizona and the monotony of extended spring training behind.

“It was getting hot,” Newman said. “And the schedule down there: It’s tough; it’s grueling. That extended spring, you basically spend three months down there doing spring training. It’s tough on these guys, but they are excited to be here.
“When I was walking into the ballpark today, I saw some [players] out there already looking at the field. We’re excited and ready to go … They want to see the lights come on and hear the anthem.”

The 30-year-old Newman is a newcomer to the Appy League, but not to professional baseball. His father, Jeff, was a nine-year big league player and also served as a coach and manager on the major-league level.

Meanwhile, Ryan Newman spent three years as an infielder in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league system.

“I grew up in the game,” Newman said.

Newman spent last summer as manager of the Oneonta (N.Y.) Tigers of the short-season New York-Penn League. He’s used to the countless transactions and roster shake-ups that clubs in the lower minor leagues incur in the early stages of the season.

“At this level, you expect it,” Newman said. “It’s not ideal, but it’s fine. As far as team-wise, we have to cover fundamentals a few times. We’ll go over bunt plays and cutoffs and relays, and we’ll have to repeat it when more guys come in. But these guys are all ready to go.”

Nineteen-year-old pitcher Steven Upchurch is one of those guys. The Alabama native is in his second season with the BriSox, after going 2-2 with a 3.26 ERA in seven games (four starts) last summer.

“I’m very excited to get started,” Upchurch said. “It’s a huge honor for me to be here. I worked hard during the offseason. Hopefully, I won’t stay down here long and get moved up to [Low-Class A] Kannapolis. But like I said, it’s great to be here again.”

Upchurch spurned an offer from Auburn University after the Chicago White Sox selected him in the 12th round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft.

He has matured since his last stint with the Sox.

“The biggest difference between this year and last year, is last year I started out as an 18-year-old and everybody else was a lot older than me,” Upchurch said. “Basically, I was getting used to going from high school to professional. It’s a lot different atmosphere.

“It’s all about maintaining poise and being repetitious with my form and just being able to complete my mechanics over and over. I need to keep the ball down and make quality pitches.”

Upchurch also is glad to bid adieu to the Sox’s spring training facility in the Arizona desert.

“It’s an extremely high relief for me,” Upchurch said. “I’m used to being in Alabama, so we’re more back on my side of the United States now.”