In The Dugout – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 7, 2002
After redshirting his true freshman season a year ago, Matt Davis is excited to see action on the mound, and has a positive attitude about his learning experiences.
“I used redshirting as an advantage,” Davis said. “In high school, you play all the time, every day for four years straight. I wasn’t used to the situation of not playing. It was a new experience for me, but at the same time, it was really helpful.”
Davis certainly learned a lot about college baseball last season as well as the different mental aspects that come into play for a pitcher.
“It helped me a lot mentally to prepare me for games when I would come in and pitch in relief.”
Davis was a three-sport athlete in high school, excelling in football and basketball as well as on the diamond for the Mason Comets, but he knew he wanted to continue as a college student-athlete in only baseball. Davis sported No. 16 from Little League to high school, but now for the Scarlet and Gray, he wears No. 34. He saw his new number as a new start for new experiences in Columbus.
Davis recalls playing baseball with his friends as a kid for fun, but says it wasn’t until later when he developed his game as a pitcher and stepped up to the challenges it brought.
“My earliest memory is playing Little League just like everyone else, just going out there and having fun,” Davis said. “I developed more as a pitcher later. I could hit and field like most of my teammates. Toward my junior and senior years of high school, I really developed more as a pitcher than anything else. I really love to hit and be on the field, but pitching is a challenge. I like being put in different situations and see what I can do. I want to prepare myself the best I can to go out there and do my best.”
Davis can be described as the type of player who takes life one day at a time, and baseball one game at a time. All he wants is to be prepared for whatever curveball life – and baseball – throws at him. “I don’t really set high standards for myself,” Davis said. “I just try to improve day in and day out and for whenever Coach Todd needs me. I have to be prepared for any situation whether it would be coming in with the bases loaded or starting a game. I have to be able to handle any situation.”
