In The Dugout – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2003
There is no question Ohio State junior Brett Garrard has experience at the shortstop position. In his second year as a starter for the Buckeyes, he is looked to for leadership in the infield.
Garrard has been playing shortstop ever since he started playing organized baseball and he even pitched until his sophomore year of high school.
“Pitching put a lot of stress on my arm. It was hard to pitch one game of a doubleheader and then come back and play short for the second game.”
He always knew shortstop would be his place on the diamond.
“I like the control that comes with the territory,” Garrard said.
Helping him patrol the middle infield is sophomore second baseman Drew Anderson, with whom Garrard also played high school baseball. Anderson played a majority of his time at third base a year ago, but switched to second this season and the pair now forms an experienced first turn in traditional double plays.
Combining Anderson and Garrard as a double-play duo helps boost both players’ comfort level and brings more assurance to their game.
“Plays come up where you just have to know where the other person is going to be,” Garrard said. “It happens so quick where you can’t communicate verbally. You just have to go on instinct. He really gives me confidence and makes things easier.”
Anderson and Garrard having been playing baseball together for almost 14 years. It all started at the tender age of seven, when they competed on a Little League all-star team in their hometown of Brownsburg, Ind. Upon Garrard’s high school graduation in 2000, he came to Columbus in the fall to continue his education and play baseball for the Buckeyes. A year later, Anderson decided to suit up in the Scarlet and Gray.
“I talked to the coaches and they took a look and liked him,” Garrard said. “He really enjoyed his visit and it worked out.”
“I am so fortunate because I get to play baseball with my best friend every day,” Garrard said.
Off the field, Garrard and Anderson spend time together hanging out, as they have done for many years.
“Our parents are good friends and every fall we would go hunting together down in Park County (Indiana). “Now it’s hard to hang out together during the season because baseball is such a busy time, but we play PlayStation 2 and watch Austin Powers in Goldmember. I think we know that movie line-for-line.”
