Tag: Frank Anderson

Frank Anderson named 2022 Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year

Frank Anderson named 2022 Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year.

Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson has been named the 2022 Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year.

The Vols are slated to open its 2023 season in the 2023 MLB Desert Invitational in Arizona Feb. 17-19. The MLB Desert Invitational field will consist of Tennessee, Arizona, Fresno State, Michigan State and San Diego.

UT press release:

Tennessee baseball pitching coach Frank Anderson was named the 2022 Rawlings Pitching Coach of the Year at the American Baseball Coaches Association Convention over the weekend at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville.

The veteran pitching coach has guided the Tennessee staff to finishes in the top 20 nationally in ERA, WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio and walks allowed per nine innings in each of the past four seasons. The 2022 season was a banner year for the staff which led the country in each of those four categories.

Anderson also developed the D1Baseball.com Freshman of the Year (Chase Burns), the NCBWA Freshman Pitcher of the Year (Burns), the SEC Pitcher of the Year (Chase Dollander) and the SEC Freshman of the Year (Drew Beam) along with four 2022 MLB Draft selections (Blade Tidwell, Ben Joyce, Will Mabrey, Mark McLaughlin).

Anderson and the Vols look to continue the upward trajectory of the pitching staff as the weekend rotation of Dollander, Burns and Beam have been tabbed preseason All-Americans by Perfect Game and Collegiate Baseball while experienced right hander Camden Sewell was a Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-American, as well.

The Vols, who were ranked No. 2 in Perfect Game’s Preseason Top 25 poll, open their 2023 season at the MLB Desert Invitational from Feb. 17-19 in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area where they’ll take on Arizona, Grand Canyon and UC San Diego. UT’s home opener in slated for Feb. 21 against Alabama A&M.

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Umpire crew chief Billy Van Raaphorst releases statement on Drew Gilbert’s ejection

Umpire crew chief Billy Van Raaphorst releases a statement regarding Drew Gilbert’s ejection against Notre Dame.

Notre Dame (39-15) defeated No. 1 Tennessee (56-8), 8-6, Friday in game No. 1 of the NCAA Tournament Knoxville Super Regional.

In the fifth inning, Tennessee centerfielder Drew Gilbert was ejected for arguing a strike call. Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson was also ejected for arguing the call.

Following the contest, umpire crew chief Billy Van Raaphorst released a statement to Mike Wilson of the Knoxville News Sentinel regarding Gilbert’s ejection.

“Tennessee #1 Drew Gilbert argued several pitches during the top of the second inning, steaming in from centerfield. To begin the next inning I talked to the player between innings, warning him to direct his comments only to his team, not our crew or the other team. He said O.K. and that he just gets excited.

“During the fifth inning following strike one, Tennessee batter Gilbert yelled an expletive, followed by another expletive as he walked out of the box and was subsequently ejected.” –Billy Van Raaphorst

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PHOTOS: Tennessee assistant coach Frank Anderson through the years

PHOTOS: Tennessee pitching coach Frank Anderson through the years

Frank Anderson was hired as Tennessee’s assistant coach in June 2017.

Anderson joined Tony Vitello’s coaching staff after serving in the same capacity at Houston. He was the Cougars’ assistant coach from 2013-17.

Prior to Houston, Anderson was head coach at Oklahoma State from 2004-12. He compiled a 329–208 record in nine seasons with the Cowboys.

Anderson guided Oklahoma State to six NCAA Tournament regional appearances and a 2007 NCAA Tournament Super Regional. Oklahoma State won the 2004 Big 12 Tournament championship during his first season as head coach.

He served as an assistant coach at Texas (2000-03), Texas Tech (1990-99), Howard College (1987-89) and Emporia State (1984-87).

Below are photos of Anderson through the years.

SEC releases statement on Tony Vitello, Frank Anderson ejections

The SEC releases a statement on Tony Vitello and Frank Anderson being ejected during Saturday’s Tennessee-Alabama game.

No. 1 Tennessee (33-3, 14-1 SEC) defeated Alabama (24-13, 8-7 SEC), 15-4, Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee’s game No. 3 victory claimed a series win against Alabama. The Vols have a five-game lead in the SEC East division.

Josh Elander details Tony Vitello, Frank Anderson ejections

During Saturday’s game No. 2, third base umpire Jeffrey Macias ejected Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello and pitching coach Frank Anderson.

Vitello has been suspended four games, including Sunday’s series finale against Alabama. Anderson served his one-game suspension Sunday.

The Southeastern Conference released a statement to Vols Wire on Tennessee’s ejections.

Penalties related to ejections are governed by the NCAA. By procedure, umpires file a post-game report to the NCAA and the NCAA then provides a report (generally the following morning) to the conference office to confirm any related penalties associated with the ejection, at which time any penalties are communicated to the school.

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Josh Elander details Tony Vitello, Frank Anderson ejections

Josh Elander details Tony Vitello and Frank Anderson being ejected against Alabama.

No. 1 Tennessee (32-3, 13-1 SEC) defeated Alabama (24-12, 8-6 SEC), 9-2, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium Saturday.

The contest was the second of a three-game series. Sunday’s series finale is slated for 1 p.m. EDT. SEC Network+ will televise the matchup.

The voice of Tennessee football and basketball Bob Kesling (PxP) and former Vols’ baseball and football player Todd Helton (analyst) will be on the call for Sunday’s contest.

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello and pitching coach Frank Anderson were ejected in the first inning of Saturday’s game No. 2.

Third base coach Josh Elander served as the Vols’ acting head coach for the remainder of the game.

Elander met with media following the contest and discussed Vitello and Anderson’s ejections.

Elander’s comments are listed below.

Volunteer fireman: Ben Joyce discusses 100-plus pitching speed

Volunteer fireman: Tennessee’s Ben Joyce discusses 100-plus pitching speed

Redshirt junior pitcher Ben Joyce has appeared in 11 games for No. 1 Tennessee (23-1, 6-0 SEC) in 2022.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound relief pitcher has recorded 12 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

Joyce has registered many pitches of 100-plus miles per hour this season, including being clocked at 104 mph.

He joined Major League Baseball Network Tuesday and discussed his performance this season at Tennessee.

“I hit a 100 my sophomore year in college,” Joyce said on “The Stove.” “It was in a scrimmage before the season. I saw my coach videotaping it, so I knew something was up and then he told me after I hit 100. I saw the video, so that was pretty crazy.”

Joyce played at Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee. He played at Walters State Community College from 2019-20 before transferring to Tennessee.

 

Ben Joyce (44). Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

 

Joyce also discussed his preparation and having Frank Anderson as a pitching coach.

“The big thing from coach Anderson is just throw strikes and go out there every day and compete with whoever you got that given day,” Joyce said. “A really huge thing for us, just get ahead in the count. That kind of sets you up later in the count to throw your off-speed pitches and set the hitters off-balance. A huge thing for us is to just throw as many strikes as you can every time you are out there.”

Frank Anderson on opening day Feb. 18, 2022. The University of Tennessee Volunteers defeated Georgia Southern, 9-0, at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire.

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John Altobelli had impact on Vols’ baseball program

John Altobelli had impact on Vols’ baseball program.

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KNOXVILLE — A Sunday Southern California helicopter crash devastated the basketball world when it took the life of legendary Kobe Bryant.

The college baseball world also lost a pivotal figure as Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli died in the crash along with Bryant and seven others. The crash also claimed the life of Bryant’s 13-year old daughter and Altobelli’s wife and one of his daughters.

NBA: Kobe Bryant Helicopter Crash
Jan 26, 2020; Calabasas, California, USA; Scene of the hillside where the helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant crashed in Calabasas, CA this morning. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Altobelli died just two days before his Pirates were to begin the 2020 season and defense of their 2019 California Junior College State championship.

Altobelli, 56, won four state championships with Orange Coast and won 705 games in 27 years in Costa Mesa in the Orange Empire Conference, one of the Golden State’s top leagues.

University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello and pitching coach Frank Anderson both knew Altobelli well and were saddened by his sudden passing.

“John was a great human being and an incredible baseball man with a mile-long list of contributions to the game,” Vitello said in a UT press release. “John’s family, as well as the families of the others lost in the accident, will be in our thoughts and prayers during these difficult times.”

Anderson agreed.

“John was a great guy and a fantastic baseball coach who did so much for college baseball,” Anderson said. “My thoughts are with his family.”

In addition to coaching the Pirates for nearly three decades, Altobelli, who played college baseball at the University of Houston, coached in the Cape Cod League from 2011-14.

He was the head coach of the Brewster White Caps for three seasons.

In Brewster, he coached former Volunteers Andrew Lee and Drew Steckenrider.

Lee said that Altobelli was a great baseball coach who genuinely cared for his players.

“Coach Altobelli was a great man who cared for every guy that had the privilege to play for him,” Lee said. “He coached and taught in a way that made everybody want to pull on the same rope, which is hard to achieve in a league with so much talent.

“John helped many of us on our journey to becoming men and I’m deeply saddened to hear this tragic news. My thoughts prayers go out to his family and the families of everyone involved.”