In Their Own Words: Ryne Price

Jan. 31, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

Throughout the 2007 season, members of the University of Kansas baseball team will share their thoughts on various topics in the first person. This week, junior second baseman Ryne Price discusses the team’s prospects for this year.

On the beginning of the 2007 season:<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

“I think we look pretty good. It’s been kind of tough without seeing live pitching and not being able to scrimmage. The coaches have said the bullpens have gone really well and our defensive segments that we’ve done inside have been good. Coach Tucker has done a great job with the hitters. I think we’re ready to start playing. We’ve been counting down the days since November until we go to Hawaii.”

On playing on a younger team this season:

“We have the right mindset for this year. We have guys on our team who played quite a bit last year and some pitchers who threw quite a bit. We’re all ready to step into the shoes of the seniors who left and the younger guys are eager to fill in the extra roles that we need to be filled.”

On younger brother Robby on the team:

“He’s been around and watched both (Ritchie and I) play, and he’s played with me since he was 15. He also played with some other guys on the team like (Erik) Morrison and (Casey) Larson, so he knows a lot of the older guys on the club. He’s talked to Erik and I a lot about what to do in different situations. I just tell him to make sure he has fun, because if he has fun and works hard everything will fall into place. He’s a really good player, there’s a reason why he’s here. He went up to the Northwoods League last year and dominated. There’s no reason he can’t step right in and be an impact player for us.”

On playing for father Ritch Price:

“It’s kind of cool. I’ve always wanted to play for him, because he never got to coach any of my teams when I was younger. So that part is cool. But there are some downfalls. Because you are the coach’s son, you almost feel like there’s a burden on your back, that there’s more expected of you. It’s completely different at practice and during games, I don’t look at him as my dad, I look at him as my coach.”

On being named after former Cubs’ second baseman Ryne Sandberg:

“(My dad) liked him as a player and how he changed the way people look at second basemen. He thought it was a cool way to spell it, so I got stuck with it. I like it, but growing up, I had teachers that would call me `Rene’ or stuff like that. I think it’s pretty cool, because it’s different.”

On dealing with an injury last year:

“Last year was probably one of the most frustrating years I’ve ever had in baseball. You get hurt, then you come back, and you get hurt that same day. It was really frustrating to just have to sit there on the bench everyday and having to go through all the same things, and not being able to contribute to the team at all. It took its toll. I think I was really eager to come back. I learned a lot by watching other teams hit and their approaches to hitting at game speed, which I think helped out a lot.”