Oklahoma State baseball catcher Travis Wacker joined Pokes Post to give some insight into the beginning of his career with the Cowboys.
Yesterday, Pokes Post had Oklahoma State baseball bullpen catcher Matthew Zembraski answer a few questions for us about the program from his perspective. Today, we have the JUCO transfer and early recipient of Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, Travis Wacker.
I asked Travis about his early season success with the bat, replacing former catcher Collin Theroux, and updates on his injury status since the Saint Louis game.
Now, let’s see what the former Grayson Community College catcher had to say about his time with the OK State baseball team so far.
Q: Andrew Miller: How has the adjustment to Oklahoma State felt so far with the transition from Grayson CC?
A: Travis Wacker: The adjustment has been great, the coaches here are top notch and I learn more everyday from them. Having been at a JUCO, I truly appreciate all the facilities and people that help on a daily basis, keeping us healthy and in game form.
Q: Miller: What’s the key been to the team’s hot start offensively in the first 11 games of the season?
A: Wacker: I think the key has been building off each other’s confidence. Hitting is contagious and when we all get going it’ll be something to watch out for.
Q: Miller: You took over behind the plate for Collin Theroux, who was a great defensive catcher. Have you feel any pressure to fill his shoes after he guided a dominant pitching staff to Omaha last year?
A: Wacker: Collin Theroux did an excellent job last year of managing the pitching staff, although I feel like I am not filling his shoes but making my own. I just want to be able to help the team any way I possibly can.
Q: Miller: You’ve had a tremendous start to the season offensively, along with third baseman Garrett Benge. If the bats stay hot, how good do you think this team could be if the starting rotation pitches to their full potential for the rest of the season?
A: Wacker: I believe that there is truly no ceiling for this team, we have a tremendous amount of talent and each week we are all getting better as a team and continuing to improve and be the best players we can be. It’ll be great to watch when everything starts to click.
Q: Miller: If I remember right, you got hit with a pitch against Saint Louis and haven’t played since. Any status updates on when we could see you back on the field soon?
A: Wacker: I ended up having to leave the game after I took a foul tip off the catching hand. I hope to be back as soon as I can but it looks like 2-3 weeks.
Q: Miller: In just your second week of action, you received honors for Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. How special is that to get so early in your OK State career?
A: Wacker: It was pretty cool to receive that award, although, in the end, it doesn’t mean much. This game is a team sport and individual awards mean something, but the true award is being the last team left holding up the trophy at the end of it.
I would like to thank Travis Wacker for taking the time to give some insight into the OK State baseball program and the length of his stint with the Cowboys so far. We all hope that he returns to action soon after the injury to his catching hand. He contributed a great amount of value to the team so far and his bat has been missed.
Next: The start of Spring Practice for Cowboy Football
You can watch the OK State baseball team in action today against the Missouri State Bears at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium at 4 p.m. CT. You can also give Wacker a follow on Twitter here.