Junior outfielder expected to play after two-month hiatus
Barring a setback this week, it is likely junior outfielder and 2010 College World Series Most Outstanding Player Jackie Bradley Jr. will arrive at the 2011 College World Series as an active roster member less than two months after injuring his left wrist against Mississippi State on April 23.
Bradley was in attendance at Tuesday's team workout at Carolina Stadium, at long last engaging in baseball activities again, although he is still in the process of strengthening his wrist to be able to take batting practice. That is expected to occur later in the week.
"He was running balls down in center field like he hadn't missed a beat, but he's not ready to swing the bat yet," said USC coach Ray Tanner of Bradley's participation in practice. "The next two, three, four days will gradually get him in the position to swing the bat."
Tanner said no decision has been made about Bradley's spot on the active roster yet — USC must declare one by Thursday — but as long as Bradley's rather remarkable recovery doesn't hit a late snag, it appears a formality Bradley will be one of the 27 names on it. If he were to get into a game, Tanner indicated it wouldn't necessarily be as a hitter but rather a pinch runner or defensive substitute.
"He knows how to run from first to third, he knows how to score on a ball in the alley and he knows how to catch one," Tanner said. "Could you see him in a game possibly? Yes. In a starting position? Probably not."
Holbrook interviews with UT: USC assistant coach Chad Holbrook was not at Carolina Stadium Tuesday. Instead, he was in Knoxville, Tenn., meeting with Tennessee officials about their vacant head coaching position after the firing of Todd Raleigh last month. Tanner said, while the timing could be better, he was fully supportive of Holbrook, a man and coach he is "all about."
"Chad Holbrook is a professional. He's also a dear friend of mine, and I support him regardless of the situation and whatever turns out," Tanner said. "It is what it is. We'll deal with it.
"I've said before, he's a guy that if I was an athletic director somewhere, and I had an opportunity to hire him, I would do my very best to hire him. We also are going to do our very best to keep him here."
Tanner said he did not feel it was a "lateral" move to take the UT job if Holbrook indeed chooses to do so, remarking, "Could you blame him?" for being interested in a head coaching position at a major SEC institution, and he said key USC officials, such as President Harris Pastides and Athletics Director Eric Hyman, share his desire to keep Holbrook in Columbia.
Speaking on a Columbia radio station Monday, Holbrook said it would take a "dream-type" situation for him to leave USC.