June 12, 2019

PHOTO BY ADAM LUTHER/O’COLLY

June 12, 2019

Pitch Man Inside Josh holliday’s “million-Dollar” pitch to new recruits.

Cowb oy Baseball

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The ‘million-dollar’ meeting: how Holliday uses a suitcase, fake money to illustrate future for drafted recruits

school recruits trying to decide whether to sign with a professional team or go to college. Instead Editor’s note: Oklaof persistently urging homa State’s baseball them to choose OSU, he season came to end in tells them about reality.

Lubbock, Texas, where “Providing a little bit the Cowboys lost their of a big-picture life view super regional matchup to an 18-year-old who’s with Texas Tech. Still, trying to make a really OSU coach Josh Holimportant decision is liday has work to do, tough, especially when convincing future Cowthat decision hinges on a boys on the merits of dream,” Holliday said. attending college, rather He doesn’t try to than jumping to pro ball. convince wide-eyed stuIn this story by O’Colly dents to throw away the staff reporter Hallie dreams they have chased Hart, Holliday details since they waddled his pitch to recruits who across T-ball fields. face such a major deciMany of them strive to sion. ascend to Major League Baseball, and Holliday Josh Holliday calmly opened the charcoal-gray actively encourages that.

He also reveals the ways suitcase stuffed with stacks of fake $100 bills. a college education can prepare someone for a “Here’s a million major league career. bucks,” Holliday said.

Holliday’s presenta“Do you think that’s tion started with the life-changing money?” bills, which symbolize The response he a minor league player’s receives is always a predictable yes, he said. signing bonus. He Although the thin green matter-of-factly placed the suitcase on the table pieces of paper are useand unzipped it, showless as currency, they casing the bundles of have value to Holliday, Benjamins. the Oklahoma State When he talks to rebaseball coach, when he cruits and their families, uses them as a concrete he casually sets stacks of representation of a bills aside, often disMinor League Baseball player’s financial future. carding them in a trash can for emphasis. Soon, In his Allie P. Reyna huge chunk of a $1 olds Stadium office, million signing bonus Holliday demonstrated the presentation he has disappeared. typically gives to high “Your first thing you h allie Hart S taff repo rter @ hallieha rt

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019

Adam Luther/O’COLLY

OSU coach Josh Holliday before the No. 13 Oklahoma State vs. No. 12 Baylor Big 12 Conference baseball game on Friday,May 17, 2019 at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium in Stillwater.

have to do when trying to communicate with a young person about this is dispel the myth that this $1 million suitcase would last you forever because it won’t,” Holliday said.

Jon Littell, a former Cowboy outfielder who is in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, said he always envisioned himself as a professional baseball player.

The Washington Nationals drafted Littell out of Stillwater High School, but he played at OSU for four seasons. Littell

said Holliday presented the information and the “cash”-filled suitcase to him.

“I was a little caught off guard,” Littell said.

“But he really put things into perspective.”

Holliday said he shares numbers that have been gathered from case studies of minor league players. As soon as they sign, they pay about $490,000 in taxes, and nearly half of the bonus is gone, he said. Next, they pay their agents $50,000.

Many players buy

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new vehicles for about $75,000, and living expenses such as rent, bills and food can add up to $180,000 through six years, Holliday said.

If $20,000 for other expenses such as insurance, vacations and a cellphone are included, $185,000 of the signing bonus is left.

“Here we are at the end of a six-year minor league career where we don’t make it, and we’ve got this little startup kit of money, but we don’t have this lifelong supply,” Holliday said.

Suddenly, $1 million didn’t seem like much, but Holliday’s spiel didn’t end on a sour note. Along with the suitcase, Holliday brought a binder filled with stories of baseball players, some who signed with professional teams immediately after high school and others who went to college first. He discussed the earning power a degree holds and the ways college baseball equips athletes for the future.

College prepares them for playing in the major PAGE 2

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cover s t o ry league, and a degree is the ticket for another career path in case baseball doesn’t work.

“Instead of one bucket being full, the baseball bucket, you’re gonna fill up both your buckets,” Holliday said. “You’re gonna fill up your baseball bucket, and you’re gonna fill up an educational bucket.”

Holliday, a former recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Vanderbilt, has had time to polish his strategy. In 2011 at Vanderbilt, he assembled the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. He said he has used his presentation for nearly two decades, but the idea took root before his coaching days.

At 18, Holliday wrestled with options. The Minnesota Twins selected him in the 14th round of the 1995 MLB Draft, but he chose to play at OSU. Although Holliday said he had the resources and people to help him make an informed decision, he met others who weren’t as lucky.

“It made me think, and I didn’t want to make any life decisions that I would ultimately wake up with each day without having information,” Holliday said. “I thought information became a powerful thing.”

Holliday said when he started coaching, he valued sharing his knowledge with recruits.

Early in his presentation, Holliday explained what a signing bonus is. He described it as a safety net if it doesn’t work to play professional baseball and a subsidy many minor league players use because their salaries often aren’t enough WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019

to cover expenses.

Cade Cabbiness, a Cowboy junior outfielder, said Holliday doesn’t overlook the draft’s importance but makes sure athletes understand they usually won’t earn much money if they sign out of high school.

“It’s pretty much unlivable,” Cabbiness said. “So you live off of your signing bonus, and that’s something that I didn’t hear just from him but I heard from other people.”

Cabbiness said the information influenced his decision to play at OSU instead of signing with the St. Louis Cardinals, the team that picked him in the 21st round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Although Cabbiness said he intends to pursue a baseball career, he is studying business finance with a sports management minor.

Holliday emphasizes classroom education and the life lessons the Cowboys learn in college.

“The root of my passion in this presentation was in what I thought college did for you as a human,” Holliday said.

Holliday recognized going to college can be stressful, but he said he has never heard a player say he regrets it.

“I look back at it, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” Littell said.

Although college comes with expenses, including tuition and fees, Holliday said he can’t put a price on the connections his players establish. He points out to recruits they don’t pick teams to draft them, but they choose a university.

When they make that decision, they are selecting their

strength coach, academic advisers and teammates, Holliday said. Instead of wondering where professional teams will send them to play, they have constants in their lives as they develop their skills.

“If you’re meant to make it as a professional athlete because you have the Godgiven ability, that’s great,” Holliday said. “But if you can match the God-given ability with a very developed mind and a very sound soul, you might make better decisions as a professional that will allow you to do it for a longer period of time.”

Hueston Morrill, a freshman starting second baseman from Live Oak, Florida, chose to play at OSU, though the Los Angeles Angels picked him in the 2018 MLB Draft. Morrill said Holliday discussed the draft with him and told him why he would benefit from going to college first.

“It was kind of a big plan,” Morrill said. “We wanted to get out here, get bigger.”

Many young players share Morrill’s perspective, but there are outliers. Holliday’s pitch can’t persuade all recruits to play college baseball, and he recognizes his financial statistics for average minor league players don’t apply to everyone, particularly standout early draft picks.

Regardless of college experience, some, including his brother, Matt Holliday, can sign after high school and rise through the minors to major league clubs.

After earning a 2011 World Series victory with the St. Louis Cardinals and four Silver Slugger Awards,

Logan Biggins/O’COLLY

Colin Simpson (24) after a home run hit during game 3 against Texas Tech during the NCAA Super Regional Tournament, at Rip Griffin Park, in Lubbock, TX on June 9, 2019.

Logan Biggins/O’COLLY

OSU players hold the Big 12 Baseball Championship trophy after the Oklahoma State vs.

West Virginia Big 12 Conference Baseball Championship game in Oklahoma City.

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cover s t o ry Matt Holliday returned to Stillwater, providing the Cowboys with another mentor as they prepare to play professionally.

“We have everything we could possibly want or need to help us develop our game and get better,” Cabbiness said.

Holliday said the decision becomes different for players when they are trying to choose whether to leave OSU early for the draft.

He doesn’t have to tell them about the benefits of college because they know, and he fosters a welcoming environment that makes players, including Colin Simpson, a senior catcher/ outfielder, want to stay

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019

for four years and earn a degree.

“I just really love the relationships I’ve built here, and this place feels like family,” Simpson said. “And I just wanted one more last ride with them.”

When O’Brate Stadium, the Cowboys’ new venue, opens in 2020, OSU will have upgraded amenities that could attract more high-level recruits. Holliday said this makes his presentation more important. When he opens the suitcase filled with green paper, he opens recruits’ minds as he offers information they might have never considered.

Although Holliday has

traded his professional baseball aspirations for coaching, he has found fulfillment in preparing student-athletes for their futures, whether in the major league or elsewhere in the workforce. “(People) say, ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it, too,’” Holliday said. “I think you can. I think you can have your college experience and your development and also play in the major leagues, and I think the facts show that.”

Hallie Hart is a sports media senior from Chandler. She can be reached at hallie.hart@ okstate.edu.

Devin Lawrence Wilber/O’COLLY

Josh Holliday stands for the national anthem with his baseball team at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha Nebraska at the 2016 College World Series.

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Cowboys surrender late lead in final game of the season sa m lan e s taf f repo rter @samlan eok

LUBBOCK, Texas -With two runners on and no outs, the stage was set for another comeback from the Oklahoma State baseball team.

Twenty-one of OSU’s 40 wins this season came in the comeback variety.

Whether it was center fielder Trevor Boone’s three-run home run during the Oklahoma City regional or Noah Sifrit scoring on a walk off wild pitch to defeat Texas Tech in the second game of the Lubbock Super Regional, the Cowboys are no strangers to a late comeback.

When second baseman Hueston Morrill walked up to the plate in the top of the ninth inning with pinch runner Dylan Gardner on second and right fielder Cade Cabbiness on first it looked as though OSU might add another comeback to its total.

This time, however, the Cowboys fell on the wrong side of the comeback, losing 8-6, ending their season one win shy of the college world series.

The bottom of the eighth inning caused the Cowboys to be in yet another hole.

Throughout the super regional, OSU’s bullpen had a roller coaster of performance and emotion.

Sunday’s series finale was no different.

OSU used four relief WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019

Logan Biggins/O’Colly

Colin Simpson (24) after his home run during game 3 against Texas Tech during the NCAA Super Regional Tournament, at Rip Griffin Park, in Lubbock, TX on June 9, 2019.

pitchers in an attempt to progress to the College World Series. One Cowboy pitcher, Joe Lienhard in the seventh inning, was able to hold TTU scoreless.

Pitchers Logan Gragg, Peyton Battenfield and Ben Leeper had three very distinct appearances from one another.

Gragg was reliever called from the Cowboy bullpen and was tasked with consuming innings following starter Brett Standlee’s three inning outing. Gragg, the first Cowboy taken in the MLB draft in the eighth round, did what was asked of him. He pitched three innings, giving up one run and keeping the Red Raiders’ offense relatively

silent.

Battenfield, pitching his third day of the series, lasted all of one batter in the top of the eight. He surrendered a solo home run to shortstop Josh jung and was promptly pulled from the game.

Leeper, OSU’s usual closer, also pitched in his third game of the series.

He proceeded to walk his first two batters before surrendering a three-run home run to left fielder Kurt Wilson, giving Tech the 8-6 lead.

During Morrill’s at-bat, the Cowboys were in need of a another late rally to keep their season alive.

Morrill saw six pitches, the first of which being a fouled-off bunt attempt.

After not getting the bunt

down, Morrill swung away and struck out.

OSU third baseman Christian Funk was the next batter and similar to Morrill, had a lengthy at-bat. Funk saw seven pitches before popping up to third baseman Parker Kelly.

Senior Colin Simpson, the player most OSU fans would hand pick to be at the plate as the winning run with the season on the line, was up with two outs.

Simpson was second to Boone for the team lead in home runs with 17, including the one he hit in the fifth inning.

Unfortunately for Simpson, this game and his career as a Cowboy would end with him striking out swinging.

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Despite the result of the inning, Holliday said that having his team get in position to make yet another comeback was something he expected all along.

“They jumped right back on it,” Holliday said.

“That’s a rare instinct a team develops and I just really believed in them.

Yeah it was a punch in the gut to have that ball go over the fence, but what are you gonna do. Turn back around and jump back in on it. (Get) the first two guys on base, three good swings to try to put a bat on ball against a good reliever, the kid made the pitches when he needed to.”

Aside from the loss and the end of the Cowboy careers for multiple players,

Holliday said that there are many things he will take away from this year’s team that have nothing to do with the end result. “(I) could not be more proud of my team and the amazing courage and fight that was on display the past six to eight weeks with these kids has been fantastic,” Holliday said.

“They’ve been everything I could ask for out of a group of kids. They’ve competed at a high level.

They’ve played great baseball. They’ve found the true meaning of team.”

Sam Lane is a sports media junior from Oklahoma City. He can be reached at sam.lane@ okstate.edu.

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 WCs 5 Rope fiber plants 10 Shell game, e.g.

14 Hodgepodge 15 Wedding 16 Somewhat, in music 17 Blockhead 18 Ulan Bator residents 20 Electrical unit 22 “Citizen Kane” director 23 Fill with love 24 Flower part 26 Philosophy suffix 28 Antediluvian 29 Talk, talk, talk 32 Drive away 36 With the bow, in music 38 “__ Lisa” 39 Share good fortune, as suggested in four sets of circles 42 Ore bed 43 Multivitamin ingredient 44 Compare 45 Fielder’s strong throw 46 Cultural Revolution leader 47 Recede 49 Does some mending 51 Disaster area thief 56 Gauguin’s island retreat 59 Bayou critter 61 Wedding party member 63 Inevitable outcome 64 What Benjamin Button did backward 65 Not windy 66 Side squared, for a square 67 Like Santa’s cheeks 68 Eyelid woes 69 Metallica drummer Ulrich DOWN 1 Age of Enlightenment philosopher

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By Tim Schenck

2 Do-or-die Texas Hold ’em bet 3 String quartet instrument 4 City destroyed in Genesis 5 Caters to 6 Carbon compound 7 Freebies near the register 8 Faddish ’90s disc 9 Road maintenance vehicle 10 Mop target 11 Shade of black 12 Proactiv+ target 13 What some proverbial stones don’t gather 19 Detective’s need 21 “And there you have it!”

25 Epoch in the Cenozoic Era 27 __ of honor 29 Egg part 30 Get the pot going 31 Madeline of “Blazing Saddles” 32 “Let us know if you’re coming” letters 33 Duel tool

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

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34 Uptight type 35 Bard’s nightfall 37 Density symbol, in physics 38 __ tai 40 Nin and Frank 41 Macaroni shape 46 Pal at the barbie 48 Turbine parts 49 One of Sean Combs’ stage names 50 Hair-raising

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52 Butcher shop byproduct 53 Sparkly crown 54 Perfume compound 55 Relatives of emus 56 Lift up the slope 57 Golden Fleece ship 58 Goes quickly, quaintly 60 Ascend 62 Bumped into PAGE 6

h o ros cop e

Daily Horoscope

By Nancy Black Tribune Content Agency

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Solution to Tuesday’s puzzle

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

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Today’s Birthday (06/12/19). Take your romance to the next level this year. Strategize and contribute steadily for shared gain. Extra money flows in this summer, before a family financial shift. Shared accounts surge next winter, before unexpected personal expenses arise. Put your hands and hearts together.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t try a new idea yet. Discover a structural problem. Define the work schedule carefully, and handle responsibilities on time. Practical actions get positive results.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Stay patient with your partner. Don’t make assumptions. Impulsive words could backfire. Consider common goals, dreams and commitments.

Strengthen bonds with shared experience.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Nurture your physical health and wellness. Self-esteem increases when you avoid arguments. Stay out of somebody else’s argument. Private effort pays off.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Relax and prioritize fun with people you love. You’re developing a new perspective. Don’t overextend yourself. Share a passion with someone interesting.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Make domestic repairs and renovations. Nurture home and family. The gentle approach works best now. Keep your agreements. Clean messes, and reward yourself with relaxation.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Study new developments. Slow and easy does it. Don’t rush into anything. Draw up plans and communications. Consider changes, and craft your response.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on making money. Use your own good sense with a financial deal. Make sure the numbers add up. Mistakes could get expensive. Compute expenses.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- You’ve got the confidence to pull off your idea. Stifle rebellious tendencies for now. Clarifying misunderstandings could get time-consuming.

Slow down to finish faster.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- Maintain a mystery. Take a refreshing pause. Privacy soothes your sensitivities.

Listen more than you speak. Sort, clean and organize. Make space for what’s ahead.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Work together for an inspiring possibility. Cultivate leadership on your team.

New facts dispel old fears. Guard against impetuous moves.

Talk things over.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Work has your attention. Slow down to avoid mistakes. Costs can vary widely.

Don’t get burned. Get creative to find a solution to a challenging puzzle.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Conditions favor travel and exploration. Get out while the getting is good. Make long-distance connections. Stay respectful, even when it’s chaotic. Watch your step.

PAGE 7

m iley cyrus

ent e r tainmen t

Review: Miley Cyrus’ new EP shows new style, but bad twist M egan Hays S taff repo rt er @ ocolly

Miley Cyrus worked hard to shake off that innocent Disney child star status with that now infamous MTV Music Awards performance. Now, she’s married and has lost some of that wild child air from 2013.

Kinda.

“She Is Coming” is part one in a four-part project.

Cyrus gives the lyrics an explicit more matured wild thing take but with an eclectic mix of electric, rock and pop music.

“Mother’s Daughter” opens the album with a

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019

trap inspired intro before shifting to a more traditional but darker pop-like rhythm. Somehow, Cyrus’s softer tone expresses some seriously empowering lyrics about her attitude to the things people are saying about her. In the song, Cyrus fully accepts her wild child reputation, pushing back the haters wanting to experience her freedom. The percussive beat highlighted by synthetic piano notes adds layers to the song making the song sound new and different.

Cyrus pulls more out of the trap gene’s bag of tricks as the album progresses. An almost

dreamy opening decorated with glittering synthetic chimes continues through the song as a strange interference in the background “Unholy” is a chill song. This lends towards Cyrus’s admission to drinking and getting high along with everyone else.

Like in “Mother’s Daughter,” Cyrus takes control of her untamed reputation and her participation in the rockstar life of partying and getting intoxicated. A theme that continues through the album.

In the next song, “D.R.E.A.M” featuring Ghostface Killah, that party atmosphere is investigated more, show-

ing the darker side. The lyrics themselves seem to hype up the drug clouded nights, the soft almost fragil tone of Cyrus’s voice paired with the tone down music. The deep pounding beat in the chorus paired with the synthesized guitar create the come-down from the high.

It would be a great song but the rap at the very end doesn’t fit. Ghostface Killah’s voice seems to hype the whole mood of the song back up when the chill and calm vibe of the song was a huge part of the appeal.

As soon as that almost relaxing song ends, RuPaul’s voice blares at

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the listener. “Cattitude” featuring RuPaul seems to only be used for shock factor. Cyrus’s voice is oddly distorted, which isn’t awful but it doesn’t really do anything for the song other than providing a weird effect. The rapid, almost marching bandesce beat adds to the fast intensity of RuPaul and Cyrus’s raps, but there isn’t anything special about the music going on in the background. The lyrics are explicit, not in terms of curse words, but straight up pornographic.

The lyrics don’t really seem to have anything to say other than being proud of the female anatomy,

they only seem to provide shock value throughout song.

Cyrus has matured a lot in terms of style. Most of the songs on the EP have a really cool mix of signature trap elements paired with lyrics Cyrus helped write. But Cyrus still likes the attention and the shock factor. On an EP, one song can be the difference between a decent EP and a great EP. Sadly, that one song makes it difficult to consider this a great EP.

Megan Hays is a chemistry senior from Bartlesville. She can be reached at megan.hays@ okstate.edu.

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