By Neil White
McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)
OMAHA, Neb. – South Carolina coach Ray Tanner admits to being a big believer in baseball’s gene pool. That’s why Oklahoma’s lineup concerns him.
The Sooners feature the sons of a pair of longtime major league players.
Sophomore third baseman Garrett Buechele – who leads the team with a .371 average, 16 homers and 64 RBI – is the son of Steve Buechele, who played 11 seasons in the big leagues with three teams. Sophomore first baseman Cameron Seitzer – who’s hitting .311 with 15 homers and 52 RBI – is the son of Kevin Seitzer, who played 12 seasons in the majors with five teams.
“I believe in genes,” Tanner said. “I’ve recruited some student-athletes whose fathers played in college and got a chance to play professional baseball. Maybe not to Seitzer and Buechele’s status, but I believe in that, and I think that’s a big advantage. I watched those guys a little bit, and I was a fan of the fathers.”
Oklahoma coach Sunny Golloway loves having both on his team for a number of reasons, including the life experience they bring to the program. But he especially appreciates the way both sons have blended into the team.
“They earned it. They came in and weren’t given anything,” Golloway said. “I mean, those guys are loved by their teammates. They’re just one of the guys, and they don’t expect anything more than anybody else just because of the name on their back.”
Just as importantly, the fathers haven’t pushed themselves into the picture. Kevin Seitzer serves as the Kansas City Royals’ hitting coach, while Steve Buechele is the manager of the Texas Rangers’ Double-A affiliate.
“I’m very proud of Steve and Kevin, how they’re supported not only their sons but all the student-athletes. When they’ve come around, they’ve just been one of the guys,” Golloway said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and they’ve allowed their sons to be college student-athletes. They’ve done it the right way.”
Buechele, the team captain and an All-Big 12 selection, believes his experience growing up around the game has made a difference in his career.
“I’ve picked up so much knowledge of the game from being around the ballparks and seeing how the guys act,” he said. “I’ve absorbed so much.”
His most vivid memories come from the end of his father’s playing days, from 1992-95 with the Cubs. Steve Buechele had 137 homers and 547 RBIs in his career.
“I still remember every second of being out at Wrigley Field when my dad played for the Cubs. It was a special time. You can’t even really describe it,” he said. “At the time, you don’t realize how awesome it is until you’ve grown up and you get to look back at all the things you did. That’s the one thing I cherish.”
Buechele also will prize sharing a College World Series experience with his father. Steve Buechele played second base for the Cardinal during their 1982 trip to Omaha, which they opened with a 15-4 victory against South Carolina; Buechele went 3-for-5.
“The fact he got to play here and I did, too, in the last year (for Rosenblatt Stadium) is something really special and something we get to talk about for the rest of our lives,” Buechele said.
Seitzer also receives his share of comparisons to his father, a two-time MLB All-Star and career .295 hitter.
“I’ve heard we have similar swings because he taught me the way he knew how to hit,” Seitzer said. “Besides that, I’m a lefty, he’s a righty. I’m 6-5, he’s 5-10. We have our differences. He was more of a gap-to-gap guy, and he has told me I’ve got a little more pop than he did back in the day.”
His only distinct memory of his father’s career came in 1997, when the younger Seitzer was 7 and his father played for the Indians, who lost Game 7 of the World Series to the Florida Marlins. He calls his father his guiding force.
“Our dads have been through a lot more baseball-wise than most parents have. We don’t talk about it too much in the clubhouse or the dugout. We’ll go out and play hard just like everybody else on the team,” Seitzer said.”We just have dads we can talk to that know a little bit more about baseball. Having him to lean on after games, he’s always got a few words of wisdom for me.”
Buechele knows, however, having those famous names on the backs of their jerseys isn’t going to matter when they face South Carolina starter Blake Cooper in Sunday’s opener.