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Wranglers' Cox sees potential in TCL
Matt DeWalt — In a league that is designed to help prospective professional baseball players prepare for what life would be like in majors, the level of talent in the Texas Collegiate League is second to none.
Many of the players that participate in the TCL have said they chose to do so because of the level of competition they will face and that is exactly why Weatherford Wranglers third baseman Daniel Cox decided to spend his summer in Weatherford.
“I played at San Jacinto Junior College and we played against Weatherford,” Cox said. “Coach (Jeff) Lightfoot called me up after we played them and he asked me if I wanted to come play.
“A couple scouts said this was an up and coming league and pretty soon it is going to be one of the top leagues around. I believe the competition is up there already. I thought it was a good deal, so I was pretty excited about.”
Cox, who is now a member of the Sam Houston State University Bearkats baseball team said the pitching that he has seen in just his first three weeks in the TCL is better than the pitching he saw during his collegiate regular season.
“The overall pitching that I have seen so far as a whole, has been better than what I saw in the regular season in Division I,” Cox said. “This is by far the best summer league that I have played in.
“When you see this kind of pitching and you find ways to deal with it, then you go into your next season, and you know you are going to see some good pitching, you have already seen everything. You know you are going to have good pitching out here and in the season, so seeing it now really helps you and kind of lightens up everything in the season.”
Cox plays third base, which is known as the “hot corner” in baseball. He is front and center any time a player turns on an inside pitch and hits a screaming line drive down the third base line. If that wasn’t enough to keep Cox on his toes, now he has to be prepared for a splintered wood bat to be headed in his direction.
“You think about it, but you just try to focus on the ball and make a play,” Cox said. “It’s coming, so you might have to wear it. You just have to be heads up and be aware of it, but you’ve got to make the play.”
Cox said the ball comes off the bat faster when players are using aluminum instead of wood bats, but he added that doesn’t mean the plays are any easier.
“Overall, I believe it comes off the aluminum bat quicker, but I think if you hit it on the head with a wood bat it can come off just as fast,” Cox said. “The difference is, if the ball gets below the barrel, then it doesn’t come off as fast.”
Cox said he has had to adjust just as much if not more to the wood bat at the plate than in the field. He said the length and weight of the bats may be the same numerically, but they have different feels, which changes your swing.
“Using the wood bat has been the biggest adjustment,” Cox said. “If you have a 33-30 wood and a 33-30 aluminum, the aluminum bat is hallow and the wood bat is fully loaded, so it’s a little heavier. You’ve got to be a lot shorter to the ball.
“You can get away with more things with an aluminum bat than you can here. Using the wood bat and having to be real short has been the biggest adjustment.”
Cox took a .250 batting average into Saturday’s action against the Graham Roughnecks and was fourth on the Weatherford roster in batting average. He had 12 hits, one double, four runs, and three RBIs in 14 games for the Wranglers.
“I’m pleased with the way I have been able to adjust to the wood bat,” Cox said. “I’ll never be satisfied, but I feel like I’m on the right path as far as getting the timing down and keeping my swing short.”
Cox is the only player from SHSU on the Wranglers roster, but that doesn’t mean his is unfamiliar with his teammates.
“I played with quite a few of these guys in junior college ball and it has just accumulated over playing ball so much,” Cox said. “I know quite a few of these guys on these teams, but everybody is real good people. I haven’t met any jerks or anything like that, but it’s a little weird (being on of the few players from SHSU).
“There’s a couple guys from Sam playing on Coppell and we haven’t played them yet. It’s been an adjustment, but I pretty much get along with everybody.”
Cox said when he does get the chance to play against his Bearkats teammates he will be happy to see them before and after the game, but once the teams take the field he will be looking to lead the Wranglers to a win.
“I love my teammates, but if they’re playing against me, you’ve got to take it that way,” Cox said. “They understand you’ve got to get after them no matter who you’re playing against, but after the game, we’ll still be friends.”
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