Q and A with 2012 Baldwin Wallace Commit Ricky Miller (Sycamore)
December 16, 2011
By Travis Cox
PBR: Why did you choose Baldwin Wallace?Miller: After finding BW had interest in me, I arranged a visit and I got to spend a day with Coach Harrison and he told me about what he’s done with past programs and his current goals for BW. I also got to hangout with players on the team as I toured campus and got a feel for the program. I like the weight room, the campus size, and the sport management program they offer (what I intend on studying). I just got “that” feeling about BW. PBR: What other schools were you considering?Miller: Tiffin University (Ohio), Bellarmine University (Kentucky) and William Carey University (Mississippi). PBR: What was the relationship you had with the Coach Harrison and the rest of the coaching staff in the recruitment process?Miller: Before meeting, Coach Harrison and I emailed each other and talked on the phone. Once I finally met him, I noticed he was really helpful and I got along with him very easily. He’ll be the first to tell you he likes to talk, but I admire that. I wanted to know EVERYTHING about the program I could find out and Coach Harrison let me know everything. I’ve also spoken to an assistant coach on the phone about the program and my future. Overall, I feel very comfortable with the staff, especially Coach Harrison. PBR: Where did Baldwin Wallace first see you compete?Miller: The first time BW saw me was at the Ohio Buckeye Elite Showcase. Then the coaches saw me play a few Sycamore games and also received a report on me from the PBR Miami Valley Open Showcase. PBR: Coach Harrison has been able to turnaround every program that he has coached. How quickly do you believe that BW can compete in the difficult OAC?Miller: I don’t see any reason why BW can’t compete with anybody immediately. Since Coach Harrison took over, he’s already made significant changes in the program and continues to bring in strong recruiting classes. With a will to win, there’s a way to win. Coach is a competitive person and knows his players need to be competitive and work hard. With the off season workouts we talked about and with strong work ethic from the players, BW should compete with anybody in the OAC. PBR: What is your biggest strength as a player and how do you feel that you will help as a Yellow Jacket?Miller: I believe my biggest strength as a player is my vision and speed. I’m good at picking up the ball and spin out of the pitchers hand so I know what I’m hitting, and good vision also helps when reading the ball off the bat in the outfield. My speed also helps in the outfield a ton, as well as on the bases. These are assets that I’m looking to improve even more to help me produce for the Jackets. PBR: What team do you play for in the summer and what was the most memorable experience from this summer? Miller: This next summer I will play for the Cincinnati Bulldogs, however every other year of my baseball career I’ve played for the Cincinnati Mavericks. The most memorable experience this summer was going to Clearwater for the IBC World Series. We were down by 2 in the 7th inning to the Bullets and I was up with 2 outs and the bases loaded. I hit a 2 rbi single to tie the game. We ended up winning in extra innings and winning that game moved us to the semi finals of that World Series. PBR: Who has had the biggest impact on you as a baseball player?Miller: Jim Arnold. No questions asked. Coach Arnold has helped me get better every year since I was 9 years old and nobody has worked harder on getting me to the next level than him. Whenever I wanted to workout he made himself available and I can’t count the amount of baseball knowledge he gave me as well as the number of rounds of BP he threw me. PBR: Who is the toughest pitcher that you have faced in Ohio?Miller: The toughest pitcher I’ve faced in Ohio was Matt Smoral. He had good velocity with a tight curve and kept the ball low.