Summer Sessions: Q&A With Gavin Gallaher

Q: How was the transition from the College World Series to the Cape Cod League?
GG: I was lucky enough to have some time off, but it was an easy transition. Everybody was very welcoming, and settling in didn't take long.

Q: Considering this was your first taste of summer ball and the Cape is the premier summer league, what expectations did you have upon arriving in New England?
GG: I expected something more lavish, but the Cape brings you back to why you play baseball. There aren't state-of-the-art fields like The Bosh. You go out, play baseball and have fun.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?
GG: Usually, I either go to the field and work camp in the morning or to the gym if we don't have camp. I'll grab some food afterward and then relax. Our home games are at 5 o'clock, so I'm at the field by two. I'll eat again before we take the field. It's a full day.

Q: You are playing with some of the best players in the country. How would you describe the competition?
GG: Intense. Every pitcher has really good stuff, so you know every at-bat will be tough. There are no easy outs when you're playing defense, either. You have to be locked in every pitch because you're competing against the best players for nine innings every day.

Q: What position have you been playing primarily?
GG: I've been playing a little bit of second, some third and I'm hoping to play some short soon. We've got so many good players on this team that there's not much flexibility with the talent we have.

Q: What was it like being able to take the field for the Cape's workout day at Fenway Park?
GG: Fenway was awesome. Growing up a Red Sox fan, never having been there before, and getting to go on the field was an incredible experience. Playing on the same field as some of the amazing players that played there was so awesome. We got to take BP on the field, and I hit one over the Green Monster. It's a lot bigger in person than it looks on TV. That was such an incredible feeling.

Q: What was your experience like living with your host family?
GG: They welcomed me right in. They have a little pantry for me and told me I could have whatever I wanted out of there, and I like to eat, so that was great. They've been really nice and have done a lot for me. Without people like them who are willing to sacrifice their summers to house kids, this wouldn't be possible.

Q: What's a memory away from the field that stands out?
GG: All three kids in the family that I'm living with work at a miniature golf place, and we'll go after games, and they will let us play for free. That's been a lot of fun.

Q: How would you describe what it's like playing at the ballparks across the league, knowing some of the players who have come through there and the unique setting?
GG: People love "The Cape." The atmosphere has been great, and a lot of fans come out to the games, more than I expected. People will hang out at the beach during the day and then come to the games. It's been a lot of fun. It brings you back to the roots of why you play baseball.

Q: What areas of your game have you been working on?
GG: The most important thing I've been working on is getting stronger. I felt like I couldn't just maintain but needed to get stronger. Our fall workouts are tough, so when I get back to campus, I want to be able to hit the ground running. I've also been working on getting faster. Unless you're a guy hitting a lot of home runs, you need to have a little bit of speed. I'm working on developing a wider fielding range and a quicker first step to the ball.

Q: What are you looking forward to most about returning to Chapel Hill?
GG: I'm just excited about getting back to see my returning teammates and meeting the new guys. Being here has been great, and they've built a great team environment, but it's still nothing like Chapel Hill.

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