TicketsCINCINNATI — Quinton Coats' whirlwind journey to 24 home runs (and counting) for the Cincinnati single-season record came to a climax in the ninth inning on May 5 at Oral Roberts.
The sophomore surpassed two-year letterwinner Mike Spina for the record, who initially broke Kevin Youkilis' mark in 2008 with 21 homers, then beating his own mark in 2009 with 23.
Spina now runs Elite Baseball, a travel organization in North Florida for ages 8-18, in addition to leading his alma mater, Newberry High School. He still carries fond memories and regular conversation with his former college teammates, and on April 22, he initiated the prospect of calling Coats to congratulate him and build a connection.
"He's obviously going to break the record," he said. "I hope he does. I hope he hits 30, or 40, or as many as he can so that Cincinnati wins. I want what's best for the university."
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
The current Cincinnati Reds senior vice president and general manager was the one who brought him to Clifton.
"Brad Meador, who was an assistant coach at the time, came down to our JUCO All-Star Game that was held in South Florida," Spina said. "He saw me and offered me right away, and I went up to Cincinnati for my visit. It felt like home. It was nice, and I was loved. I wasn't really excited about the cold weather, but I was excited to play Division I baseball and continue my career around a bunch of good players."
Spina torched Big East pitching. Despite only the two years in the Red and Black, he is third all-time with 44 homers, fourth in batting average (.359), fifth in on-base percentage (.443) seventh in RBI (148) while ranking first in slugging percentage (.703). His 79 RBI in 2008 are tied for the most in a season as well.
He says he stays in touch with several teammates to this day, as well as Meador and then-head coach Brian Cleary among others. They have kept him in the loop about Coats' season, and Spina has been ecstatic about the opportunity for more history.
"People always ask me, 'well, what's going to happen?' I say records are meant to be broken. That's what they're there for. I really am excited for him. I think there's going to be some great things coming for Quinton. The team's doing well right now, and as a Bearcat for life, I am happy for Coach Bischel and the program."
Spina and Coats' similarities don't end with stat sheets and barrel rates. Both of them have been team-first from the get-go, especially when asked about the mental load of records.
"I wanted to do whatever I could to help my team win," Spina said. "Back then, it was us and Louisville. We were always trying to beat them. Chris Dominguez was there, and he hit a bunch of home runs. I never wanted to aim for those. I was trying to physically do what was best and help us win every game."
"Some of my teammates knew (about the home run chase), but we didn't really celebrate it. We had such a great group. We were focused on the team. We were trying to win the Big East and make the regionals, and neither year we did. We lost to Louisville in the Big East championship (2008), and we beat some really good teams but simply didn't get in. If you ask a lot of guys from then, they'd say we got shafted."
Spina was drafted in 2009 by the Oakland A's (11th round). As with his time in college, he says he was proud to have the opportunity to compete each day in the minors.
"Minor league baseball is a grind, and if you don't know how to grind, you're gonna get chewed up and spit out really quick," he said. "It was fun. I hit a bunch of home runs in minor league baseball and made it to Double-A with Oakland, and it was a blessing. Now that I'm back home in Florida (with his travel ball organization), I give back to the kids. I try to give every kid an opportunity to try to reach their dreams and their goals and their aspirations of what they want to do in this game."
"I got drafted my junior year by the Twins late (45th round)," he said. "That next year, what really helped my process was that I was around a lot of really good players. Josh Harrison played in the big leagues a long time. Tony Campana made it with the Cubs. Dan Osterbrock and Lance Durham got drafted too."
College memories are immeasurable, and Spina's are of no exception. His recollections beyond the diamond included football and basketball games, supporting all of their fellow athletes.
"I tell the guys I coach in high school that UC was the best time of my life playing baseball. I'm not kidding that I could move to Cincinnati and live there, because I really enjoyed my time there. I met so many good people, and they made me feel at home. (Head coach) Brian Cleary and Brad Meador were like my second dads. I'm blessed, and I still am today that they gave me that opportunity."
The sophomore surpassed two-year letterwinner Mike Spina for the record, who initially broke Kevin Youkilis' mark in 2008 with 21 homers, then beating his own mark in 2009 with 23.
Spina now runs Elite Baseball, a travel organization in North Florida for ages 8-18, in addition to leading his alma mater, Newberry High School. He still carries fond memories and regular conversation with his former college teammates, and on April 22, he initiated the prospect of calling Coats to congratulate him and build a connection.
"He's obviously going to break the record," he said. "I hope he does. I hope he hits 30, or 40, or as many as he can so that Cincinnati wins. I want what's best for the university."
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
The current Cincinnati Reds senior vice president and general manager was the one who brought him to Clifton.
"Brad Meador, who was an assistant coach at the time, came down to our JUCO All-Star Game that was held in South Florida," Spina said. "He saw me and offered me right away, and I went up to Cincinnati for my visit. It felt like home. It was nice, and I was loved. I wasn't really excited about the cold weather, but I was excited to play Division I baseball and continue my career around a bunch of good players."
Spina torched Big East pitching. Despite only the two years in the Red and Black, he is third all-time with 44 homers, fourth in batting average (.359), fifth in on-base percentage (.443) seventh in RBI (148) while ranking first in slugging percentage (.703). His 79 RBI in 2008 are tied for the most in a season as well.
He says he stays in touch with several teammates to this day, as well as Meador and then-head coach Brian Cleary among others. They have kept him in the loop about Coats' season, and Spina has been ecstatic about the opportunity for more history.
"People always ask me, 'well, what's going to happen?' I say records are meant to be broken. That's what they're there for. I really am excited for him. I think there's going to be some great things coming for Quinton. The team's doing well right now, and as a Bearcat for life, I am happy for Coach Bischel and the program."
Spina and Coats' similarities don't end with stat sheets and barrel rates. Both of them have been team-first from the get-go, especially when asked about the mental load of records.
"I wanted to do whatever I could to help my team win," Spina said. "Back then, it was us and Louisville. We were always trying to beat them. Chris Dominguez was there, and he hit a bunch of home runs. I never wanted to aim for those. I was trying to physically do what was best and help us win every game."
"Some of my teammates knew (about the home run chase), but we didn't really celebrate it. We had such a great group. We were focused on the team. We were trying to win the Big East and make the regionals, and neither year we did. We lost to Louisville in the Big East championship (2008), and we beat some really good teams but simply didn't get in. If you ask a lot of guys from then, they'd say we got shafted."
Spina was drafted in 2009 by the Oakland A's (11th round). As with his time in college, he says he was proud to have the opportunity to compete each day in the minors.
"Minor league baseball is a grind, and if you don't know how to grind, you're gonna get chewed up and spit out really quick," he said. "It was fun. I hit a bunch of home runs in minor league baseball and made it to Double-A with Oakland, and it was a blessing. Now that I'm back home in Florida (with his travel ball organization), I give back to the kids. I try to give every kid an opportunity to try to reach their dreams and their goals and their aspirations of what they want to do in this game."
All coaches can attest to their players that individual recognition comes when the team performs, and Spina is living proof of it.
"I got drafted my junior year by the Twins late (45th round)," he said. "That next year, what really helped my process was that I was around a lot of really good players. Josh Harrison played in the big leagues a long time. Tony Campana made it with the Cubs. Dan Osterbrock and Lance Durham got drafted too."
College memories are immeasurable, and Spina's are of no exception. His recollections beyond the diamond included football and basketball games, supporting all of their fellow athletes.
"I tell the guys I coach in high school that UC was the best time of my life playing baseball. I'm not kidding that I could move to Cincinnati and live there, because I really enjoyed my time there. I met so many good people, and they made me feel at home. (Head coach) Brian Cleary and Brad Meador were like my second dads. I'm blessed, and I still am today that they gave me that opportunity."