AUBURN | Everett Teaford knows at some point next spring he’ll have to walk to the mound during an SEC game and talk with one of his pitchers that is in a bit of a bind.

What Auburn’s pitching coach has to say to that young man and how he says it is something Teaford is already preparing for just days into his new job.

“I think that’s very individualized,” said Teaford. “Some people need the soft touch. The game is going a million miles per hour in his brain. He doesn’t need you out there being all Rambo on him. But there could be a guy that needs some Rambo, ‘Dude, you’re better than this. Let’s go.’

“So you’ve got to know your personnel. I started doing player meetings (Thursday) to try and find out a little bit about them so I know what buttons we need to push.”

Teaford comes to Auburn after spending six years in the Chicago White Sox organization including the last four as pitching coordinator. One of his most important responsibilities was to implement new technologies and analytics including the TrackMan system, which uses doppler radar to measure the velocity, rotation and movement of a baseball after it’s thrown or hit.

Auburn utilizes the TrackMan system at Plainsman Park.

But there’s a balance to using technology and analytics, and being able to develop pitchers and teach fundamentals. Teaford aims to be right in the middle, and it goes right back to that in-game mound visit.

“Have the dirt under your cleats so you can speak to what that kid’s going through in the moment, because that’s important,” he said. “But know the data and talk about pitch design. Talk about vertical break and all the new stuff that has come into the game in the last 7-8 years.

“Strike one is very important, fielding your position, holding runners. That little stuff is always important, especially in the college game. College wins and losses are more important than minor league wins and losses. In the pros you’re trying to develop players for the big leagues, not necessarily trying to win the Southern League championship. In the SEC, it’s about producing and executing on the field and winning games. So I’m excited to be in that middle ground and bring everything together.”

Teaford had many reasons to accept the position at Auburn, starting with the opportunity to work with Butch Thompson and his talented staff and compete in the SEC.

“It’s big-boy baseball. It’s the SEC. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to go beat the best. And this is the best right here,” he said. “This program has done a lot of really good things but I still feel like there’s things we can tap into to be even better.”