LOL at the comments in this thread.
How long until someone suggests we fire Coach Mingione?
How long until someone suggests we fire Coach Mingione?
#2 Kentucky vs. Florida
- Thread starter TuckyFB
- Start date
Regardless of final results today, this has been the best season in UK history.
WE overachieved. Florida has every advantage over Kentucky; they should be winning
I think many are missing the recognition of a cruel aspect of baseball as a high variance sport where the better team frequently doesn't win. Florida shouldn't have even been in the tournament and UK deserves by every measure to be a top-3 team. At one point, I thought Texas A&M was the cream of this year and, of course, Tennessee sat at #1 a long time even though I thought UK probably better. My VandyBoys were Baseball America's #2 team in Week 5 (and a consensus #3 in all the polls) but how things can change as the weeks pass. Florida has the parts to win it all and baseball depends on who gets hot at the end and a little luck along the way helps. I'm not a UK fan but have a lot of respect for what UK has accomplished this year, the way that the coach handles himself, and believe that the future is solid in an impossibly difficult conference that is adding Texas and Oklahoma. The quality of baseball in the SEC is already off the charts and still growing.
I know that no one wants advice from me but I hope that those who are relatively new to baseball will understand the seeming unfairness in any one game (or series) and measure success over a term of years. It is so difficult to win a CWS since every game is essentially a coin-flip. And, a dominate pticher from a lesser team can confound even the strongest offense. I'll submit that there is nothing to criticize about this year's UK team and everything to praise. Regardless of this CWS outcome, I can't imagine a team and program that did more to help itself this year than did UK. This team has earned praise and respect and UK's program is positioned to remain in the upper tier of the SEC which is about as good as it can get for anyone.
I know that no one wants advice from me but I hope that those who are relatively new to baseball will understand the seeming unfairness in any one game (or series) and measure success over a term of years. It is so difficult to win a CWS since every game is essentially a coin-flip. And, a dominate pticher from a lesser team can confound even the strongest offense. I'll submit that there is nothing to criticize about this year's UK team and everything to praise. Regardless of this CWS outcome, I can't imagine a team and program that did more to help itself this year than did UK. This team has earned praise and respect and UK's program is positioned to remain in the upper tier of the SEC which is about as good as it can get for anyone.
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An embarrassing ending to an otherwise great season. Unfortunately we only had one dominant pitcher and our bats went ice cold at the end of the year. Still a great 2024. Hopefully we’ll build on this.
i’m surprised this team went out like this.
they were sure fun to watch
great season
they were sure fun to watch
great season
That would be stupid, but this game was an embarrassment.
This season has been far beyond what any of us could have expected. Regional and Super Regional built unbelievable optimism. Guys showed fight in their 1st game in Omaha, despite their offense not doing "its thing".
Not many things could have happened to make this feel like a huge disappointment ... but today is just that (for me, anyway). They just flat didn't show up AT ALL. Losing in a walk off, or even 9-6 or something is respectable. Sadly, leaving the 4th best SEC team in Omaha. Hopefully, just GETTING to Omaha won't be enough for them this offseason. GET PITCHING, please!
Not many things could have happened to make this feel like a huge disappointment ... but today is just that (for me, anyway). They just flat didn't show up AT ALL. Losing in a walk off, or even 9-6 or something is respectable. Sadly, leaving the 4th best SEC team in Omaha. Hopefully, just GETTING to Omaha won't be enough for them this offseason. GET PITCHING, please!
It sucks to admit this, but by the end of the season Florida was clearly better than us. Same for A&M and obviously Tennessee.
Yeah, you can say “record” or whatever but the reality is when it mattered, in the post season (all of it), we literally lost to every SEC team we played.
I don't think that they settled at all. I don't think they thought the goal was Omaha and then when they achieved it, or even achieved one win, that they stopped fighting. Baseball is very much about momentum. Florida was not a tournament team but they got their chance, got hot at the right time and now they're advancing. Unfortunately, too many for UK slumped at the worst possible time. Some guys picked up the slack and still got us to the CWS, but in the end when we faced the elite of the elite, that wasn't enough to get over the hump and to win a title. Still, an extremely successful year and while today was uncharacteristic of our team I am positive that next year they will bounce back and be the same gritty never say never fight to the end type of team that they have been for the past several years. That is the culture now and it makes for really fun baseball.
Yeah, I don't see anyone suggesting that at all. Just a frustrating couple of games from a team and staff that has performed much much better. And that's hard to watch period.
It's happened in all the major UK sports lately. Just a bit frustrating. Proud of what this team did accomplish. But no one can be happy with today's result. Is what it is.
Build in the offseason, and retain the good guys you've got.
Oh there is already a post suggesting we replace Roszel.
Being unhappy with a result - one game - and crying about coaching, preparation, fight, etc. are totally different things.
No one wanted to get blown out today, but those happen to every team. This season was an overwhelming success and honestly I see no room for criticism.
That doesn’t mean we can’t try to get better. But this team punched above its weight class all year and achieved more than any team in Kentucky history, kicking down all kinds of doors along the way.
Your post gives me chills. So very gracious and insightful from outside the trees. Thanks.
My only criticism was starting Niman. He got waxed by UF his last outing and lo and behold it happened again. Just don't agree with putting a pitcher out there that got hit on like a pinata.
We do need a seemingly deeper and stronger bullpen.
Just don't want to see this season be a one off. Build on it. And I think we will.
Roszel has been amazing. This isn't the most gifted staff in the country by any means and yet he had them as one of the best in the SEC. No real ace. No third or fourth starters and yet we made it to sec-co champs and to Omaha.
I think CNM got every last drop out of the tank. There just wasn't anything left. Proud to be a fan of theirs.
I don't know who else you start there. Niman has struggled over the past few months, but Smith hasn't started a game since the SEC tournament where he also couldn't get out of the first inning, and prior to that it was in March. Lafferty apparently got banged up somewhere in the year and we lost a midweek starter. I mean, we were basically out of options and UK did exactly what they needed to do with today. We tried Niman and unfortunately he wasn't amazing and the defense behind him was abysmal. We then went to the pen fairly quickly and the guy that usually shuts the door ends up giving up a grand slam.
I mean, I wish we didn't have to start Niman either, but the options were slim to none.
I did say replace Rozelle and I have been saying that for a large part of the season. I have watched this team all season and the pitching has been bad...not just today.
I am thrilled at the season we had. Went to 15 games and had a ball going. I hope this is the beginning of a great program.
I love this program and can't wait for next year.
We finished the year with a team ERA of 4.92 which was 6th best in the SEC. That despite having a staff of pitchers that are not the most physically talented players in the world. We didn't get the luxury of a Hagen Smith or a Prager who have ERAs below 3.00 and are locks to be top picks. We just have a bunch of dudes that went out there and did their job at a pretty high level. Even then, we were low on depth as well. We only had essentially 1 starter and Moore was kind of a starter, but probably would have been better as a long reliever. So, we had this level of success despite all the difficulties that other teams don't have.
Pooser threw over 100 pitches just 3-4 days ago. That is a pretty short turnaround for guys that are used to 6-7 days of rest. It is possible that he could have done it, but it is reckless do that and could really hurt a guy's arm and his future prospects by doing it. On top of that, a tired arm means less velocity and less effectiveness.
There is only going to be 4 teams playing after UK’s loss today. I don’t know how many D1 teams there are, but basically UK should be no worse than 5th in final rankings. Started unranked and finish top 5….pretty amazing.
Guarantee UK isn’t getting overlooked next year by anyone!
Guarantee UK isn’t getting overlooked next year by anyone!
Great point. Hopefully they can hit the portal and pick up some quality arms this offseason. That, and enough talent to pile on the momentum they've built, hosting regionals in consecutive seasons.
And it’s a good thing they didn’t have to. Pitching depth was always a challenge for that roster. They played 3 games in Omaha and pitched O’Brien in every one of them. It was always extra critical for them to stay out of the losers bracket in the regional and not get to game 3 in a super and they did that. And looking back at types of teams they drew for those rounds got fairly favorable match ups to help that out.
That is a huge issue and the few guys we do have like smith do ‘ok’ but frankly it feels like they spent a lot of pitches with him during season trying to get located down fastballs when that’s not even his strength. He’s a belt high up fastball guy and let it eat. Which you saw today I guess because the game was essentially over when he came in. Seems like we have our formula and many big arm types we would have a legit shot with may not fit it. We like to keep it down play infield d and small ball it. It’s like we’ve chosen a mid major recruiting strategy that requires certain types. You also saw with fl during the season they struggled pitching young guys with’ stuff’ but lived to see the growth. And I can’t argue with Roszel in his relative success in game performance but we still don’t have much in the way of guys that start at uK and develop. Other than Moore the heavy use guys are all portal. Incoming freshmen I don’t think there are big arms either. Ferrell kid is coming off tj so who knows. Lost a kid late with a fb that bailed to vandy when they gave him a spot. They didn’t keep contact with a kid that had tj from LCA that went off to img and now runs it up to mid 90’s. They do need more velo ultimately
A great season by a UK team that has done what 70 prior teams failed to do!
Now that the team and the BBN has a taste of Omaha, we will want more!
Now that the team and the BBN has a taste of Omaha, we will want more!
And apparently the Penn kid from woodford county who is really good was offered a preferred walk on spot and to me that’s embarrassing. He took a full scholarship to western Kentucky
You may be aware, but baseball scholarships are hard to come by. There are like 40 guys on a team and only 27 of them can have scholarships. Coaches get just 11.7 scholarships to spread across those 27 players. So, full rides can be pretty rare.
Yeah the hs recruiting in his time here has always been bizarre. They try to get guys late without money that are better than guys they’ve had on board for a couple years.
Don’t understand why just 11.7?
Why not give everybody 20?
Is nil a major factor with college baseball?
This is absolutely true. But They haven’t been great about identifying guys they go in on early at UK then they get stuck with no money for the class late with guys that have developed in their last couple of years of hs.
I will also add the downside of how much portal they’ve used is it makes it that much harder with what hs kids you can get. Everybody uses the portal but guys look and see how many transfers you bring in on your roster and they start thinking hey I might be 2-3 years before getting any shot
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That’s the rule and they can do NIL but not as much of it in baseball and most schools burn most of it on portal guys and UK is taking more portal guys than most at this point. I doubt Penn got a totally full ride but I’m sure he got money at WKU.
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Yeah I know baseball staffs are handcuffed with that rule but it seems they could have found something for the 2 time Kentucky player of the year. He plays against my sons team and he’s the real deal
I was at the game, and it was bitterly disappointing to never be in it after the first inning; however, I'm a bit surprised to see how negative the comments are here. Even if we had lost 100-0, this was the best season in school history. We have half of our lineup in a huge hitting slump and lack of pitching depth caught up to us in Omaha.
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