You also have a lot of UK baseball families that dislike Henderson. I have never met the Hairston family so I do not know what their take on Henderson is, but it might not be something extremely positive.
BIG Week Ahead....
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You also have a lot of UK baseball families that dislike Henderson. I have never met the Hairston family so I do not know what their take on Henderson is, but it might not be something extremely positive.
At the WKU game I talked with a family member of one of the upper class man who plays a prominent role on this team and the individual told me GH is the dumbest manager this player has ever played for and consistently does things that absolutely make no sense
Henderson going to Pop has to be one of the dumbest moves ever. No offense to Pop, but the guy has struggled this year and this was not the game to try to get him some work. I didn't catch the early part of the game, but taking out Logue after he was actually doing a pretty good job and had only thrown 55 pitches was also pretty dumb. I know the 5th and 6th innings are scary, but those are the times to be prepared, but not to pull the trigger unnecessarily.
I live in Tennessee so I don't really have much actual interaction with the program. However, in the past I did interact with the father of a former player. That family expressed total disrespect for Henderson, and I think having him stick around the program has alienated that family from the baseball program. The more I watch or listen to UK under Henderson the more I realize that this guy was right about a lot of what he said. One example being how Henderson believes he is smarter than the game and tries to out-think it. Another thing that was mentioned was that Henderson does not seem to handle pressure that well. I think that is pretty evident with a lot of our late season collapses. When we have to have a series down the stretch we never seem to be able to pull it off. Here we are in the biggest two week stretch of the season and we've gone 1-4.
Your story is really interesting. Makes me want to know who it is, but I'm going to keep it as a speculation because I don't think that is really something that needs to be passed around. However, I do hope that former (and possibly current) players and family members will step up at some point and do what they can to force Barnhart's hand. I don't think anything would speak louder than that, other than money.
The person I talked to said the said same about being alienated from the team when the family was finished playing.
I will gladly tell you after the player has left the program...think it will surprise you...This isn't it , but do you remember Troy Frazier? I worked with his grandfather and he had a similar experience and story with GH
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I do remember Troy. Transferred from WKU. Feel sorry for him because he had a great average at WKU and if I remember correctly he didn't see much time here (correct me if I am wrong).
The people I have heard from/about have been fielders... I would be curious to know what some of the pitchers and their families actually think about Henderson.
Had a very good season under Cohen and he really liked Troy, but as soon as GH took over he couldn't sniff the field...the funny thing was his gf was a HUGE Otis fan( his brother played bb there) and would only wear a red hat if it UK on it...we use to tease him about it..he Tra seed to a small school in Ga...my lips are sealed on the player..wink, wink
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Things will continue to get worse rather than better under Henderson. I saw it several years ago, but just hoped I was wrong. Barnhart usually cares a lot more than most about smaller sports like baseball, so I've got hope that a change will be made at the end of the year. I highly doubt we're very competitive from here on out in the SEC.
I have a different take on this and used to get into this argument with our own posters when it comes to pitching in midweek, and more importantly the UK game. I think we can all agree that in a one game situation you guys are alright; when you get into a series where your pitching depth is taxed you are more vulnerable (though the weekend was a positive step against Vandy). The environment of a UK/UofL game is as close to a tournament situation as you and us will find themselves in outside of conference play, and what better place to put your mid to late inning pitching into the fire than in that game? I don't know if that was necessarily Henderson's intent, but given your starters went deeper than they customarily did in your weekend series it gave him the luxury of getting a number of people some work before your weekend series. Those 7th, 8th and 9th inning arms need to be identified, and a game like last night goes a long way towards that. And it was against what statistically might be the best hitting squad in college baseball right now.
I have made the case the last three weeks that some of the strugglers that Louisville has in their pitching are due to being underworked, the hard sinkerballing Lincoln Henzman being my best example.
First off, I'm glad you're here with some good discussion. Pains me to say it but congrats on winning a hard fought series.
In terms of development, I agree to some extent. Right now Kentucky has 2-4 pitchers it uses on the weekends out of the bullpen. They are Strecker, Lewis, and Salow. Hjelle is the clear closer. Their roles are pretty well defined. Henderson wants the starters to go deep and then give it to either Lewis or Strecker in the 7/8 innings before giving way to Hjelle. Those two guys really don't need work but it was understandable that we used them yesterday.
Where we've struggled big time this year is during the midweek. We've been unable to find a starter. Logue and Pop have been the guys but neither had been that impressive. Yesterday Logue was pitching very well and I think Henderson went to the bullpen too early. Get another inning out of Logue and then he could have given the ball to Lewis, Strecker and Hjelle. Instead he went to Pop and that really started the Cardinals rally.
I disagree that UK has a problem with bullpen depth. At least to some degree. I don't think it is that much of a problem because we have 3 weekend starters who can regularly pitch into the 8th inning. Where we could get into trouble is if Brown struggles early on Friday and then we have to have either Lewis or Strecker pitch 3 or 4 innings. That puts one of them on the shelf for the weekend. Then if another starter,or both, gets into early trouble you've really got trouble. However, that really hasn't happened this year. Where UK will struggle mightily is if there is any injury to a weekend starter. Unlike Louisville, we have zero reliable options.
Anyway, I'm typing this on my phone so it's an unorganized rant, but hopefully it makes some sense.
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I'm not so sure that's the end of the season series; we both have some heavy lifting to do, but I'm inclined to think we might be seeded potentially into the same SuperRegional. UK has some work to do to get a host seed for a Regional and (hopefully) we'll be a high seeded National Seed as it sits today. I think it would be an injustice to us both if we're a highly seeded National seed and you guys are the two seed in our Regional.
I think it's important for us both to host in Regional play. We're a lock at this point but you're right on the fringe based on current RPI. I have come to the realization that site is very important to us, because we're constructed for our home stadium and it translates to Omaha with it's huge dimensions. We have good starting pitching which is mandatory to getting through a SuperRegional. Playing at home there aren't many cheap homers at Jim Patterson, and the playing surface and the true dimensions mean you have to speed in the outfield and can't hide a bum in left who is a big stick. With no cheap homers you can't play for the three run homer, you have to string together hits. It's why we're 24-1 at home.
I think it's much the same for you; you play and are recruited to your dimensions, short porch in right specifically (the ball that Carson robbed McKay of in the 7th would have cleared your wall by 15 feet). Playing as a Regional host is going to be really important to you in getting to the SuperRegional and you're sitting on the fringe and could use a couple series wins in SEC play to get from around 20 in the RPI to the coveted 15. Do that and you're hosting I guess.
I think it's important for us both to host in Regional play. We're a lock at this point but you're right on the fringe based on current RPI. I have come to the realization that site is very important to us, because we're constructed for our home stadium and it translates to Omaha with it's huge dimensions. We have good starting pitching which is mandatory to getting through a SuperRegional. Playing at home there aren't many cheap homers at Jim Patterson, and the playing surface and the true dimensions mean you have to speed in the outfield and can't hide a bum in left who is a big stick. With no cheap homers you can't play for the three run homer, you have to string together hits. It's why we're 24-1 at home.
I think it's much the same for you; you play and are recruited to your dimensions, short porch in right specifically (the ball that Carson robbed McKay of in the 7th would have cleared your wall by 15 feet). Playing as a Regional host is going to be really important to you in getting to the SuperRegional and you're sitting on the fringe and could use a couple series wins in SEC play to get from around 20 in the RPI to the coveted 15. Do that and you're hosting I guess.
Hopefully we can get a sweep of ark this weekend and the goal now needs to be making the sec/ ncaa tourney and put this in the rear view...hopefully when the season is over they will get the shovels in the ground and some serious decisions will be made about who leads this program going forward...the girls have an excellent SB facility and look how that is working out for RL AND the men deserve something better than what they are playing in...probably several HS programs in the state gave better facilities
I actually don't think we are built for our stadium at all. If I were Kentucky I would play to the short porch and I would do everything I could to try to keep opposing teams from doing well with the short porch. I would make sure I had strong lefty pitching to discourage other teams from hitting lefties who could blast it over the right field wall. I would make sure I had some strong lefty hittters with home run power so that I could play to the short wall. However, UK doesn't have that. We have three right handed pitchers that throw on the weekend and even our main bullpen guys are righties (Lewis, Strecker, and Hjelle). So, we actually somewhat encourage opposing teams to hit their lefties against us.
In terms of our hitting, most of our power actually comes from the right side. Shelby and McNeil are both right handed hitters. Dorian Hairston is a righty and has some pretty good power. The only lefty that is really hitting home runs this year is Riley Mahan, who is our short stop and is (and should be) hitting around 6th or 7th. Pompey has some good power and is a switch hitter. I just don't see a lot of lefty power in our lineup like you'd think you might see.
We also aren't really hiding a slower guy around the short right field porch. Many times we have Marcus Carson, one of the fastest guys on the team, out there in right field. In fact, you've pretty much hit on one of the bigger problems for Kentucky...we really don't have an identity. We aren't necessarily a power team, we aren't necessarily a speed team, we don't have strong defense, we don't have really strong pitching. We aren't what I would consider balanced. We just are.
That being said, I do agree with you that playing a regional at home is huge. It is comfortable to play at home and you're used to the routine of that. This weekend UK played on an artificial surface and I think it really took us some time to get used to that. That's not something we'd have to worry about at home. Not to mention that the crowd is a huge factor. UK and Louisville can fill their stadiums for big games and the regionals are big time. So, having the backing of the crowd is definitely helpful.
I disagree. UK dominated the game last night and deserved to win. Our weekend pitching has gone from iffy to excellent over the last month. If "depth" is defined by having three good weekend starters, then we have it. If depth is defined as having 4-6 good starters, then you're probably right (though I think Logue acquitted himself quite well last night).
I'd rather not play UL again in a regional, but I'm pretty confident that the don't want to play us as their #2 seed either. We have given them fits this year, and really should have at least had a split.
For UK, I think we have to take a different mindset and pick your poison in terms of who we "root for" each week. If you concede the east to Florida (hard to say given that we're only two games back, but probably won't catch them), then we should be rooting hard for teams like LSU, South Carolina, Vandy, and MSU to falter. There are only so many hosts that the NCAA will take from each conference (5 seems to be the max). The west is weak this year, so that may open up more slots for the ACC and SEC, but I would not want to go down to the wire with a 15 RPI but sitting behind 5 other SEC teams with better numbers or resumes. We need to sweep arkasas and take at least 2 of 3 from auburn. Do that, and we're in great shape with South Carolina coming in to CHS.
It seems to me that the committee has not been a huge fan of putting Louisville and Kentucky into the same regional. They have had that opportunity a time or two, but they've always sent Kentucky elsewhere. They may very well send UK to Louisville this year, but I kind of doubt it. Louisville will almost without a doubt be one of the top 8 seeds. At least at this point they will be. So, if I had to guess they are probably not that likely to get a strong UK team as their two seed. What wouldn't surprise me would be for Minnesota to host and for UK to be sent there. Minny is just barely above UK in the RPI, but they are the only Big 10 school in the top 20 in RPI and I think they will have at least one Big 10 school host.
Right now, it wouldn't surprise me to see:
Florida, South Carolina, and Texas A&M, Ole Miss (Last spot could be several SEC teams)
Louisville, Florida State, Miami, NC State, Clemson
Texas Tech
California
Minnesota
Louisiana Lafayette
UC Santa Barbara
Rice
Coastal Carolina
This way they hit the big conferences (SEC - 5, ACC - 5, Big 12 - 1, Big 10 -1, Pac 12 - 1). Then they get some small schools that are deserving and from difference conferences.
One of the stupidest moves I've ever seen GH make by taking him out...and there have been plenty
Top six records in sec play at the moment...fla-sc..11-4...tam..10-5...uk-vandy-LSU all at 9-6...except for the series against sc I think we have a manageable schedule down the stretch...GOCATS!!!
Hey cbk3 did you see the melt down your man Green had yesterday...not off to a great start in SD
Haha no, I didn't see that. It is early in the year, but he has done pretty poorly with the Padres. Would like to see him turn it around so we have a UK alumni doing well, but wouldn't mind seeing him struggle and head back to Lexington. He's done well as a coach in most of his stops so I expect him to turn it around.
Truthfully, he probably wouldn't be my first pick for a coach. I'd rather have a guy who has coached in college and knows the recruiting game more than a guy who has mostly coached at the minor/major league level.
You evidently follow this much closer than me so who would be your top 3-4 guys basing it on the new stadium is under construction ...I truly believe (just like with fb) that if MB could create a winning program there that they could draw some great crowds this time of year
I don't see Ole Miss hosting. They were swept by South Carolina, lost Bama series, lost MSU series, etc. They do have the series win over UL going for them, but that's about it. Vandy is a more likely host and now has a series win over UK if it comes down to head-to-head. LSU is red-hot, though they (like UK) do not have a good mid-week record.
I think UF and A&M are locks to host out of the SEC. I think South Carolina may start to slide a bit as they still have UK, UF, and A&M still to go. So, you'd have South Carolina, LSU, UK, Vandy, Ole Miss, and Miss St all fighting it out for 2-3 other host slots. I don't like our chances if tourney started today, but we certainly have a shot if we can take advantage of a favorable schedule the next three weeks.
For the ACC, I think Miami, FSU and UL are locks to host. NC State also looks great with their RPI. After that, I don't see any other hosts (Clemson has a losing record in the ACC).
The guy above make a good point that the committee likes to do screwy things to have "new" host sites. They could easily give Minny a host site even though there is nothing to suggest that they deserve it. We were screwed the year they sent us to gary, Indiana to play Purdue. We should have hosted that year.
I haven't done a lot of research on the matter, but I would look at programs who have been successful for a while under certain head coaches. The first place to look would be the shortest and that would be Louisville. Roger Williams has been at Louisville for 10 years and has had a pretty solid pitching staff since being there, and that staff continues to get better. That might be thanks to McDonnell, but I'd be more than willing to roll the dice on Williams. Next, you have Vanderbilt, who has always had some great teams recently. Scott Brown has been at Vanderbilt for 4 years and they have been very solid as a pitching staff with him there. I would welcome him. We should have hired Derek Johnson as our head coach when we had the chance. He was the Vanderbilt pitching coach and is now the pitching coach for the Brewers. Andrew Checketts from UCSB could be a pretty good option as a guy who has head coaching experience, and is a young coach.
A lot of options that we could look at. Just know we need a change.
A lot of options that we could look at. Just know we need a change.
Hopefully construction gets under way this summer on the new stadium and can be ready for next year along with some positive changes in leaderhip to give fans a highly competitive bb program in the sec to follow...we deserve it
Either way, Kentucky shouldn't lose to an ACC team even in the middle of the week.
Kentucky should never consistently lose to Louisville in any sport. If that is what happening, then something is wrong.
What is the logic behind that statement? The ACC is a very good baseball conference. The SEC has been historically better based on championships but Virginia won it all last year. And, as in football, Kentucky is not a meaningful part of SEC success in baseball. Zero CWS appearances. Cards have been to CWS 3 times in past 8 years. It is nonsensical to summarily state that Kentucky shouldn't lose to an ACC team on any day of the week.
I can't stand Louisville but they have a very talented team and the ACC is easily the second best baseball conference behind the SEC
I think that it is hard to say. I really thought that Stricklin and Serrano would be major upgrades for Georgia and Tennessee. Serrano had been to the CWS with both UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton. At Cal State Fullerton Serrano won over 40 games every year a winning percentage over 70 percent. At Tennessee he has only won won 30+ games once since 2012. Stricklin also went to a CWS. He went to multiple regionals and had over 40 wins 3 times in 9 years winning 65 percent of his games. He never won less than 30 games. Despite that, he failed to win 30 games in both his first and second years at UGA.
Both those guys were somewhat proven head coaches and yet they've struggled. We could definitely try to lure someone proven, but I think the up and comer is always a good way to go. However, it is a big risk. Personally, I think that Williams for UL has done a fantastic job for them. I don't know if it is because of him, but his pitchers have always been very good, and lately have been just filthy. Scott Brown is also a great option, IMO. I think Corbin for Vanderbilt has an excellent record picking coaches and Brown seems to have an excellent background. He's only been there a relatively short time so it is hard to say just how much influence he's had on their recruiting, but I really like him as well. Both of those guys are from our area and could recruit for us quite well. Both have been coaches at a high level and have had excellent pitching staffs, and I think that success starts with pitching. Look at TN. They are a pretty darn good hitting team and have a decent starter or two, but a lack of a bullpen has killed them. So, get a guy that can recruit and develop pitchers and I think we'll be a competitive team.
Williams would be my top choice, many here in Louisville claim he is the force behind McDonnell. Idk about that but I do know he has had excellent success with pitchers both in evaluating and development. I would worry about recruiting as he has not been the main guy anywhere yet. He is quiet and doesn't seem to have the personality McDonnell does so promoting the program may not be strength either but can't be worse.
Coaching changes are risky too maybe We would be replacing GH after he has gained valuable experience in the tournament. He won 200 games here faster than Cohen did and what has Cohen done at State with all their tradition. The SEC is a tough place to build tradition in baseball just like football.
If I were making the call I would find out if I could get my guy first.
Coaching changes are risky too maybe We would be replacing GH after he has gained valuable experience in the tournament. He won 200 games here faster than Cohen did and what has Cohen done at State with all their tradition. The SEC is a tough place to build tradition in baseball just like football.
If I were making the call I would find out if I could get my guy first.
McDonnell was very complementary of Henderson after the game. He said, based on his knowledge of the U.K. Team, that Henderson made all the right moves. It was a very close game between ranked rivals. My only problem with Henderson is the flame out of Heady. That kid was a high school superstar, great defensively, and a good hitter. He should be a stud, but he is failing under this staff. If Heady had reached his potential, UK would be a top ten team.
