Dear Mitch Barnhartt

[Big_Blue_1018]

Deat Mr. Barnhartt,

You will never read this letter or hear my concerns but I thought I would write it anyway. It's time for a change. As long suffering baseball fans, something needs to happen. We as fans are tired of watching our boys in blue play in a sub standard stadium that really isn't suited for a high school team. As fans, we're tired of watching other schools in the SEC and even in our own state build and expand their places. As one Texas A&M fan said last year during the series, Does UK play college baseball or little league. You can spin the media however you want with the Cliff but the fact remains that UK is nowhere close to other schools in facilities. Not just in the conference, but nationally.

But as bad as the Cliff is, there is a larger problem. He wears number 20 and he is impersonating a head baseball coach. Mitch, it's time. You have made some great hires since 2003 and when a hire does not go as planned, you're quick to right the ship. So why after zero advances in the NCAA tournament, no conference titles and a team that is playing .500 baseball is Gary Henderson still roaming the dugout? I've had season tickets since 2009 and been coming to games since 2006. If something does not change, this will the last year I purchase tickets. Baseball is the sport I care about the most. It's time to make it a priority as well. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Big Blue Nation

 

[sluggercatfan]

Deat Mr. Barnhartt,

You will never read this letter or hear my concerns but I thought I would write it anyway. It's time for a change. As long suffering baseball fans, something needs to happen. We as fans are tired of watching our boys in blue play in a sub standard stadium that really isn't suited for a high school team. As fans, we're tired of watching other schools in the SEC and even in our own state build and expand their places. As one Texas A&M fan said last year during the series, Does UK play college baseball or little league. You can spin the media however you want with the Cliff but the fact remains that UK is nowhere close to other schools in facilities. Not just in the conference, but nationally.

But as bad as the Cliff is, there is a larger problem. He wears number 20 and he is impersonating a head baseball coach. Mitch, it's time. You have made some great hires since 2003 and when a hire does not go as planned, you're quick to right the ship. So why after zero advances in the NCAA tournament, no conference titles and a team that is playing .500 baseball is Gary Henderson still roaming the dugout? I've had season tickets since 2009 and been coming to games since 2006. If something does not change, this will the last year I purchase tickets. Baseball is the sport I care about the most. It's time to make it a priority as well. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Big Blue Nation

Totally agree!!!!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Honestly... if the year goes like it has these past two weekends then there is no way Henderson survives it. If he does then I will be lost entirely. Just ridiculous. I don't think that there is any way that this can be positively spun considering the weekend rotation that Henderson had returning.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

He should've been gone 3 years ago. I could tell then where we were headed, I iust hoped it wouldn't happen.

 

[167Hike]

Sad part is AJ Reed's junior year is why we are where we are today. I always wonder what a real coach could have done with the talent on that team.......

Good news......we should break ground on our new stadium shortly after the football complex is complete which should make it easier to hire our new coach for next year

 

[CatsFanGG24]

It is not even the losses that are troublesome, it is more so the lack of an identity and direction.

Henderson was on KSR before the season and seemed like a very likable guy, good personality. Jones asked him about the team identity/style of play...Henderson had a horrible answer IMO, and that told me all that we have been saying on here was true...still don't know what type of team he wants.

 

[Tskware]

Agree with all the sentiments above.

However, I have a question: Who were the idiots that voted us no. 22 in the country preseason???

 

[Comebakatz3]

Sad part is AJ Reed's junior year is why we are where we are today. I always wonder what a real coach could have done with the talent on that team.......

Good news......we should break ground on our new stadium shortly after the football complex is complete which should make it easier to hire our new coach for next year

Reed/Cousino's freshman year and their junior years are the only things that are saving Henderson. Look at his records without those years:

2009 Kentucky 28–26 12–18 5th (East)
2010 Kentucky 31–25 13–17 4th (East)
2011 Kentucky 25–30 8–22 5th (East)
2012 Kentucky 45–18 18–12 T–2nd (East) NCAA Regional
2013 Kentucky 30–25 11–19 4th (East)
2014 Kentucky 37–25 14–16 4th (East) NCAA Regional
2015 Kentucky 30–25 14–15

If you take out the two good years you get 144 wins and 131 losses, just 52 percent, and zero trips to the NCAA tournament.

Perhaps the most embarrassing and telling stat is that our pitching has been unreasonably bad since he arrived. We've had numerous pitchers who I consider to be outstanding, but I think even those pitchers under-performed with Henderson as their coach. Right now our ERA is 4.15. Compare that to Louisville, who has a team ERA of 2.51, and that is with Kyle Funkhouser struggling and with Louisville playing Ole Miss this past weekend while we played relative nobodies. Louisville has had outstanding team ERAs for the past 5 years. In 2015 Louisville had a team ERA of 2.74 while our best team ERA was the 2012 year with a team ERA of 3.41. That crap just won't cut it, and it is amazing that we continue to allow Louisville to show us up in this sport. Go read the bio for Louisville's coach... it will depress the hell out of you.

 

[Comebakatz3]

It is not even the losses that are troublesome, it is more so the lack of an identity and direction.

Henderson was on KSR before the season and seemed like a very likable guy, good personality. Jones asked him about the team identity/style of play...Henderson had a horrible answer IMO, and that told me all that we have been saying on here was true...still don't know what type of team he wants.

This has been mentioned, probably by you, multiple times, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. Similarly, what do we do well? If you look through the years can you really say that we excel at something? You might say that we are pretty good at drawing HBPs, but that's about it. We don't have teams that hit for average exceptionally well, we don't have power teams, we don't have great small ball teams, we don't pitch exceptionally well, and the past several years our defense has even under-performed. This year the only think we have really excelled at is striking out (57 Ks to just 21 walks). We've had some individuals that have excelled, but I can't really say that we've really excelled too often as a team.

 

[PrinceUK21]

It seems he does just enough to keep his job. As soon as he starts getting some heat they team does well. See 2012 and 2014.

Luckily the new stadium will start construction soon.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

This has been mentioned, probably by you, multiple times, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. Similarly, what do we do well? If you look through the years can you really say that we excel at something? You might say that we are pretty good at drawing HBPs, but that's about it. We don't have teams that hit for average exceptionally well, we don't have power teams, we don't have great small ball teams, we don't pitch exceptionally well, and the past several years our defense has even under-performed. This year the only think we have really excelled at is striking out (57 Ks to just 21 walks). We've had some individuals that have excelled, but I can't really say that we've really excelled too often as a team.

Every team Hendo has put out there has never had an identity. 2012 may be the only year. But that's a stretch. And with the talent that team had, we lost in Gary Indiana, which we should have never played there in the first place, UK had its best chance to make it to Omaha. I'm disgusted at where this team is at and has been since 2009. It's going to be a long year. I'm already prepared for that. I just hope Mitch sees what we see.

 

[Big Baller 24]

Time for a change. Could UK get a proven head coach with new stadium on the way? if so, what are some names? Who are the hot name assistants?

 

[Comebakatz3]

I don't know that we will be able to get just anyone, but we're a SEC school. That is going to make it easy to find someone. I think the number 1 guy we should go after is Scott Brown. http://www.vucommodores.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/scott_brown_830039.html

 

[TruBluCatFan]

Why not email that to Barnhart. Well said and well written.

 

[BigBoyBlueMMA]

let me preface with - not knowledgable about UK Baseball as the other Major Sports but - I reallllyy reallly do like Cliff Stadium - its not like there are thousands and thousands of fans / and students flocking to games - BUT I really did like the feel though

should probably team up and play at Applebees park to get more interest generated

 

[Zakk Wyldcat]

Why not email that to Barnhart. Well said and well written.

Oh. Is Mitch reading his email from fans again? Per his comments during Joker's fiasco he stopped doing so.

 

[TruBluCatFan]

Oh. Is Mitch reading his email from fans again? Per his comments during Joker's fiasco he stopped doing so.

I would have stopped during the joker fiasco too. Can't hurt to copy paste and send.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Actually I've thought about sending it just for giggles.

I like the feel of Cliff Hagan stadium. I am a huge fan of the designs of older ballparks. I just think the Cliff needs some major fixes. The one thing I'd love to see is better "grass" seating. I like the berm area at Louisville and the tailgate area at Tennessee. I think UK could do something to expand the area on the deck.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Just for laughs, I decided to forward my letter to Mitch. Let's see if I get a reply.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Just for laughs, I decided to forward my letter to Mitch. Let's see if I get a reply.

I sent one a long time ago. Pretty sure I got a reply, but it was pretty much just a thanks for the letter type response. I think he might has said something about believing that we had the right guy for the job or some crap like that.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

I sent mine tonight around 8. I'll be checking the inbox religiously tomorrow.