Kentucky Baseball 2022

[Jim_Cornette]

Cottongame had a lot of potential out of the pen.

So he just quit and walked away?

So he went from being a pitcher in the SEC to nowhere at all overnight while still having
eligibility?

is that player development ?

 

[dtjr]

We can only hope. they were going to do it yesterday but mitch did not want to steal the spotlight from coach k , baffert and the celtics

Realistically I hope the day or two delay is because Mitch has been gauging guys interest in the position and has hopefully spoken to other baseball guys in the know.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Cottongame had a lot of potential out of the pen.

So he just quit and walked away?

So he went from being a pitcher in the SEC to nowhere at all overnight while still having
eligibility?

is that player development ?

Ohh, here is a fun thought... UK will be getting very thin on experienced lefties next year. UK had 5 on the 2021 roster: Cottongame, Daniels, Marsh, Hazelwood, and Byers. It seems to be that the first three are gone or are leaving. Hazelwood is a question mark and Byers is a freshman that redshirted, but was a top 100 lefty in high school. We bring in 2 more lefties in 2021 class. We could conceivably rely on all freshmen lefties next year.

Yay.

 

[Comebakatz3]

 

[Comebakatz3]

Realistically I hope the day or two delay is because Mitch has been gauging guys interest in the position and has hopefully spoken to other baseball guys in the know.

I know that the baseball team themselves have exit meetings with each player. Those were done last week prior to the holiday. I imagine that Barnhart has a similar meeting at least with Mingione regarding the state of the program and looking back on the season and what happens moving forward, etc. I am not sure if that has happened yet or typically how quickly that happens after the season ends. I imagine that it didn't happen last week, nor that it happened over the weekend with it being a holiday and also with softball playing. So, one would think it might have happened this week, or will. Not sure we will find out unless a change is actually made.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Also, Jace (Jase?) Felker, a JUCO player at Rend Lake College, originally from Princeton, KY, committed to UK on May 19. He's an infielder of some sort, 2B, SS or 3B I guess and appears to switch hit. Don't know that he is highly regarded as a JUCO prospect, but he provided some experience after UK lost Lewis, Grace, and Hicks. He graduated HS in 2018.

 

[parrott]

Also, Jace (Jase?) Felker, a JUCO player at Rend Lake College, originally from Princeton, KY, committed to UK on May 19. He's an infielder of some sort, 2B, SS or 3B I guess and appears to switch hit. Don't know that he is highly regarded as a JUCO prospect, but he provided some experience after UK lost Lewis, Grace, and Hicks. He graduated HS in 2018.

Looks like he had a productive year this past season:

Felker hit .414 this spring at Rend Lake, which wrapped up its season last week with a 21-21 record.

Felker led the team in home runs with 10 and in runs batted in with 55. His on-base percentage was over .500 at .509 and his slugging percentage was .736. Felker stole 18 bases in 20 attempts.

Felker, who has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining, received numerous Division I offers this spring.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Looks like he had a productive year this past season:

Felker hit .414 this spring at Rend Lake, which wrapped up its season last week with a 21-21 record.

Felker led the team in home runs with 10 and in runs batted in with 55. His on-base percentage was over .500 at .509 and his slugging percentage was .736. Felker stole 18 bases in 20 attempts.

Felker, who has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining, received numerous Division I offers this spring.

It is kind of an interesting pickup. We don't need a SS as we have Ritter. He'll play every day next year barring an injury. We don't need a 3B as we currently still have Plastiak, Church and Estep. I expect one or more of those to leave, but it isn't inconceivable for UK to get them all back (at least in normal times). So, that leaves second. I guess he could fit in there, but the positions I have seen him associated with are 3rd and SS.

 

[mrschwump]

Can't believe we're past Noon on June 3 and UK has a baseball coach but no CB coach.

 

[mrschwump]

Can't believe we're past Noon on June 3 and UK has a baseball coach but no CB coach.

LOL, no more than finished typing this and Collins was announced! Good deal.

 

[enjyretirement2020]

Heard Hord is now in the portal

 

[enjyretirement2020]

It is kind of an interesting pickup. We don't need a SS as we have Ritter. He'll play every day next year barring an injury. We don't need a 3B as we currently still have Plastiak, Church and Estep. I expect one or more of those to leave, but it isn't inconceivable for UK to get them all back (at least in normal times). So, that leaves second. I guess he could fit in there, but the positions I have seen him associated with are 3rd and SS.

Does it matter? haha Fit that square peg into that round hole. Isn't that how UK does it?

 

[Comebakatz3]

Heard Hord is now in the portal

Heard this as well.

Does it matter? haha Fit that square peg into that round hole. Isn't that how UK does it?

Hahaha I guess it doesn't matter. I mean, I think it is fine to get players into the program that are athletic and can be utility type guys that might have been a SS in high school, but you need them elsewhere. Kind of like back when the best athletes on HS football teams were often QBs, but in college they'd move to being a WR/DB/TE/RB/etc. Those are athletes and you need them and they can be versatile, but when they get to college typically a team develops them into certain roles and doesn't just change them from being a starting WR to a starting DB a week before the season starts.

 

[Jim_Cornette]

Building with and around JUCO IS NOT A way to win the SEC ever.

having said that Because of Mingiones pitiful ability to evaluate talent AND even worse at developIng it . I think JUCO is absolutely the best way to go as long as this staff is here.

I have way more confidence in letting
SomeOne else develop the talent for two years over what this pitiful staff can do.

 

[enjyretirement2020]

Heard this as well.



Hahaha I guess it doesn't matter. I mean, I think it is fine to get players into the program that are athletic and can be utility type guys that might have been a SS in high school, but you need them elsewhere. Kind of like back when the best athletes on HS football teams were often QBs, but in college they'd move to being a WR/DB/TE/RB/etc. Those are athletes and you need them and they can be versatile, but when they get to college typically a team develops them into certain roles and doesn't just change them from being a starting WR to a starting DB a week before the season starts.

OH! I see what you did there. Schultz....hahaha

 

[Comebakatz3]

Building with and around JUCO IS NOT A way to win the SEC ever.

having said that Because of Mingiones pitiful ability to evaluate talent AND even worse at developIng it . I think JUCO is absolutely the best way to go as long as this staff is here.

I have way more confidence in letting
SomeOne else develop the talent for two years over what this pitiful staff can do.

Not sure what the staff's recruiting strategy is now. It seemed very clear to be very JUCO heavy under Fanning, but as of right now (as far as I know) the only JUCO guy we have on board is the one I mentioned above. You'd think it is late in the game to add them, and this is going to be a year where UK is probably desperate for JUCO help.

I think this is a big sign of a lack of roster awareness and clubhouse awareness. I think they fully expect(ed) everyone with eligibility to return. They were relying on Hill and Anu and Rhodes and Harper and Marsh (even though some haven't left) to be back and have made very little plans to replace them if they decide to go. Now, I think, they realize that some of these guys aren't' coming back and they might end up scrambling for replacements. Will probably try to hawk the transfer portal a whole lot.

 

[Jim_Cornette]

his only good season 2017 is the year he had a complete roster of players developed And recruited by someone else.

 

[parrott]

^ Think they have a couple more f JuCo pitchers but I’m drawing a blank on names. Think one was pretty highly regarded so the draft comes into play.

 

[mrschwump]

Not sure what the staff's recruiting strategy is now. It seemed very clear to be very JUCO heavy under Fanning, but as of right now (as far as I know) the only JUCO guy we have on board is the one I mentioned above. You'd think it is late in the game to add them, and this is going to be a year where UK is probably desperate for JUCO help.

I think this is a big sign of a lack of roster awareness and clubhouse awareness. I think they fully expect(ed) everyone with eligibility to return. They were relying on Hill and Anu and Rhodes and Harper and Marsh (even though some haven't left) to be back and have made very little plans to replace them if they decide to go. Now, I think, they realize that some of these guys aren't' coming back and they might end up scrambling for replacements. Will probably try to hawk the transfer portal a whole lot.

Yeah, I think going after guys in the portal will be the thing NM does. Kind of hurts JUCOs unless you're plugged in with somebody. I like JUCO recruiting, just don't go all in with it.

 

[SeanCain]

Realistically I hope the day or two delay is because Mitch has been gauging guys interest in the position and has hopefully spoken to other baseball guys in the know.

I would assume a competent AD would have names in his back pocket for all team sports he’s responsible for just in case. I’m with some of the others on here and think Mingione has done just enough for another year. I mean they made the SEC tournament this year, what more can you ask than that...

 

[SeanCain]

I know that the baseball team themselves have exit meetings with each player. Those were done last week prior to the holiday. I imagine that Barnhart has a similar meeting at least with Mingione regarding the state of the program and looking back on the season and what happens moving forward, etc. I am not sure if that has happened yet or typically how quickly that happens after the season ends. I imagine that it didn't happen last week, nor that it happened over the weekend with it being a holiday and also with softball playing. So, one would think it might have happened this week, or will. Not sure we will find out unless a change is actually made.

Seems like I read somewhere that Barnhart has end of season meetings with all the coaches to review the season and the state of the program.

 

[SeanCain]

Building with and around JUCO IS NOT A way to win the SEC ever.

having said that Because of Mingiones pitiful ability to evaluate talent AND even worse at developIng it . I think JUCO is absolutely the best way to go as long as this staff is here.

I have way more confidence in letting
SomeOne else develop the talent for two years over what this pitiful staff can do.

The football team used to go the JUCO route a lot to fill holes they missed on high school recruiting. Mingione has missed a lot so JUCO is probably their only route to fill out the roster.

 

[micatz]

The football team used to go the JUCO route a lot to fill holes they missed on high school recruiting. Mingione has missed a lot so JUCO is probably their only route to fill out the roster.

How do you even know if you missed if you run everybody off by their sophomore or junior year? I would say extreme lack of development, which comes down to coaching. That combined with the way the staff bullies and demeans it’s own players is deplorable

 

[SeanCain]

How do you even know if you missed if you run everybody off by their sophomore or junior year? I would say extreme lack of development, which comes down to coaching. That combined with the way the staff bullies and demeans it’s own players is deplorable

You have a good point.

 

[Jim_Cornette]

How do you even know if you missed if you run everybody off by their sophomore or junior year? I would say extreme lack of development, which comes down to coaching. That combined with the way the staff bullies and demeans it’s own players is deplorable

BINGO!

 

[Jim_Cornette]

BINGO!

BINGO!

THIS NEEDS TO PINNED !

 

[Jim_Cornette]

BING

How do you even know if you missed if you run everybody off by their sophomore or junior year? I would say extreme lack of development, which comes down to coaching. That combined with the way the staff bullies and demeans it’s own players is deplorable

How do you even know if you missed if you run everybody off by their sophomore or junior year? I would say extreme lack of development, which comes down to coaching. That combined with the way the staff bullies and demeans it’s own players is deplorable

Jaden Brown , a Perfect Game All American, was ran off after his freshman year , which he was red shirted during.

 

[Jim_Cornette]

I recall a bunch of us talking about him on here in another thread after the PG All American Game looking forward to his arrival and what type of player he might become for us.

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

Its June 4, 2021 at 11:57 and Mingione is still the coach at Kentucky............:-(

 

[CliffDweller25]

I recall a bunch of us talking about him on here in another thread after the PG All American Game looking forward to his arrival and what type of player he might become for us.

Jaden is now playing 1B at a JUCO. Maybe PG got this one wrong.

 

[mrschwump]

Its June 4, 2021 at 11:57 and Mingione is still the coach at Kentucky............:-(

And looks like that's the way it'll stay. Gotta think if a change was coming it would've happened by now.

 

[Jim_Cornette]

Jaden is now playing 1B at a JUCO. Maybe PG got this one wrong.

that would have to be an arm injury then because he was a plus runner and plus athlete when he arrived

 

[SeanCain]

And looks like that's the way it'll stay. Gotta think if a change was coming it would've happened by now.

I agree. Looks like next year will be a mess. Going to be tough to defend Barnhart on this.

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Maybe no good manager wants to work for a program that doesn't mind being at the bottom. Maybe Barnhart has been looking and nobody wants to work for him. If you think about it a competitive manager would want to be around people that really care about winning. We may never get another decent manager unless the people in charge start caring more.

 

[sluggercatfan]

Maybe no good manager wants to work for a program that doesn't mind being at the bottom. Maybe Barnhart has been looking and nobody wants to work for him. If you think about it a competitive manager would want to be around people that really care about winning. We may never get another decent manager unless the people in charge start caring more.

I don't believe this about MB. I truly believe he wants every program on campus to compete for excellence in the sec.

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

I don't believe this about MB. I truly believe he wants every program on campus to compete for excellence in the sec.

Yes he wants to win, makes him look good. But does he not care enough. How could this program be in such disaray for the last few years, getting worse and worse every year, and he just lets it go? Does he like this manager personally so much that he is willing to sacrifice 2 or 3 years of the program for this one man? What is his angle?

 

[Big_Blue_1018]

You know things are bad when Oscar Combs throws shade.

 

[SeanCain]

I don't believe this about MB. I truly believe he wants every program on campus to compete for excellence in the sec.

With the current baseball situation I’m not sure I can agree with that.

 

[SeanCain]

View embedded media

You know things are bad when Oscar Combs throws shade.

When it’s this blatantly obvious, everyone will pick up on it.

 

[SeanCain]

Yes he wants to win, makes him look good. But does he not care enough. How could this program be in such disaray for the last few years, getting worse and worse every year, and he just lets it go? Does he like this manager personally so much that he is willing to sacrifice 2 or 3 years of the program for this one man? What is his angle?

I would certainly like to know why Mitch thinks Mingione deserves another year.