Saw on D1 baseball where UK will host a scrimmage vs Dayton on Sept 25th and Lipscomb on Oct. 16th
Scrimmage
- Thread starter enjyretirement2020
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UK baseball... take notes:
To make it more clear: play Louisville in the fall at a minor league park. Or scrimmage someone like UT in a minor league park. Then you can even couple the weekend with football and play a day game Saturday and a night football game. Get a good crowd and support for the team. Team plays a good opponent. Win on all accounts.
To make it more clear: play Louisville in the fall at a minor league park. Or scrimmage someone like UT in a minor league park. Then you can even couple the weekend with football and play a day game Saturday and a night football game. Get a good crowd and support for the team. Team plays a good opponent. Win on all accounts.
Again, you take that sane logic and you get the hell outta here CBK! We don't want to benefit the program and whatnot...
Highly doubt you'll hear much. They are typically pretty hush hush with them... that or no one gives coverage because football and basketball take priority.
Hey guys. Catspause member but noticed there's actually some baseball talk here.
I went to the scrimmage today (a dozen or so people there), and have gotten to know some people around the program.
Anyone have any particular questions? First thing that stood out was how many new players there are that will likely play. Pitching was good for two innings but rain, maybe lightning?, delay forced everything inside. Hudepohl and Bosma both threw 2 good innings.
Another standout was how many scouts were there. I'm sure because of Ritter? Hudepohl was around 91-92 and Bosma was 90-92 according to me checking out the scouts' radar guns. Lots of strikes. Estep hit a HR. Haven't seen that much in the past.
I went to the scrimmage today (a dozen or so people there), and have gotten to know some people around the program.
Anyone have any particular questions? First thing that stood out was how many new players there are that will likely play. Pitching was good for two innings but rain, maybe lightning?, delay forced everything inside. Hudepohl and Bosma both threw 2 good innings.
Another standout was how many scouts were there. I'm sure because of Ritter? Hudepohl was around 91-92 and Bosma was 90-92 according to me checking out the scouts' radar guns. Lots of strikes. Estep hit a HR. Haven't seen that much in the past.
Professionally 90-92 has become pedestrian for pitchers, has become slider/cutter territory. Pro baseball is chocked full of guys throwing 95+. Problem is guys don't always know where it's going.
They better have some new guys that will play immediately. HAHA
Mingione might want to change his attitude towards having fans and scouts in the stands this season. He needs some good press. D1 baseball always comes in and writes a pre-season piece and more than likely Ritter will be who the staff concentrates on this season. Seems like there is always one player they tend to promote.
As far as scouts being there, I found out the Dodgers area scout lives in town, so he should always be around. Northern schools as well as Louisville and UK are big draws for area scouts right now because the southern and west coast teams haven't really started their scrimmages and open practices yet since they have nicer weather and can start later.
Still no mention of the scrimmage vs Dayton this week? Anyone?
I did notice on one of their videos on Twitter that Estep was on first? What's up with that? The infield is again crowded this year.
Eh... There are a lot of guys who throw 95+, but there are a ton who don't. I was watching Kyle Freeland throw a gem this weekend and he rarely threw over 90-91. Struck out 7 guys in 6 innings and 0 ER. Wade Miley threw a no hitter this year for the Reds without throwing a ball over 90 mph. Then you have guys throwing 101 who can't stick in the majors. So, I think MPH matters for sure, and if you could throw the exact same pitch at 96 that you could at 91, then I'd definitely prefer you throw it at 96, but if you can still get people out throwing 91, then that's really all I care about. If a guy can throw a fastball at 91 and mix in 3 good offspeed pitches that he puts right where he wants them, he is going to be hard to hit.
I also think we don't have to be too worried about velo in the fall. Most of these guys have pitched all spring and summer and shut down for a short time and came back and are throwing this fall too. I think they are working more on pitches than velo right now.
Estep was on First? Was Plastiak playing for the other team?
I've heard that Guilfoil kid has been looking disgusting... Did he throw?
(This is my third attempt to reply correctly) I think this is right.
Estep was at 3B for all of practice and the game. Plastiak looks to be playing 1B only.
Dayton game is going to be open I believe. I was told the department was trying to figure out some logistics.
Ritter seems to be a big deal but one scout did say he liked several other players too. He mentioned Stupp and Lee both being good draft picks this year.
Guilfoil warmed up but must have thrown when they were inside, so I didn’t get to see it.
I’ve heard he’s been good. Someone mentioned he was 92-93 consistently last week.
I got to watch Friday as well but I think Guilfoil just throws on Sundays?
I think you’re going to see the newcomers basically lock down their positions. Three new guys in the OF (Jump, Fogel, and Thrasher) and Harris at second. Then you have Ritter locking down SS and Ruby locking down C and Anu DH. That leaves 1st and 3rd for the combo of Plastiak, Estep and Church. I think Mingione has to try all three of them at both corner positions to see who can play there. We know they can play 3rd at least admirably, but who can move to first? Basically have a competition for third and then the two that don’t win that competition get to compete for first. Jase Felker I suppose could factor in here as well. Felker is kind of the forgotten transfer because he’s coming into a crowded infield. In summer league I know he played at least one game in LF, but UK lists him as INF as of now. So, have to guess he’s competing for 3rd/1st as well.
Will be curious to see how we use guys like Burkes and Liebert. Both catchers who returned to UK. Liebert played a touch last year at the beginning and then sat the rest of the year other than maybe some spot running duties. Liebert can play outfield as well. Had an outstanding summer. Under Mingione we haven’t really mixed up catchers much. We have basically made one catcher the work horse. So it will be interesting to see how much PT these guys get. I think they will at least get some PH and PR duties, but I wonder if someone like Liebert might earn more than that and how they work him in.
I think pitching will be our key this year. We will go as it goes. A whole lot of arms out there. Will be interesting to see the strides the now sophomores make.
Will be curious to see how we use guys like Burkes and Liebert. Both catchers who returned to UK. Liebert played a touch last year at the beginning and then sat the rest of the year other than maybe some spot running duties. Liebert can play outfield as well. Had an outstanding summer. Under Mingione we haven’t really mixed up catchers much. We have basically made one catcher the work horse. So it will be interesting to see how much PT these guys get. I think they will at least get some PH and PR duties, but I wonder if someone like Liebert might earn more than that and how they work him in.
I think pitching will be our key this year. We will go as it goes. A whole lot of arms out there. Will be interesting to see the strides the now sophomores make.
Another thing that I am interested in is whether Christian Howe is or ever will play both ways. He is listed as a pitcher, but he led the nation in home runs in HS a year ago. Big step up in competition, but clearly he has some ability to hit. So, will he get a shot at that, or just focus on the mound?
Pros want the high velocity guys. Their thinking goes this way: A guy may have a plus curve or change but if they don't have the "feel" for that pitch on a particular day they have nothing to fall back on. 95+ will always be there. You mention Miley, he's a prime example of what scouts talk about. Yes, he had a no hitter but of late he hasn't had control of his "feel" pitches. That forces him to challenge with his 90-91 fastball and he's getting pounded. May not be right but given the choice of a 95+ fastball with erratic control and a guy with a plus "feel" pitch the pro scout will take the fastball guy every time. Thinking seems to be we'll take him and teach him the curve or change but we can't teach 95+. I agree for college pitchers velocity in the fall isn't that big a deal, should be more concerned with mechanics and refining a second or third pitch.
I agree with you!
C-Rubalcaba/Liebert
1B-Plastiak
2B-Harris
SS-Ritter
3B-Estep
LF-Jump
CF-Thrasher
RF-Fogel
DH-Anu
I think if a freshman plays it'll be Pitre, the SS from Canada.
I think there has to be some type of platoon at C. This past year when Kessler caught so much, Rubalcaba had been hurt. Maybe Liebert is ready to be at least the number two after a good summer.
As someone else said - a lot of new faces in the lineup. Should be interesting to follow.
I asked someone close to that situation about it. I think he's going to do both as a freshman and see what shakes out. I don't really see him doing much of either as freshman.
I'm not that familiar with the competition on KY baseball. Should his numbers translate? How would the competition at his HS be?
I'm not sure about the platoon. Even when Rubalcaba returned they didn't platoon. Would have thought they'd get Rubalcaba in on midweeks but they rarely did. Maybe that was because Kess was so valuable at the plate, not sure. Will have to see but makes me wonder if they just prefer the workhorse thing.
I'm not familiar with KY high school, but I think,
and could be wrong, that he went to a small school, which would probably mean weaker competition. Also, some here were saying that the field they play at is very small, which contributed to his big numbers. I don't know, that all could be incorrect. Haha
I heard Rubalcaba came back too early. His finger was not fully healed, so he had to come back out. I thought returning after just a few months was too soon, but I'm far from being a doctor. haha
Mingione is on the hot seat, so I think the catcher that is consistent offensively will be the starter. I think Caba will be the starter in the beginning and if he struggles, then Mingione will change it up without hesitation. I don't know if loyalty will play this year (not that it has in the past). He talks all the time about players having "their roles" and seems like nothing changes his mind. Realistically, you just don't know what he will do because he thinks so outside the box. (I'm putting that nicely)
You could be correct. I was under the impression initially that he'd be out for the year. Still, I was surprised we didn't try to get Liebert more at bats and at least give Kessler's body a rest from time to time. For instance, in the USC Sunday game where they were beating us 10-3 going into the bottom of the 7th and 10-5 going to the top half of the 8th. Not likely to win that one, so we could probably let Leibert get in some work behind the plate and give Kessler two innings of a break behind the plate. Might lose 1 Kessler at bat in that.
The offense will definitely be interesting. We lose a ton of production, but I have some high hopes for the newcomers. They have experience, but hitting SEC pitching on a regular basis is a whole different ball game.
Danville is a "smaller" school but they did go 40-3 or something like that but in baseball you can play all schools. They made it to the semi-finals in baseball so its a nice program.
I also heard the field was small which may have contributed to his HR numbers being up.
Where do they play? Aerial view of city shows 2 fields, one at Centre College and one called I think Gary Wright Field.
OK, that's the field I thought was Gary Wright Field, Wright actually is on the Centre campus so my bad. The field you reference is near a NG armory and KY School for the Deaf. Anyway, it may be short but doesn't look crazy short. Just a visual but Bates does look smaller than Centre, matter of fact looks like Bates could sit inside Centre. Wonder if they play any games at Centre?
Short HS fields are common. Many fields used by small town HSs are city-owned/operated and were built years ago. But it's not down the line distances that make fields short but power alley/CF distances. I've seen more than my share of fields that are a decent 325' down the lines but only 350' in the power alleys and 375' to CF. Now those are porches!
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Thanks for the information. We had a lot of baseball talk during the season, which was nice.
We’ll we all think Mingione is on the hot seat but who knows what Mitch thinks.
I have this kind of sinking type of feeling that Mingione might do just enough to keep sticking around. Similar to Henderson. It was clear that Henderson couldn't maintain a high level of success here. He was bad for 3 years, then went to an NCAA tournament with 45 wins. That year, and 2014, were really more the exception than the rule. We had as many losing seasons as we did NCAA appearances.
I fear that year 1 for Mingione was the exception and maybe this year he again can break the mold, but I'm just not convinced that these will be anything more than anomalies rather than creating a new standard for UK baseball.
I’m not saying I want us to lose or this to happen. I would love to win again. I just don’t want it to come at the expense of the future of the program. I don’t want to squeak into the NCAA tournament and then spend another 4 years on the outside looking in and not being overly competitive and waiting for the stars to align again so we can play in the post season.
He hasn't really changed anything he has done as a coach since he arrived. He still makes us scratch his head. We all see it. Why should he change when obviously Barnhart doesn't have a problem with it? We as fans don't mean anything.
Would the new coaching staff not count as changing? An entirely different staff than he had 5 years ago is a big change.
It seems like the play defense over offense and pitching changes seem to have stayed the same, to me. Maybe that's what you're saying?
Yes, his style of play has not changed. His mentality towards game situations, player development, utilization of players, those are the kinds of things I meant.
I'm still not sure what our style of play is. lol Not sure we've ever really had a team identity and a true vision of what he wants to be and look like as a team. Do we hit for average? Power? Are we a speed based team that plays more small ball? We aren't based on strong pitching and defense, but maybe that is changing?
Seems all over the place with no true goal towards what we want to be.
Seems all over the place with no true goal towards what we want to be.
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