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This...Kentucky's uphill battle

Another way to look at it is that UK does not need to be perfect to have success in baseball. All they need to do is consistently be one of the 9 or 10 best teams in a (soon to be) 16 team league. Ole Miss stunk for most of the year and was one more loss against UK from being left out of the field and UK being in. Get hot at the right time, that's the name of the game.
 
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Another way to look at it is that UK does not need to be perfect to have success in baseball. All they need to do is consistently be one of the 9 or 10 best teams in a (soon to be) 16 team league. Ole Miss stunk for most of the year and was one more loss against UK from being left out of the field and UK being in. Get hot at the right time, that's the name of the game.
I think it is a realistic expectation that Kentucky be in the NCAA tournament at least every other year and host a regional at least every 5 years or so
 
I just think that we need to set the bar higher. Plain and simple. The high bar shouldn't be making the NCAA tournament from time to time. That should be the low bar. Rather, we should want to be making the NCAA tournament regularly. I don't mind having poor years or off years or whatever, but we should still be right there year in and year out in the mix to make it. Then, ideally, we're hosting at times.

Butch Thompson at Auburn is a good example. Poor first year in 2016 and he won just 8 league games. 2017 they sneak in as a 3 seed and actually end up playing in the regional final. In 2018 they go to a Super Regional. 2019 they go to a CWS. 2021 they had a rough(er) year at just 10 wins. Then this year they are up to 41 wins and are a game shy of the CWS again. We don't have to necessarily have that exact same level, but they are finishing regularly with 14+ SEC wins and they are going to the post season. UK should aim for that and not settle for celebrating just making the tournament.
 
It’s the harsh reality but SEC softball is as strong as they come yet Lawson always has us in the top half. It comes down to finding the right guy to lead it and we’ve failed to do that for a long time.
Think Cohen was, but mama called.
 
I just think that we need to set the bar higher. Plain and simple. The high bar shouldn't be making the NCAA tournament from time to time. That should be the low bar. Rather, we should want to be making the NCAA tournament regularly. I don't mind having poor years or off years or whatever, but we should still be right there year in and year out in the mix to make it. Then, ideally, we're hosting at times.

Butch Thompson at Auburn is a good example. Poor first year in 2016 and he won just 8 league games. 2017 they sneak in as a 3 seed and actually end up playing in the regional final. In 2018 they go to a Super Regional. 2019 they go to a CWS. 2021 they had a rough(er) year at just 10 wins. Then this year they are up to 41 wins and are a game shy of the CWS again. We don't have to necessarily have that exact same level, but they are finishing regularly with 14+ SEC wins and they are going to the post season. UK should aim for that and not settle for celebrating just making the tournament.
MSST won their 1st NC last year. Didn't make the tournament this year and they have a storied bb history.
 
MSST won their 1st NC last year. Didn't make the tournament this year and they have a storied bb history.

I think that highlights a difference between them and us. For Miss State, the low bar is making the tournament. They regularly meet that bar and often exceed it with Super Regionals and CWS appearances. There are some instances, like this year, where they dip below, but many of their fans found this unacceptable despite the fact that they were coming off a title. Making the tournament is not an achievement for them, it is a standard.

Meanwhile, UK's high bar is making the tournament at all. The standard bar is finishing probably somewhere around 11th or 12th in a 14 team league. I mean, we may be extending our coach's contract another year despite the fact that he finished 12th in the league in year 6, and hasn't finished better than 10th since year 1.
 
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It’s the harsh reality but SEC softball is as strong as they come yet Lawson always has us in the top half. It comes down to finding the right guy to lead it and we’ve failed to do that for a long time.
A big reason why softball stays consistent and so far ahead of UofL is we do a great job of recruiting in state. The baseball program does the exact opposite.
 
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It’s similar to football where 8-10 years ago we were good with a 6-7 win season and bowl game. Now we expect 8-9 with a chance at the east. You have to find someone who actually shows growth and intelligence for building a program like stoops did, then comes the results, then comes the higher expectations. Right now most of us just want to at least make the tourney, which is sad, but where this program is at.
 
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It’s similar to football where 8-10 years ago we were good with a 6-7 win season and bowl game. Now we expect 8-9 with a chance at the east. You have to find someone who actually shows growth and intelligence for building a program like stoops did, then comes the results, then comes the higher expectations. Right now most of us just want to at least make the tourney, which is sad, but where this program is at.

I think you can certainly celebrate good seasons, but those good seasons also have to be building towards, or signs of, better things to come.

Had Stoops won 6-7 games and then took 2-4 years to do the same thing again, then I think most people would begin to be frustrated that he isn't or didn't do it consistently. I think that is what we basically had with Henderson. Took him time to develop things and then finally in year 4 he got to 6-7 wins. Then he had another lackluster year before doing it again, and then it was 2 more lackluster years. So, it seemed like those 6-7 wins were the peaks and not moving towards consistency. That, to me, wasn't good enough. At least get those 6-7 consistently and not every now and then.

For Mingione, the football comparison would be him winning say 9, maybe even 10, games his first season, but then not getting above 6 wins again for another 5 years. So, again, the problem for me is that the one year looks more like a total offshoot rather than actually setting a new standard.
 
A big reason why softball stays consistent and so far ahead of UofL is we do a great job of recruiting in state. The baseball program does the exact opposite.
Recruiting is the lifeblood of every college program.
UK lags behind in its own state. Tells you all you need to know.

Make a change Mitch!
 
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I think ul had about 5 position starters from Ky plus several pitchers. Saw where Trinity and St X had 3 underclassman -one a soph- already committed. Got on them early.
 
I think ul had about 5 position starters from Ky plus several pitchers. Saw where Trinity and St X had 3 underclassman -one a soph- already committed. Got on them early.
Two of the best players in the state for the 2025 class live in Lexington and Corbin. Both are already committed to UofL.
 
Chase Estep listed as the 10th best college third baseman in the draft. Hard to see him coming back.

*Trying to post link but it won’t work for some reason*
 
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