UK Softball/Baseball Media Day
- Thread starter Comebakatz3
- Start date
Mingione touting their high GPA, which was highest in the UK athletic department.
He believes the team is super competitive that he loves being around.
Nick Amaratti is a new volunteer coach. He's, "a winner." Will coach third base and work with catchers.
Encouraging fans to come and to tailgate (?). Will allow students to win 5K in cash every game with a cornhole toss.
9 seniors. We're experienced. We set the school record for fielding percentage last year.
'Tip if the spear' with pitching staff. First time we've had pitching experience. Most we've had since 2018. All SEC wins return. Different arm angles, and different pitching styles.
This team will be more of a group that will grind out quality at bats. Claimed last year was a speed team.
Leaders: Plastiak, Williams, and Stupp.
"Portal power." Excited bout all 4 arms and all will have innings. Also brought in the 4 in the field. Thinks they hit a grand slam in the portal.
Stupp had 8 quality starts a year ago. Mentioned Harper and Stupp. Hazelwood is "back," and will start out of the bullpen and we will see where it goes from him. Lee is mentioned as well as Degen. All 4 freshmen pitchers are back and 'improved.'
Positionally, Ritter... 'he's amazing,' and has improved hitting. 4th in the Cape Cod. Plastiak will be at 1st and he's the new alpha male. He runs the team. Estep is the most improved from a year ago. Improved his body and his mind. He's a special player. Believe it is Anu's year and he's better in all areas. Rubalcaba a special receiver and thrower. Liebert is going to play the OF and C. Church missed the fall with surgery, but he's back.
Mentions the schedule.
Happy that alumni have come back and he listed them off.
Questions:
What kind of person are you looking for in the portal: Guys that will get
How confident about corner infielders: Our best defensive team is with Estep at 3rd and Plastiak will be at 1st. Chase might have to slide to 2nd some depending on what happens.
Chase would lose focus at times. How has he improved: It started with his body and it has changed entirely how he looks. Offensively, I challenged him to find his best swing and he's found what works best for him. He's so coachable. He understands what his body is doing. So proud of him. Even from a leadership perspective. I cannot tell you. Excited to watch him play this year.
Feel like there is pressure to get back to the tournament: I wouldn't say pressure. That's our expectation. This team wants to win. It's been fun to coach a competitive team. I've probably said less to this team than any other team because of the leadership.
Harris and Fogel are hurt and will miss start: They are close to getting back and were starters prior to the injury. One is hitting off live pitching now. They might get back to being in the lineup by season start.
Thrasher: His speed is game changing. Can cover a ton of ground in the outfield and can score on base hits from second base. Can score from first.
Do you feel like you found a diamond in the rough: Yes, but this fall has been an adjustment for him. Their maturity has been refreshing.
Who weekend starts: Stupp, Cotto, Lee and Bosma are in that mix. He will let the last week play out. (Really only sure about Stupp, IMO).
Called the transfer class top 5 in the country.
What do you want to tell the negative people: When you are winning you don't hear any of that. When you are losing, that's part of it. The people on the inside understand. How we want to develop them and raise men. Make sure you are talking to the people in our program too, because they will tell you how they are loved and how they are treated. Just keep sticking with us.
**These were not his complete answers I tried to get most of it, and the meat. You should get the gist of it all though.**
He believes the team is super competitive that he loves being around.
Nick Amaratti is a new volunteer coach. He's, "a winner." Will coach third base and work with catchers.
Encouraging fans to come and to tailgate (?). Will allow students to win 5K in cash every game with a cornhole toss.
9 seniors. We're experienced. We set the school record for fielding percentage last year.
'Tip if the spear' with pitching staff. First time we've had pitching experience. Most we've had since 2018. All SEC wins return. Different arm angles, and different pitching styles.
This team will be more of a group that will grind out quality at bats. Claimed last year was a speed team.
Leaders: Plastiak, Williams, and Stupp.
"Portal power." Excited bout all 4 arms and all will have innings. Also brought in the 4 in the field. Thinks they hit a grand slam in the portal.
Stupp had 8 quality starts a year ago. Mentioned Harper and Stupp. Hazelwood is "back," and will start out of the bullpen and we will see where it goes from him. Lee is mentioned as well as Degen. All 4 freshmen pitchers are back and 'improved.'
Positionally, Ritter... 'he's amazing,' and has improved hitting. 4th in the Cape Cod. Plastiak will be at 1st and he's the new alpha male. He runs the team. Estep is the most improved from a year ago. Improved his body and his mind. He's a special player. Believe it is Anu's year and he's better in all areas. Rubalcaba a special receiver and thrower. Liebert is going to play the OF and C. Church missed the fall with surgery, but he's back.
Mentions the schedule.
Happy that alumni have come back and he listed them off.
Questions:
What kind of person are you looking for in the portal: Guys that will get
How confident about corner infielders: Our best defensive team is with Estep at 3rd and Plastiak will be at 1st. Chase might have to slide to 2nd some depending on what happens.
Chase would lose focus at times. How has he improved: It started with his body and it has changed entirely how he looks. Offensively, I challenged him to find his best swing and he's found what works best for him. He's so coachable. He understands what his body is doing. So proud of him. Even from a leadership perspective. I cannot tell you. Excited to watch him play this year.
Feel like there is pressure to get back to the tournament: I wouldn't say pressure. That's our expectation. This team wants to win. It's been fun to coach a competitive team. I've probably said less to this team than any other team because of the leadership.
Harris and Fogel are hurt and will miss start: They are close to getting back and were starters prior to the injury. One is hitting off live pitching now. They might get back to being in the lineup by season start.
Thrasher: His speed is game changing. Can cover a ton of ground in the outfield and can score on base hits from second base. Can score from first.
Do you feel like you found a diamond in the rough: Yes, but this fall has been an adjustment for him. Their maturity has been refreshing.
Who weekend starts: Stupp, Cotto, Lee and Bosma are in that mix. He will let the last week play out. (Really only sure about Stupp, IMO).
Called the transfer class top 5 in the country.
What do you want to tell the negative people: When you are winning you don't hear any of that. When you are losing, that's part of it. The people on the inside understand. How we want to develop them and raise men. Make sure you are talking to the people in our program too, because they will tell you how they are loved and how they are treated. Just keep sticking with us.
**These were not his complete answers I tried to get most of it, and the meat. You should get the gist of it all though.**
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Wish mingione could coach as good as he is at press conferences. Seems like we have some some pieces this year, especially pitching depth, so we’ll see if that’s enough. It’s make or break for coach and anything less than a ncaa appearance and he’s gotta go. No more excuses.
"Saying less to the team" that's good.....on his part, maybe players will stay. HAHA!! Does he REALLY want us talking to the people in the program?? What changed in the past 4-5 months??
I really think he will say anything to make all the guys that transferred out look bad, or make it out to be they are better without them.
I really think he will say anything to make all the guys that transferred out look bad, or make it out to be they are better without them.
Here's the link to last year if you're interested for any reason:
kentucky.forums.rivals.com
***** UK BASEBALL/SOFTBALL MEDIA DAY *****
Hello all. Good Tuesday morning to you. We'll be having a virtual media day for UK Baseball and UK Softball today at 10:30 a.m. ET. I'll be posting all the news and notes in this thread as Nick Mingione and Rachel Lawson talk about their teams heading into the 2021 season. Stay tuned... UK...
kentucky.forums.rivals.com
Will know as soon as the cats take the field, Anu in any position other than DH and might as well call off the season.
Fogel is injured apparently and might not be ready to start the year. So that'll be interesting to see who he turns to if that's the case.
I for one am refreshed to hear the coach bashing beginning already, on media day. Doesn't answer questions as well as Lawson! He could win 50 games and there are people here that would complain because Brett Marshall is gone.
I'm trying to take a deep breath and let him have a clean slate for 22. We'll see how it goes.
Liebert in the OF with Anu at DH? Jump and Thrasher are the other starting OF's
Sounds like the lineup is close.
Could be. Anu could also be out there over Liebert. Have to see. We have McCarthy as well, but Mingione glossed over him today, so don't think he's an option. Kim is an outfielder as well, but don't think he was mentioned either.
Thanks for those notes! Wasn't able to listen to it live. He always says the right things but there's no ifs ands or buts....this year is absolutely unequivocally put up or shut up.
I have heard too many things about the HC and his staff from current, past players as well as players' families as well as others close to the program, so I am definitely not a fan of Mingione, but the players, now that is another story. I had season tickets this past season and brought my grandsons, but the whole time I was scratching my head. I know I'm not the "high caliber" of a coach as Mingione thinks he is, but some of the moves made were just absurd. I can absolutely see why some players had a problem during the season.
As far as answering questions, I just want to hear HONESTY, not a car salesman pitch.
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