WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:02.919 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider to Cabrie with you 2 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.080 on a Tuesday edition of our program, abbreviated per usual 3 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:08.800 for Kentucky Baseball. But we were going to go till 4 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:11.960 seven forty five tonight with an eight o'clock start for 5 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.800 UKU OFL, but they moved a game up in our 6 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:18.480 because it is so blasted cold here in the spring. 7 00:00:18.600 --> 00:00:21.359 So it's a seven o'clock game now, which means six 8 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:23.960 forty five pre game for Darren heddricks it. We'll step 9 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.839 out a little bit earlier then we anticipated. Coming up 10 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:29.480 in a few minutes, a man, Doug Flynn, my broadcast 11 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:33.719 partner on UK baseball streaming broadcasts on SEC Plus, will 12 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:36.320 join us and we'll preview the series a little bit. 13 00:00:36.359 --> 00:00:39.240 We'll talk about what happened over the weekend and where 14 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:43.200 they are right now with Wildcat Baseball. Of course, you 15 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:46.679 know by now that Florida Gators are the national champs 16 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:51.479 in an incredible finish, playing Houston's game down the stretch, 17 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:57.719 holding the Cougars with no scores in their last four 18 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:01.880 possessions for Sint Houston to turn it over or missshots. 19 00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:05.000 It was an ugly game. It was played just the 20 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:07.640 way Houston needed it to be played, and in fact, 21 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:13.439 the Cougars led it by twelve early in the second half, 22 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:18.239 and somehow the Gators come back without Walter Clayton's junior 23 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:23.079 dominating offensively. You know, he was scoreless for the longest 24 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:25.040 time or held without a field goal at any rate 25 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:27.879 until a crucial three point play late in the game. 26 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.359 But he made the plays. He made, assists, he made 27 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.599 defensive players, made the defensive play of the game when 28 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.680 the last guy with the ball for Houston trying to 29 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.519 get off a three pointer and Clayton came flying at him, 30 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:43.400 forced him to rethink it and drop the ball, and 31 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:44.879 he couldn't go pick it up because it would have 32 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:47.560 been a traveling violation. That's why it was a loose 33 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:51.799 ball and a scrum at the end. Just an amazing finish. 34 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:56.000 And you know, Houston never gets off a shot nineteen 35 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.480 seconds left and looked like it was playing for a 36 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:03.799 three by as Jay Wright put it, Florida blitzed the 37 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:07.719 ball handlers and Houston didn't have an answer. And I 38 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:10.800 thought Houston would look for a three for you know, 39 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.520 ten or twelve seconds and if it wasn't there, try 40 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:16.400 for at least to two to get it to overtime, 41 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:20.159 but didn't happen. Congrats to the Gators. The SEC wins 42 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:25.800 the national championship as most people predicted, but everybody, not everybody, 43 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.639 but most people thought it would be Auburn until later 44 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:32.639 in the season when Florida started playing the best basketball 45 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:35.599 in the conference and Duke was playing better than Florida. 46 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:39.599 But we all know what happened to Duke, and then 47 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:41.759 a lot of people thought it was Houston's for the taking, 48 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.159 and it was. But now, for the seventh time, the 49 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:48.199 Cougars have made the Final four and have not won 50 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:52.080 the championship. So think about this, Florida thirty six and 51 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:59.080 four on the season. Who did the Gators lose to? Missouri, Georgia, 52 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:04.479 Tennessee good team and Kentucky. So least Wildcat fans can 53 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:07.759 brag about that we own a win this year over 54 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:11.960 the defending national champs. Now, of course, what about next year? Well, 55 00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:16.199 ESPN and other agencies have their way too early top 56 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:21.159 twenty five, espns Houston as the way too early favorite, 57 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:25.960 then Purdue number two, Louisville number three, and they go 58 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:31.960 through projected lineups and all that. Yukon number four Michigan five, 59 00:03:33.080 --> 00:03:35.759 And how about the Kentucky Wildcats at number six, with 60 00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:40.840 a projected starting lineup per ESPN of Jalan Lowe, the 61 00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:46.800 kid from pitt Jasper Johnson, the freshman from Versailles, otega Oway, 62 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:53.159 Brandon Garrison, and now Mohammed Diabate to transfer from Alabama. 63 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.159 So in the way too early poll, ESPN's got Kentucky 64 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:02.680 number six, followed closely by Arkansas with a lineup that 65 00:04:02.759 --> 00:04:07.159 includes DJ Wagner and Carter Knox who would have been 66 00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:11.719 a Kentucky Wildcat. They got Duke eighth, Saint John's ninth, 67 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:16.079 with Bryce Hopkins in the lineup former Wildcat who went 68 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:21.319 through Providence, UCLA tenth, and a couple of SEC teams 69 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:26.600 after that, Alabama eleven and Auburn twelve. ESPN dot COM's 70 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:30.319 got it if you're interested in such a thing. One 71 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:34.720 poll's got BYU in the top five. ESPN's got him sixteenth. 72 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:38.199 So never too soon to look at that kind of stuff, 73 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.480 is it? No, it's not. By the way, as we 74 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.480 signed off last night, we talked about the House Settlement, 75 00:04:45.160 --> 00:04:49.680 and that's the lawsuit named after the former Arizona swimmer. 76 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:54.439 It was not decided yesterday by the judge out in Oakland, 77 00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:59.480 she declined to provide final approval of the deal. She 78 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.040 directed the lawyers to address a short list of her 79 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:08.279 remaining concerns. Within one week. Now, four athletes testified against 80 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.040 the settlement, one of them being Livy Done, the gymnast 81 00:05:13.240 --> 00:05:19.000 from LSU, who she claims is and you can back 82 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:22.160 this up. She claims to be the highest earning female 83 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:27.439 athlete since the NIL rules changed, and she believes she's 84 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:31.600 going to be shortchanged by the settlement. She said, a 85 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:35.839 settlement fails to acknowledge her true value. The settlement's going 86 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:38.800 to a lot x amount of dollars per athletes. She 87 00:05:39.399 --> 00:05:42.240 thinks she's going to basically lose money in the deal. 88 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:46.240 Later on, a Planet's attorney said the gymnast would receive 89 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:50.120 an updated allocation. But I thought that was interesting that 90 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:55.600 Livy Done went as far as testifying against the settlement. 91 00:05:56.839 --> 00:06:00.480 So this may not be wrapped up again for another week. 92 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.120 So we say goodbye to college basketball, and in doing so, 93 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:09.120 we say hey to the Masters yep Masters, beginning this week. 94 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:13.199 As you know, Scotti Scheffler, according to the PGA Power Rankings, 95 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:19.160 is the favorite defending champ followed by Rory McElroy, who 96 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:24.639 lacks only the Masters to complete his career Grand Slam. 97 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:28.199 He's got two wins this year, so maybe this is 98 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:34.959 his year. Colin Morikawa third, John Ramis fourth, Brice and 99 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:40.800 the Shambeau fifth, and Justin Thomas. The Kentuckian is sixth 100 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.920 in the Power rankings. Had a solo second at the 101 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:47.879 vallast Bar Championship earlier this year. Two runner up. Finishes 102 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:53.240 four top tens in his last seven starts, so apparently 103 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:55.920 he is playing some of his best golf right now. 104 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:59.639 Zero for two at the Masters, and he had two 105 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:05.800 top tens among the top twenty fives prior. Also among 106 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:10.879 the top ten. Brooks Koepka is ranked ninth. Xander Shotley 107 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:15.920 just outside of top ten at number eleven, So keep 108 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:17.920 an eye on the Masters. We will help you keep 109 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.360 an eye on it as well, but as we pre record, 110 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:24.959 we really can't, you know, provide much in a way 111 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:28.319 of expert commentary. A little bit of recruiting news from 112 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.800 Kentucky football. This is for the class of twenty twenty seven. 113 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:36.319 UK got to commit from a quarterback from Knoxville, Dj Hunter. 114 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:39.519 He's the first for the Wildcats in the twenty twenty 115 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:43.160 seven recruiting class, according to two four to seven Sports 116 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.759 and the Cats Pause. He is election in Native but 117 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:51.240 is playing his high school football in Knoxville, recruited by 118 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:54.959 bush Ham, Dan and Eric Walford. Before we get to 119 00:07:55.000 --> 00:07:58.000 the break and hear from my man Doug Flynn, I 120 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:00.959 did want to mention the fact that once again I 121 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:03.279 stayed up all the way through the coverage last night 122 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:08.480 on CBS and thoroughly enjoyed one shining moment, and I 123 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.879 bring that up and I tweeted this as well last night. 124 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:15.199 It's become kind of fashionable, kind of du riguur, if 125 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:18.360 you will, for some people, mostly in my line of work. 126 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:21.319 But those are the everybody's got a platform now, you know, 127 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:25.639 on social media. But I don't know why people in 128 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:29.360 my line of work think it's incumbent upon them to 129 00:08:29.480 --> 00:08:32.799 complain about really anything and everything. But I've seen more 130 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:36.320 complaints about one shining moment, like you, oh, that's run 131 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.639 its core. So I'm so tired of that. Well, you know, 132 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:42.080 to me, Well, for one thing, I'm biased because having 133 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:46.000 worked in TV most of my career, I recognize and 134 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:51.600 appreciate the amount of work that went into that production. 135 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:55.919 The number of people with cameras on their shoulders shooting 136 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:59.720 that low level video. That's the dramatic video, right, not 137 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.759 the high white game stuff. It's the stuff that puts 138 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:05.080 you right on the court with the players and the 139 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:07.519 coaches and the cheerleaders and the dancers and the fans. 140 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:13.320 So to sift through miles and miles, hours and hours 141 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:16.519 of that video to pull just the right clips and 142 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:19.960 then edit it all together and update it in the 143 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:23.679 in the minutes right after the game has ended, is 144 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:30.039 an incredible amount of work, enormous and it always delivers. So, 145 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:32.720 as I said last night on my late night tweet, 146 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:36.279 if you're going to complain about it, just stop, turn 147 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:40.320 your TV off, and be done with it. Doug Flinn's 148 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:43.440 next in six point thirty eight WLAP Welcome back to 149 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:46.399 the Big Moonsider coming up Kentucky Baseball, the Cats and 150 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:49.120 the Cardinals and joining me down the Celebrity hotline. Is 151 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:52.039 a guy who spent much of the weekend dodging rain 152 00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:55.120 drops and calling baseball, Mister Doug Flynn, my broadcast partner 153 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:59.559 on SEC Plus. That was a long weekend. Brother the 154 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.720 double head Better and then the extra any game fun, 155 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:04.399 but didn't go the right way, did it. 156 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:07.480 Well, it could have been a lot of fun in 157 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.159 one to three, But you know, they were in every 158 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.440 ball game. Every ball game went down to the last 159 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.240 at bat, and there was a lot of really good 160 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.879 things we saw from UK, but I think there was 161 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:24.000 a lot of things that they haven't got better at 162 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:27.120 as of yet. And you know, when you look at 163 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:29.320 their record now, they've got a lot of losses just 164 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.679 by one game, by one run and just a big 165 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:34.559 hit away. So hopefully they'll figure it out. 166 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:37.200 Yeah. Well, you know, they go down, they win a 167 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:41.039 game at Georgia, they were in the opener, kind of 168 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:45.399 blown out in the third game. They dropped that series 169 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:48.559 here at home against Auburn, and the two losses were 170 00:10:48.559 --> 00:10:52.200 both by eight to seven, Right, that could have been 171 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.759 a sweep. And then they take two out of three 172 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:56.799 at A and M. So clearly a team that's got 173 00:10:56.840 --> 00:10:58.879 talent but trying to figure things out. 174 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.480 Well, you know, I kind of use the analogy with you, 175 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:07.360 which is kind of funny. I said, since I'm a fisherman, 176 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:10.080 and I think with this ball club it's the same way. 177 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:12.799 If you want to win a fishing tournament, you have 178 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.399 to fish clean, right. It means that every bite you 179 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:18.240 get you take advantage of it. You get that fish 180 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:20.919 in the boat, you don't break any lines. Same when 181 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:24.559 you get playing baseball games. I think Kentucky because it's 182 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:27.799 so balanced in this league that when you have a 183 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.639 chance with the runner on third and less than two outs, 184 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:33.279 you've got to find a way to get him home. 185 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:36.600 If you are called to bunt, you have to get 186 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:39.639 the bunt down. If there's a double play opportunity, you 187 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:42.240 have to turn the double play. And I think what 188 00:11:42.279 --> 00:11:45.120 we've seen from UK, I believe it was three times 189 00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:47.960 in the game they got beat yesterday or they got 190 00:11:47.960 --> 00:11:51.840 beat on Saturday, they have runners on second and third 191 00:11:51.879 --> 00:11:53.799 with one out, and not one time did they get 192 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:58.519 them home. And that's not to say that you know 193 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:02.639 they're playing hard, they're really trying. Was the pitching that 194 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.639 good man? You know, we saw a couple of really 195 00:12:05.720 --> 00:12:08.279 nice pitchers from Ole Miss, but we saw a couple 196 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:10.480 I thought Kentucky for the handled a little better too. 197 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:14.159 So it's just you know, you could say, when you're 198 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:17.200 in a game and their one run game record, now 199 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:20.879 it's not very good. If you could turn that around 200 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:22.480 a little bit, I mean, they're gonna be right to 201 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:23.559 hunt with these teams. 202 00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:25.840 Yeah, you know when I mentioned in Georgia and the 203 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:27.759 Auburn Series and A and M, and they gave up 204 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:30.360 a lot of runs for different reasons. I thought the 205 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:34.399 pitching against a good old miss team with a lot 206 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:36.240 of pop, that was the first thing out of your 207 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.480 mouth on the first game. How much power was in 208 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:42.440 that lineup. I thought the pitching for Kentucky was just terrific. 209 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:46.039 I thought it was outstanding, by far, the best we've 210 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:50.879 seen all year long. Everybody that came in did their job, 211 00:12:51.159 --> 00:12:55.080 pitched well, was effective, and we've got some good arms 212 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:58.440 on this ball club. They're probably has been untimely walked 213 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:02.519 or owen two base hits that they give up. You 214 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.440 fix some of these things and these guys start commanding 215 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:09.600 the plate. Missus ole miss. I would love to know 216 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:12.519 the statistic on how many first pitch strikes they threw, 217 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:16.080 because they were a bun double. If you can do that, 218 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:18.639 then it sets up all your other pitches. And I 219 00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:20.799 know that's what they practice at UK. But you've got 220 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:22.960 a lot of different guys that they're throwing, got some 221 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.840 younger guys throwing as well, But you hope the veterans 222 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.200 will take charge of this pitching staff and the rest 223 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.080 of the team will just kind of follow right in 224 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:30.639 behind them. 225 00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:34.799 Yeah. Talking to Doug Flynn of the SEC plus net work, 226 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:38.480 he of course works alongside yours truly on the WILK 227 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:41.519 at home games that you stream on your computer. And 228 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:46.639 the Cat's coming off a really difficult weekend season dropping 229 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:51.320 the series. We forget as well that Ole Miss picked 230 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:54.320 to struggle this year, in fact, has been one of 231 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:57.679 the pleasant surprises in the SEC. Ranked ninth in the 232 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:01.080 country coming in this weekend again, power up and down 233 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:03.600 the line. But you and I talked about this off 234 00:14:03.639 --> 00:14:05.600 the air more than on. Wouldn't be proper to say 235 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:08.120 it on the air. I thought Kentucky was every bit 236 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:11.159 as good for the most part as All Miss which 237 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:12.639 is a ninth rank team in the country. 238 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:17.679 And I know you did, yeah, absolutely, And Auburn came in, 239 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:19.519 you know, which was supposed to be a little bit better. 240 00:14:19.559 --> 00:14:22.879 But I thought Kentucky was equally as good as Alburn was. 241 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:26.559 It's just some of those teams have won those close ballgames. 242 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:30.360 Kentucky has not as of yet, and they've got to 243 00:14:30.360 --> 00:14:32.840 beat those four games that were non conference games too, 244 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.440 So you know, it's I don't know if it's a 245 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:38.840 team that's still looking for an identity. It's not the 246 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:42.480 same ball club as last year. Last year kind of 247 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:46.480 spoiled everybody. They had nine guys that could run, do everything, 248 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:50.559 a great baseball IQ still trying to find some identity 249 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.200 with this ball club, because when you look at them 250 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:55.960 compared to what we've seen so far, they match up 251 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:59.399 very evenly with each of these teams we've already seen in. 252 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:02.279 Terms of conference play. Now, look, they've lost a couple 253 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.120 of non conference games that may come back and haunt them, 254 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:09.559 but in terms of conference play, if they win one 255 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:11.919 of those games they dropped against Ole Miss, I think 256 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:15.080 they're right on schedule, especially given the fact, and I'm 257 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:18.360 not making excuses, these are just facts that this is 258 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:22.240 a team that from the Omaha team last year, lost 259 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:27.799 seven or six basically of the eight position players. James 260 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.879 McCoy started most games, and right they got Devin Burg's 261 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:36.240 back behind the plate. Otherwise, all News starters entire weekend rotation, 262 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:39.399 the guys who pitched in the SEC games as starters, 263 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.600 plus their best stopper and the guy who led them 264 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:47.879 in relief appearances. How many programs have had to deal 265 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:50.759 with that answer is not many. And yet they're in 266 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:52.919 there banging around in the SEC. You know. 267 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:56.039 Yeah, if they win won more of those games this 268 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:59.039 past weekend, they're five hundreds to conference. Yeah, and right 269 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:01.919 on target, because it's gonna be guys beating each other 270 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.039 up all year long. We've already seen that over the 271 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:04.720 first couple. 272 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:08.519 Of weeks, that's right. And you've also got guys who 273 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:11.879 are still trying to figure out how to compete in 274 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:14.879 the SEC, Guys who have transferred in, Guys who are 275 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:17.759 playing more regularly now than maybe they did at their 276 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:22.759 last stop. But this is, you know, the conference right now, 277 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:23.919 This is the league, isn't it. 278 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.720 Yeah? And there comes a point in time when you 279 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:29.879 come over here, and I'm sure there's some doubts in 280 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:32.559 some of the guys' minds. Well, you know, I've played 281 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:35.639 at some smaller schools. We didn't see this kind of competition. 282 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:38.080 But at some point in time you have to realize 283 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:42.399 I belong here, I can contribute here. And we've seen 284 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:44.799 I mean, we got guys that can hit home runs, 285 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:48.120 guys that can hit for power. The defense, if you 286 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:49.840 get rid of the hares about the picture of the 287 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:53.159 defenses right on target build in nine to eighty something. 288 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:58.200 So it's the ball club that can't compete, just looking 289 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:01.000 for that one big hit that going to turn it around. 290 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:04.559 Possibly, Yeah, FYI. What Doug's talking about is the fact 291 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:08.759 that Kentucky's pitchers. Of the twenty five twenty six errors 292 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:12.480 that the Wildcats have committed at least going into this weekend, 293 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:15.680 seven or eight of them by pitchers throwing a ball. 294 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:18.480 All kay. You know, they've got brand new middle infielders, 295 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.279 and I know you like what you see in those guys, 296 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:20.640 don't you? 297 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:24.440 Oh yeah, yeah, you got you know, Luke Lawrence came 298 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:27.799 over from up North and Tyler Bell's a young freshman 299 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:31.440 at shortstop. They both are playing really, really well. They're 300 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.240 great kids. They play hard. You could tell they got 301 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:37.599 a pretty good baseball IQ. But they're going to continue 302 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:40.279 to get better and better. That has not been a 303 00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:43.920 problem for this team this year. To me, It's been 304 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:48.240 more some of the fundamental things like moving runners. You 305 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.759 got a mantle second and nobody out trying to move 306 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:53.119 that runner to score position, and then once you get 307 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:55.599 him there. We just haven't had the guys that have 308 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:58.400 been driving them in. Now. We were so close the 309 00:17:58.440 --> 00:18:02.480 other day the basis and Devin Burke hits the rocket 310 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:03.720 court stop and always. 311 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:04.920 Took his glove off ended the game. 312 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.559 Yeah, and that was it right there. I mean, if 313 00:18:08.599 --> 00:18:12.160 his that ball goes through, uh, Kentucky wins. But Dad, 314 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.039 it just about takes his glove off and uh, and 315 00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:17.160 then we had had two guys thrown out the plate 316 00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:21.319 on perfect throws. You know, right now, we've we've just 317 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:25.839 seen other teams that, for whatever reason, playing against Kentucky, 318 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:32.440 they have been uh, they played much better fundamentally and 319 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:35.319 they've been doing things just a little bit better. I 320 00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:37.200 mean it's close because we've lost a lot of one 321 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:37.839 run ball game. 322 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:40.640 Yeah, maddening. We'll talk more with Doug Flynn on the 323 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:42.839 other side of the break here on six thirty w 324 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:46.079 Al welcome back. We're talking with my broadcast partner on 325 00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:49.839 SEC Plus Doug Flynn, who of course won a Gold 326 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.519 Glove in the Biggs played eleven years uh for a 327 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:54.839 number of teams and part of the Big Red machine, 328 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:59.000 but always a middle infielder. And we talked about the 329 00:18:59.079 --> 00:19:02.079 Kentucky middle infield prior to the break, and I know 330 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:03.960 you had a chance, and we talked about this a 331 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:06.720 little bit on the broadcast over the weekend. One of 332 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:10.000 them that you had a chance to have a conversation 333 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:13.319 with those guys. You're not allowed to coach them, but 334 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:17.039 you guys talked baseball and you said they were receptive, 335 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.319 and that had to make you feel good. You know 336 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.759 a little bit about playing in field. 337 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.240 Well, you know, there's a lot of things that I 338 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:26.680 learned from other players, and most of it I didn't 339 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.000 learn until like that's to the major leagues, and so 340 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:33.759 I've just always felt that if possible, if it would 341 00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:37.359 help to just spread the knowledge around. These kids are 342 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:40.319 so big and they're really talented, but there's just a 343 00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:42.480 few little things that you learn over the years that 344 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:45.000 if you can, you know, relate that to them, it's 345 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:47.200 going to help them a little bit. Yeah, and Nick's 346 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:50.559 always been open for things like that, and these kids 347 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:53.599 they're very receptive, you know, whether it be releasing the 348 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:57.319 ball or turning it, turning a double play, maybe how 349 00:19:57.319 --> 00:20:00.720 to position a guy where to cover the bag. There's 350 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.079 just a lot of little things you can do that 351 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.519 will enhance your game an awful lot. Of course, you know, 352 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.519 every game you get scouts here, so you see some 353 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:11.319 guys that are pretty good. Well, the record speaks for itself. 354 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:13.160 I mean, you guys have been drafted out this program. 355 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.759 Yeah, you're right. And you were telling me some of 356 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:19.240 the things you shared with the middle infielders, and to me, 357 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:23.079 it's fascinating because I mean, it's as much as you 358 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:27.279 know one step or just where your body weight is, 359 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:31.599 as you manipulate a throw coming in or leaving the 360 00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:33.880 base at second on a double play, things like that, 361 00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:37.079 and uh yeah, but that's that could be the difference. 362 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:39.799 It could look at me, plays that we see at 363 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:41.519 first base that a bang bang, and they've got to 364 00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:42.119 be reviewed. 365 00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:42.680 Yeah. 366 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:46.039 Well, you know, if you can do some little things 367 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:47.759 that would get that ball to first base just a 368 00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:51.720 little bit quicker, it's gonna eliminate those close plays. And yeah, 369 00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:53.920 but you know I had to be reminded to. I 370 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:58.119 mean even nineteen eighty one, I remember coming playing a ballgame. 371 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:00.240 Chuck Cottie or was my coach, and he said, can 372 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:02.880 I tell you something. I went, Yeah, he said, you 373 00:21:02.920 --> 00:21:04.720 get a little lazy with your feet on you on 374 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:08.039 your double plates. And I just had got so use 375 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.000 to just going with my arm because my arm was 376 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:13.279 pretty strong for second base. Yeah, and so I would 377 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:16.119 just I wasn't moving my feet and I went, man, thanks, 378 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:19.039 because you know you're getting sometimes you don't realize what 379 00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:21.799 you're doing. So I told those two guys, you got 380 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.839 to feed off each other. You're got to help each other, 381 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:25.960 watch each other. If you see something that the other 382 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:28.359 one's doing, don't be afraid to go over there and 383 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:31.440 talk to him about it, because you know, you guys 384 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:34.759 are the heart of the infield. You control everything that 385 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:37.880 goes on. I mean, you're calling plays, you're talking to 386 00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:40.319 the pictures, you're going telling the outfield, you're doing all 387 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:42.880 kinds of stuff. So you two be each other's best 388 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:45.160 friend and watch each other and if you see something 389 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:47.680 that you don't think, let's rite talk about it. 390 00:21:47.799 --> 00:21:52.160 Yeah, and for all the plaudas coming out of high school, 391 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:55.359 Tyler Bell's a freshman, you know, and then yeah, yeah, 392 00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:57.920 he could have gone to pro ball, But had he 393 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:00.640 done that, he would have been playing against guy who 394 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.680 are probably similar to the level of competition he's facing 395 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:07.240 right now in the SEC. So he's got a lot 396 00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:09.759 to learn. Lawrence has played a lot of infield, but 397 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:13.920 didn't play much second base at Illinois State. And as 398 00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:16.319 you well know, because you played all over the infield, 399 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:18.920 everything has its challenges. 400 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:21.319 Yes they do. But if you can play short stop, 401 00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:25.440