AD White, Please Double Coach Vitello's Salary

#51
#51
This by far has been his best coaching job. Think about this for a second.
His best pitcher Leath is out for the year.
Joyce who was throwing 100 mph had Tommy John.
Projected 1st round pick has struggled with the bat

This series he made masterful bullpen decisions that led to win.

Got aggressive manufacturing late innning runs in yesterday and today’s game

24 - 5 consensus top 10 ranking and 8 in the RPI

Just wait till Ferguson and Beck get going. Today it looked Beck could be on the verge. Hit the ball well the other way.
Rackers is also set to return from injury. Could use another bullpen weapon for sure.
 
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#52
#52
Volsbaseballfan1 said:
This by far has been his best coaching job. Think about this for a second.
His best pitcher Leath is out for the year.
Joyce who was throwing 100 mph had Tommy John.
Projected 1st round pick has struggled with the bat

This series he made masterful bullpen decisions that led to win.

Got aggressive manufacturing late innning runs in yesterday and today’s game

24 - 5 consensus top 10 ranking and 8 in the RPI

Just wait till Ferguson and Beck get going. Today it looked Beck could be on the verge. Hit the ball well the other way.
Rackers is also set to return from injury. Could use another bullpen weapon for sure.
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I agree with all of this.

But I would love to know the chances of keeping him on the hill. I suspect you have an idea, but would never ask for your opinion.
 
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#59
#59
NorCalVol67 said:
I agree with all of this.

But I would love to know the chances of keeping him on the hill. I suspect you have an idea, but would never ask for your opinion.
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I’ll answer in my optimism, I think the chances are very strong UT can keep him as long as the administration gives him realistically what he wants as far as stadium upgrades and program support. Salary is secondary IMO however his salary needs to be in the top 4 of the SEC in the next few years.

However, continuing to win is also a critical factor....
 
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#60
#60
Vitello got commits from a few of the kids that are likely going pro right out of HS. We've seen him win and how the players react to him. He appears to be a good guy fighting for his assistants and improving the program before looking out for himself. I'm confident we have a keeper. If we invest in Vitello it will just continue a positive trend. I'm all for paying the man and making commitments to facilities.
 
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#61
#61
I've had guys ask why would you go get a commitment from guys who are clearly not going to go to college rather than the pros. The only way to compete with Vandy is be like Vandy. No one thought Leiter or Rocker would not go pro out of HS but they did and Vandy will reap the benefits. You can always find guys to fill those spots if they don't come but you will never get the top 5 HS players in the nation unless you go after the top HS players in the nation and are willing to offer them. You never really know.
He has reasonable requests for the stadium from what I have heard and if we continue to win they will be needed. It is amazing what tickets on vivid and stubhub are selling for this weekend and next. People want to be a part of this and are willing to pay to see it.
He has great assistants and the only way to keep them is to pay them too. He knows that and will continue to fight for those guys.
 
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#64
#64
TheMookieMonster said:
*ahem* Alright, Danny enough screwing around. Pay this many his money, and keep him in Knoxville.

Facility upgrades. Assistant money. Give him WHATVER he wants. Vol fans deserve at least one elite program.
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Yep. I think the facility upgrades are probably the biggest factor. Invest the money to give TV the weapons he needs to be among the elite and he’ll stay in Knoxville. No reason not to. He has an opportunity to be a legend.

Give Todd Helton a call. You’d think he’d be willing to donate some cash for specific upgrades.
 
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#65
#65
GregAmsler said:
Yep. I think the facility upgrades are probably the biggest factor. Invest the money to give TV the weapons he needs to be among the elite and he’ll stay in Knoxville. No reason not to. He had an opportunity to be a legend.

Give Todd Helton a call. You’d think he’d be willing to donate some cash for specific upgrades.
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Agree on the opportunity to be a legend. Baseball is extremely hard in terms of allocating scholarship $ but the only schools who SHOULD have a decided advantage in recruiting against us are UF, UGA and aTm due to population and weather (perhaps SCar) and Vandy due to unspeakable reasons. You don’t have to accumulate 25 4* to win it all; 1-2 players can change an entire program. If all things equal, that’s the catch, there’s no reason we can’t ultimately, over time, reach what OM and MSU have built. Granted MSU has 30 years of history behind them at this juncture, but if a cow town, in the least populated state in the south, can build and sustain a top 10 program while at the same time competing against another one 100 miles away, there’s no reason why UTK can’t. The SEC West schools that will never seriously compete in football, due to demographics, history, etc. saw an opportunity 15-30 yrs ago to seriously invest in baseball and they’ve built the best atmospheres/experiences/programs in college baseball as a result.
Not suggesting we forgo an all in commitment to football but I think it’s wise to reallocate/invest our $ elsewhere to sustain the winner we’ve built.
 
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#67
#67
TheMookieMonster said:
He doesn’t have to be. Tennessee has every bit of the resources and brand recognition of we choose to use those resources. We can match any SEC school on salary. We can build just as nice of a stadium. And you can win championships in Knoxville just as easily if you are an actual good coach.

There is really no reason for him to want to go back there by the time that job opens if we commit to i him like we should.
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We have zero baseball fan support Arkansas actually makes big money on baseball & their stadium is unbelievable. They have way more money than we do too. Probably more than anyone on the country when they really need it.
There are 1000s of millionaires 30 minutes from their campus & all Hog fans. Couple billionaires too
 
#70
#70
AthensVol2007 said:
Agree on the opportunity to be a legend. Baseball is extremely hard in terms of allocating scholarship $ but the only schools who SHOULD have a decided advantage in recruiting against us are UF, UGA and aTm due to population and weather (perhaps SCar) and Vandy due to unspeakable reasons. You don’t have to accumulate 25 4* to win it all; 1-2 players can change an entire program. If all things equal, that’s the catch, there’s no reason we can’t ultimately, over time, reach what OM and MSU have built. Granted MSU has 30 years of history behind them at this juncture, but if a cow town, in the least populated state in the south, can build and sustain a top 10 program while at the same time competing against another one 100 miles away, there’s no reason why UTK can’t. The SEC West schools that will never seriously compete in football, due to demographics, history, etc. saw an opportunity 15-30 yrs ago to seriously invest in baseball and they’ve built the best atmospheres/experiences/programs in college baseball as a result.
Not suggesting we forgo an all in commitment to football but I think it’s wise to reallocate/invest our $ elsewhere to sustain the winner we’ve built.
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I’ve said for years that Tennessee has a bit of an advantage in baseball being a northernmost warm state. Kentucky too, but Lexington can be about 10 degrees colder at times.

What I mean is, Tennessee should be going to places like Pennsylvania, Minnesota (Drew Gilbert), Michigan, Ohio, etc. and saying to kids, “hey Buddy...you wanna play February/March baseball in Pennsylvania or Tennessee?” The strange college baseball calendar cripples northern states in recruiting and Tennessee should (and with Vitello, I think, is) take advantage of that. There is plenty of talent in cold weather states. The distance from those states to Knoxville is shorter than it is to other SEC cities (other than Lexington, which is still pretty cold in February). And you are selling the opportunity to play in the best conference in America, by far.
 
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#71
#71
Vitello recruits every geographic area in the world and of course the United States. Doesn’t matter where you are from, if he and the other coaches feel you can help this program then they recruit them. Our shortstop (when healthy) and lead-off hitter (Liam Spence) is from Australia.

I am liking all the talk about renovating Lindsey Nelson. It is crucial we give the man what he wants/needs or he will be snatched up by another program in short time and we will be back to hoping we make the SEC tournament (bottom 2).

I have said this before and some on here agree that LNS isn’t terrible but it needs modernized. We have a gravel parking lot behind right field where the players park with Helton Dr running between the bullpen and parking lot. That road could be rerouted to go behind the parking lot and beside the railroad tracks then tie back into the existing road at left field corner. That would allow a few acres for an incredible indoor facility, modern entrance, additional stadium seating and outfield concessions, with suites above. Similar to left field at Miss St. With the proper expansion out there, fans would only see mountains instead of an old railroad yard.
 
#72
#72
GregAmsler said:
I’ve said for years that Tennessee has a bit of an advantage in baseball being a northernmost warm state. Kentucky too, but Lexington can be about 10 degrees colder at times.

What I mean is, Tennessee should be going to places like Pennsylvania, Minnesota (Drew Gilbert), Michigan, Ohio, etc. and saying to kids, “hey Buddy...you wanna play February/March baseball in Pennsylvania or Tennessee?” The strange college baseball calendar cripples northern states in recruiting and Tennessee should (and with Vitello, I think, is) take advantage of that. There is plenty of talent in cold weather states. The distance from those states to Knoxville is shorter than it is to other SEC cities (other than Lexington, which is still pretty cold in February). And you are selling the opportunity to play in the best conference in America, by far.
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That’s exactly what McDonnell has done at UofL. Their entire roster is OH, IL, IN & KY kids. He doesn’t even waste his time trying to compete with more southern SEC/ACC schools. UofL was absolutely nothing in baseball before he got there; 1 Regional appearance in school history. Now 15 years later, he’s built the best program in 3 separate conferences and made 5 trips to Omaha. UofL is living proof that a non-traditional baseball school in a more northern climate, can compete with anyone.
 
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#75
#75
GrayWaterCanine said:
Playing in a shared facility off campus would signal the immediate death of the program and any chance of retaining Vitello.
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Actually there’s been several programs over the years that have on campus facilities and play games there but ALSO play big games in local stadium where professional teams play and it’s worked well. I was asking a question. I hope we can eventually upgrade our stadium but if we don’t put a lot of fans in the seats what’s the use. Those nicer stadiums in collegiate baseball have large attendances at the games. It all begins and ends with large crowds regardless of where you play!
 
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