Posted by volsrock54 on April 25, 2008 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Yawn

Posted by noexcuses on April 25, 2008 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Go get'em coach. You are getting more out of this team than I ever thought you would. But I sure wished you had beaten ETSU. Now I have to put up with some of my Johnson City friend's crap now for a whole year.

Posted by pdhuff on April 25, 2008 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm bemoanin' losing to ETSU.

Posted by raleighncvolfan on April 25, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Zzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzz

Posted by w4tey on April 25, 2008 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

For a first year coach there are a lot of things to like about Raliegh. He seems to be doing more with less than UT has done for a while. I expect big things in the future for the BaseVols. If the fan base could even be one tenth as rabid for baseball as it is for football and basketball it would help this team on the field immensely.

Posted by alfrizzle097 on April 25, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Baseball is simply a dieing sport in America. When the announcers are discussing hairstyles from the '80's in between pitches, you know it isn't exciting.

Baseball has the same problem soccer does: boring. To much down time. Soccer can easily fix it by removing the offsides rule. Baseball doesn't have it that easy...

I want to make it clear that I recognize that there are those that disagree with me, but the relative interest and size of the fan base compared to NBA or the NFL bears out my opinion.

Posted by Raynoch on April 25, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This team has really impressed me. We weren't expected to be anywhere near tied for 4th this late in the season.

Posted by cmoore7 on April 25, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Baseball is a dieing sport? That's probably why attendance numbers have increased in each of the last three seasons at MLB parks and ESPN launched a MLS Thurdsday night primetime slot. I guess you need slam dunks,touchdowns,american idol vote-offs, and Britney headlines to stay entertained. Ignorance is bliss, Al Frizzle, and you are an idiot. Don't come back until you have done some research.

Posted by richvol on April 25, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The one thing that has ruined baseball (especially on TV ) in todays age is the constant changing of pitchers.In the glory days of major league baseball the pitchers mostly pitched complete games. If they got in a jam they had to pitch their way out of it and oftentimes they went on to pitch a great game after the rough start.

There were more runs scored and there was an ebb and flow to the game. Constant pitching changes cause too many delays and contribute to the bore factor.

Another thing...let the pitchers hit. The DH rule takes much of the strategy out of the game.

Posted by FlushTheJohn on April 25, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

volsrock54 and raleighncvolfan

If you don't have anything to say, why dont you keep you hole shut!! I understand that you don't care about our baseball team, but some of us do and enjoy the rare occasion that the kns staff actually writes an article about them.

Baseball is still very popular with a certain crowd. I understand that there is not as many thugs in baseball compared to football or basketball and that makes it less interesting to some. Some of us are tired of the tatood up thugs though, and we enjoy a day at the ballpark where that doesn't exist.

Posted by WorkinLikeHeck on April 25, 2008 at 11:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I like baseball and wish more fans would come out to support the baseball team. However, it can be boring beyond belief at times. The umpires need to have more control over the pace of the game. For instance, batters stepping out of the box at every pitch, undoing their batting gloves, re-strapping their gloves, stepping back in the box, etc. while the pitcher steps off the mound, takes a walk, looks for signs, etc. Game play needs to be sped up period. The last 2 UT baseball games I've been to, I've left in the 7th inning after I've been there about 3 hours and basically been put to sleep.

Posted by JohnAdamsIsTrash on April 25, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with these coaches. The NCAA has treated baseball like the red headed step child for far too long. They have like 11 scholorships to field a team of about 30 - 35 people. Baseball is the sport that pays the most due to title IX. Don't get me wrong, I support womens sports, but title IX is rediculous!!!!!

Posted by GreerVol22 on April 25, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Raleigh has a point but every team is in the same situation so there is no unfair advantage.

The problem with baseball is, players make to much money for too little effort....tickets to a single A game are $8 for decent seats but $4 for a damn Coke......for my son to play little league it cost $100 to play and then all the equipment cost are on top of that....

Baseball used to be about family, but with no dads around in 40% of childrens lives these days and the cost of playing thru the roof. no wonder. And for the guy that says attendance is up, it really had no where to go but up.

Somebody stop me! I sound like Dr. Phil.

Posted by Hunter on April 25, 2008 at 1:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Anyone who doean't like UT baseball has never been to a game live. THE best value in SEC sports is the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, AL every year. You pay less than $100 for great seats and see up to 14 games. You tailgate in the parking lot between games - it's a beautiful thing.

And baseball is a "dieing" game? Apparently, so is grammar.....

Posted by cmoore7 on April 25, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I realize that baseball attendance had nowhere to go but up for a number of reasons: the player's strike, crappy stadiums(Pitt,Atl,SD,SF), and division readjustments(Mil), but that is outside of the scope of the argument that "baseball is a dieing sport".

RichVol: The reason there are so many pitching changes is that more runs are being scored in the new "hitter friendly" ballparks that Al Frizzle and others need to satisfy their slam dunk/home run appetite. If more runs were scored during the "glory days" then how were more pitchers throwing complete games? That math doesn't add up.

The real problem is that people need constant stimulation now. Few are entertained with a great pitching duel that ends in a 2-1 score(as evidinced by the poor attendance at Smoltzy's 3,000th SO game Wednesday night). Nor do most want to see a defensive/field position football game. How many of you were uncomfortable with losing to Alabama in '05? Hopefully all of you, considering this is a UT Board, but how much of your discomfort had to do with the scoring being 6-3? Spurrier's high-scoring fun n' gun offense has made lasting impressions on every sport since the 90's.....and it's easy(fun) to blame someone I don't like.

Posted by superk on April 25, 2008 at 2:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Sounds like the kitchen may be getting pretty warm. Know what people do when it gets too hot?

Posted by alfrizzle097 on April 27, 2008 at 2:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why the knocks on grammar, people? These posts are written in two-three minutes max.

The comment about craving slam dunks and home runs is completely invalid. I love watching a good defensive effort in basketball and a 6-3 final in football can be very exciting. The most interesting baseball game is one between teams that hit for the gaps instead of the walls.

What I DO need to see to stay interested is a constant challenge to change that score. I have seen 15 minute + at bat before. It wasn't because the batter kept fouling balls off. It was because they took 2 or 3 minutes per pitch. Sorry, but I find it boring to watch. And when I look over at the UT baseball stadium from Gibbs Hall and there is a hit but no cheers, I can't help but compare that to the excitement generated at TBA or Neyland Stadium.

Posted by VolBallFan on May 12, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Vols Problem= Todd Raleigh. The guy is a first class loser and he's passing it on to his team. He's taken top talent and driven it into the ground. SEC leaders and All-Americans and turned out a losing record. Raleigh is a LOSER and he's gotten a losing season. He's the problem and he should be flipping burgers somewhere in the Carolinas. Why did we expect anything out of this guy. Can this LOSER before he destroys UT Baseball. He's a disgrace and a trainwreck professionally and personally.