Todd Raleigh may be scrounging around the trainer's room looking for a tourniquet right about now.
The first-year Tennessee baseball coach is trying everything he can think of to stop the bleeding.
UT (25-24, 11-13 SEC) enters a crucial home SEC series against Kentucky - first pitch at 7 tonight at Lindsey Nelson Stadium - riding a six-game losing streak.
"We're all searching for answers right now," Raleigh said. "It's a tough stretch, but tough people last, tough times don't. That's what I try to tell them."
No. 22-ranked Kentucky (35-14, 11-13) visits Knoxville looking for a similar set of answers.
After beginning the season 19-0, the Wildcats have struggled at times in the SEC and are tied with the Vols in the hunt for the eighth and final spot in the SEC tournament.
This could be the make-or-break series.
"That's what I told the team," Raleigh said. "You've got a chance to go to Hoover, or you don't.
"You want me to get up on a table and start breaking stuff and yelling? I'm past that stage."
He may be, but the Vols still had a marathon soul-searching session after losing 5-3 to Belmont on Wednesday.
One of Raleigh's points of emphasis to a young Vols' team picked to finish last in the SEC, is there is no excuse for failure when every other UT team on campus appears to be winning at a high level.
"Especially when 19 of 20 (UT) sports went to the NCAAs last year and three first-rounders (baseball's James Adkins, Julio Borbon, J.P. Arencibia) didn't make it," Raleigh said. "If everybody else at the university was bad, you might could say whatever. But everybody's good. These guys are getting equipped with the same weight room, the same meal plan.
"That's what makes this job so intriguing. You can win. All you have to do is sit in your office and look left and right. Everybody is successful."
Raleigh points to the early loss of reliever Aaron Everett to a season-ending arm injury as a turning point in the psyche of his Vols.
"We were 9-1 in one-run games when that happened," he said. "Then we started losing those close games.
"Then we started getting our brains beat in a little bit and we lost our confidence. You lose your confidence, then you start pressing."
Now is not the time to be pressing.
Kentucky was swept at home by LSU last weekend. Tennessee swept LSU in the first SEC series of the season in Knoxville.
Raleigh's hoping he sees that early version of the Vols, not the one swept at home by Vanderbilt last weekend.
Getting a blend of veteran players and freshmen to buy into his system has been his biggest chore since day one.
"It's the old 10-80-10 Bear Bryant theory," he said. "Ten percent of the people are going to do whatever you want no matter what. Ten percent aren't going to do anything no matter what you do. The other 80 percent are in the middle and could go either way.
"You've really got to focus on the 80 percent. Out of 30 guys, there's probably about three I can't do a whole lot with, three who show up and would do everything, and the other 24 are going to go either way. That comes from leadership from the coaches and the players."
Davis, Morgado On USA List: UT freshman center fielder Kentrail Davis (.346, 12 home runs, 43 RBIs) and redshirt freshman pitcher Bryan Morgado (5-3, 3.88 ERA, 91 strikeouts) have accepted invitations to compete in the USA Baseball National Team Trials on June 11-23.
"The chance to have an opportunity to represent my country and the University of Tennessee means the world to me," Morgado said in a UT release. "I'm going to give it my best and hopefully Kentrail and I can both earn a spot on the roster."
The final 22-man roster will be announced June 24 and the team begins its summer schedule against Chinese Taipei in Greenville, S.C., on June 25.
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 21
ClearVol writes:
chkrbrd, I agree, that's may be the most pathetic interview I've read in a while. Same weight room? Same meal plan? Is that all it takes to be a winner?! Last I checked, no. How 'bout a coach with his head screwed on? Wow, this guy is way, way out in left field. Tell me again why Delmonico (sp) is gone...
tcaswell4 writes:
actually this guy is a really good coach look at what he has done they were picked last and have a chance to make the sec tournament delmonico barely could with three first round picks
hdhurst writes:
I am certainly no insider to UT's baseball program, nor even to this coach in general, but I would go as far to say that we will know more about his future here come the end of season two.
liveinloudon writes:
If you go back and look at all of the interviews he has given you get a very clear picture of who this coach is.
Hopefully as he locks down the borders His brilliant words .. the parents and players within those borders get to know the coach through his "interviews" going to games and talking with current parents etc. and those players will go alittle outside the Borders.
This guy does not instill confidence and players need that. He has an ego that makes Delmonicos look tame. He will and has thrown his players under the bus whenever it suits him. Why would you want to sign up for this? Vandy, Lipscomb, ETSU even Belmont looks much more attractive
Agent_Orange writes:
"It's a tough stretch, but tough people last, tough times don't."
He may not be able to win, but he's got the clichés down pat.
threehundredbowler writes:
Wow!Is this the same Coach most everyone was compareing to Bruce Pearl as far as coaching abilities when he was hired?I really think he deserves at least two more seasons before we tear him to pieces and demand his release.Not that anyone has done that yet.He may turn out ok,but then again I do have concerns.
rockytopron writes:
With this years team, getting to the SEC tourney is a good thing. This is a young team with little experience past this season. Look for them to be really good in a couple of years though.
Lets not give up too soon fans.
juicetke#226846 writes:
Oh, is it baseball season? I never did catch on to this sport. Tooooo Sloooooow. I do like to see Tennessee sports succeed though.
pyramidco#266542 writes:
Coach Raleigh is a 500 winning percentage coach in the SEC with a previous record at Western Carolina of 257-209. The Vols record is a reflection of his established coaching ability.
Volunatic writes:
I'm hoping Raleigh's Vols can pull off something Rod Delmonico's Vols never could-- a good showing in the SEC tournament. (Yes, I switched off my remaining logic circuits a few minutes ago.)
GO VOLS!!! Beat Kentucky!
liveinloudon writes:
he did not recruit kentral....delmonico did
Lofton4Three writes:
Once again we have people posting about a coach and a baseball program that all they do is look at a box score. Talk to some players that have played for Delmonico, and then talk to some that have played for Raleigh. As far as him throwing players under the bus I don't agree with that. When it comes to games against teams like Belmont, Lipscomb, and ETSU, UT obviously has more talent. But, teams like that get up for teams like Tennessee. You have to meet their intensity, which our mid-week starters have yet to do. Raleigh is doing the right thing by trying to let his team know what they are playing for (the name on the front).
Give the guy time, this is the same coach that led the team to an opening season sweep of LSU. Baseball's a funny game, but how could anyone describe that to a couple of posters on here that have no clue about the game. They only care about the FireFulmer syndrome, that apparently is trickling down to baseball now.
Lofton4Three writes:
I'm just saying chkrbrd to know a little bit about the game before you start saying he should be fired. For the first time in over a decade the UT baseball team has a COACH...not a backboneless buddy system abiding coward. He has yet to throw a player "under the bus". What he has done is questioned some of their baseball characters, and their problems of not respecting the game. The truth is Rod Delmonico left this program in shambles. Todd Raleigh is a tremendous coach, and a good person. If you would do a little background check on him you'll see he's a baseball guy through and through, and has a pretty good pedigree as well. If Coach Leggett puts his name behind you, then you must be doing something right.
Not saying though you haven't saw a game in person, just saying the fact you played high school baseball does not make you a baseball guru or give you the right to call for this man's job. Even if you got moved up to varsity your senior season to chase foul balls with the big club.
tigervol9802 writes:
I'm trying to figure out what was so arrogant about that interview.......other than using the Bear as a reference as course. He does need to learn never to refer to him positively here.
Oh well, I see the Loudon boys have added a few people to worship their Delmonico shrine.
Lofton4Three writes:
I guarantee you theres not a drill on there to teach a college player how to catch a routine pop-up. The truth be told, there are players on the TN roster right now that would probably be better suited in a NAIA program or DII. Where were you back 3-4 years ago when UT lost to Carson-Newman at home? Were you getting on the fact that you're hero TD lost to the d2 program up the road? Games like that are nothing but a trap to the big schools. Look at the schedule from this year, it is set with a ton of traps...why? Because TD knew the only way that he could pull out staying another year was to schedule weak teams. Weak teams...compounded with a weak mid-week rotation spells nothing but disaster. But you know of a DVD that you googled on Leggett, but i know you want to give it a rest because I'm the state regional tourneys are coming up and you have your batboy duties.
By the way if you can send me your name and address, I'll get you a signed copy from Coach Leggett himself, and I'm sure TR would love to have you come by and show him the drills you have learned over the years.
Lofton4Three writes:
Oh so now we are going to namecalling. Grow up kid
Tbaseballfan writes:
Wow!!!! This coach is NUTS. I feel sorry for the players at UT, it is not like, they are getting paid to be abused by this so called coach. I hate to see how he treats his family when he gets home.
ClearVol writes:
I'm not saying the guy should be fired, just quit saying stupid stuff. Honestly, though, you don't need to be an expert on baseball to see the mistakes he makes in this one interview. Knowing a bit about sports, management, people and attitude tell you that this guy is not going in a positive direction. He seems very defensive which typically means he's lacking self confidence. I doubt players will respond well no matter what his excuses though. Maybe Hamilton can introduce him to Team Building/Management 101..on DVD if you like...
TommyJack writes:
chkrbrd: Childish post pal. Ease up on the namecallng.
Lofton4Three writes:
So the fact that you threw a shotputt makes you a guru at baseball?
There takes all kinds to coach. I had a coach in college that was a very intense person that had no qualms about calling myself and also my mother very bad names. The first manager I played for in the professional level was a meek guy that did not even associate with the players, nor did he get along with the players. Both were successful in their own right. TR may come across rough on the edges to some of you, but it's guys like that that make some players wanna run through a wall for them.
It's alot like what Bruce Pearl says all the time...don't listen to how I'm saying it...listen to the message. TR will have these guys playing the game the right way, it may not be the way some of you want it though. But for an SEC team, from top to bottom it is very weak. Give him a chance with the guys he will recruit. After 3 years, then we can start to judge how he really is.
Just some food for thought.
VolBallFan writes:
If Raleigh wants answers, he needs to find a bathroom, go to the sink, and look up... squarely into the mirror.
Never in my life have I heard of such degrading speech and outright attacks on players by a coach. Any success UT has had this year is in spite of TR, not as a result of anything he's done. He's taken this team apart, shattered their confidence, and given them no reason to even keep going. When the coach is shouting from the dugout, "I hate this f***ing team, I can't wait for this f****ing season to be over," that's the beginning of the end. This is a demoralized and beaten-down team that can't function with a complete loser at the helm.
Raleigh's getting his wish now isn't he. He took a promising season with SEC leading players and All-Americans and turned it into a disappointing downward spiral. Raleigh is a JOKE
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