Tony Vitello reveals unique approach to limiting Kentucky’s success on the basepaths

Sitting just three games behind Vanderbilt in the SEC East standings, Kentucky has a chance to make some noise this weekend against Tennessee. The Wildcats have had success in one key area, though, and the Vols have an interesting approach to containing them.

Kentucky leads the SEC with 77 stolen bases this season, doing so in a league-leading 101 attempts. That means Tennessee will have its hands full when the Wildcats get on base, especially considering the Volunteers lead the SEC with 60 stolen bases allowed.

Or, as Tony Vitello told reporters, they sometimes will.

Vitello doesn’t think the Volunteers should be worried every time Kentucky is on base. Instead, it depends on the situation — and there are ways to make sure things don’t get out of hand.

“I think it’s circumstantial,” Vitello said. “Now, on the whole, it’s a topic that you bring up for good reason, but I think it’s circumstantial. What’s going on with the score? Who’s up at the plate? Who do we have on the mound, what the count is and those things like that. But you want to know who is on the bases and then you want to approach it with a [variety] of looks going over that way and we’ve talked about it and done some stuff to prepare.”

That said, when the time comes to keep the Wildcats honest, Vitello said it’s important to make sure the play is clean on both ends. The catcher has to make a good throw and the fielder — whether it be the second baseman or shortstop — has to field it cleanly.

If it takes a more heroic effort than simply doing that, the runner would likely be safe anyway.

“Being strong around the base and making sure you’re you’re doing a good job on the receiving end,” Vitello said. “The catch is very, very important because whoever’s back there, that’s all we want them to do is just play catch. If you’ve got to be Superman and come out of there and break your world record for pop time, the second or the third, then it wasn’t meant to be to get the guy out anyway.

“So if we play catch and do a good job on the receiving end, that to me is success. Whether the guy’s out or safe, we’ll leave that up to the umpires.”

Kentucky and Tennessee will start a three-game series Friday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

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