Don’t try telling new Kansas University baseball coach Ritch Price that KU is only a basketball school.

“I feel that one of the great things that will help us become successful in baseball is the success of the basketball team  and the overall excellence of the entire athletic department,” Price said.

“That’s one of the things we’re going to use in the recruiting process. We’re going to sell the entire college experience  the fact they’ve been so good in basketball and other sports we’re going to try to use that to let them know it can happen in baseball as well.”

Price may have a tough sell. The Jayhawks last made baseball’s postseason in 1996 and haven’t finished above .500 since 1997. Throw in consecutive finishes at the bottom of the Big 12 Conference  home of the national champion Texas Longhorns  and Price could have some rough times trying to replace Bobby Randall.

It’s that challenge that intrigued Price, though.

“That’s the reason I came (from Cal Poly),” he said. “I’m so excited about the opportunity to coach and compete in the Big 12. We want to make the NCAA tournament. We want to start with that goal each and every season, and I’m looking forward to that challenge.

“I think that it’s possible. I think if we continue to work hard and do a good job in the state of Kansas and in the Midwest and can find some additional players to fill in throughout the country, I think we can make that dream a reality.”

If Price has his way, that dream will come sooner rather than later.

“I’ll be honest with you, my goal is to put his team in the Big 12 Tournament in our first year,” he said, “and to finish in the top six in the tournament. We’re going to set our goals high and work hard every day through the fall and winter to see if we can make that happen.”

Improving the pitching will be a priority for Price. Last year’s team had an earned-run average of 5.25.

The team’s top three starters were all seniors.

“We’re hoping that some of the younger players in the program can continue to develop and make an impact. If it’s possible, we’re going to try to sign a couple more players before the spring semester and see if we can’t get some help in that area,” Price said.

Price  he believes there are five or six Big 12 caliber players on the team already  will bring along at least one top offensive prospect, his son Ritchie, who is hitting .474 with 72 RBI in summer league play.

“He’s excited about coming to the University of Kansas and being part of the Big 12,” Price said. “He’s probably the most excited member of our family, besides myself. He’s having a terrific summer.”

Ritchie and the rest of Price’s family  his wife, Cindy, and his other two sons, Ryne and Robby  did not accompany Price on his move to Lawrence last Wednesday, but will be in town next month.

“All three of my boys are still playing,” Price said. “We put our house up for sale last week and sold it the first day so my wife was real excited about that. They’ll be coming out in the middle of August.”

While his house in California has been sold, Price is looking to make some improvements on his new home  Hoglund Ballpark.

Price said he hopes to make improvements to the dugouts, batting cages, bullpens and walkways to home plate. He also wants to put Astroturf behind home before next year and is considering SportsTurf, which is similar to the AstroPlay used at Memorial Stadium, for the infield in the future.

“My goal is to try and finish the inside peripheral part of the stadium and make it look as good as the grandstands and the press box,” Price said. “I want to try to make the playing surface as good of a playing surface as you can play on in the Big 12, and I think from a recruiting standpoint that’s going to be essential in the process.

“Personally, I like Hoglund stadium. I think the seating capacity’s outstanding right now, and my first job has got to be to fill it up. If I can fill up what we’ve got right now then we can start talking about expanding it in the future.”

An easier and cheaper change at the stadium will be a move across the field to the third-base dugout, where Price  a self-titled traditionalist  said he believes the home team belongs.

“I may find out that the reason is that the wind blows across the field,” Price said, “and that’s why they’ve always been on that side come February, but we’re going to try to change the perception of the program and the image of the program a little bit. I have great respect for coach Randall. I think he’s one of the finest men I’ve ever met in baseball, and we’re just going to try to see if we can finish what he started to build.”

Â

Kilmer out: Price met with pitching coach Wilson Kilmer on Friday and decided to not offer the pitching coach a spot on his staff.

“That’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do since I’ve gotten here,” Price said of meeting with Kilmer and assistant coach Brett McCabe last week. “(Kilmer) understands I need to bring my own guys in. When you come in as a new coach and you take over a program you have to hire your own staff and try to give a sense of freshness to what you’re trying to do.”

Kilmer, who spent 15 years at KU, could not be reached for comment.

The fate of McCabe is still up in the air, as Price waits to see if Ryan Graves, his assistant at Cal Poly, receives the head coaching job there. The Cal Poly sports information department said athletic director John McCutcheon would submit his recommendation to university president Warren Baker today and a decision will be announced Friday or Monday.

Â

Catcher released: Cole Armstrong, who started behind the plate in 35 games last year and hit .260 as a freshman, has asked for and received his release from the team last week.

“My feeling about it is that I wish him the best of luck,” Price said, “and I hope things work out for him in the future, but if you don’t want to be at Kansas we don’t want you here. We’re looking for players who want to make a commitment to helping us turn the Jayhawks into a top-40 baseball program.”

Price said he hoped to sign a catcher or two this summer to replace Armstrong. Beau Thompson is the top returning backstop for KU. The sophomore-to-be hit .170 in 24 games last season.

Â

Minor league update: Last night’s Single-A matchup between former Jayhawk pitchers Brandon O’Neal and Pete Smart turned out to be a slugfest.

Smart’s High Desert Mavericks, an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, defeated O’Neal and the Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) Quakes, 12-8.

O’Neal took the loss, falling to 5-11 after giving up six runs and six hits in six innings. Only three of those runs were earned, though, so his ERA stayed at 4.56. The Quakes, an affiliate of the Anaheim Angels, have committed 106 errors in 94 games. Just 50 of the 82 runs allowed by O’Neal have been earned.

Smart didn’t figure in the decision, allowing four runs and five hits in four innings. He is now 8-5 with a 5.39 ERA for the Mavericks.