TBR-SW4A Honors 2009

Alex Wood POY

Alex Wood is hitting over .500 (and almost .600) and I think he has 4 homeruns including the game winner last night. He has been by far the best pitcher in the conference - if not the state (I think the Farrell kid in Wilmington and Alex Wood will fight for that title.)
As for the two games you mentioned:
1.) he had a perfecto against Providence going into 5 innings - until 1 inning where some breaks did not go his way.
2.) he was pitching while he was sick against Myers Park trying to help his team (which should be to his credit, not held against him). He could have begged off to help himself look better, but he put the team first. Isn't that what you want in a POY?

Ty Zupcic has had a great year, and he deserves recognition - I do not want to take anything away from his success.

But, I think Alex Wood noses him out by an inch for POY.

 

Coach Of The Year

After reading the all conference predictions and noting the absence of any players from Myers Park with the exception of Brian Holberton sharing the catching spot, first year coach John Spencer should be awarded the Coach Of The Year for doing so much with so little. How did Myers Park finish third in the conference with so little talent? Myers Park split their games with AK and lost to Providence in extra innings. Hmmm!!

 

Another 2009 commitment

Butler's Matt Varnadoe - Limestone

 

Tribefan, this is an individual performance award. You have led us down the path of individual performance in specific games so lets go down that road. In PHS' 2 victorys over AK what was Zupcic's performance? I know Wood K'd him virtually every time they faced each other and that Wood actually had more hits and contributed more offensively than Zupcic in their games. Against MP Zupcic was also not a factor in either game. Advantage goes to Wood in your scenario. Whats lost in this disussion is that Wood most likely leads the SW4A in pitching AND hitting!

 

I recognize that it is an individual award but for the player who made the most signifcant contribution to his team within conferenece play however at no time did I make it an individual contest between two players. You have apparently missed the point. Alex is a pitcher by position and would be evaluated based on his performance at that position against conference opponents. So when I stated that he had a loss and a no decision against two of the top three TEAMS that is pertinent when evaluating conference performance. As for hitting it also should be looked at within the conference not overall BA and I am not sure when he began to hit during the season. I don't understand your point of Alex's personal performance against Zupcic who may have struck out against him in both games but Alex did not hit in the first game and had only one hit in the second and also gave up the game winning hit in the first Providence loss so I don't see how that equates to an advantage since niether of those games resulted in a win for his team. You can also debate that he is the best pitcher in the conference when there are others with undefeated conference records. Nevertheless Alex and Tyler had great years and we are each entitled to our opinion and since we don't have a vote we should wait and see what the powers to be decide.

 

Cody Shelton

Shelton should be a consideration. He has played very well and has been hitting very well since the break. Of right now i think he is the most dynamic and atheltic and most capable 3rd baseman in the league.

 

POY

Tyler Z, Alex, Richie, Tyler Tewell, Ryan Stetson, Holberton, etc would all be fine choices and the best thing is that every one of them is as quality a young man as they are a ballplayer. So much talent in one 8 team conference and I for one am going to miss watching these guys compete after this season closes. It all goes by just way too fast.

 

You make some good points: however, it's been my experience on TBR that the player's parents are the last one's to promote their kids on here. I know most of the posters on here and I rarely if ever have read them mentioning their son. In fact they seem to take the opposite approach and let others do so.

I agree that it would be very difficult to award one player the honor when they are so many good seasons had by many---but since a player or co-players will be awarded, it's fun to read what others think (as long as it's not at the expense of another.) I've always felt that awarding this type of honor; the place to start is with the championship team and work back. BUT....I realize that the POY could even be on the least talented team in the conference.

I have a feeling that no matter who is selected...it can be justified

 

Braves - you got that right !

With so many excellent players in one conference, you could make a good case for several players....

IMHO, if a kid pitches and hits like Alex Wood has this year that helps separate him from someone who is an excellent hitter (and there are many to choose from) or an excellent pitcher (again many to choose from).

I am also guessing that if Richie Shaeffer had been healthy all year, this thread would probably not be needed....