Area stat leaders

Going to be running this weekly. You can follow me on twitter for the latest @langstonwertzjr

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/03/19/3113558/charotte-prep-spring-sports-leaders.html

 

Langston,
We at Catholic are still trying to figure out where your stats came from that you included in Tuesday's "Area Stat Leaders" section. We do have 2 or 3 kids hitting above .400 -- but no one anywhere near the numbers that were posted Tuesday. All of our numbers are accurate and up to date on the Maxpreps website -- I was thinking that your stats came from there. Thanks for all you do -- BTW!!!

 

Stats are great.....I love 'em

Stats are a great thing. I love them and it goes all the way back to looking deeply at the NL and AL complete stats in the Sunday paper back in the 60's. I love the perspective stats can provide and I think the Observer does a good service to provide them. Two huge improvements would be if they were consistently all inclusive of area teams and based on true achievement.....neither appear to be possible.

If the coach won't call the stats in, the the Observer can't include them. Kudos to those coaches who understand that it is important to the players and families to see the player's name included in the statistical leaders when they have worked hard to compete and achieve that recognition. Recognition is important throughout life from the Pinewood Derby to the Medal of Honor and everything in between.

When I see wild statistical representations I totally discount them....an .800 hitter or a 0.15 ERA don't stand to reason. I so vividly recall hearing an "official scorer" saying to a Sr. shortstop that he helped out a little bit on two of those hits so it would look good in the paper.

For college-hopeful players and families, it doesn't matter too much anyway. I was at a Showcase event at NC State and I asked the coach what he looked for at these events and it was interesting. He said for hitters, he is looking for the kid who consistently "barrels up" the ball....maybe going 0-4, it didn't matter. The player who goes 3-4 with a high chopper up the middle and a flare to shallow RF that dies in the grass, and a bloop somewhere else is going backward in his book....as he prefers what he saw in the 0-4 hitter, knowing those well-driven balls will find the turf on another day. For pitchers, he said he was looking for command of multiple pitches and a pitcher who got swings and misses, particularly with an "out pitch". He said "if a pitcher is not getting swings and misses here, he will get hit hard in college".....so he is looking beyond bloated HS stats produced by friendly "official scorers" or ball fields with miniaturized dimensions.

 

laugh

Wow. maybe WSL can use some of the scorekeepers from queens grant for league stats.

 

Exactly and well said. Stats at this level are for fun. The mean very little if anything at all in the recruiting process. Recruiters are looking for Quality At Bats, fielding actions (foot work, arm strength etc) and Quality Innings and neither is truly defined by stats.

 

Just Wondering?

Where do these stats come from? Some of these schools are not Charlotte area schools and some of the leaders are not even the leaders in their own conference!

Its a good thing these stats have no baring on a players opportunities at the next level or these type of post would be an injustice to kids!

Just my 2 cents!!