Who are the teams that should have a strong year this year?

I can't agree more.....last year TC Roberson was 25-0, ranked nationally and averaging 12 runs a game headed into the playoffs and didn't win it all. When they lost their dominant pitcher (Josh Thrailkill) to a knee injury, they suddenly became vulnerable and lost in the third round to Crest 11-5. A team that has two dominate pitchers, a good defense and can score a few runs is hard to beat in a one and out format.

 

jhbaseball i agree about the two pitchers and hs teams riding two arms...if a team comes up with two solid starters and 1 guy who is content to be relief they can go all the way...i have seen teams with more than 2 starters and 1 relief have problems...because somebody doesn't get to pitch enough...good pitching stops good hitting..

 

A team to watch in the 2A Private School Division is the Hickory Grove Lions. With a returning line up of experienced players and a new assistant coach with a great baseball background, you have a formula for success. You don't need to be in a 10-12k private school to be on a competitive team. With 4 starters comited to Gary Robinson's Express team this spring, a 30 game schedule, and 6 games in Florida during spring break, they will be tough to beat. Look for them to go deep in the playoffs.:xyzthumbs

 

Most teams who reach the playoffs will have good pitching and defense. It's the ability to score runs against good pitching that gets you to the finals. Players who rake in the playoffs are probably seeing good pitching during the regular season and in the summer and fall showcase tournaments,so playoff-caliber pitching is nothing new. Other teams, like Independence take a different approach by scoring runs with a finely-honed small ball approach rather than piling up the K's against a dominant pitcher.

 

charlotte christian also plays in an rj reynolds tournament, i dont have their schedule with mme but they play some more teams from the east

 

do not count out watauga pioneers is the NW4A thats all i got to say.

 

tmart_11 welcome to "this board rocks".....never mind 007(i believe he is a s.caldwell supporter)...

you are right...watauga is always tough..having 1 of the better(perhaps the best coach in the NW4A).Coach Hardee is arguably 1 of the best head(pitching also) coaches in NC...year in and year out Watauga is highly competative...

 

OK I'm new to this so I did some investigating. And from looking at the past one team I haven't seen mentioned this year is Mcdowell. Any information on those mountain boys? It seems they have always been at the top. But from what Ive got to go on, legion ball last year, SC has to be at the top. I think Freedom will surprise many. The Chapman kid played traveling ball all summer, and they return almost everyone.

 

NW4A BASEBALL

SOUTH CALDWELL WILL BE STRONG FROM GRADES 9 - 12. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM THAT FEEDS INTO SC WENT 14-0 THREE YEARS AGO WITH RUNS SCORED 167 TO 33 AGAINST OPPONENTS AND THE NEXT 2 YEARS WERE STRONG ALSO.
HARD HITTERS HARDEE, BUMGARNER, AND JUSTICE RETURN. NEXT YEAR 2006 BATTERS 1 THROUGH 7 WILL BE ABLE TO KNOCK IT OUT OF THE STADIUM AT ANY TIME ALONG WITH COACHES EMPHASIS ON DEFENSE. CALDWELL COUNTY LEGION SEEMS TO GET MORE OUT OF SOUTH CALDWELL PLAYERS THOUGH BECAUSE SC COACH PARHAM IS SET IN HIS WAYS AND LEAVES PITCHERS IN TOO LONG AND DOESN'T DEVELOP ENOUGH PITCHERS AND DOESN'T ALLOW FOR INJURIES. I THINK FREEDOM, WATAUGA, AND AC WILL BE TOUGH. WE EXPECT TO BE IN THE PLAYOFFS THE NEXT 4 YEARS.

 

Leaves pitchers in too long, doesn't develop enough pitchers, and doesn't allow for injuries. I guess you don't think much of the coach do you. I guess if you don't take them out too early you leave them in too long. He doesn't develop enough pitchers? If we could develop pitchers we would all be 8 deep on the hill wouldn't we? Maybe you don't think he works with kids that have the potential to pitch enough. What do these potential pitchers do the 8 months out of the year that this coach does not have them? Are they developing themselves by working at it the 8 months he doesn't have them? Are they working on mechanics, long tossing, lifting, running, plyos, getting instruction from qualified people on their own? If a kid is waiting for his High School coach to develop him into a pitcher the four months out of the year that he plays for him who is at fault the coach or the player? The season starts Feb 14th in NC. We scrimmage the 25th and 27th. I guess I have plenty of time to develop my pitchers don't I? Plus I have to allow for injuries. When you figure out that one please let me know. The bottom line is what kids do in the off season (8 months) will determine what they can do during the High School season (4 months). And it will determine what their team does as well. When we start Feb 14 we will spend the first week evaluating incoming talent and the progress of our returners. We will cut and start preparing for the start of the season. That gives us one week before our first scrimmage against Cedar Ridge then Northern Durham on the 27th. Our players have worked the entire off season to be ready to play the day our season starts Feb 14th. The kids that have not will not be there on the 14th. When we get started on the 14th it will be about the team and getting the team ready to play as a team. They have had 8 months to be working on their game. It will be time to work at (our game). Can coaches fine tune during the season and help kids work through certain mechanical problems etc yes they can. Can they develop pitchers or for that fact any posistion or hitting etc while they are trying to get a team ready to play in a short season and turn around period NO. If a kid comes into the High School season and he is not a hitter and he is not a pitcher chances are darn good he won't be one during the season. Again what are the players doing? Individuals are responsible for their ability to play. This is not to imply that we as coaches do not teach fundementals and work hard on teaching our kids how to play the game. We spend alot of time on teaching fundementals and working at the finer aspects of the game. But there is no way you can develop a pitcher or any other player during the season only. It is a small part of the equation. The kids that excell use the off season to get better and use the season to showcase what they have done in the off season. Coaches are responsible for the teams ability to play as a team.