Baseball 39 Days and counting

[winthebigone]

Countdown to the first workout 39 days to go

Who is are the 3A teams to beat

:)

[Astrosdawg07]

Jasper

[setex]

I like WO-S, Bridge City and Hamshire-Fannett

[00Sinker]

Navasota has two young studs with great pitching skills. If they can handle it they will be hard to beat this year.

[Old Cardinal]

I think the strong teams are Bridge City and Hamshire-Fannett this year. Kevin Angelle for BC was the strike out king for 3A and looks to have another great season. Scholarship bound catcher Ben Myers has been taking pitching lessons from Sam Moore and is hitting 91 mph. Seasoned pitcher Broc Haymon will be back strong by mid season after an arm operation.
H-F is solid, led by a great player--Chris Clothhorn.
Both of these teams were Sophomore and Junior heavy last season.
LC-M should be a strong 4A again this season.

[3afan]

OC - whats the softball picture look like in your area?

[VWG]

Last year... I know LaGrange, Forney, Perryton, Graham and who else was in their Region finals?

[3afan]

2004 regional finals:

perryton over graham
forney over pleasant grove
lagrange over jasper
llano over sinton

see bracket (http://www.uil.utexas.edu/ath/basepair/aaa.html)

[gobbler grad]

yoakum and sinton always have a good team

[VWG]

Canyon is usually tough in Region I.
Sleeper team could be Decatur...

[Astrosdawg07]

Why no love for Jasper, we are traditionally very strong in baseball! We probably have the nicest facilities in 3a if not all the classes!

[CRHSeagle]

Castleberry is back to back district champs in baseball. We only lost like 3 seniors to graduation. The softball team is good as well. We have two girls who have already commited to play D1 softball next year.

[Wtx_coach]

In region 1, I think Perryton, Abiline Wylie, Canyon and Pecos, these four teams are always good in baseball every year!Its going to be a good season!!

[bullfrog_alumni_02]

didnt baseball just end what seems like last week? i wish it happened like that for football...:(

[Old Cardinal]

On softball, I would aphabetically give my top twenty as:
Abilene Wylie
Barbers Hill
Bellville
Borger
Bridge City
Caldwell
Canyon
Castleberry
Hamshire-Fannett
Huntington
LaGrange
Lindale
Lufkin Hudson
Orangefield
Sealy
Sinton
Splendora
Sweeny
Wharton
West

The Championship will most probably be decided between one of many good teams in Region III that finally wins the Regional Title and a still strong Lindale team.

[Old Cardinal]

On the comments about Jasper, I think Jasper will have a good team. They maybe will not be as strong as last year but nevertheless a good team....

In looking at the graduation picture, the strongest 20 teams in baseball seem to be Barbers Hill, Bridge City, Sealy, Hamshire-Fannett, West Orange-Stark, Jasper, Lorena, Waco Connally, Sinton, Navasota, Perryton, Graham, Borger, Sinton, Canyon, Snyder, Silsbee, Lufkin Hudson, Columbus and Bellville.

Other teams on a strong watch list include:
Presidio
Kaufman
Pharr Valley View
Carthage
Llano
West
Pleasant Grove
Lake Dallas
Glen Rose
Seminole
Lubbock Cooper
Castleberry

[injuredinmelee]

Originally posted by Wtx_coach
In region 1, I think Perryton, Abiline Wylie, Canyon and Pecos, these four teams are always good in baseball every year!Its going to be a good season!!

I met the Imperial City Supt in line at Wal-Mart in Abilene. Very nice guy.

[Wtx_coach]

Old Cardinal, you must not know much baseball, well especailly in west texas, to add those teams in region 1 and not include Pecos is a joke, Pecos has damm good talent year in and year out,and will beat any of those teams that you listed, last year they started 3 freshmen and 2 sophmores and still was the best team in a tuff district, they should be something to deal with this year and next year!




Originally posted by Old Cardinal
On the comments about Jasper, I think Jasper will have a good team. They maybe will not be as strong as last year but nevertheless a good team....

In looking at the graduation picture, the strongest 20 teams in baseball seem to be Barbers Hill, Bridge City, Sealy, Hamshire-Fannett, West Orange-Stark, Jasper, Lorena, Waco Connally, Sinton, Navasota, Perryton, Graham, Borger, Sinton, Canyon, Snyder, Silsbee, Lufkin Hudson, Columbus and Bellville.

Other teams on a strong watch list include:
Presidio
Kaufman
Pharr Valley View
Carthage
Llano
West
Pleasant Grove
Lake Dallas
Glen Rose
Seminole
Lubbock Cooper
Castleberry

[Old Cardinal]

Sorry you feel that way, if I were a Coach involved at Pecos I would probably see it differently also:)

I see that Cooper beat you 14-4 and 10-8 last year and they were not Cooper's strongest team of late. I would guess that Seminole, Canyon and Cooper are all stronger teams this year in your neck of the woods(I mean plains):confused:

I follow a lot of baseball and softball and am entitled to an opinion just like you or anyone else. I hope Pecos has a good season but I stand with my analysis--prove me wrong.

[onfirebball05mustang]

Softball as far as who to beat....i'd watch out for the Elgin Wildcats---One of their pitchers has been working out all summer and can't wait for season.
As far as baseball goes...i can't wait to see how La Grange and Navasota will do. Our other district teams should do well this year,(Rockdale, Caldwell, Cameron, La Grange, Smithville, Hutto) Manor will have it tough, but (hopefully) we will get through all right.

[neck_06]

i know nothing about any of the teams listed, but i do know that West Columbia will have a tough team this year, they have got some talent returning from last years 4A squad, and they got what you need in high school..........pitching (3 players up around the 90s) they also hit 40 bombs last year in 4A

[Old Cardinal]

I agree on Elgin's softball pitchers; they will be great this year. I saw them play last year they were tough! They however will be playing in 4A instead of 3A and will do quite well.

To Neck06: That is the hardest part of all to try to predict how the 4A dropdowns will fare in 3A. It could be Palestine, West Columbia, West Orange-Stark, Silsbee and a half dozen others will provide us with a State Championship team for 3A. It is typical to get no respect when you move down to 3A. I don't think it is necessarily intentional, it's just that no one knows how to plug these teams into the baseball and softball ratings.

Thanks for the correction Keith..

[Keith7]

Originally posted by Old Cardinal

Other teams on a strong watch list
Lake Dallas



Lake Dallas is 4A.. Learn alil about the DFW area..

[Wtx_coach]

Well buddy,I woud hate to burst your bubble but Pecos did not lose to Cooper last year in the playoffs, they lost to a decent Seminole team and we did not have our 2 best pitchers in that series due to some problems,but thats no excuse cause that was Pecos fault and yes I am giving Seminole credit!Hey Pecos dont have to prove much to be a top team in region 1!



Originally posted by Old Cardinal
Sorry you feel that way, if I were a Coach involved at Pecos I would probably see it differently also:)

I see that Cooper beat you 14-4 and 10-8 last year and they were not Cooper's strongest team of late. I would guess that Seminole, Canyon and Cooper are all stronger teams this year in your neck of the woods(I mean plains):confused:

I follow a lot of baseball and softball and am entitled to an opinion just like you or anyone else. I hope Pecos has a good season but I stand with my analysis--prove me wrong.

[XMan]

Baseball is almost here and what a great time will be. I figured I would throw in my .02 on the upcoming season. Of the teams listed many are very good but some graduated a lot of players and are going to have many holes to fill. The following were hit hard by graduation: LaGrange, Navasota, Sealy, Bellville and Jasper. Of those, Jasper has the best returners. The other 4 have almost everyone to replace. I will for once agree with the OC. Bridge City has the best returners for the upcoming year but they will have to step up and win in the playoffs. Last year they fell in the 1st round. Not much love on here for Columbus but they have 7 returning starters including their top 5 pitchers so they may be a force. They also have a nice facility. I dont know what Jasper has facility-wise but im betting Columbus can compete with them in that category. LaGrange will be stronger than expected but not near as talented as last year. I believe Barbers Hill lost quite a bit but Mr. Victoria always throws a good 9 on the field over in Mont Belvieu. The team im not sure about is Lorena, they have been awesome last couple of years but I dont know how many they graduated. In region 4, Sinton is always strong and Yoakum should be tough as well. I saw that their top pitcher signed with UT. Good luck to everyone.

[Old Cardinal]

To Xman: You put a lot of savvy into a brief analogy of good baseball visioning. I would agree wholehearted that Columbus will be a force. They were hot and cold last year like a lot of the projected top teams this year.
I would say that Coach Byrd, although the assistant at Barbers Hill, is one of the best Coaches in Texas. He will bring a strong team into the district play and playoffs.
I look for LaGrange to be weaker this year; they lost Homer to graduation.
Last year Bridge City had a pitching Coach that made the best knuckleball pitcher(Kevin Angelle) throw only fast balls to Columbus. Columbus is too good a team to throw only one pitch to them. That Coach has since moved to a Class A school, so there is hope down here. Broc Haymon(of select team National Champion fame) came in and shut down Columbus but the damaged was already done and Columbus prevailed.
West Columbia also interest me, they may be tough to cull in 3A ranks.
It is going to be touchy all down the coast of TX, in that one or two bad innings and many good teams will be eliminated. There is a perponderence of great HS teams this year and some will have to be eliminated in some great top baseball games.

To Mr. Pecos: I know I am hard headed but I don't think your team is playing in the same league as the teams along the coast. I would venture that you would be unable to secure a third place finish in any 3A District in this whole area where the bulk of the players are members of premium select teams that go for National bracket play and also get most of the scholarship offers.

[Wtx_coach]

Mr.Coastman, Pecos would secure a 3rd place down that way easily, ask people in Wimberley Teas about them, them people saw them play 2 years in a row and was very impressed, so if you knw some people from there just aske them about the EAGLES

[La Grange]

La Grange did lose a lot to graduation, most noteably was Homer Baily. Anderle, Zoch, Schramm, Niesar, and Kozelsky also left, and they will be greatly missed. We have Bryan Minzenmeyer, Andrew Franke, Stetson Hrbacek, Adam Chavarria, and Brock Hollas who either started or helped out a lot last year.

Also our coach for the last 7 years did resign, but a new millitaristic coach filled his place. The new coach is asking a lot from this team, and he has high hopes. He thinks that they can make it back to Austin and when district undefeated for the 7th consecutive time.

Sure we don't have all of the big name players but three out of the seven seniors are going to play college ball next year.

Oh and our softball team is loaded. The girls are already looking ahead.

[RBARKER]

Originally posted by XMan
Baseball is almost here and what a great time will be. I figured I would throw in my .02 on the upcoming season. Of the teams listed many are very good but some graduated a lot of players and are going to have many holes to fill. The following were hit hard by graduation: LaGrange, Navasota, Sealy, Bellville and Jasper. Of those, Jasper has the best returners. The other 4 have almost everyone to replace. I will for once agree with the OC. Bridge City has the best returners for the upcoming year but they will have to step up and win in the playoffs. Last year they fell in the 1st round. Not much love on here for Columbus but they have 7 returning starters including their top 5 pitchers so they may be a force. They also have a nice facility. I dont know what Jasper has facility-wise but im betting Columbus can compete with them in that category. LaGrange will be stronger than expected but not near as talented as last year. I believe Barbers Hill lost quite a bit but Mr. Victoria always throws a good 9 on the field over in Mont Belvieu. The team im not sure about is Lorena, they have been awesome last couple of years but I dont know how many they graduated. In region 4, Sinton is always strong and Yoakum should be tough as well. I saw that their top pitcher signed with UT. Good luck to everyone.

Xman & OC, Both of you have good assesments of the upcoming year. Thanks for sharing it with us. I too think BC will be a force this year, they have some great pitching. Barbers Hill I don't know what to expect, allot of the names I have followed are gone. I'm Sure BH will be competetive in District and earn a trip to the playoffs. I forgot about Columbus I 'll keep any eye on them they could be good. Lorena, Everyone forgets about this team. Its funny how they hardly ever get any articles written about them and then BAM here they come in the playoffs destroying good teams. BH knows about Lorena they have knocked us out of the playoffs like 3 times in a row.

[WOS#74]

OldCard,
Look out for WOS. Nick Ayers is good. He pitched and won the championship game in the National Jr Olympics last summer. Don't underestimate our Mustangs.
He belongs on the Sundevil Select team along with Angelle, Ehlert from LCM, Myer and Buchanan from PNG.

[Astrosdawg07]

LCM is always great. Do they still have that great lefty who threw so hard?

[Old Cardinal]

I will agree WOS#74 Nick Ayers is of the same caliber as Haymon, Angelle. Orange County is blessed with 3 top-flight select team pitchers now playing 3A ball. I see the District playing out #1 BC, #2 H-F and #3 WO-S. WO-S has a great Pitcher but I don't think they have the support cast this year to win it all. WO-S like BC and H-F will be lethal come Playoff time this season.

[BlueBlood]

Barbers Hill didn't lose many players off last years team but I think they lost most of their pitchers from the last two years. If they can get any pitching at all they could be pretty good--they should have a pretty good offensive club. Huffman could be the team to beat in their district.

[XMan]

As I sit here reading this great post I have though of a very good team that everyone including myself has excluded. That team would be Hallettsville. They made some noise last year with a junior laden team. They are in a tough district with Cuero and Yoakum but should make a good run in the playoffs. In a sidenote, their coach is retiring after this year. Also, he has a senior son on the team. In both of his other sons senior seasons the Brahmas won state. Will it happen a third time? Its a long shot but you never know.

X

[La Grange]

Originally posted by XMan
As I sit here reading this great post I have though of a very good team that everyone including myself has excluded...
X

No one has mentioned Columbus either. They made it to the regional semi-finals last year, and all of their team is coming back.

[Old Cardinal]

To LaGrange: Look back over these post at least 1/3 have something favorable to say about Columbus.

[LHSCheerleader]

I love Baseball season! Hopefully our guys will do well.. maybe playoffs?? who knows..time will tell..

I play AAU softball (doesn't mean i'm a dyke)..I don't play at our HS though..not enough talent and coaching staff sucks..

[jason]

Originally posted by LHSCheerleader


(doesn't mean i'm a dyke) roflmao...no comment...

[LHSCheerleader]

what? **sweet innocent voice***... i didn't do it..

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Jason, are you up to something again?

[GreenMonster]

Iowa Park will be in the hunt again this year in baseball. Team should have plenty of Senior leadership and are led by a 12th year coach with 3 State Tourneys under his belt. This is a program that reloads not one that rebuilds as they have been to the play-offs at least the last 15 seasons that I can remember and I am almost positive that the streak is near 20 years straight. I believe that Graham is the current front runner in the chase for a district title with Iowa Park, Vernon, and Breckenridge right on their heels. Should be a great district race and should produce at least one team that makes it to the Regional Semi-Final round if not deeper.

[VWG]

Originally posted by GreenMonster
Iowa Park will be in the hunt again this year in baseball. Team should have plenty of Senior leadership and are led by a 12th year coach with 3 State Tourneys under his belt. This is a program that reloads not one that rebuilds as they have been to the play-offs at least the last 15 seasons that I can remember and I am almost positive that the streak is near 20 years straight. I believe that Graham is the current front runner in the chase for a district title with Iowa Park, Vernon, and Breckenridge right on their heels. Should be a great district race and should produce at least one team that makes it to the Regional Semi-Final round if not deeper.

I wouldn't count Vernon or Breckenridge to be in Graham or Iowa Park's class as far as baseball. Graham has had... and I think I am right but not sure... about 4 or 5 state tournament trips.
Iowa Park is a definite playoff team for baseball. Good program.
But Vernon and Breckenridge don't match up with Graham or Iowa Park in baseball. Whatever happened to the kid from IP that was drafted by the Yankees? Think his name was Chase something. Great pitcher that was on the Hawks last trip to state tournament. Was that 3 to 4 years ago?

[La Grange]

Originally posted by Old Cardinal
To LaGrange: Look back over these post at least 1/3 have something favorable to say about Columbus.

LOL, sorry Old Card. I just skim through all of the long posts...

And 5 of 42 post have mentioned columbus....hardly 1/3.

[GreenMonster]

Originally posted by VWG
I wouldn't count Vernon or Breckenridge to be in Graham or Iowa Park's class as far as baseball. Graham has had... and I think I am right but not sure... about 4 or 5 state tournament trips.
Iowa Park is a definite playoff team for baseball. Good program.
But Vernon and Breckenridge don't match up with Graham or Iowa Park in baseball. Whatever happened to the kid from IP that was drafted by the Yankees? Think his name was Chase something. Great pitcher that was on the Hawks last trip to state tournament. Was that 3 to 4 years ago?

I think that you are right about Graham. 4 State tourney trips I believe. IP has 4 as well if you count the one from the mid 70's but that was a different era. Of the last 12 baseball seasons one of these two teams has represented Region 1 in the State Tournament 7 times. I think that would qualify both of these teams as perenial POWERHOUSES on the 3A baseball scene. These two teams battle it out every year for the district championship. As for Chase Wright, he is still in the Yankee organization and bounced back and forth between A ball and AA ball this past season. He is 6'4", left handed, and throws in the mid to high 90's (93-98). In his last high school game he was beaten by LaGrange's Homer Bailey, who ironically is in the Reds system pitching with IP's #3 starter off of that team he beat in the Semi's 4 years ago now. Another note of interest about that Reds Rookie ball team, another area kid was an outfielder on that squad, Szymanski kid from Wichita Falls Rider HS. His younger brother was the QB on the Rider Football team this year that went 4 rounds in the 4A playoffs.

[Old Cardinal]

Hey LaGrange, You take out all the specific post about Softball, Iowa Park, Pecos, Jasper, LC-M, etc: and Columbus was a least mentioned in one third of the "listing post" of teams. I think folks on here were astute and giving Columbus due respect that is about as good as any team on the list :p

[rattlerbb01]

LETS GO D-20
Sealy, Bellville, Navasota, Columbus! I don't even know where to start. Best of luck to all, I know Bellville will be good, but I bet they are gonna miss their shortstop Buenger. Navasota will sure be missing catcher Allen and pitcher Shiflett. Sealy, I am sorry, I know ya'll had some graduate, but I just can't remember who they were. Brantly and Zapalac both play this year though, don't they? And Columbus, I love you guys' baseball field. The park is top notch and outshines the football field next door. Just couldn't get into the eerie red lights on the scoreboard!