Not real sure how you can say they are not top 5. Regular season means absolutely nothing in Kentucky high school baseball. I am sure JB and staff could attempt to win more games along the way, but they are looking to see what they have during the regular season in order to build toward a postseason run. Todd Ramey was a JV player last year until mid-year when he was promoted to the Varsity and I think he has become a pretty good player. Ricky Raisor spent the entire year on the JV squad and yet when postseason rolled around he threw a no-hitter in game 1 of the District and then followed that up with a very good start in the 9th region championship game. Him pitching JV allowed coaches to give other kids experience and also allow him to play in some games as a position player.

 

Highlands may have a situation next year where kids have rightful complaints about playing time because there are only 8 spots on the field.

 

I have to disagree with what you say Highlands does during the regular season. They don't spend the regular season experimenting with players until the tournament starts. We played them in our first game of the year and they played their best and pitched their best. We played them twice more and in all the games they played their best healthy players.

 

You sound like you are making excuses for them losing to other NKY teams. BTW Ramey played from game 1 on.

Please do tell. What does ego centric mean in baseball? Are they ignoring signs? Are they intentionally making outs? Or are you referring to the dastardly, dreaded, and ego centric wearing of eye black? Give me a break. What BW needs is for some kids other than the 4 returning juniors to step up and play on a consistent basis. They must somehow figure out how to replace their middle infielders Booth and Suchanek, and they must get a better year on the hill from a couple kids. The have their ace in Kyle Fieger, a solid 2 in Combs, but need to solidify that 3. My guess it will be Stringer, but who knows, perhaps they instead choose to continue the up and down closer experiment.

 

IMO Highlands is a clear favorite, as long as they build on the end of year run. I saw them couple times mid year, and they were not good. End of year, very. Which team is the real team? Did they just have a great run end of year, or are they really good?

I don't think the problem was everyone else and not the big 4 for losing. I'm pretty sure the big 4 were also big part of the reason BW lost the way they did against Highlands.

Ever since I have been reading BGP, people have been touting Highlands as one of the top teams in the area. Just last year, parts of the fan base insisted that they should be #1 or #2 in the preseason. As the season went on, it was obvious that they were not a top 5 team. I do think they have the makings of a good team next year (pitching), who knows maybe they will be near the top. However, until they can win consistently against good teams, I'm not picking them in my top 5.

 

Am I bitter over Dixie handing them games in the last 2 of 3 regional tourneys? Yes :isurrender:

 

Since they finished runner up in the region those people saying they were one or two were pretty much on the money.

I have to disagree with what you say Highlands does during the regular season. They don't spend the regular season experimenting with players until the tournament starts. We played them in our first game of the year and they played their best and pitched their best. We played them twice more and in all the games they played their best healthy players.

 

You sound like you are making excuses for them losing to other NKY teams. BTW Ramey played from game 1 on.

 

Making no excuses and perhaps you should re-read my post in more detail. Ramey was a JV player last year for about 1/2 a year and Raisor was all year. If you think Highlands worries about there regular season record, I will tell you that is absolutely incorrect. JV did the same type of thing throughout the season as well.

Making no excuses and perhaps you should re-read my post in more detail. Ramey was a JV player last year for about 1/2 a year and Raisor was all year. If you think Highlands worries about there regular season record, I will tell you that is absolutely incorrect. JV did the same type of thing throughout the season as well.

Again, I didn't see Highlands "experimenting" through the season. I saw them playing the same as every other team and that was trying to win games. Just like other every other team they would move up and back JV players etc. but that is what everyone does especially when the JV season is over etc. come tournament time.

 

Just don't think Highlands coaches or players don't care about the regular season like you are claiming. I think they'd love to go undefeated if they could. Like I said, if they didn't care about winning or spent the season "experimenting" then why is it the 3 occasions we played them they had the same starters in all 3 games?

Again, I didn't see Highlands "experimenting" through the season. I saw them playing the same as every other team and that was trying to win games. Just like other every other team they would move up and back JV players etc. but that is what everyone does especially when the JV season is over etc. come tournament time.

 

Just don't think Highlands coaches or players don't care about the regular season like you are claiming. I think they'd love to go undefeated if they could. Like I said, if they didn't care about winning or spent the season "experimenting" then why is it the 3 occasions we played them they had the same starters in all 3 games?

 

Coach Baioni does do some experimenting with the lineup throughout the season. Maybe it hasn't happened in games against Cooper but I do know for a fact that he lets every kid on his roster gets multiple chances in different situations to see how they respond throughout the regular season.

Again, I didn't see Highlands "experimenting" through the season. I saw them playing the same as every other team and that was trying to win games. Just like other every other team they would move up and back JV players etc. but that is what everyone does especially when the JV season is over etc. come tournament time.

 

Just don't think Highlands coaches or players don't care about the regular season like you are claiming. I think they'd love to go undefeated if they could. Like I said, if they didn't care about winning or spent the season "experimenting" then why is it the 3 occasions we played them they had the same starters in all 3 games?

 

As usual, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Do they want to win every game they play? Absolutely. Very few people I know are more obsessed with winning or upset at losing than JB.

 

That said, do they play a soft schedule to get Ws? Obviously not.

 

Was there experimentation in the lineup, rotation and bullpen throughout the season to see what worked best? Yes. However, it was "tinkering around the edges" rather than wholesale changes. 3B, RF and 1B were the primary areas where this showed up. The other 5 positions were fairly consistent all year long. Rotation varied only slightly after JR Jones was injured and several different arms were tried out of the bullpen for various reasons. Introduction of Raisor into the starting rotation due to saving other arms at District level and the other 3 usual starters being burned in the 1st 2 games of the Region was all timing.

 

JOAT is correct that last season is a better example. Ramey did not play Varsity until 1/2 way through the season and then ended up hitting 3rd in the District and Regional tourneys.

Since they finished runner up in the region those people saying they were one or two were pretty much on the money.

 

Again, using this logic, was UConn the best college basketball team this past year (or UK the second best)? I think not. Just because you get hot (or lucky) and do well in a one and out tournament (especially in baseball), it doesn't necessarily mean your the best. I would slot Highlands around #5 or #6 this past season.

As usual, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Do they want to win every game they play? Absolutely. Very few people I know are more obsessed with winning or upset at losing than JB.

 

That said, do they play a soft schedule to get Ws? Obviously not.

 

Was there experimentation in the lineup, rotation and bullpen throughout the season to see what worked best? Yes. However, it was "tinkering around the edges" rather than wholesale changes. 3B, RF and 1B were the primary areas where this showed up. The other 5 positions were fairly consistent all year long. Rotation varied only slightly after JR Jones was injured and several different arms were tried out of the bullpen for various reasons. Introduction of Raisor into the starting rotation due to saving other arms at District level and the other 3 usual starters being burned in the 1st 2 games of the Region was all timing.

 

JOAT is correct that last season is a better example. Ramey did not play Varsity until 1/2 way through the season and then ended up hitting 3rd in the District and Regional tourneys.

I agree with this. The point being made is as far as the experimenting goes during the season, every team does it. This isn't something that is restricted to Highlands. At the same time it isn't done as much as Jack of all Trades makes it out to be. Shoot Cooper had something like 5 different starting 3rd basemen this season, nothing new. It it also wasn't an excuse why they lost to some teams as Jack of all Trades is trying to make it sound.

 

Also when he talks about players playing JV last year for HHS half the season like Ramey, Cooper had the majority of their team this year who only played JV last year and a couple who only p,ayed Frosh last year. Shoot, Coopers most versatile player this year, Pat Dragan, started at 7 different positions this year and played JV the entire year last year. Cooper's starting infield this year had 3 players a lot of the time who only played JV or mostly JV all last season including their leadoff hitter and starting 2nd baseman. My point is Highlands didn't do anything differently than any other team that had the players to do that this year.

I agree with this. The point being made is as far as the experimenting goes during the season, every team does it. This isn't something that is restricted to Highlands. At the same time it isn't done as much as Jack of all Trades makes it out to be. Shoot Cooper had something like 5 different starting 3rd basemen this season, nothing new. It it also wasn't an excuse why they lost to some teams as Jack of all Trades is trying to make it sound.

 

Also when he talks about players playing JV last year for HHS half the season like Ramey, Cooper had the majority of their team this year who only played JV last year and a couple who only p,ayed Frosh last year. Shoot, Coopers most versatile player this year, Pat Dragan, started at 7 different positions this year and played JV the entire year last year. Cooper's starting infield this year had 3 players a lot of the time who only played JV or mostly JV all last season including their leadoff hitter and starting 2nd baseman. My point is Highlands didn't do anything differently than any other team that had the players to do that this year.

 

I give up. Apparently you know everything there is to know about Highlands baseball. Not making excuses about anything, in fact could really care less how or what they did during the regular season. All I know is that they were in the final game for the second time in 3 years, so they must be doing something right especially without any of these top flight players.

I agree with this. The point being made is as far as the experimenting goes during the season, every team does it. This isn't something that is restricted to Highlands. At the same time it isn't done as much as Jack of all Trades makes it out to be. Shoot Cooper had something like 5 different starting 3rd basemen this season, nothing new. It it also wasn't an excuse why they lost to some teams as Jack of all Trades is trying to make it sound.

 

Also when he talks about players playing JV last year for HHS half the season like Ramey, Cooper had the majority of their team this year who only played JV last year and a couple who only p,ayed Frosh last year. Shoot, Coopers most versatile player this year, Pat Dragan, started at 7 different positions this year and played JV the entire year last year. Cooper's starting infield this year had 3 players a lot of the time who only played JV or mostly JV all last season including their leadoff hitter and starting 2nd baseman. My point is Highlands didn't do anything differently than any other team that had the players to do that this year.

 

How many games did you see Highlands play?

How many games did you see Highlands play?

 

5, 3 against Cooper

I give up. Apparently you know everything there is to know about Highlands baseball. Not making excuses about anything, in fact could really care less how or what they did during the regular season. All I know is that they were in the final game for the second time in 3 years, so they must be doing something right especially without any of these top flight players.

Well if you think they don't care about winning during the season and they do things differently than everyone else and keep their best players in JV half the season then yes I do know more about Highlands baseball than you.

Well if you think they don't care about winning during the season and they do things differently than everyone else and keep their best players in JV half the season then yes I do know more about Highlands baseball than you.

 

Then welcome to the Dirty Birds family.

Come on now people. Of course he knows everything about every team in the 9th region. He wouldn't have received his nomination as field general if not. It is quite a prestigious honor that isn't handed out without proper vetting.