If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

 

 

 

Couldn't agree with you more. It is clearly "broken" and therefore in need of a fix.

Couldn't agree with you more. It is clearly "broken" and therefore in need of a fix.

 

I have said it before, but winning a state championship when I was in high school meant more to me because it meant that I was part of the best high school program in the state, not one of the top 4 or 6. It meant that my team (one of the smaller 3A schools at the time) was better than even the big Louisville, Lexington, and NKY schools. I think to break it up into classes would be a shame...this is coming from someone who supports both a 3A school (4A in football) and a 1A school.

It is definitely time to fix it. If Beechwood would have won the title last year it would have been like the movie "Hoosiers". It would probably not happen again for years. When you have a school of 315 going against schools with enrollments of 1600+ it is not right.

 

Plus the KHSAA could learn a lot by watching how Touchstone handles the All "A". Having been participants in both twice, the All "A" is a much better run tournament.

I have said it before, but winning a state championship when I was in high school meant more to me because it meant that I was part of the best high school program in the state, not one of the top 4 or 6. It meant that my team (one of the smaller 3A schools at the time) was better than even the big Louisville, Lexington, and NKY schools. I think to break it up into classes would be a shame...this is coming from someone who supports both a 3A school (4A in football) and a 1A school.

 

 

 

This is NOT aimed at you KYThorobred and is NOT meant as a personal attack so please don't take it that way.

 

However, the excuse of being the "one true champion" is in my mind the lamest of all excuses for not classifying. 1) There is really no basis in logic. It is strictly a self serving feel good reason for keeping the status quo. 2) It does absolutely NOTHING to solve the clear fact that nearly half the schools in Kentucky will NEVER be afforded the opportunity to play beyond District and the rare regional appearance. (If you think Lou. Holy Cross doesn't have a distinct disadvantage in numbers you're not paying attention.) 3) It doesn't address the VERY SAME ISSUE that the larger county schools CLAIM to be the reason behind their attack on privates . . .i.e. the "level playing field." What is this? Do as I say, not as I do? I'm all for tradition and striving for excellence, when it is right. Tradition for the sake of tradition, especially when it is clearly NOT in the best interests of the students and competitors is just blindness.

Besides the obvious, Baseball is not like Football on a lot of different levels:

1. Baseball IS a Cut Sport. You don't want or need a 60 to 100 man roster.

2. Baseball Only Needs Nine (9) Players. With the exception of pitchers, you only need to be two (2) maybe three (3) players deep at each position. So a twenty five (25) man roster is more than adequate. I’ve won tournaments with only a nine (9) man roster.

3. In Baseball All Players Go Both Ways. With the exception of the designated hitter all positions on the field play both offense and defense.

4. In a Given Season, It Can All Come Together. With only the need for a small roster, a small talent pool can produce a very high quality team.

 

I agree with KY Thorobred,

“If it ain’t broke; Don’t fix it”.

Besides the obvious, Baseball is not like Football on a lot of different levels:

1. Baseball IS a Cut Sport. You don't want or need a 60 to 100 man roster.

2. Baseball Only Needs Nine (9) Players. With the exception of pitchers, you only need to be two (2) maybe three (3) players deep at each position. So a twenty five (25) man roster is more than adequate. I’ve won tournaments with only a nine (9) man roster.

3. In Baseball All Players Go Both Ways. With the exception of the designated hitter all positions on the field play both offense and defense.

4. In a Given Season, It Can All Come Together. With only the need for a small roster, a small talent pool can produce a very high quality team.

 

I agree with KY Thorobred,

“If it ain’t broke; Don’t fix it”.

 

I can see where smaller schools feel the need for classification. I never will understand the philosophy of, "Because it's always been that way." Well, that doesn't make it right...

 

1) Being a "cut sport" is even more of a reason for classification, IMO. It's all about the pool of kids you have to choose from. Being able to keep the best and not keeping everyone shows the difference in most large schools compared to most small schools. Some kids at smaller schools get significant playing time that wouldn't even make a larger schools roster...

 

2) Do you have a better chance of fielding 9 studs if you have 300 kids to choose from or 1000 kids to choose from? Do you have a better chance of having much better depth with 300 or 1000 kids? Pitching is a perfect example. Most small schools have 1 maybe 2 studs while a larger school could have 4 or 5. Solely based on the # of kids available to them.

 

3) Relevance? Most high school kids don't play baseball in peak condition anyway...(See pitching)

 

4) Although it is a wonderful thing to see, it's a rarity...

Besides the obvious, Baseball is not like Football on a lot of different levels:

1. Baseball IS a Cut Sport. You don't want or need a 60 to 100 man roster.

2. Baseball Only Needs Nine (9) Players. With the exception of pitchers, you only need to be two (2) maybe three (3) players deep at each position. So a twenty five (25) man roster is more than adequate. I’ve won tournaments with only a nine (9) man roster.

3. In Baseball All Players Go Both Ways. With the exception of the designated hitter all positions on the field play both offense and defense.

4. In a Given Season, It Can All Come Together. With only the need for a small roster, a small talent pool can produce a very high quality team.

 

I agree with KY Thorobred,

“If it ain’t broke; Don’t fix it”.

 

I coached at a Single A school last year that won our District. We were mixed in with much larger schools but did overcome the disadvantage of other teams having 7 times as many boys to pick from. I am not for a total classification system; however it is foolish to think that "size does not matter"

 

Point in case. I have coached an AAU team that represents several counties for the last five years. We have never been beat by a team representing one community. I would like to think it is because I am a great coach, or because my players work harder, or because I have a great system, but more realistically it is because I draw from a much larger pool of player.

150 male kids at Hazard, with a solid program, good coaching and great program... wonderful! 250 male kids strategically placed at LCA.....great! 1200 male students at Trinity or Christian County......PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I coached at a Single A school last year that won our District. We were mixed in with much larger schools but did overcome the disadvantage of other teams having 7 times as many boys to pick from. I am not for a total classification system; however it is foolish to think that "size does not matter"

 

Point in case. I have coached an AAU team that represents several counties for the last five years. We have never been beat by a team representing one community. I would like to think it is because I am a great coach, or because my players work harder, or because I have a great system, but more realistically it is because I draw from a much larger pool of player.

 

Your comment about baseball is a cut sport and only needs 9 players is correct. Although, what you are forgetting to mention is (let's look at St X for example) some schools have 150 freshmen try out for baseball while other schools cannot field a junior varsity team because of the size of the school. How is this "a level playing field"?

MLB50 Do you know of anyone on the 2005 LCA team that had not been in that school pretty much from the beginning. If you would like list of players i'm sure we could help you out. People on this site say that small schools can't compete but when they do they cry that they cheat. The biggest difference of bigger schools and smaller schools is the ability to sustain a very high standard. Big schools have more depth and can handle the loss of players more easily. Small schools can have a couple of good classes and compete but then fall back after upperclassmen graduate.Investigate before accusing, LCA has the advantage of being in Lexington which happens to be a great city for youth baseball. Beechwood may be able to get back but not knowing the age of players I would bet they had a lot of upperclassmen and lost alot after last season.

MLB50 Do you know of anyone on the 2005 LCA team that had not been in that school pretty much from the beginning. If you would like list of players i'm sure we could help you out. People on this site say that small schools can't compete but when they do they cry that they cheat. The biggest difference of bigger schools and smaller schools is the ability to sustain a very high standard. Big schools have more depth and can handle the loss of players more easily. Small schools can have a couple of good classes and compete but then fall back after upperclassmen graduate.Investigate before accusing, LCA has the advantage of being in Lexington which happens to be a great city for youth baseball. Beechwood may be able to get back but not knowing the age of players I would bet they had a lot of upperclassmen and lost alot after last season.

 

I am not accusing LCA of anything. I am accusing Players Edge of trying to persuade kids to go to LCA. There was a catcher in the 8th grade at Scott County that attended Players Edge. Next thing you know, he was at LCA. There was a catcher at Elkhorn Middle in Frankfort that was asked to go to LCA by Players Edge staff members. I have a problem with that and so should any other fan.

MLB this shows the problem with people knowing the difference between LCA and Lexington Catholic. The catcher you are speaking of went to Catholic not LCA. LCA turns down many athletes that either don't fit into academics of the school or the Spiritual Beliefs of the school. In all sports there have been many good athletes that didn't come to LCA because they were not admitted. I assure you LCA Baseball did not have 1 recruited player on the 2005 State Championship team. There is one LCA coach that teaches at Champions and there is one Catholic coach thet teaches there. in other posts about this subject all players were listed from LCA 2005 team and no one could tell of anyone who didn't spend most if not all of there lives in LCA way before they knew they were baseball players.

The current system is prefectly fine. Just look at the recent success of Beechwood. Their a 1A school in football and are doing a fine job in baseball. Boyd County over the years has always suited up a good baseball program. Why fix it? In the state of Kentucky they have the "21 rule." You can only have 21 players on the roster come playoff time anyways. Im sure schools in this state can field a 21 man roster.

 

Splitting baseball into classes would be to much of a waste and hassle for the KHSAA. I doubt the KHSAA would even bother turning this into an ordeal like they did with football. Even though baseball in this state probably provides more Division 1A athletes than football. Now thats another argument!

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MLB this shows the problem with people knowing the difference between LCA and Lexington Catholic. The catcher you are speaking of went to Catholic not LCA. LCA turns down many athletes that either don't fit into academics of the school or the Spiritual Beliefs of the school. In all sports there have been many good athletes that didn't come to LCA because they were not admitted. I assure you LCA Baseball did not have 1 recruited player on the 2005 State Championship team. There is one LCA coach that teaches at Champions and there is one Catholic coach thet teaches there. in other posts about this subject all players were listed from LCA 2005 team and no one could tell of anyone who didn't spend most if not all of there lives in LCA way before they knew they were baseball players.

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