Bluegrass Baseball Club Article in Enquirer & NKY.com

[dd734]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20100806/SPT0302/8070364/Club-has-seasoned-high-schoolers

[dd734]

The Bluegrass Baseball Club of Northern Kentucky has produced quite a list of most-improved players to watch for the 2011 high school baseball season.

 

The club's top three levels: The 18-under Chiefs, 17-under Seminoles and 16-under Lions completed their summer schedules in late July and combined to win nearly 100 games.

 

Chiefs coach Rob Sanders said Beechwood's Dylan Cottingham, who will be a senior, is the heir apparent to Highlands' Sam Liggett as the Ninth Region's premier catcher.

 

Sanders had the luxury of having Liggett, who will play baseball at Transylvania College, and Cottingham on the same team this summer. He said Cottingham was the prime beneficiary of the arrangement.

 

"Dylan got better by playing with Sam, and he wowed a lot of college scouts," said Sanders, the Bellevue High School baseball coach. "Dylan's blocking, his picking off runners, all that improved.

 

"At first, he had a hard time adjusting to the level of pitching, but eventually he was getting it at the plate. It'll be like shooting fish in a barrel next spring."

 

Other Bluegrass Chiefs to watch next high school baseball season: Josh Bertke (Beechwood), Tyler Sexton (Dixie Heights).

 

"Sexton is going to show a lot more power. He led our team in RBIs," Sanders said. "Bertke had a great summer and he played with two cracked ribs after colliding with one of our outfielders. He's just a tough kid. It affected his hitting for 3-4 weeks, but he expanded his pitching repertoire this summer. We helped him with changing speeds on all his pitches."

 

Bluegrass Seminoles to watch: Colin Johnson (Beechwood), John Roberts (Conner), Cole Wendeln (Boone County).

 

"Colin is a smart kid," Sanders said. "He's a Governor's Scholar and spent a good portion of the summer downstate with that. But when he pitched, he was strong. He will be a force next spring.

 

"Cole hit the ball real well and he's shown he's a good outfielder, and he's got excellent speed. I think John Roberts is going to be one of the best players in Northern Kentucky next season. He can flat-out hit. He's got great hands in the infield and he has a huge heart."

 

Bluegrass Lions to watch: Josh Berger (Simon Kenton), Darrick Brilz (Beechwood), Chase Stanley (Boone County), Doug Teegarden (Boone County).

 

Said Lions coach Bob Myerhoff: "Berger was one of our solid rotation guys. Brilz just crushed the ball. Doug Teegarden's already a good second baseman but he learned how to play shortstop with us and showed steady improvement at the plate."

 

Myerhoff, the coach at Beechwood, said Stanley is a real sleeper for 2011.

 

"Stanley flew under the radar at Boone because of all the talent they had, but he had a great summer for us, especially pitching against some very good hitting teams."

[dd734]

I find it curious that there was no mention of the Bluegrass Bats 17U team, coached by Dave Shepard in the article. A Bats team that beat the 17U Seminloes 2 out of 3 times this year. Beating the Seminoles 11-3 and 8-1. The Bats only loss to the Seminoles was 6-2. The Seminoles 8-1 loss to the Bats was in the end of year Mason Dixon Tourney semi- finals. Which moved the Bluegrass Bats into the championship game with the Bluegrass Lions. The Bats defeated the 16U Lions 6-0 to win the Mason Dixon. The Bluegrass Bats were 24-5 on the year. Seems to me there may be some talent on this Bats team as well. Some of these names may be thrown around next year as well, when the top players in NKY are talked about. Great year Guys. Nate Losey, Mike Kremer, David Jenkins, Corey Cox, Jake Rebholz, Coy Shepard, Austin Vann, Mike Teegarden, Campbell Co. Sean Murphy, Brady Gray, Luke Schmits, NCC, Ryan Thompson Cooper, Jake Ollier, Brossart, Brian Waibel, Simon Kenton

[History]

Perhaps you should contact the author of the article. Papres are always looking for good stories. If you track things long enough, you can accurately predict the week there will an article on the Kentucky Colonels team, the high school previews, etc.

[dd734]

Perhaps you should contact the author of the article. Papres are always looking for good stories. If you track things long enough, you can accurately predict the week there will an article on the Kentucky Colonels team, the high school previews, etc.

 

Yes, but this was an article about Bluegrass Baseball, and they completely snubbed the Bluegrass Bats, which is part of their organization. Which if you look at it apples to apples. The Bats would have to be considered their top 17U team as they beat the Semiloles twice, rather handily.

[AttaBoy]

Thanks dd734!

Great season for these young men and some fantastic talent on this team also!

[dd734]

I have just talked with a Bluegrass Baseball Club Coach. After talking with him, it seems that the author of the news article was given contact information about the Bats as well as the Ky Colonels, and the author chose not to include the Bats or the Colonels in his article. So the Bats were snubbed, but only by the author of the article.

[4pointplay]

I have just talked with a Bluegrass Baseball Club Coach. After talking with him, it seems that the author of the news article was given contact information about the Bats as well as the Ky Colonels, and the author chose not to include the Bats or the Colonels in his article. So the Bats were snubbed, but only by the author of the article.

 

But didn't the Colonels have an article written about them earlier? Too bad the author didn't do his homework to include the Bats. Some nice players on that team as well.

 

Bluegrass does a nice job with their teams and I would think Bats did the organization proud by the way they played this summer. Don't know if I would call Bats their top team just because they did not travel to some of the more high profile tournaments that the Seminoles did.

 

With that being said who in the organization is being recruited to play baseball in college and where?

[Coachg13207]

Nice article. Bluegrass looks have some very strong teams again in 2011. Should be a fun summer for the boys.

[marley]

Nice article. Bluegrass looks have some very strong teams again in 2011. Should be a fun summer for the boys.

I don't know for sure but I have heard that alot of player have move on, the person I was talking to said the Kentucky Kings has started a team back up. Maybe it was just the kids that didn't make Bluegrass , last years team was very good and had alot of kids returning. Sexton ,Bertke and Cottingham to name a few and I do think some of the older player.

[Coachg13207]

I don't know for sure but I have heard that alot of player have move on, the person I was talking to said the Kentucky Kings has started a team back up. Maybe it was just the kids that didn't make Bluegrass , last years team was very good and had alot of kids returning. Sexton ,Bertke and Cottingham to name a few and I do think some of the older player.

 

You have been given some incorrect info. There are a couple players who have moved on, but Bertke is not one of them. Last I heard Sexton was staying with Bluegrass. He is apparently being asked to leave. What I did not understand about it is the part where these players think Coach Sanders can not get them into college. Coach Sanders has done a great job over the years finding kids a place to play and further their education. He has talked several college coaches into taking some kids who would not of otherwise had a chance to go on to college.

 

I have heard recently that someone is spreading the word that Bluegrass has broke up and will not have any teams. This is far from the truth. Some people are just trying to get players to come their way. It is a shame what some people will do, regardless of who they hurt.

[marley]

QUOTE=Coachg13207;3901265]You have been given some incorrect info. There are a couple players who have moved on, but Bertke is not one of them. Last I heard Sexton was staying with Bluegrass. He is apparently being asked to leave. What I did not understand about it is the part where these players think Coach Sanders can not get them into college. Coach Sanders has done a great job over the years finding kids a place to play and further their education. He has talked several college coaches into taking some kids who would not of otherwise had a chance to go on to college.

 

I have heard recently that someone is spreading the word that Bluegrass has broke up and will not have any teams. This is far from the truth. Some people are just trying to get players to come their way. It is a shame what some people will do, regardless of who they hurt.I do know after talking to some player, that it not that coach Sandercan not or will not find a school for them,and almost all have said great thing about him and the reason for moving on has to do with other things. I've talked to Sexton and he's told me that he will be playing for the KBC this summer and Teegarden has left to play with the Kings along with Cottingham, Embs and Larimore and around Five other that played for Bluegrass last year. How is leaving a team hurting other when they do not want to play for that team, should they stay even if they are not happy with what is going on. I don't understand how they are hurting other. Maybe they all feel they were the ones being hurt by staying with Bluegrass,there most be more to this than I know and being told.

[katbird]

Marley, since your kid is one of the kids leaving I would think you would know what was going on..lol

[goaheadandjump]

Well.......it goes to show what one bad apple in a group can do to a team (or two teams.....)...................................In any event Bluegrass will get along just fine and be muc better off without the "problem parent" so to speak.

 

The sad thing is when a parent has to bounce their kid from team to team because people do not want their kids playing for him and then he turns around and takes players from other teams so that he can be happy and be involved in decision making instead of allowing his very talented players to play.......................Now I realize players moving to teams happens all the time but when you are contacting kids behind people's back and trying to get them to switch to your team at the detriment of the team they are on then I think you are going way too far................Just my opinion.

[goaheadandjump]

I have heard recently that someone is spreading the word that Bluegrass has broke up and will not have any teams. This is far from the truth. Some people are just trying to get players to come their way. It is a shame what some people will do, regardless of who they hurt.I do know after talking to some player, that it not that coach Sandercan not or will not find a school for them,and almost all have said great thing about him and the reason for moving on has to do with other things. I've talked to Sexton and he's told me that he will be playing for the KBC this summer and Teegarden has left to play with the Kings along with Cottingham, Embs and Larimore and around Five other that played for Bluegrass last year. How is leaving a team hurting other when they do not want to play for that team, should they stay even if they are not happy with what is going on. I don't understand how they are hurting other. Maybe they all feel they were the ones being hurt by staying with Bluegrass,there most be more to this than I know and being told.

 

 

 

Yes it is true that several players left Bluegrass and no switching teams is not the problem here. First you should always do what you feel is best for your child. And if switching teams is what is best then so be it. However............there is a way to go about getting players for your team(s) and in my observation (which may be correct or not) some people associated with orchaestrating this "move" have a penchant for taking short cuts and trying to pry players from other teams including talking to kids who are committed to teams ,etc. I think that is where things are going in a wrong direction......