Thunderstruck, whats up!!!!

Frady was probably the best catcher they had last year after Comparoni quit. I felt like they lost alot defesivly and pitching by having to leave him behind the plate.

As far as shortening strides of pitchers, you cant do that, you can lower their leg lift to help stop the running game.

 

South Laurel returns a lot of players from last year. I think they will be a contender in the 13th. As far as Whitley, i dont know much about their coach but they did make some great strides last year and turned some heads in the tournament, especially after beating Rock 1st round of the region.

 

By shortening strides, I meant time-wise. Of course you can't adjust how far each pitcher strides but you can definitely cut down their time to the plate. Sorry I didn't make that clearer.

 

Again, we must have two different opinions on Comparoni. He has never been a proven player at all. He has far from proven that he is a great catcher. Therefore, the next best behind him, still isn't great. You say that you thought he was their next best catcher but when he was back their they took a step backwards on defense, how is that possible?? Catcher is the position where having a great defensive player matters most while second base is probably the least important defensive oriented position in the infield. Therefore, how can having the best defensive player possible playing catcher with someone filling in for him at second be worse for the team than having Frady play defense at second with a worse catcher filling in?

 

Like I said before, having Russell behind the plate will allow for Frady to stay at second and pitch regularly.

 

Coach Smith at Whitley County is one of the best. Played at Middlesboro, was assistant coach there for a few years andis still in the record books for many pitching categories. He knows a great deal about the game and is very driven.

Happens every year:

 

2005

14th Region Champs PCC vs.

Clay County 2-8 L

North Laurel 5-9 L

 

2004

14th Region Champs Hazard vs

Rockcastle 0-3 L

Cumberland 3-6 L

14th Region Runner-Up Powell County vs

Williamsburg 0-10 L

 

 

This year NL, Whitley, Corbin, Middlesboro, and maybe a few others could beat the 14th champion handily.

Powell pitched 120 pound freshman at 10 o'clock at night after playing 2 that day and not starting 2 seniors. Not a good example. :sleep:

13th A -

 

If Russell catches, doesn't that move Breeding to OF and Jones or Emert to 1B?

 

The Jackets have about 4 kids with experience playing OF - Hoskins, Russell, Breeding, and Earls. Brooks can play OF, but has more experience at the corners. Wilson played some OF last year, but I'm not sure he's coming out. Take Russell out of that mix, and concede that Earls is more effective playing IF, and you've got Hoskins, Brooks and Breeding in the OF.

 

That said, one of the IF players (pick one from Frady, Hatmaker, Holbrook, Earls and Tolliver - I don't know where Pittman plays D) could step up and play OF. Adams is another possibilty, if he doesn't catch. He has good speed, but I've never seen his arm.

 

I don't know much about any other incoming Freshmen except for Adams and Pittman. Doesn't Eddie Gilbert play baseball?

I don't know too much about South Laurel I will be honest. However they went 5-6 last year against 13th region opponents with their wins coming from mostly the weaker ones (Lynn Camp, Jackson County). They did beat Whitley early on by 2 but Whitley came back at the end of the season and 10 runned them. I think SL will be about middle of the pack this year with Clay and Bell.

 

I think the chances of Corbin repeating is about slim to none. The lost a lot of players who had been starting for years and I think they are going to have a year like Middlesboro had last year.

 

Whitley County is a dangerous team. I don't know much about them except for that they return some experience and have a great coach. This season will be interesting.

Bell Co should be improved. Greer is learning and getting better every year. Clay finished last season with 10-12 kids. Could be a long long year.

I agree about Bell Co being competitive next season because if you guys remember they beat Middlesboro in the district tourney and they lost very few players themselves.

Does anybody know if the Harlan Co Schools will be combined this year??

The reason I ask is Cumberland,Cawood,and Harlan also had wins over the jackets last season if I remember correctly.

 

I would still like to wait until after spring training before getting on the jackets to hard. However I have to say something about the projected lineup.

 

Casey Earls being the best player Middlesboro has would be an asset no matter where he plays in the lineup, but if he's put behind the plate this would strengthen the defense. Frady-3B, Hatmaker-SS, Holbrook-2B, Brooks-1B. Outfield would be Breeding, Hoskins, Russell, then you would have a host of bench players to back them up. Like----Tolliver,Emert,Jones, and a bunch more freshmen,and sophomores.

 

Russell would not be a good choice for catcher with that slow wind-up he will struggle with throwing out runners. Also I think to much hipe has been put on Russell as a player it may be out of respect for his father, I don't know. But he has hit below .200 for the past two seasons, and he can not pitch under pressure. And as for Hoskins I hope his control has improved from the mound.

 

I may have missed someone not counting the players that have transfered elsewhere,but we still have just over 60 days to work them in.

I thought the Jackets lost alot defensively in the field by putting Frady behind the plate. I thought he was their best infielder. I agree that the catcher is an important role/position on the field. He has to be a leader and in command of the game. But, does that mean you should weaken your infield by moving one of your best infielders to that position. Why not make a catcher during the fall "conditioning". Or dont run off your catcher, if that is what i happened, i dont know what happened in the Comparoni deal. I felt like he was probably their only proven #1 pitcher.

I agree about Bell Co being competitive next season because if you guys remember they beat Middlesboro in the district tourney and they lost very few players themselves.

Does anybody know if the Harlan Co Schools will be combined this year??

The reason I ask is Cumberland,Cawood,and Harlan also had wins over the jackets last season if I remember correctly.

 

I would still like to wait until after spring training before getting on the jackets to hard. However I have to say something about the projected lineup.

 

Casey Earls being the best player Middlesboro has would be an asset no matter where he plays in the lineup, but if he's put behind the plate this would strengthen the defense. Frady-3B, Hatmaker-SS, Holbrook-2B, Brooks-1B. Outfield would be Breeding, Hoskins, Russell, then you would have a host of bench players to back them up. Like----Tolliver,Emert,Jones, and a bunch more freshmen,and sophomores.

 

Russell would not be a good choice for catcher with that slow wind-up he will struggle with throwing out runners. Also I think to much hipe has been put on Russell as a player it may be out of respect for his father, I don't know. But he has hit below .200 for the past two seasons, and he can not pitch under pressure. And as for Hoskins I hope his control has improved from the mound.

 

I may have missed someone not counting the players that have transfered elsewhere,but we still have just over 60 days to work them in.

IMO, alot of Middlesboro's players are over-hyped. Very solid players that underachieve most of the time. They will probably be about 4-7 in 13th region.

I agree about Bell Co being competitive next season because if you guys remember they beat Middlesboro in the district tourney and they lost very few players themselves.

Does anybody know if the Harlan Co Schools will be combined this year??

The reason I ask is Cumberland,Cawood,and Harlan also had wins over the jackets last season if I remember correctly.

 

I would still like to wait until after spring training before getting on the jackets to hard. However I have to say something about the projected lineup.

 

Casey Earls being the best player Middlesboro has would be an asset no matter where he plays in the lineup, but if he's put behind the plate this would strengthen the defense. Frady-3B, Hatmaker-SS, Holbrook-2B, Brooks-1B. Outfield would be Breeding, Hoskins, Russell, then you would have a host of bench players to back them up. Like----Tolliver,Emert,Jones, and a bunch more freshmen,and sophomores.

 

Russell would not be a good choice for catcher with that slow wind-up he will struggle with throwing out runners. Also I think to much hipe has been put on Russell as a player it may be out of respect for his father, I don't know. But he has hit below .200 for the past two seasons, and he can not pitch under pressure. And as for Hoskins I hope his control has improved from the mound.

 

I may have missed someone not counting the players that have transfered elsewhere,but we still have just over 60 days to work them in.

 

Okay, I have a new projected lineup after talking with Coach Powell yesterday. He seems to be pretty confident that he can turn Hunter Adams into a solid catcher this season. He loves his athletic ability and feels he is already an average high school hitter as a freshman with potentially solid power. Also, he has tremendous hands which are important at catcher. Therefore:

 

C- Hunter Adams

1B- Andrew Breeding

2B- Skip Frady

SS- Tyler Hatmaker

3B- Casey Earls

LF- Shawn Russell

CF- Trevor Hoskins

RF- Lance Brooks

 

Powell said although it is very early, and this is just the projected lineup at this time, he and Coach Sowders love the idea because it puts 8 solid athletes on the field. No way in the world would Casey Earls be moved to catcher. He is too valuable in the infield. Unlike, Frady, Earls is a three year full-time starter and is the best athlete on the team. Earls is the best infielder on this team. If Frady's fielding percentage is better, it is because balls hit to second base are a heck of a lot easier to field than at the hot corner. Powell and Sowders love Earls at third. He is very much that same player over there are Derrick Wynn was several years back. This being said, Brooks is too solid of a baseball player not to have on the field and they both thought he did an adequate job in the outfield last year.

 

Russell is a good athlete. Not only can the kid run a 4.7 forty yard dash but he can power clean 300 pounds. I somewhat agree on the throwing motion but all it takes is a little work to cut that down.

 

About Pittman, Sowders said he isn't the "ace" yet because he hasn't pitched in a game. However, the fact that he throws around 81-82 with the best change-up Powell and Sowders have seen since Lee Hardin shows tremendous potential. They are both very high on him.

 

Also, about Comparoni, he has quit two years in a row. I don't understand how you can say he was proven. He started what, 5 varsity games?? He was probably the least athletic kid on the team. Coach Powell's daughter once came to run sprints with the team two years ago and she beat Comparoni every time. This team is better off without him.

 

Frady is a solid pitcher and will be valuable to this team, but both Hoskins and Earls have both proven themselves in big situations. Earls in a couple big games like Pedro Menedez and Rockcastle both in his freshman season.

 

 

These Middlesboro kids are talented and no one can take that away from them. But what they need to understand is that they aren't going to be able to just show up and win. When they focus and play to their potential, they can beat anybody. This season they will have a whole new complexion. A catcher they can count on behind the plate every guy, a head coach with a brand new attitude, humbled players, and Powell back to help. And if you will remember, when Powell was head coach he went 10 years without losing to Harlan or Cawood.

 

This season, I would almost bet on it that they won't lose to Bell, Cawood, Harlan, or Cumberland one time. We will see though.

Okay, I have a new projected lineup after talking with Coach Powell yesterday. He seems to be pretty confident that he can turn Hunter Adams into a solid catcher this season. He loves his athletic ability and feels he is already an average high school hitter as a freshman with potentially solid power. Also, he has tremendous hands which are important at catcher. Therefore:

 

C- Hunter Adams

1B- Andrew Breeding

2B- Skip Frady

SS- Tyler Hatmaker

3B- Casey Earls

LF- Shawn Russell

CF- Trevor Hoskins

RF- Lance Brooks

 

Powell said although it is very early, and this is just the projected lineup at this time, he and Coach Sowders love the idea because it puts 8 solid athletes on the field. No way in the world would Casey Earls be moved to catcher. He is too valuable in the infield. Unlike, Frady, Earls is a three year full-time starter and is the best athlete on the team. Earls is the best infielder on this team. If Frady's fielding percentage is better, it is because balls hit to second base are a heck of a lot easier to field than at the hot corner. Powell and Sowders love Earls at third. He is very much that same player over there are Derrick Wynn was several years back. This being said, Brooks is too solid of a baseball player not to have on the field and they both thought he did an adequate job in the outfield last year.

 

Russell is a good athlete. Not only can the kid run a 4.7 forty yard dash but he can power clean 300 pounds. I somewhat agree on the throwing motion but all it takes is a little work to cut that down.

 

About Pittman, Sowders said he isn't the "ace" yet because he hasn't pitched in a game. However, the fact that he throws around 81-82 with the best change-up Powell and Sowders have seen since Lee Hardin shows tremendous potential. They are both very high on him.

 

Also, about Comparoni, he has quit two years in a row. I don't understand how you can say he was proven. He started what, 5 varsity games?? He was probably the least athletic kid on the team. Coach Powell's daughter once came to run sprints with the team two years ago and she beat Comparoni every time. This team is better off without him.

 

Frady is a solid pitcher and will be valuable to this team, but both Hoskins and Earls have both proven themselves in big situations. Earls in a couple big games like Pedro Menedez and Rockcastle both in his freshman season.

 

 

These Middlesboro kids are talented and no one can take that away from them. But what they need to understand is that they aren't going to be able to just show up and win. When they focus and play to their potential, they can beat anybody. This season they will have a whole new complexion. A catcher they can count on behind the plate every guy, a head coach with a brand new attitude, humbled players, and Powell back to help. And if you will remember, when Powell was head coach he went 10 years without losing to Harlan or Cawood.

 

This season, I would almost bet on it that they won't lose to Bell, Cawood, Harlan, or Cumberland one time. We will see though.

It seems like there are alot of holes in that line-up offensively. A number of those players have a hard time hitting off-speed pitches.

 

It will be an exiting season in the 13th.

Okay, I have a new projected lineup after talking with Coach Powell yesterday. He seems to be pretty confident that he can turn Hunter Adams into a solid catcher this season. He loves his athletic ability and feels he is already an average high school hitter as a freshman with potentially solid power. Also, he has tremendous hands which are important at catcher. Therefore:

 

C- Hunter Adams

1B- Andrew Breeding

2B- Skip Frady

SS- Tyler Hatmaker

3B- Casey Earls

LF- Shawn Russell

CF- Trevor Hoskins

RF- Lance Brooks

 

Powell said although it is very early, and this is just the projected lineup at this time, he and Coach Sowders love the idea because it puts 8 solid athletes on the field. No way in the world would Casey Earls be moved to catcher. He is too valuable in the infield. Unlike, Frady, Earls is a three year full-time starter and is the best athlete on the team. Earls is the best infielder on this team. If Frady's fielding percentage is better, it is because balls hit to second base are a heck of a lot easier to field than at the hot corner. Powell and Sowders love Earls at third. He is very much that same player over there are Derrick Wynn was several years back. This being said, Brooks is too solid of a baseball player not to have on the field and they both thought he did an adequate job in the outfield last year.

 

Russell is a good athlete. Not only can the kid run a 4.7 forty yard dash but he can power clean 300 pounds. I somewhat agree on the throwing motion but all it takes is a little work to cut that down.

 

About Pittman, Sowders said he isn't the "ace" yet because he hasn't pitched in a game. However, the fact that he throws around 81-82 with the best change-up Powell and Sowders have seen since Lee Hardin shows tremendous potential. They are both very high on him.

 

Also, about Comparoni, he has quit two years in a row. I don't understand how you can say he was proven. He started what, 5 varsity games?? He was probably the least athletic kid on the team. Coach Powell's daughter once came to run sprints with the team two years ago and she beat Comparoni every time. This team is better off without him.

 

Frady is a solid pitcher and will be valuable to this team, but both Hoskins and Earls have both proven themselves in big situations. Earls in a couple big games like Pedro Menedez and Rockcastle both in his freshman season.

 

 

These Middlesboro kids are talented and no one can take that away from them. But what they need to understand is that they aren't going to be able to just show up and win. When they focus and play to their potential, they can beat anybody. This season they will have a whole new complexion. A catcher they can count on behind the plate every guy, a head coach with a brand new attitude, humbled players, and Powell back to help. And if you will remember, when Powell was head coach he went 10 years without losing to Harlan or Cawood.

 

This season, I would almost bet on it that they won't lose to Bell, Cawood, Harlan, or Cumberland one time. We will see though.

 

 

 

 

For once 13th-A I agree with about 90% of what you said, and I even like the lineup with the exception of their positions, and adding Adams it was about what I had projected.

As for Comparoni I agree 100% he would not have been able to help period he was way to slow, and even though he hit left handed he had not proven himself there either. And would probably quit again when the season got under way.

Now as for Russell I have watched him play ever since he was six years old, yes he's a strong,fast,good looking athlete,and has a very strong arm from the outfield, but he and the coaches are really going to have some work to do in the hitting department because well below .200 for two straight seasons will not cut it.

Where is Holbrook? I would think that he would have to be worked in somewhere. And when the pitching rotation starts you still have Tolliver,Jones,Emert that will hopefully pick up the slack.

 

I still worry when TOURNAMENT time rolls around Bell,Corbin,and S.Laurel will give us trouble.

13th A -

 

Good lineup, but it only stands if Pittman or Tolliver pitches. Hoskins pitching puts Breeding in the OF, IMO. Any IF player pitches, I see Brooks going to 3B, rotating the remaining IF players, and Breeding to the OF. In other words, I hope the staff works Breeding at OF this spring as much as they do at 1B - I think he'll be there a lot!

 

I agree with GK - where is Zach Holbrook? Having him available would help smooth out any confusion when another IF pitches. And doesn't he have a brother coming up?

I'm just gonna call it now.... Bell Co. should be pretty dag on solid. I'm not sure if they lost anything from last yeat. They were very young and very talented. I expect big things out of them if they can get some solid pitching which is were they will have some ???. I have a feeling someone will step up though.

Middlesbor will be in there this year, make no mistake about that.

 

Bell Co. could be good and a contender but they are so young right now, Spncer Greer will be their best all around player, and he is only a Freshman. So Better days are ahead for the Bobcats.

 

Whitley will be a solid contender, make no mistake about that. They are going to be very solid defensively, and early they hit the ball as well as anyone. They ran out of pitching the the tourny but that is being addressed in the off season conditioning. They have a couple of strong classess coming up with some strong pitching, and hitting. Freshman Cody Jones will challenge for playing time but he will be the only freshman John Smith will look at.

 

South Laurel will be an interesting addition and they could be the wild card in the whole thing. With a new coach it will be interesting to see if he has an immediate impact on the program.

 

Corbin will be Corbin. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise. Although not loaded like years past, they will be solid fundamentally and be able to hit. Garmen does a great job and should have the Hounds in position to challenge late.

 

 

The most interesting thing is this....summerball.....I saw Whitley play and they had basicly their whole team plus a three from other schools. Corbin had some players playing but they were on teams with many different players and they were not getting their players the games that they needed. I only saw a couple of Middlesboro, Bell and South Laurel kids playing, does it make a difference? I don't know but you would think that it does.

Middlesbor will be in there this year, make no mistake about that.

 

Bell Co. could be good and a contender but they are so young right now, Spncer Greer will be their best all around player, and he is only a Freshman. So Better days are ahead for the Bobcats.

 

Whitley will be a solid contender, make no mistake about that. They are going to be very solid defensively, and early they hit the ball as well as anyone. They ran out of pitching the the tourny but that is being addressed in the off season conditioning. They have a couple of strong classess coming up with some strong pitching, and hitting. Freshman Cody Jones will challenge for playing time but he will be the only freshman John Smith will look at.

 

South Laurel will be an interesting addition and they could be the wild card in the whole thing. With a new coach it will be interesting to see if he has an immediate impact on the program.

 

Corbin will be Corbin. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise. Although not loaded like years past, they will be solid fundamentally and be able to hit. Garmen does a great job and should have the Hounds in position to challenge late.

 

 

The most interesting thing is this....summerball.....I saw Whitley play and they had basicly their whole team plus a three from other schools. Corbin had some players playing but they were on teams with many different players and they were not getting their players the games that they needed. I only saw a couple of Middlesboro, Bell and South Laurel kids playing, does it make a difference? I don't know but you would think that it does.

I dont see M,boro or Bell co. being a contender for the 13th this year. Too young and no big tournament experience, also there are to many attitudes to contend with on these teams.