Buck Master

I dont think playing him everyday is a good idea. First it is a short term fix and it is not in his best interest to get hit on the hand that has earned him a D-1 Scholarship. What happens on a cold day when he is in the outfield and lets one fly and potentially tears something in his arm. I would be totally against it if I were his parents. I think that grooming a younger player will better suit the team come Tourney time. Also I think he will prove no better offensively than some of the younger kids who have had some at bats, albeit in fall ball or Babe Ruth. The upside is very little and the downside could be devastating to Chase.JMO, but give me Harmon in left and you are a better team.

I looked on Wake's website and saw that.

I think Sizemore went to EKU and Holland to Wake Forest. Did either get to play or were they red shirted.

Paintsville by 15.

This is correct from the 15th region, I dont know about the 14th and 16th. The 14th had 2 quarterbacks sign d-1 two years ago I think.

I am not bashing this kid as I have not seen him play. I like to promote kids from the mountains not bash them. He is obviously an outstanding player. My point is that our competition is what keeps alot of the mountain kids from playing D-1 in any sport. The camps are an oppurtunity for a kid like this to showcase against D-1 competition and coaches can grade him on those performances. If all we play are each other the gauge is not their when comparing to kids from other schools. Adam Coleman transferred from Millard to Lafayette a few years back. He went from averaging 18 or so in the 15th to around 13 at Lafayette. He had better players around him and didnt have to score so much.

Putting 30 on the 14th is not like putting 30 on Lex Cath or the other Lex and Lou teams. That is my point.

Harless is a tireless worker and if he improved this year as he did from his freshman year to his soph. year he will be fine. This kid transformed his body by losing weight and gaining speed by going to camps that year. Cant do anything but respect him.

Pikeville will look something like this probably: Weston Robinson MacKenzie Carter Justin Anderson Matt Sexton Daniel Harmon ?? ?? ?? ?? Harmon may not start immediately but he will be in the lineup by seasons end. Will Ward, Watson Ritchie, JD McCoy, Josh Staggs, Robert Boyd, John Mayo and Josh Chaffins should probably make up the rest of the lineup at different points of the season. Time will tell and maybe some others may fill those spots.

One problem we face is the East KY stigma. Most coaches and we will take Morehead as an example will take the city kid or the local kid over east kentucky kids. Morehead has raided Rowan Co., Harrison Co. and Montgomery Co. along with Boyd Co. It amazes me these 4 schools catch their interest more than the eastern ky kids. I coached a bunch of 15 region players and we went 8-5 against PRP, Ballard, Lafayette, Dunbar and Harrison County in the summer of 2004 and they beat Chaz Roe 1-0 with Adam Blanton pitching. I will also say I didnt have all of the cream of the crop playing for me. I had 4 starters from Pikeville, 3 starters from Central and 1 starter from Paintsville and a starter at Belfry at the Lafayette game. I cant stand the fact our kids are labeled, they too can play this game at an EXTREMELY high level. :sssh:

Stiltner has all the tools and is a lefty. He wont have much help at Phelps but they do have 4 or 5 decent players if they all play. Stiltner is as good a freshman as I have seen in a while. He is a super kid with good work ethic and a nice head on his shoulders. He will probably have to make his mark in summer and fall ball since he chose to stay at Phelps however. I hope they put him in front of some scouts before he graduates. I know the summer team he plays on will play a tough schedule and will get him exposure in front of college scouts.

There are no D-1 players in either region and havent been for years. Dont kid yourselves. Most couldnt even play at Pikeville College in a normal year. Mike Hall was a great High School player in the 15th region and he hardly played any their the last 3 years. Our last D-1 player was JR Vanhoose and he was 6-10. We dont have any of those type players.

Phelps has some good ones as well, Dillon Stiltner- Fr., Robert Gannon - Jr. East Ridge Mitch Bishop - Jr.

I am not worried, I just wander what his interest in bashing the JC program is all about. I am from Pike County and I think we should all be positive with our youth today. Their is enough negative to go around. I looked at his post and he appears to just pick on JC. I know several JC athletes and they are fine young men in my opinion. Anytime their is a coaching change the players have an adjustment period to the philosophies of the new coach. For example Coach Jackson from Pikeville took some criticism early. I bet now knowing his dedication and demands from the players no one would question his hire. His players are working hard in the weightroom and he will bring Pikeville back to a state level if he is given time. I see him at many Jr. High functions which tells me he is looking to build from the ground up. King give the kids and the school a break. I am an outsider looking in and see their is a hidden agenda here.

I think he was the same coach setting on the bench the first time Johnson Central pounded them. I dont know what this has to do with this team except I just made a statement I think they are better this year without him.

MacKenzie Carter from Pikeville is definitely a top ten player and I agree with Sexton as well.

Aaron Chapman from Belfry is supposedly being pursued by Marshall. I dont know if this is true but he is a good one. Pike Central has Brad Ratliff, Tyler Smith, and Isaac Williamson. Shelby Valley has Patrick Smith.

Well I am not a JC fan but I think this coach is doing a good job and will have them ready tourney time. I see him getting many players in and out of the game and will be hard to handle in late Feb. Last year imo their coach didnt use his talent very wisely. Kids on the bench were as good as players who played. It appears to me that a different player leads them each game. McCarty is a fine player but he cant dominate the game by himself.

Not complaining but when the leadoff man is on base then he scores about 70 percent of the time. Not a good strategy when the kid stole about 35 bases last year either. Nothing like jumping out on top early. Brushbacks are different than intentionally hitting someone. I am old school and played in the 80's and no way am I giving this kid a base because you just gave him a double for nothing. No respect was gained because the kid would have taken that 4 times in that game to help the team. He wasnt hit 18 times intentionally and actually had been in a slump hitting. Not very smart.

That a boy MTN tell it like it is. If you go by KHSAA standards they are deficient in several areas. Your ranking looks about right except Lawrence has really improved their facilities. It is right with Pikeville and Johnson Central and much better than the others except for seating.

Excellent point Firebird and the guys you mentioned will all be players in MLB someday as Kearns is already their. The state is all basketball and football..........lets not forget the other non revenue sport.

BMR's record speaks for itself. NOt a huge fan of his but he must be doing something right.

Gannon is a great kid and a good basketball player. If he worked on baseball he would be phenominal. Congrats as I know many of the Phelps kids and they are a class act.

You are a genius if you are right and an idiot if you are wrong. You are correct in his strategy that year and it made sense. Hindsight is 20-20.

Sometimes you can plan too far ahead. But he did what he thought he had to do to win the region. Cant argue with his success. He made the right calls last year and won.