The Great Game

Friedel did about mid-way through the season.

Please make sure you understand all of the rules while you are on here. You can't come on here and make derogatory personal remarks about young athletes.

Again, another good looking pitcher... although it is one thing to hit that on the radar gun a few times over 20-25 pitches, but consistant is at least 80% of the time. To show you how throwing the hardest means little, just look at the pitcher most folks think may be the best heading into the season, Jeramie Conner. I don't think he is considered overpowering, but he mixes well and hits his spots.

They have radar guns at Cov Cath? BTW, Isler is an impressive pitcher and I saw him throw a half a dozen times last year, but he was not throwing 87-89 consistantly. That means he was averaging 88 miles an hour on 80% of his fastballs thrown...

I will base my order on the start of next season, not on last spring... Etschied, Conner, Isler, Roenker, Nutini, with the possibilities of some others that could make an impact as the season goes on.

Correction- Will not blow you away Sorry tough day... can't spell either!

I will of course agree with Coop on Etschied and will add Shuttleworth form Conner. Either guy will blow you away but both can locate and change speeds well.

All the best to you Matt... get better real soon!

I also heard that there will not be any 18U Kentucky Kings teams next summer. IMO this is a shame, but understandable, considering it seems to be getting harder and harder to get 100% committed players for these summer teams. It's not about just going out to play ball anymore. The only reason most of these boys play now is that they have a chance to get looked at by colleges, not for the love of the game and I think the parents have a lot to do with that.

Ryle and Conner will battle for the top spot with Ryle getting it done this year.

The plain fact of the matter is that I put Conner in there purely based on their offense and with the way they hit the ball I believe you always have a fighting chance. What is the old saying about what wins championships- "Pitching and Defense" and right now that is why I have Cov Cath as the favorite heading into the season. The favorites can all change so abruptly though as the season progresses as we have all seen... example NCC.

Could he have thrown one perfect pitch in the last year 90, maybe, but to say that a pitcher throws at a certain speed they have to be in that range eighty percent plus of the time. I have seen Andy throw a few times and he is going to be real good, but he wasn't throwing near 90 and way too many of us get hung up on velocity anyways. I know we have discussed this topic on here before...at the high school level if you can throw around 80, with the ability to mix the breaking ball or off speed pitches, and throw all of them for strikes you will be extremely tough to hit.

You can definitely add Carney to that list and Hensley if he returns this year.

I also disagree strongly with this statement. Most of the returning starters fron the 2008 varsity team are from the 2007 JV Regional Championship team that went 26-3 and the rest of the roster will be filled with the 2008 JV Regional Championship team. I believe playing as a team this coming year will not be an issue. After Etschied Ryle has some capable seniors (good stuff wise) that need to step up and be consistent and then will fill in with some up and coming younger pitchers. Yes this is a an "if" but "if" happens they will be strong contenders. My five are as follows: I know there are more than five here but after what happened this past year I don't think you can overlook the team I have at #5. 1) Cov Cath 2) Ryle 3) Conner 4) NCC 5) Holy Cross/Beechwood/Dixie

Kings 8 Kentucky Baseball Club 15 After being down 8-2 the Kings come back to tie it after six 8-8, but KBC plates 7 runs in the top of the 7th to get the win. Once again I wasn't able to attend but I will try to get the game run down as soon as I can. The Kings play at Boone Co. tonight 6:30 vs Loveland

After multiple rainouts and other cancellations this week the Kings finally get to play on Sunday splitting a double header with Comair. They win the first 9-3 and get dumped 5-1 in the second game. I wasn't at the games but heard that Patrick Johnson pitched a gem in the first game and everybody hits, plus Scott Brown hits a bomb. In the second game Donnie Davidson pitches pretty well in his first outing of the summer but the bats go silent. Tony Krohman was lights out in final two innings. Defense was solid all day and outfielders Joe Renda and Jordan Wilson throw out two runners apiece. Renda's come back to back to record the final two outs of an inning. Luke Leatherbee continues to play outstanding at short and is hitting well. I was also told that Comair's Taylor Smith played a real solid double header. Hopefully mother nature will cooperate the rest of the week and the Kings can get all of their players out to the games at the same time.

I will say one thing these are some massive number by multiple candidates! I will hold my vote until I see Nichols hitting numbers...

Thanks Coop you are too kind:D

Does anyone have Nichols hitting numbers on the season? We all know the type of year he had pitching, but if he hit the way I think he did based on the regionals, he should even be a stronger candidate than mentioned in this thread. He had to lead his team, be the #1 starter, # 1 closer, 3rd baseman, and if his hitting numbers are up over .450 with some RBI's he is the MVP.

I tried to PM you but you have it "turned off" to receive messages.

Not yet Homerun, but I have heard that the website is under construction at this point and should be up soon. I'll update you when it is completed.

No problem TOG... I knew you were busy elsewhere;)

The Kentucky Colonels score twice in the bottom of the 7th to pull out a win against The Kings at St. Henry 12-11. This was a well played game with tons of hitting and a tribute to all the talent that exist in NKY. Each teams goes with 11 players, short due to regional play and graduation. A fun night to watch excellent baseball, with great hitting and solid play by two teams who respect each other and seemed to enjoy competing against each other. Kings: O'Hare 2-4 nice relief performance Allen 2-4 2 RBI Meier 2-4 2 RBI Renda 2-4 3 RBI Krohman 2-3 Leatherbee 1-2 2 SB + multiple highlight reel plays at SS Colonels: Elliott 2-4 Triple-ridiculous speed on the base pass Parrott 2-4 1 RBI- Nice to see him play again Krohman 2-3 3 RBI- Came up big Towels 2-3 1 RBI Smallwood 2-3 2 RBI Excellent game!!!!

The Kentucky Colonels score twice in the bottom of the 7th to pull out a win against The Kings at St. Henry 12-11. This was a well played game with tons of hitting and a tribute to all the talent that exist in NKY. Each teams goes with 11 players, short due to regional play and graduation. A fun night to watch excellent baseball, with great hitting and solid play by two teams who respect each other and seemed to enjoy competing against each other. Kings: O'Hare 2-4 nice relief performance Allen 2-4 2 RBI Meier 2-4 2 RBI Renda 2-4 3 RBI Krohman 2-3 Leatherbee 1-2 2 SB + multiple highlight reel plays at SS Colonels: Elliott 2-4 Triple-ridiculous speed on the base pass Parrott 2-4 1 RBI- Nice to see him play again Krohman 2-3 3 RBI- Came up big Towels 2-3 1 RBI Smallwood 2-3 2 RBI Excellent game!!!!

KENTUCKY KINGS 18-U NAME POSITION GRADE SCHOOL JORDAN WILSON OF 12 CARROLL CO. DANNY NIEHAUS RHP-OF-1B 12 COVCATH JOSH WHITAKER C-1B-OF 12 BOONE CO. KYLE O’HARA 2B-OF-P 11 RYLE BRIAN ROBERTSON OF 11 BOONE CO. AUSTIN SEBALD LHP-OF 12 RYLE LUKE LEATHERBEE SS-IF 12 RYLE MATT ALLEN OF-C-IF 11 CARROLL CO. JOE RENDA 3B-RHP-OF 11 RYLE DONNIE DAVIDSON IF-P 12 SILVER GROVE KEVIN WILLIAMS IF-P 12 BOONE CO. MICHAEL OGDEN LHP-OF 12 OWEN CO. TONY KROHMAN LHP-1B 12 BOONE CO. PATRICK JOHNSON IF-OF-P-C 11 PENDLETON CO. SCOTT BROWN RHP-OF-IF 12 GALLATIN CO. CODY MEIER C 11 RYLE CASEY SCHWAMB P-IF-OF-C 11 CONNER