David Wooderson
Well-known member
Hoping to generate some baseball interest since this board is fairly dead.
It's almost tournament time!
Other than football, which I've been following for more years than some of you have been alive, I took a break from baseball. Have a lot more time on my hands these days and decided to get back into following it. What a pleasure it has been. I'd heard about this Game Changer app, but never realized how great it is if you follow HS baseball. Well worth the $. I just hate when teams restrict their video to only family and friends.
I'm a D2 fan primarily because a lot of the teams I follow in football are in D2 (Suburban League, Walsh & Hoban), but I'll try to keep my bias out of it.
Region 5 champ: Walsh - this is an easy region and Walsh has a ton of arm talent. Don't always hit the strike zone, but they can throw. I'm a little concerned about their hitting. Seems to be one of the worst hitting Walsh teams that I can remember. But at the end of the day, that arm talent should win out. Don't discount Hoover though. Solid, yet unspectacular, team. Not many great players, but no bad ones either. They have played a tough schedule which explains their record. But in a one game situation, they could come out on top.
Region 6, aka The Region of Doom: 3 top seeds in one region? Crazy. Steele is obviously the favorite. North Ridgeville will probably be their biggest challenge. Hudson is highly ranked and if they can get past a talented North Royalton team, they could pull off some upsets. But they lack experience. Their 2 top players (one is a pitcher, the other OF) are seniors. But after that, mostly jrs and sophs. That lack of experience will probably catch up to them.
Region 7: Wow, total region parity. No one great team. If you put a gun to my head and make me pick, I'm going with New Albany. Great program and full of kids that have gotten the best of the best coaching their entire playing careers in rec and travel ball. Big Walnut is obviously one of the favorites, but I don't see them as battle hardened as New Albany. Both of them are lucky that Teays Valley isn't in their region.
Region 8: Frankenstein region. Teams from all over the western and central part of the state. I like Anthony Wayne and Teays Valley here. Anthony Wayne was the preseason favorite. Couple of early season losses and barely beating a bad Mayfield team knocked them down. But since then, they've shown why they were voted the preseason #1. Peaking at the right time. Teays Valley is also tough. Blowing a lot of teams out. But a few wins in tight games as well, so they know how to close.
I won't pick a state champ yet. Frankly I think there are about 10-12 teams that wouldn't surprise me if they won. Anyone can beat anyone in a 1 game situation. I'm rooting for Brecksville, Hudson, North Royalton, Wadsworth, Walsh and New Albany (I'm a sucker for non-open enroll publics). But honestly, it is hard not to root for all of these teams.
It will come down to who has the deepest pitching staffs. In 1 game scenarios, you can't afford to leave a kid in who gives up a couple of hits or walks in a row.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me. Would love to hear some dialog about it.
Enjoy the tournament everyone! Should be very entertaining.
It's almost tournament time!
Other than football, which I've been following for more years than some of you have been alive, I took a break from baseball. Have a lot more time on my hands these days and decided to get back into following it. What a pleasure it has been. I'd heard about this Game Changer app, but never realized how great it is if you follow HS baseball. Well worth the $. I just hate when teams restrict their video to only family and friends.
I'm a D2 fan primarily because a lot of the teams I follow in football are in D2 (Suburban League, Walsh & Hoban), but I'll try to keep my bias out of it.
Region 5 champ: Walsh - this is an easy region and Walsh has a ton of arm talent. Don't always hit the strike zone, but they can throw. I'm a little concerned about their hitting. Seems to be one of the worst hitting Walsh teams that I can remember. But at the end of the day, that arm talent should win out. Don't discount Hoover though. Solid, yet unspectacular, team. Not many great players, but no bad ones either. They have played a tough schedule which explains their record. But in a one game situation, they could come out on top.
Region 6, aka The Region of Doom: 3 top seeds in one region? Crazy. Steele is obviously the favorite. North Ridgeville will probably be their biggest challenge. Hudson is highly ranked and if they can get past a talented North Royalton team, they could pull off some upsets. But they lack experience. Their 2 top players (one is a pitcher, the other OF) are seniors. But after that, mostly jrs and sophs. That lack of experience will probably catch up to them.
Region 7: Wow, total region parity. No one great team. If you put a gun to my head and make me pick, I'm going with New Albany. Great program and full of kids that have gotten the best of the best coaching their entire playing careers in rec and travel ball. Big Walnut is obviously one of the favorites, but I don't see them as battle hardened as New Albany. Both of them are lucky that Teays Valley isn't in their region.
Region 8: Frankenstein region. Teams from all over the western and central part of the state. I like Anthony Wayne and Teays Valley here. Anthony Wayne was the preseason favorite. Couple of early season losses and barely beating a bad Mayfield team knocked them down. But since then, they've shown why they were voted the preseason #1. Peaking at the right time. Teays Valley is also tough. Blowing a lot of teams out. But a few wins in tight games as well, so they know how to close.
I won't pick a state champ yet. Frankly I think there are about 10-12 teams that wouldn't surprise me if they won. Anyone can beat anyone in a 1 game situation. I'm rooting for Brecksville, Hudson, North Royalton, Wadsworth, Walsh and New Albany (I'm a sucker for non-open enroll publics). But honestly, it is hard not to root for all of these teams.
It will come down to who has the deepest pitching staffs. In 1 game scenarios, you can't afford to leave a kid in who gives up a couple of hits or walks in a row.
Feel free to agree or disagree with me. Would love to hear some dialog about it.
Enjoy the tournament everyone! Should be very entertaining.