midcountymadness

ERA is statisticly over a period of nine innings so a decent ERA might be around 3 to 4 and a really good ERA would be 2 and under. High school ERA's are not statistically over a period of nine innings. They are based on how many earned runs a pitcher gives up on average in seven innings. A 3.x is fair. A 2.x is good A 1.x is great and a 0.x is as good as it gets.

In my original post I referred to BH as "the closest team to this area that has a chance". So, no, I am not including BH when I am talking about teams from this area.

My post discussed the district being down last year, as well as this year. Both PNG and LCM were ranked last year at some point. Both LCM and PNG have been ranked this year at some point. On numerous occasions, local 4A teams have plyed in the regional finals with the winner going to the State Tournament. It was just a "red flag" to me that no one form this area won even one playoff round last year. That should tell us that our baseball empire is not at it's height. I also don't see muh better than that happening this year. I am hopeful, but doubtful.

IMO there are not any 4A or 5A top ten teams in Southeast Texas at this time. There may be two 3A teams that are in there and my guess is that time might show they are down a little as well. Many baseball people, including coaches, will tell you that baseball is down in this area right now. Coaches I talked to base this evaluation on many indicators. 1) Many SETX teams in the past have had three or four pitchers between 85-90 mph. I don't think there are any teams with more than one in this range right now. If there are any teams with this many arms, it is a low number of teams. 2) Many times in the past our 4A playoff representatives plowed through this region like steam engines. Last year all three 4A teams lost in their first round. Some of you might say, well that was last year. I personally don't think it will be much different this year. I see posts that claim different area '08 teams have what it takes to go deep. It is a consensus among most area baseball people that this is just not the case. The closest team to this area that has the ability to make a run this year is Barbers Hill. I do think their weak district schedule and their rash of injuries might even hamper their ability to prepare to do this. 3) Some have said that Vidor's recent emergence into the playoff race can be credited to more than just their improvement. It is also that the other teams are just not as good as they have been in the past. This is not a knock on Vidor. I admit they are improved, but I don't think this Vidor team is even in the race ten years ago. Nor do I think this PNG team would have been in the race, nor this Nederland team, nor this LCM team. They are simply not as good as they have been in the past. 4) Rarely is there a 9th grader that can break a 4A or 5A lineup. Many area teams have 9th graders starting for them right now. There are at least five local 4A teams with 9th graders starting on their varsity and I am sure there are some I don't know about. There were 9th graders starting on both teams at the Vidor / PNG game Tuesday. It happens from time to time, but never this many 9th graders competing in the local 4A varsity district at one time. I think we need to look at what has led to this fall off and see if there is anything we can change to get back to the level we were once at. This is not just my opinion. (Some) Coaches and (some) local league leaders agree.

What three tournaments did Vidor play in?

The coach is putting his best line up on the field. If they are making errors and the lineup does not change that should tell you something. The coach watches 1000's of ground balls a week fielded (or not fielded) by these kids. Then he makes out a lineup tying to beat the other team. He wathces the game and the starter is unsuccesful fielding some balls. he looks at the bottom of his line up card and asks him self if there is anyone else he can put there that will give his team a better chance of winning. In this case the answer he keeps coming up with is obviously, no.

Vidor has one guy that can keep them in this game. His name is Hester. The bulldogs have numerous pitchers that could shut down the pirates. Prdeiction: Nederland in a close one (if Hester pitches) Nederland big (if not)

With all of the bad weather, how many scrimmages did your team get in and how many total innings? I know there were many rainouts. Anybody playing today? I would think a good weather year would be four scrimmages and about 48 innings.

How about Nederland vs. Westbrook results? and Kountze vs. Tarkington?

Your most knowledgable fans said he did fine last night. On the highlights last night I did see your oc fumble the snap, over throw a pass, and drop one too.

So are you asking him to come back to call the plays or to be the ballboy? There are some sorry people in mustang land that continue to bash a great man. It seems from the other posts that you are going to even bash him after he has a good night at work.

Sometimes coaches know something about the situation that you do not. Maybe he knows that the better player stays in trouble all of the time or he never passes his classes. Maybe the coach is preparing the player that will actually be eligible when the district race is on the line. Coach Barbay has a plan. It is to win. He will play the player that gives him the best chance of winning. It might not be your boy, and you might not agree with it, but my guess is he knows more about the situation than you and the people that you are talking out it with in the stands. My advice is don't talk about how wrong he is in the stands. My advice is stop writing about your "coach's mistake" on this board. My advice is stop posting derogatory comments about the "starters" abilities. Encourage your "candidate" (son?) to take the position. If all he hears when he goes home is how dumb the coach (that has won 300 games) is, you will be crippling his ability to exist on the team. For his sake, rethink your actions. It is a long season. Things probably will get better for you down the road.

This is a hometown paper writing about one of their own. That is understandable. Has our paper run a story on our boys yet?

The PNG vs. LCM Regional Final in '04 had more than 2600 in paid attendance. But the largest crowd I have ever seen or heard of at a high school game was the 1997 Regional Final between Nederland and LCM which reportedly had near 6000 in attendance. The Beck was busting at the seams. Hundreds of people who could not get in were sitting in their cars listening to their radios. This series could bring a large crowd as well.

what in the heck is this?

!!!!!!!!!! .....Said the guy from the second place team.

i think bh is too strong for most teams over here

what % this afternoon?

imo the mvp should be from the district champion and sometimes a co mvp might be given to a kid that is on one of the other 2 playoff teams

lamar has a camp, but it is fairly expensive

PNG unless it rains it down to one game then it is a toss up

Rain looks bad coming this way out of west.

woodville

good stuff

BH in three