Top 09's

[Loanstar Scout]

Who are some of the top freshman in the area ? I have seen a few in some tournaments this past summer that really impressed me and I wanted to know if they are still on the radar screen.

[jdawg03]

I watched a kid from Silsbee at the Jasper tournament pitch against LCM...His name was Josh Skinner I believe...Left Handed, looked to be about 6'3 or 6'4....Silsbee coach told me he threw 84 this summer....He was actually doing pretty well against LCM until his team started making some errors

[Loanstar Scout]

He was one that was in my notes, there was two others on that same team this summer Eric Matthews that played SS and Chase Kelly on 2nd. There was some other players from your area that I am trying to keep up with.

[mustangs_2007]

give it time and u will see

Taylor Bonnin- WOS

Cody Hodge- WOS

Kendal Veitch-WOS

Zach Peevey-OF

[KFDM COOP]

WOS has some good young ones coming up.

[Guest K-911]

Nederland and PNG have several talented Freshman.

Kalan Martinez-Ned

Josh Dean-Ned

Jordan Pitts-Ned

Jerin Spikes-PNG

Austin Sangster-PNG

Matt Woods-PNG

[Loanstar Scout]

Going back thru my notes, Eric Matthews is from Bridge City, and Chase Kelly is from Silsbee. Both had excellant foot work and maturity

[rookie]

are anyone one of these fish starting for the varsity team?

[Guest K-911]

None of the Nederland or PNG kids are. Both of their varsity teams are loaded with with talented seniors. There are some freshman starting on varsity teams at some of the smaller schools. I do not know any names.

[use2baplaya]

The freshman lcm class is head and shoulders better than any other freshman class in the district and area. Dallas Brown, Matt Johnson, Tim Berry, Stephen Leger, and Stephen Cleoren but he is out with Tommy John. 8)

[RaiderFan99]

If LCM's freshmen is heads above anyone elses, where does that put Lumberton's class. The game was 15-0 (Lumberton) in the 3rd inning, before the coach put in the reserves. Also my info tells me that one freshmen is on varsity and there are 3 more on the J.V. who also beat LCM 13-3. I think the future looks good for the Raiders.

[Guest K-911]

Those kids at LCM are good. I think the freshmen at PNG are right up there with the best. Bridge City has some good ones too.

[Guest K-911]

Stephen Cleoren but he is out with Tommy John.

Wow, 15 years old and needs Tommy John?

[rookie]

I think lumberton will be strong in the years to come they have one freshman and three sph.on the varsity team all of these guys are doing very well for the team.

[rookie]

how can you say he is heads above everyone else if he is out with tommy john :?:

[use2baplaya]

I hear that Matt Woods for png is doing well.

[use2baplaya]

I know lumberton JV is good but they have good coaching were the coach for lcm jv is not that good

[db21]

stefan cloeren isnt 15 he's 14

[Guest K-911]

Cleoren is a very good player. But having that surgery at such a young age brings into question his future playing ability. It also speaks volumes about todays highly competitive "win at all cost" atmosphere in youth baseball.

[bearbacker09]

Cloeren's future looks very bright. The Doctors said that the surgery went great and he begins rehab next week. Several players in the area have had this surgery and have all returned to top form. PNG-Powell, Ned-Brauninger, LCM-Womack and Adams. Ambort and LU just had it done and will likely be drafted next season.

[Guest K-911]

Hopefully, he has a great recovery and returns better than ever. About 85% who have the surgery come back close to where they were before. I think we need to examine closely why so many High School age kids are having this surgery. There are way too many kids destroying a ligament in their arm before they finish maturing.

[batterup]

I agree. It is a shame, but if you have a kid that loves a sport, you know that in a large school, the competition will be tough to get in the line up. If you don't start them early and get them in every league known to man as well as private lessons, they probably can't compete with the ones that have done all of that and with those rare "natural athletes". So you put them in every league, every season and you find that most of the select teams are sponsored by big money and the coaches are paid better than the high school coaches in many cases. Many are paid bonuses for winning. Thus, the ethical issue...do you win at all cost to get the big bonus and forget about the kid's future in high school, college and possibly beyond? Or do you watch the pitch count and protect the kid's arm? It should be a no-brainer, but unfortunately, that isn't what happens most of the time. I worry about pitchers these days because of this. I think some sort of pitch count should be enforced in every league at every age to protect these kids. Some coaches will watch out for their kids, but not enough do. I saw too many high school players pitch complete games in the first tournament of the season-it turns my stomach. If you are worried about winning every game at the expense of the player's health, you are in the wrong line of work.

[db21]

stefan cloeren is an exceptional baseball player and its very unfortunate for him to have had tommy john.... but when he was in bronco he was throwing over a hundred pitches a game.... when he gets helthy he'll be just as good if not better than before

[Guest K-911]

Mandatory pitch counts would go a long way to preventing most of these injuries. That way it would be out of the hands of the coach, the parent and the player.

[rookie]

sound like if he was thowing over a hundred picthes a game at bronco level he was one of the unfortunate kid to have a coach who didnt know are care maybe his dad should have step in to help.