OC Baseball 2009; Top 10 OC Players

[KFDM COOP]

OC Baseball 2009; Top 10 OC Players

Gabriel Pruett

The Orange Leader

Top 10 OC Baseball Players

1. Matt Hicks - Bridge City

2. Jacob Felts - Orangefield

3. Tim Barry - Little Cypress-Mauriceville

4. Jace Statum - Orangefield

5. Trae Hester - Vidor

6. Joe Robertson - Bridge City

7. Stefan Cloeren - Little Cypress-Mauriceville

8. Matt Johnson - Little Cypress-Mauriceville

9. Blake Hubbard - Bridge City

10. Jordan Darnell - West Orange-Stark

To say Orange County is loaded with baseball talent in 2009 is a huge understatement.

There will be a number of players who will shine on the baseball diamonds and there are several teams ready to start long playoff runs.

District 20-4A

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears are back after a 24-10 season last year and a win in the bi-district round over the Huffman Falcons. The Bears would lose in the area around against Lamar Consolidated.

The Bears, under the direction of Steve Griffith, Wayne Stephenson and John Martin, have made the playoffs for six straight seasons and this season should be no different.

LC-M will be able to hit the ball in 2009, that is far from being a question.

With guys like Stefan Cloeren, Tim Barry and Stefan Leger the hitting should never be a problem.

What the Bears will be looking to do is receive better pitching performances in 2009.

Shane Wadell has been talked a lot over the last few months and along with Dallas Brown and Matt Johnson could give the Bears a nice rotation.

Another aspect of the Bears’ success will be the experienced coaching staff of Griffith and Stephenson. The Dynamic Duo has many years together and seem to be able to read each others’ minds.

Vidor could also have a lot of success in 2009 after making the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

One of the major additions to the Pirates this season is the fact Kyle Green is still a Pirate.

Green flirted with the idea of being the next coach of the Bridge City Cardinals yet he is back in Vidor.

Vidor has one of the best starting pitchers in Southeast Texas in Trae Hester.

Hester can beat any team at any point in District 20-4A.

Players like Chaz Bruce and Chad Sims gives the Pirates a great defense and potent hitting capabilities.

The race for the playoffs will also include Nederland and Port Neches-Groves with four teams making it to the postseason this year.

Nederland is loaded with experience and PN-G could be the most talented team in the district.

District 21-3A

Three teams in 21-3A from Orange County have legitimate shots at making the playoffs in 2009.

It all starts in Bridge City with the Cardinals who are the likely front-runners of the district. They went 26-7 overall a year ago and 13-1 in district play. They defeated Needville in the area round before losing to Jasper.

Chad Landry, formerly of Hamshire-Fannett, is the new coach and inherited a team which lost only three key players from a season ago. The team will have to find a way to replace Jaden Dillon, Casey Jackson and Jason Clark.

The talent level in Bridge City remains high with star juniors Matt Hicks and Joe Robertson leading the way.

Seniors Dustin Breaux, Blake Hubbard and Blake Snyder give the Cardinals a ton of experience in key positions.

The Orangefield Bobcats seem to be a trendy pick to make the playoffs in 2009 and rightfully so.

The Bobcats have been young over the past few years yet the talent has been there. The Bobcats were 12-11-1 last year and 4-10 in the district race.

Like the Cardinals, the Bobcats are led by two juniors in Jacob Felts and Jace Statum.

Felts hit about .500 in district play in 2008 and was the first catcher to throw out Jasper standout Taylor Hart trying to steal a base.

Statum is the ace of the pitching staff and can also play a great centerfield. There are also not many players who can match Statum’s speed on the basepads.

Zach Peevey, Garrett Holmes and Derrick Evans give the Bobcats a core group of players behind Statum and Felts along with Chase Angelle and Josh Watson.

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs are looking to be back in the mix this season after a couple of down years.

Jesse Riojas is the new head coach and will be looking to light a fire under some very talented players.

Jordan Darnell was a second team All-District selection a year ago and is joined by Justin Sparrow and Clayton Gearhart in a talented junior class.

Taylor Bonnin, Cody Hodge and Kendal Veitch are the key seniors for the Mustangs looking to give Riojas a winning season in his first season as a head coach.

One of the most exciting times for the Mustangs in 2009 will come early (March 5-7) as the Certan-Bearden Tournament is back at West Orange-Stark High School.

WO-S was 2-17 overall and 2-12 in 21-3A in 2008.

The Cardinals, Bobcats and Mustangs must also deal with a talented team at Hamshire-Fannett.

The Longhorns return six starters to last years 11-13-1 team as Taylor Eaves, Jeremy Pinder and Hagan Dagle are the key players.

Silsbee and Hardin-Jefferson seem to have lost a lot of talent from last year but the Hawks and Tigers can never be forgot about.

Silsbee could have one of the district’s best pitchers in Josh Skinner, who will not play until the Tigers are knocked out of the basketball playoffs.

[westend1]

Hester should be higher up IMO

[vhs]

Hester should be higher up IMO

Yeah I've heard alot of good things about the Hicks kid but I have a hard time seeing Hester down at number 5.  The kid has tools.

[Tallboi]

Hicks is the best play in Orange County, probably the area. Hester is good but he's no Hicks. I also think Cloeren (LC-M) should have been higher.

[Bobcat1]

Hicks is the best play in Orange County, probably the area. Hester is good but he's no Hicks. I also think Cloeren (LC-M) should have been higher.

Hester should be higher up IMO

Who would you put them in front of?

[AJ25]

hicks can do it all.

[westend1]

Hicks is the best play in Orange County, probably the area. Hester is good but he's no Hicks. I also think Cloeren (LC-M) should have been higher.

Hester should be higher up IMO

Who would you put them in front of?

Statum and Barry for sure.  Maybe Felts, because Hester is so much more versatile.

[Gabe]

I'm not arguing for or against my list, all I am going to say is Barry, Statum and Felts are three of the most versatile players in Southeast Texas. Hester is too though. This is what is great about sports, it all is a matter of opinion and usually most people go with the players they know the most about.

[westend1]

Very true.

[MIF04]

I'm not arguing for or against my list, all I am going to say is Barry, Statum and Felts are three of the most versatile players in Southeast Texas. Hester is too though. This is what is great about sports, it all is a matter of opinion and usually most people go with the players they know the most about.

I, too, might have a different list or a different order.  As OLGABE so aptly puts it, it is hislist and his opinion.  It all depends on how, or on what basis, you are evaluating the list.