6 replies to this topic

[BigGreen]

Spring has sprung (hopefully for good) and it's time for baseball!

Who are some good area teams to keep an eye out for this season?
Who will contend for league titles?
Who are some players to watch?

[Common Sense]

Doesn't look like much traffic on here, but I'll throw out a question for anyone stopping by to chime in on. What is the status of baseball at your school, or schools in your area? You certainly don't need to name your school specifically, but I'm concerned with baseball moving forward. The specialization of one sport, AAU basketball and just lack of interest is killing spring sports. And not to be mean, but you are seeing less athletic kids playing baseball these days. Look at your own schools, does the best athletes in your school play baseball/ softball anymore?

[veteranlefty]

I think sports specialization plays a part in it for sure. AAU volleyball and basketball play a part as well. The other huge thing at the high school level is nobody plays baseball/softball in the summertime as a team anymore. ACME baseball used to be huge in Ohio and it has shrunk a lot over last 10 years. Basketball coaches have their 10 days of team camps and shootouts to use in June or early July. Football schools lift and do speed work 3-5 days a week the entire summer and 7 on 7's start in July. Most high school baseball coaches go tired of trying to fit games in. The really serious baseball players find a travel team or legion team to play on but most of the high school baseball players do not do much baseball during summer. I think this is why the caliber of baseball being played in high school has gone down too. While travel baseball is good for the gifted players, it has wrecked the local rec leagues and city leagues. Fewer teams and quality of play is not what it was 10-15 years ago IMO.

[Common Sense]

veteranlefty, on 06 April 2017 - 01:29 PM, said:

I think sports specialization plays a part in it for sure. AAU volleyball and basketball play a part as well. The other huge thing at the high school level is nobody plays baseball/softball in the summertime as a team anymore. ACME baseball used to be huge in Ohio and it has shrunk a lot over last 10 years. Basketball coaches have their 10 days of team camps and shootouts to use in June or early July. Football schools lift and do speed work 3-5 days a week the entire summer and 7 on 7's start in July. Most high school baseball coaches go tired of trying to fit games in. The really serious baseball players find a travel team or legion team to play on but most of the high school baseball players do not do much baseball during summer. I think this is why the caliber of baseball being played in high school has gone down too. While travel baseball is good for the gifted players, it has wrecked the local rec leagues and city leagues. Fewer teams and quality of play is not what it was 10-15 years ago IMO.

I could not have written this post any better. It's sad that baseball is struggling like it is. Larger schools can make it work, but smaller schools really struggle attracting and retaining players. The new thing we are seeing is because there is a need, you are having kids who've never played baseball/ softball on high school teams now. Unfortunately baseball/ softball is becoming like intramurals.

[baseballer4life]

To stay on topic, and it's early on, but the top teams in our area are:
WBL - Will come down to Celina and Van Wert for league title
NWC - Will come down to Spencerville and Columbus Grove (Neither will do much in tournament)
MAC - Ft. Recovery and Versailles have two best rosters, but never count out Coldwater

* I don't see any teams from our area going to state this year however. I would say right now, because of their ace pitcher, Celina has strongest team in our area.*

[BigGreen]

Common Sense, on 05 April 2017 - 12:07 PM, said:

Doesn't look like much traffic on here, but I'll throw out a question for anyone stopping by to chime in on. What is the status of baseball at your school, or schools in your area? You certainly don't need to name your school specifically, but I'm concerned with baseball moving forward. The specialization of one sport, AAU basketball and just lack of interest is killing spring sports. And not to be mean, but you are seeing less athletic kids playing baseball these days. Look at your own schools, does the best athletes in your school play baseball/ softball anymore?

I believe Ottoville is struggling to even field a varsity team. Something like 10 or 11 boys in total signed up to play. And with the new pitching/resting rule, you better hope that most of them know how to pitch. Numbers are just hurting in every sport for the Big Green right now.

[fortfan]

Crestview looked pretty good last night against Jefferson. Or rather Jefferson looked pretty bad...

Crestview wins the NWC.

I think Coldwater has clinched the MAC. Again.

Wapak won the WBL?