24 replies to this topic

[CKUM]

Kyle Balliet did not play basketball this year just so he could get ready for baseball. He has been weight training and working out with a major league baseball pitcher (played for the Braves). I look for him to establish dominance this year as one of the top players in NW Ohio. He has increased his strength greatly, and he has been clocked at 87mph. Right now he stands at 6'5" and weighs 250lbs. He is definately a physical presence. Last year he had 5 or 6 home runs and hit over .400. I look for that to be even better this year. I also heard he already has DI schools looking at him.

Edited by CKUM, 27 February 2009 - 06:00 PM.

[countywidehasbeen]

D1 schools? Who are they?

[CKUM]

D1 schools? Who are they?

Purdue and IU have expressed interest through letters. He told me Purdue is paying for him to go down to a combine-type thing in Cincinnati this spring.

[Keebo21]

no one will be good in the NWC? Delphos will definitely be solid. Crestview always has a great team and with Balliet and that other junior they will be very talented. Paulding is losing alot but could surprise some people. Ada probably wont be too solid. I could see allen east being a slight surprise, nothing too special though. Spencerville still has some talent including Keysor. lincolnview probably wont do to much. LCC is always solid, and no doubt will be this year. and then there is bluffton, and yes, i know a little bit about bluffton so let me share. First off, im not going to say bluffton will be great, im not going to say bluffton will win a whole lot of games, and im not going to say bluffton is better than any teams. I just want to say a little piece about Bluffton.

The 2009 pirates will have the most talent of any bluffton baseball team in the past beside the years of jaden caskie. Devin kisor hit in the four hundreds last year and broke blufftons season record for number of hits in a season. He is one of the most underrated players in the NWC.( i know this is a post about juniors and kisor is a senior so sorry.) However, Matthew Suderman is in fact a junior. He is a pretty solid third baseman but is more well known on the mound. He can be shaky at times but was one of the pirates main ingredients for success in their ACME run last summer. Joel Groman is a kid that comes out and surprises people at times and has a solid pitching arm. He is also a junior, (not saying he's tops in northwest ohio though) Another Junior for the pirates is Evan Skilliter. He played outfield for most of the summer run, but is also a solid first baseman. He is unconsistent on the mound but when he is pitching good he's hard to hit. However, more times than not he isn't too good. Two other juniors include Cody briar, another solid first baseman with a good bat, and frank long who can play many different positions.

As you can see, the Pirates are a young team that will only graduate ONE senior. The rest are juniors, sophomores, and freshman. Who knows what the pirates willl do this season with a new coach.

alright BigHurt I understand you are from bluffton just as i am and i am wondering where you are getting your facts from and most talent since jaden caskie? how about in 2007 when they were .500? i know the guys on the team now and i played for the team then. Definately more talent in 2007. Now did we play to our potential...No. but definately alot better. Wietholder? Fruchey? Hieronimus was an amazing centerfielder. Hines was hurt but had a nice bat. The 2005 class was very talented...prob more so than 2007. Just a lack of leadership and discipline. Maybe a new coach each year has hurt the motivation from the players but maybe it is because of the bluffton community (parents) not being able to accept a coach when they know nothing about what that coach has meant to the team despite the record?

[trevally]

Dace Kime of Defiance threw a no-hitter against Celina last Friday. He has been virtually untouchable this spring. Also plays first base when not piching and bats cleanup for a 7-1 Bulldog team. He will play DI baseball should he not be drafted high enough to justify passing up college ball. The last I've heard Louisville, Michigan and Kentucky are very interested in his services.
Alex Nofziger, also of Defiance is a very accomplished player. Extremely fast, an outstanding center fielder who also pitches some.