2011 MSABC pre-season all-state

2011 MSABC Pre Season Team

Cody Acker Blake
E-Jay Baldwin Bishop McNamara
Matt Bosse Calvert Hall
Will Bouey Sherwood
Peter Bowles Quince Orchard
Kory Britton Atholton
Shane Campbell Kenwood
Austin Carter Catoctin
Andrew Clow C. Milton Wright
Jon Cobo C Milton Wright
Joseph Dorsey Franklin
Justin Fratantuono Calvert Hall
Cody Harman Westminster
KJ Hockaday John Carroll
Brent Jones Severna Park
AJ Lardo Loyola Blakefield
Nick McElfish Eastern Tech
Kyle McKelvey St. Michaels
Zach Morris DeMatha Catholic
Austin Neary Archbishop Spalding
Adam Parks St. Michaels
TJ Pipik Reservoir
Ryan Ripken Gilman
Patrick Rogers Mt. St. Joseph
Bobby Ruse C. Milton Wright
R.J. Smith Catoctin
Zach Sterling JM Bennett
Nikolay Uherek DeMatha
LaMonte Wade St. Pauls
Ryne Willard Smithsburg

that is a very impressive team. The MSABC got it right again.

Congrats to these players! Though I'm surprised so few kids from Montgomery County high schools made the list (the ones who did are outstanding). And no one from Good Counsel?

anyone able to put that list out with their grad year, summer team, and college commitment if 2011?

LHP - players have to be nominated by their coach and then they are voted on by their coach. As a voting member, I can say that no one from Good Cousel was nominated. I can only assume that is because of their coaching change.

Voting was a bit different this year, the top 20 vote-getters were automatics, the next 10 were selected after a discussion at the last MSABC meeting. I believe that was to encourage more members to come to the meeting. The MSABC tries to get it right for the MD players, but there are always some that slip through the cracks. Some of that has to fall on the coaches and advocating for their players.

Can anyone post the complete list of nominees with number of votes they received?

IMO - posting a list of players is fine, but posting the number of votes may not be such a good idea. Posting a list of players that made the team to offer congrats to them, their coaches, and their families celebrates their success. Posting the number of votes may lead to jealousy, comparison, and bring in negative thoughts to what otherwise is a positive experience. Just my opinion, but the vote should remain confidential.

Good point.

How about posting the list of players that were selected along with their graduating year? Is everyone but Ripken a senior?

I just cut/pasted the list off the MSABC website. Certainly the vast majority are seniors, but I am not totally sure so of all the players graduation years.

I'm not that familiar with this MSABC pre-season all-state team. Are the players that made this team more likely to make Team Maryland and play in the Sunbelt Classic?

Not necessarily. The selection process for the regional games, Team MD, and Futures are totally separate processes. It never hurts names out there as early as possible and let coaches know what the players have accomplished. In order to tryout for Team MD or Futures - Coaches have to submit worthy players names through another process that happens later in the season. If coaches do not follow the process, players will NOT be allowed to tryout.

Cody Acker is a junior.

quote:

Originally posted by hocobaseballfan:
IMO - posting a list of players is fine, but posting the number of votes may not be such a good idea. Posting a list of players that made the team to offer congrats to them, their coaches, and their families celebrates their success. Posting the number of votes may lead to jealousy, comparison, and bring in negative thoughts to what otherwise is a positive experience. Just my opinion, but the vote should remain confidential.

I agree. Maybe it would be reasonable to just list the top 5 vote getters without disclosing # of votes?

This is a 'pre-season' team, am I right?

And, an incomplete 'pre-season' team at that since some coaches don't promote their players.

Sorry...I prefer to see the all-whatever team AFTER the season. Pre-season doesn't mean a lot.

St. John's Nick Howard was #90 on Baseball America's list of top 100 high school players in the 2011 class. He lives in Maryland but, as has been established time and again (so I'm not trying to open up the argument), is ineligible for this list. However, I believe he's the only Maryland kid who was named (I could be wrong; was only looking for kids I knew), so that's a shame.

quote:

Originally posted by baseballguy:
This is a 'pre-season' team, am I right?

And, an incomplete 'pre-season' team at that since some coaches don't promote their players.

Sorry...I prefer to see the all-whatever team AFTER the season. Pre-season doesn't mean a lot.

You have to remember that these teams are selected MAINLY from the players prior season. So in a way, they are meaningful as they reward past performance.

The true post season awards are the Brooks Robinson and Team Maryland selections. While the lists will not be identical, preseason and postseason will be very similar.

@mdbaseballfan2010
Were they for the class of 2010?
Just curious.

Maryland and (National) Perfect Game USA 2011 Player Rankings as of 1/5/10

#1 177 Nicholas Howard SS
#2 208 AJ Lardo OF
#3 252 William Bouey RHP
#4 254 Shane Campbell LHP
#5 500 Bobby Ruse RHP
#6 500 KJ Hockaday RHP
#7 500 Ryan Redinger RHP

all322 I would have to politely disagree with you on doing more for his future. As a former HS coach, college coach, and now a pro-scout - we honestly do not look at pre or post season lists. At most, it gets an initial look, again at most. We judge on what we see. Pre-season lists are for the most part based on stats, but take little account of level of competition. Post-season lists are created by newspapers that like to incorporate players from each area where they sell subscriptions.

I would agree that the Brooks game and Team MD are not perfect, but are the best at predicting who the best true players are in MD. The MSABC does a good job with what they can.

I think Nick is going to have a great future regardless of what list he does or does not end up on. Sounds like he is the Perfect Game #1 Maryland prospect for the class of 2011. But Maryland baseball won't claim him or share in the fun of that... it's too bad.

Nick is a fantastic player and will undoubtedly be successful in his future. The MD lists are done by the Maryland State High School Baseball Association. Even though Nick lives in MD, it would be irresponsible of the MSABC to recognize them on any of their lists of top players since he does not meet the criteria of attending a school in the state. Perfect Game and other services are with out borders so they recognize players based on residence. To make any of their lists, a player must attend a HS located in MD. St. John's in in DC - I am sure he would be atop their list.

LHPmom - I certainly enjoy your posts, but hopefully you can understand the MSABC is responsible to players who play for MD schools is not try to snub anyone.

I am now officially done with this topic.

quote:

Originally posted by hocobaseballfan:
all322 I would have to politely disagree with you on doing more for his future. As a former HS coach, college coach, and now a pro-scout - we honestly do not look at pre or post season lists. At most, it gets an initial look, again at most. We judge on what we see. Pre-season lists are for the most part based on stats, but take little account of level of competition.

I think all322 was exhibiting sarcasm (i think). There is no question that player recognition by Baseball America or Perfect Game has more value than MSABC recognition.

Thank you, All322. Like most LHPs, the boy needs all the support he can get!

Hocobaseballfan, thanks for opening a window into the process that MSABC undergoes. I'm curious as to how the decision was made to have an organization that includes both public and private schools. They run under different rules, and I'd think there might be some hard feelings that public school coaches would have toward the private school guys who recruit their best players right out from under them. And, as far as this list pertains, it does open up the possibility that a baseball player from Virginia who goes to DeMatha could be listed, but not a kid from Olney who goes to St. John's.

It would be nice if your organization could adopt DC schools just as DC used to be a part of Maryland. I don't think there's an organization for DC high school baseball. (but I could be wrong.)

I'm sorry senior Rockville catcher Chris Brown didn't make the list.

LHP - There is really no animosity in the MSABC between public and private school coaches. The goal of the MSABC is to do what is best for all players attending schools in MD so yes - it is possible for a VA resident who goes to a school in MD to be recognized by the MSABC.

There are always very good players missed on the list because of rules, lack of support by their coach - in which case, I would certainly get on the coach, or lack of votes. For example, a player with a scholarship to GA Tech was left off the list (that is still a head scratcher for me). Also remember coaches pay to be apart of the MSABC, and work all of the events for free. These are the coaches who want to get it right and are actually working for our kids. Get on the coaches who do not take part or serve as advocates for their players.

I don't see why they shouldn't post the top vote getters for the Pre Season All State team in order. Perfect Game list there top players and that's based on who paid to come to the showcases.
At least this would be more of a credible list based on what the coaches and members thought.

Bobby - Perfect Game is one of the best organizations out there for promoting talented young baseball players. They DO NOT rank players on who paid - they rank players regardless of whether they paid to go to a showcase or tournament. Perfect Game is also not affiliated with any school or HS association. The MSABC is solely about helping promote HS baseball players in MD. Most MSABC members are also teachers. Showing the number of votes or ranks does nothing to meet that objective. Whether a player is the top ranked vote getter, or the 30th - all were deserving enough to make the team. As a voting member, I would certainly not want that information leaked to non-members. All 30 are deserving and all nominees should be proud. Leave it at that and just be proud of all the young men.

I WOULD HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH YOUR PERFECT GAME ASSESMENT. THEY DON'T RANK PLAYERS THAT HAVE NOT GONE TO A PERFECT GAME SHOWCASE. I DO AGREE THAT ALL PLAYERS THAT MAKE THE PRE SEASON ALL STATE TEAM ARE DESERVING BUT I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH RANKING THE PLAYERS BASED ON THE MSABC VOTING SYSTEM. THE MORE WE PUBLISH ABOUT MARYLAND PLAYERS THE BETTER.

You are correct, we will have to disagree about Perfect Game. My son was ranked by Perfect Game, and never went to a Perfect Game showcase event, and I have coached 5 other players ranked by Perfect Game who never went to a Perfect Game showcase. We should put as much positive press about HS players as we can in the media. I feel that showing how they finished in the voting would create unnecessary rivalries between individual players and possible teammates - who needs that? What is the benefit of showing the individual vote tallies?

P.S. - love the all caps response

quote:

Originally posted by hocobaseballfan:
You are correct, we will have to disagree about Perfect Game. My son was ranked by Perfect Game, and never went to a Perfect Game showcase event, and I have coached 5 other players ranked by Perfect Game who never went to a Perfect Game showcase. We should put as much positive press about HS players as we can in the media. I feel that showing how they finished in the voting would create unnecessary rivalries between individual players and possible teammates - who needs that? What is the benefit of showing the individual vote tallies?

P.S. - love the all caps response

HOCO is absolutely right. I know several. All CAPS must mean I sould have read it "louder"???