AABC Mickey Mantle Regional (16U)

I honestly don't know the process of teams getting to the regional tournament. I know there was a state tournament that the Dragons won. With that preface, why are there only 7 teams?

A team qualifies for the regional tournamnet by 1) winning state, 2) winning a qualifier, or 3) hosting the tournament. It looks like the bracket has the Tigers (won regional qualifier), DBAT/Raiders/Patriots/Dragons (won state tournaments), and two teams from the South Plains region that are from out-of-state <---> who qualified in the same manner.

The 15U teams have a separate path. They could have played in 16U state tournaments -- as Mustangs/Lowry did in 2005.

The 16U regional tournament used to be held in Houston at San Jac. It was moved to Jesuit last year due to weather. I don't know the story this year. Last year, the 16U regional tournament had teams from NM and Missouri. It's obvious that some of the best teams are playing in Premier events, rather than AABC.

No doubt - check out the Premier tournament and you will see many good teams (including Sharp's Mustangs) who are skipping AABC this year.

I was told today at lunch that, at least at the 15 and 16u ages, an event like the Premier Championship makes more sense than AABC. The reasoning was that you get to play very good competition and you are guaranteed to play 6 or more games. If you think about the fact that there are no college coaches watching at this age group, the focus is on player development. Therefore, guaranteeing the minimum number of games is of great benefit. Additionally, you don't have the expense of "2 and Q". In other words, teams get more bang for their buck.

Premier propaganda! The AABC world series are an amazing experience. Are teams still focused on maximizing "development" ops at the year-end tournaments? Has it reached a point where winning championships is meaningless?

Uncle E- you "heard" that at lunch? from who? the summer baseball god?

which, situation, will those kids be in more times over the next 6 years?? a time when they must play six games in four days or play in a playoff format?

the 18U premier state championships worked great... they said "forget it" when it came to the final "championship" game and both teams were exhausted....

who is developing players at the year end tourney?
who is developing players period??

i could go on and on, but your remarks made zero sense in the grand scheme of things...

No need to jump Uncle E.

Young tychco#1 plays for Mustangs Sharp 16U. As 15U last summer, the team was able to play in the Premier Championship (they won that one) and the AABC state tourney. They were fortunate enough to win that and go on to Owasso and win the AABC MM WS.

I know the team wanted to defend both championships, but this summer they conflicted and Premier was selected. I honestly can't say it was any "better" a choice, just the one they chose.

Shortly after our return from College Station, we are headed to Marietta, GA, for the Perfect Game Super 7. In all honesty, it would have been difficult to accomplish all that this summer.

I hope next summer, the team can play in both events, as they are both championship tournaments.

tychco....that's way too PC.

(good luck in GA...perhaps next year the schedule will be better for CH of tychco to play with us)

quote:

Originally posted by Deuce'sDad:
tychco....that's way too PC.

(good luck in GA...perhaps next year the schedule will be better for CH of tychco to play with us)

I like a good verbal war , but in this case, I wish the boys could have done both.

I would love for tychco#2 to play with y'all ...stay in touch and let's see...

this tourney is going to get nasty quick with only seven teams and a lot of talent between them...

DCH,
My point was, I had just had lunch with a coach of a summer team at that age group and asked him point blank why they weren't playing in the AABC stuff. His opinion was that which was expressed in my earlier post. He believes in playing as many games as possible during the season as he is constantly teaching the game during games. If he goes to a Premier type of event, his players are guaranteed 6 games. If he goes to AABC, it may be 2 and Q. He likes the sure thing because the competition is as good, if not better and he is guaranteed more teaching opportunities. Also, as for the future, at the 18u Premier event last week the Mustangs played four pool games and then played single elimination to a championship. I can assure you there was plenty of pressure to win every game.

PD,
I agree with your comments regarding AABC as it relates to 18u and Farmington. My son has been focused on getting there since the Mustangs just missed out last year. I am not as enthusiastic about 15-16u. My son participated in the 16u MMWS as a 15 and then went to the Premier 16u Championship as a 16 and I think the Premier event was a better value. Just my opinion.

Along the same lines Uncle Ethan, I spoke with a college coach last weekend that was on the way home from the Premier NO tourney. He was very disappointed in the format of the tournament -- "disgusted" was the word he used. According to his recap, the pool games were meaningless -- leading to bracket play that included every team there. His time there was spent watching non-pitchers throw because teams were saving their top arms for the weekend. I understand that the MMWS has lost some of its luster over the years, but there's something to be said for the atmosphere, the nature of the championship, etc. I understand Farmington is "magical". I am not disputing the information you are sharing on this subject.....but.....the top teams (Tigers, Mustangs, etc.) don't generally worry about 2 & Q during the year-end events, do they? In any case, thanks for reporting the perspective of at least some of the 16U coaches -- perhaps AABC will have to provide consolation games.

PD-

Exact same response from a Texas D1 coach last weekend when asked about the Premier deal at UTSA... which they didn't even finish because teams were "done." Was suppose to be Austin Wings and Kyle Chapman....

That is good input. I will pass it back upstream. The reality of the situation is that the college coaches are the "customer" in this whole deal and if they don't like the way something is being done, they should say something to the folks trying to run the teams. As the gm of a select organization, part of what you are "selling" to players is the ability to be seen by college coaches, so I am sure they would love to have some feedback.

The Mustangs didn't play the pool games as meaningless. In fact, we had nobody fresh to pitch the championship game. However, that doesn't really seem to matter to the college coaches because they seldom stay until the end anyway, as far as I can tell. I can tell you that if a coach wants to see one of our guys pitch or play a certain position, Mr. Carpenter will accomodate that request. PD, we pitched:

Gm 1 Stafford, Pair
Gm 2 Bruening
Gm 3 Clinard
Gm 4 Dixon
Gm 5 Merck
Gm 6 Neal, de la Chappelle
Gm 7 Pair
Gm 8 A cast of thousands

all of whom are "real" pitchers so I guess the coach you talked to should have spent his time watching the Mustangs instead of whomever he was watching.

Well -- there are no "fake" pitchers in that list. As you know, the coaches are not there to watch a single team. And....yes, I believe the coaches should request those that they are interested in watching.

there are more colllege coaches at the premier events than at AABC for the 16U that's where I would go.

Dallas Tigers Hernandez (10)
Dallas Dragons 16 (2)

Houston Raiders (7)
DBAT 16 (6)

quote:

Originally posted by P1tickethead110:
Houston Raiders (7)
DBAT 16 (6)

In the DBAT loss, it should be noted that Danny Malone pitched a strong six innings of relief and kept his team in the game. You don't usually hear about those efforts in a losing cause, but he pitched a heck of a game after having to enter in the first with no outs.

We seem to be short of the extensive Dragon updates. What's up with that?

JAFO-
Because they (Dragons) just realized they are going to go 2 and BBQ.....

Couldn't you two have left well-enough alone?

Jafo,
You've got a tiger moniker. Weren't you there? Don't you know someone that could fill you in?

Also, anyone, when this tournament is over, does the winner proceed to another destination? ie The winner of the Connie Mack Regional goes to Farmington.

collikar -- please, please tell me you're kidding.

Tychco isn't here for me to ask. Am I having a blonde moment?

When Dbat 16 won it last year, did they go to Farmington? I thought Farmington was just for the big boys.... I'm so confused. LOL Quit making fun of me.

Ok, considering your blonde state.......

There are a few hundred topics surrounding the Mickey Mantle World Series, played in McKinney --- recently won by the Dallas Tigers ('05) and DBAT Lowry ('06). One of our most famous posters "runs" the tournament and is biting his lip (or his typing fingers). The MMWS is the end of the line as it is an International event.

Need Yankee tickets?

quote:

JAFO
We seem to be short of the extensive Dragon updates. What's up with that?

not much to update when we take a 10 - 2 loss.

quote:

Diablo Because they (Dragons) just realized they are going to go 2 and BBQ.....

At whatever point we start the BBQ we will still be very happy with our first year accomplishments:
36 wins 10 losses
Three 1st place Tournament Wins
A 2nd and a 3rd.

quote:

Tychco isn't here for me to ask. Am I having a blonde moment?

Bless her heart.

quote:

Jafo,
You've got a tiger moniker. Weren't you there? Don't you know someone that could fill you in?

You know me by now. There was evil intent! A desire to point out the obvious. A chance to take a dig. A way to make a point. and on and on and on......you get the point.

JAFO you are a character. I'm going to miss all the battles we've had since our teams were 11 years old. What a ride for both teams. Two of the better ones to come through Dallas.

SWAC, I was just talking some people the other day about that exact thing. There may not be another rivalry like it for a while. It has been a blast. The best thing about it being a rivalry, it was never a verbal rivalry, always taken care of on the field. At least I can't remember any trash between the 2 teams, just a lot of respect.

By the way how many 1 run ball games? To many for me to count.

Fitting end.......both playing in the final game on August 10th?????

quote:

Originally posted by collikar:
Tychco isn't here for me to ask. Am I having a blonde moment?

When Dbat 16 won it last year, did they go to Farmington? I thought Farmington was just for the big boys.... I'm so confused. LOL Quit making fun of me.

I am embarassed. I thought I had taught her better than this. Baby, stick to gammar correction...there are enough problems on this board to keep you out of the pool hall.

tychco -- I was beginning to wonder how hard you had to work during your senior year homecoming weekend?

quote:

Originally posted by JAFO:
SWAC, I was just talking some people the other day about that exact thing. There may not be another rivalry like it for a while. It has been a blast. The best thing about it being a rivalry, it was never a verbal rivalry, always taken care of on the field. At least I can't remember any trash between the 2 teams, just a lot of respect.

By the way how many 1 run ball games? To many for me to count.

Fitting end.......both playing in the final game on August 10th?????

JAFO thats a mighty tall order but I like the idea. Right now we are focusing on taking one game at a time. Wish I was in your shoes. The only time I'm making that wish.

quote:

Originally posted by Panther Dad:
tychco -- I was beginning to wonder how hard you had to work during your senior year homecoming weekend?

Not very hard, my standards were low back then and I was a football player in West Texas. collikar didn't enter the picture until I saw the error of my ways.

PD,
Shhhh, the whole Yankee ticket debacle was a blur until you reopened that wound. LOL

Also, I didn't want to do all that extra forum reading to find the answers to my questions. I'm on summer vacation. However, I did see where other teams from out of state are coming to McKinney, just like teams go to Farmington. The lightbulb finally went on. Sometimes I'm slow, but eventually I get there.

Glad I could provide some entertainment.

Tychco,
Nice save.

quote:

Originally posted by collikar:
Tychco,
Nice save.

Call me Gagne...

quote:

Baby, stick to gammar correction

Apparently, the purple pen is only used on those outside the family.

quote:

Originally posted by Uncle Ethan:

quote:

Baby, stick to gammar correction

Apparently, the purple pen is only used on those outside the family.

Actually, his purple pen is.....never mind.

OH my gosh