Aflac Game

Wow! The East team comes back with three runs in the top of the ninth, all without a hit, to go ahead 5-4. The lead holds through the ninth for an East win.

Congratulations to the East squad and in particular to the winning pitcher Armstrong, who pitched a fine couple of innings.

The West team looked strong and appeared to be the likely winner until they surrendered all of those runs in the top of the ninth. Hicks, the losing pitcher for the West team, struggled in the ninth.

Recieving skills seemed lacking, especially blocking!

Delivering and receiving skills.

These guys are extremely talented players. It is really tough on the catchers having to catch so many guys they have never caught before. Especially guys that are throwing with that kind of stuff. Alot of these pitchers are quite honestly getting to the point where they are just flat out tired. Many just left the East Coast Pro and the Area Code Games. The same guys have been at the other events such as the Cape Cod Classic and WWBA events in Ga. Im not trying to make excuses for anyone. But the bottom line is these guys are very very good. It is very tough on catchers and the pitchers are maybe trying a little too hard at this type of event. Either way it was fun to see these guys compete.

You're right Coach May. The difference in this particular game came down to the pitchers in the last inning...Armstrong had it and Hicks didn't.

Boy that Armstrong kid had a wicked curveball didnt he? Hicks has a great arm. He just could not locate. I heard the guys announcing the game say he had not pitched in quite some time. You hate to see a kid struggle like that. I would much rather have seen the team win , win with some base hits instead of like that. But it was fun to see alot of kids play that I have seen play in person at several events over the last couple of years. Sometimes its hard to believe that these kids are still just 17 and have another year of HS ball to play.

It is hard to believe.

I thought Armstrong looked good, but the catching was unimpressive.

I thought Adrian Nieto was outstanding. Ive seen Taylor Hightower catch several times and he is very good as well. Kyle Skipworth is outstanding. Swaggerty struggled especially with the cb in the dirt from Hicks. Again this can be a very touch situation catching these guys basically for the first time ever in this kind of situation. Believe me I have seen these guys first hand and they can flat out play. Dont judge them too harshly on one performance. All the kids in this game are flat out studs.

http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/showcase/2007/aflac/pitchers_velocity.aspx
Aflac Pitchers' Peak Velocity


http://www.pgcrosschecker.com/showcase/2007/aflac/aflac_report1.aspx
2007 Aflac All American Classic - Player Reports #1



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