John Flanagan - Under Armor All American

Congrats John!

34/33....

Thanks for the info.

Congrats!!!! Things like this are really important to a young player.

This is no slam on Flanagan as I know he is quite the talent, but this Under Armour All-American deal isn't everything it's cracked up to be.
My son received an invite about a month ago. On the outside of the envelope was a sticker that said, "Congratulations! You have been selected as an Under Armour Pre-Season All American." My son opened it up to find that it was an invitation to a tournament in Tucson, AZ, Jan. 12-14 at a cost of $700. The tournament is put on by the Baseball Factory. They claimed it was the only All American team that wasn't just a paper team, but actually played. Yeah, at a cost of $700. I don't know about you guys, but I'll take the "paper" teams any day over having to buy my way onto an "All-American" team. When we went to the website that they directed us to go to see who else was invited, my son did not recognize not one name of who was invited, Flanagan's name was not on there at that point. When I called the director of this event and I asked some questions we decided that money would be better spent elsewhere. The thing that hit home with me was when I asked the director if my son would still be considered and Under Armour Pre-Season All American if he didn't cough up $700 and attend he said, "well, he can put on his resume that he was NOMINATED to be on the team." I laughed as I hung up the phone.

Congrats to John though, hope he performs well.

John is a great kid and more than just a baseball player. He will make BW very hard to beat when he takes the mound.

Based upon everything I have heard about this kid, he is a top-level performer and doesn't need to pay his way to get recognition.

Each family has to decide what is "too much" to pay to be on a Travel Team or to pay for Camps or Showcases.

Either way, the two that I know were invited (Flanagan and Rice) are both cream of the crop type players and that should tell you something about the meaning of the All-American Status.

JMHO

Congrats to all those recognized.

34/33,

I went to the Baseball Factory website to see how the weekend went out in Arizona and Flanagan's name wasn't on any of the rosters. Did he actually go or was he nominated?

Seedthrower,

I know he was nominated. However, I do not believe he attended the event.
He will probably attend the Super 60 Showcase which has always been a well attended event by MLB scouts.

more congrats to Flanagan, he is also this year's State Champion in Bowling

He averaged 236 over the twelve games, beating out the second place finisher by 18 pins. No wonder his duece is so nasty, that 6 oz. ball is nothing compared to that 16 pounder.

LOL - fun post 34/33!

Looking at several clips of ole NY Yankee teams reporting to spring training with a question mark beside pitching made me think about just how much of an impact a tall LHP with one heck of an arm could mean to the Yankees in three to four years.

This prospect is "Very Talented" and as the ole school decision makers say in the signing business,
HE'S WORTH IT !!!! peace shep

I LOVE hearing that Shep!

Bump for the tall lefty who has Zach Duke potential.
John Flanagan-LHP West Bellville HS Hello world!

Congratulations to John Flanagan for making the All-American checklist of players to watch put up in the last two days by PG Cross-Checker and also for being recognized by Perfect Game's Ebert as a top IL prospect.

Keep up the good work John! peace shep

John Flanagan is making big news in top scouting circles. Being compared to Zachary Duke and ceiling number#1 starter in Major Leagues. Heard this from a "top decision maker" who writes the draft for his team Congratulations to the great state of IL, what an honor to have a state champion bowler and possible first rounder in MLB!!! peace shep

JOHN FLANAGAN LHP pitched a no-hitter in 7 full innings of work in his first outing today for Bellville West High School in Bellville, IL.

With 30+ scouts present, John Flanagan put on a display that rivals few this spring as a tall 6'6" lanky athlete coming fresh off the bowling lanes as High School State Champion bowler with a 240 average in State Tournament. In 7 innings of effortless work, Flanagan threw 76 pitches working above 90 for most of the game keeping hitters off-balance with command of off-speed pitches as well as a lively fastball.

He is very similiar to Zachary Duke in make-up and mechanics. He will get stronger as weather continues to get warmer this spring and has an OFP grade that is off the charts, IMHO. This player could be the late-charger toward the top of the heap along with Nevin Griffith of Middleton HS in Tampa, FL. peace shep

John Flanagan gained my attention as well as many others this past summer in San Diego, CA in the AFLAC scrimmage games the day before the televised main event.

This is a great 2007 class of pitchers.
Flanny is a fierce competitor that just loves Baseball. If he's not playing he will usually be found in the stands watching a game.

Congrats and keep raising the bar.

what does "OFP grade" stand for?

Overall Future Potential

John Flanagan will be pitching tomorrow for Belleville West HS in Belleville, IL. Here is the article from his first outing.Newspaper Article on Flanagan's No-Hitter

John Flanagan will be pitching tomorrow @ Gordon Moore Park in Alton, IL. peace shep

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UPDATE: Flanagan pitches 8 inning masterpiece on March 28th getting win for Belleville West H.S. peace shep

John Flanagan pitched 9 shutout innings in freezing cold weather today in Belleville, IL. Great effort GAMER !!!!!!!!! peace shep

I'm sure his future college coach and/or MLB scouts would be just thrilled to read that. That sure must have been one important game.

Link to game.Post Dispatch

At this time in the season, Pitch counts should not exceed 80 pitches. We are way too early to pitch 114 pitches in a game. Too cold and the arm is not in mid season condition. I know John has been working hard with a lot of long toss in the off season. John is a work horse and never quits. His arm action is very loose. In big tourneys he has asked me to pitch on Sat and Sundays. Competitors do not know the word STOP.

It is a coaches responsibility to shut it down.

Remeber Kerry Wood...

quote:

Originally posted by 34/33:
Competitors do not know the word STOP.

That would imply that people who understand the significance of their actions, and eventual impact of them, are not comeptitors. I humbly couldn't disagree with that more. I don't think commending recklessness should be a badge of honor or something we should have our kids strive for.

Agree with you, Rosy.

As I recall, a year or two ago, a kid that was a 1st rounder, supposedly, was not permitted to pitch a 1st round game in the Illinois AA High School tournament, because he had just been drafted in the 1st round by someone....Or so the story goes...resulted in his team losing in the first round of the tournament.

In my opinion, maybe what has happened to this kid in this 9 inning game is the reason why these things happen...the Scouts figure the coach may not know any better.

Looked up his no-hitter. His school has nearly 2300 students. The school he pitched against has 450 students. There is a high school somewhere in Illinois named: Red Bud.

As an aside, I'm hoping to find a weekend to see him pitch down in Southern Illinois. Sounds from what Shep and others have said, he's the real deal and he has a chance to be a first rounder.

John Flanagan pitched today in a little better weather conditions with 50 degree temperatures and misting rain, if you can call that better. At least a scout or two got to see some great curveballs with command and fastballs today. John is getting stronger each time out.

He pitched 6 complete innings with very effective hammer as out pitch with many strikeouts, eight or nine, while leading Belleville West to 11-2 victory.

I know scouts were there but we didn't get velocities from our source. My guess is that at this stage, scouts are holding those stalkersport guns close and not freely sharing readings. I will respect the anonymity of the scouts who braved the weather because they may be blessed with readings like the velocities we measured back in San Diego, CA at AFLAC scrimmage which were topping 90+ on FBs w/ command on both sides of plate. This player will get stronger and more effective as the seasons unfold. The early reports typed a month ago are not indicative of Present Potential and may not be indicative of Future Potential due to the late start up north and cold weather. For example, two starts ago, a scout left in early innings of very cold game with the top velocities only in mid 80s. As it turned out, the pitcher, "John Flanagan" got stronger and actually touched 90+ in late innings. Will the report the scout said he was going back to the hotel and write/type after only a couple of innings be accurate reporting? All of the games I've attended as far as pitchers this spring, have scouts still charting pitchers in the final inning, including me, I also chart pitchers. This practice will ensure a consistent continuity in MPH per pitch throughout the game in every inning. Does the pitcher get stronger as the game progresses? This was a question posed to me at MLBSB scout development school when learning how to write reports. If I were the scout who left early, I would go back before the pre-draft national event in Cedar Rapids in order to get the report "right". I would do this to cover my tail! I know how it goes though in scouting, it's just so hard to be in five places at one time! When a player is creating alot of fuss in scouting circles, as John has created lately, it's a good idea to get a second look and confirm and make adjustments to first observations, if necessary. Just my .02
peace shep

how about you just worry about you instead of worrying about some random scout who drove hours to sit in the cold and watch this kid throw in the mid 80s because he was as cold as the scout was. There are 29 other clubs who can get him. Since you are such a diligent scout, how is that kids true makeup?

Maybe the scout left because he did not like his arm slot, no matter how hard he throws....i think it is safe to say that before a club invests $$ in a draft pick, that pick has been seen and re-seen and discussed in the draft room by the staff.

Flanny was clocked at 87 mph

BASEBALL39

If you are that scout, I apologize. peace shep

No, I wish I could have a "job" lik that instead of the on eI currently have.

John continues his consistent and effective work today with 15 strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings for Belleville West. peace shep

Belleville West knocks off O'fallen in sectional state playoffs. 5/30/2007 @ Edwardsville!

John Flanagan went the distance running his record to 11 wins 0 losses with a record three no-hitters during his senior year campaign. He also helped his cause tremendously by hitting a two-run homer in the 5th with a teammate sealing the deal with a grand slam homerun in the last inning in his most recent outing as a 6'5" LHP. Sail on Belleville West. peace shep