Marmonte League

The key to the Marmonte league is pitching, not shortstops.

Simi - Meyer and Jones, as well as Sandler who was most likely recruited as a catcher. Meyer and Jones can both throw 90+. Sandler worked 85-86 and touched 88 the day I saw him and knows how to pitch.

Royal - Berglund and Buckel were both recruited as pitchers. Berglund and Buckel are both high 80s types who can hit 90 or more, although Buckel topped out at 89 when I saw him. Berglund especially has great pitchability.

Moorpark - Hunt, a lefty, typically works 83-84, but has touched 87 and has outpitched everyone in the league. Watt doesn't throw hard but has an excellent slider, good change, great mound presence and has been very effective. Moorpark also has a preseason all-region pitcher who hasn't been given the chance to throw a pitch yet who was working 84-86 and touching 87 back in August. He's probably a bit faster now. They also have a pretty good sophmore who is up to 84 now and keeps improving as well as a junior with a live arm who has worked 85-86 in the past. (The junior just worked 86-87 and touched 88 and the all-region kid just worked 85-87, but neither has gotten any innings to speak of.)

TO - Cody Thomson is a mid 80s guy with great pitchability.

Agoura - Richard Stock is a low 90s guy who hasn't pitched during the season according the stats. He was probably recruited as a catcher.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are other pitchers who stand out on some of the Marmonte league teams that I'm simply not aware of.

BOF,
Don't forget that some of that talent ends up at Crespi or Chaminade.

Interesting matchups today with the most interesting being Simi vs. Royal. Probably Sandler vs. Buckel with everyone else being available with no more league games this week.

I don't think Simi will be overmatched by Buckel and Royal won't be overmatched by Sandler but my guess is that it won't be a very high scoring game either. Should be a real tossup unless Royal's defense breaks down.

I really don't have a clue on the other games and they all seem like they could go either way. The fact that the teams can use all their pitching today tends to make things even harder than usual to predict.

I was right - I didn't have a clue. Royal's defense didn't break down. Simi's control did from what I hear.

The rest of the season should be interesting. Royal and Simi seem to be locks to make the playoffs. Newbury Park is surprising me and I'd guess they have the upper hand because they seem to have a balance of hitting and pitching. Westlake has great hitting but they lack pitching depth. They can beat anyone with their hitting and they can lose to anyone with their pitching. I haven't seen TO yet, but I figure they'll be fighting it out with Westlake and Moorpark for the 4th spot. Agoura has good hitting but lacks pitching. If Stock starts throwing they could be a factor. Moorpark has decent pitching but they trail the league in runs scored by a lot. They can beat anyone with their pitching and lose to anyone due to lack of hitting. Calabasas doesn't have much as far as I can tell.

Royal 6-2
Simi 6-2
TO 4-4
Newbury Park 4-4
Westlake 4-4
Moorpark 3-5
Agoura 3-5
Calabasas 2-6

Royal and Simi continue to look like locks to make the playoffs. 7-7 and possibly even 6-8 should make the playoffs. TO and Newbury Park both look good at this point but anything can happen with the teams in this league. Moorpark switched their rotation around and threw their #2 on Wednesday vs. TO's #1 with predictable results. That will set up #1 vs #1 on Friday vs. Newbury Park. Almost a must win for Moorpark with Simi looming on Wednesday and their #2 or a junkballer going up against Simi. It is a tossup but I give Moorpark a slight edge vs. Newbury Park based on bias.

Moorpark d NP 3-2
TO d Agoura 7-6
Simi d Calabasas 7-1
Westlake d Royal 17-3

Simi 7-2
Royal 6-3
TO 5-4
Westlake 5-4
NP 4-5
Moorpark 4-5
Agoura 3-6
Calabasas 2-7

Simi has locked up a playoff spot. Even with the loss Royal should make the playoffs easily. TO and Westlake are looking good with Westlake having put on what must have been an amazing hitting display against Buckel, but anything could happen with the current 3rd through 7th place teams, although Agoura is not far from dropping out of the race. Moorpark's 2nd half rotation switch may work out with their #2 facing the stronger teams and their #1 facing the weaker teams the rest of the way. #2 is less likely to hold down the stronger teams but still good enough to do it when he has his best stuff, while #1 is less likely to be beaten by some of the teams that are weaker overall but have strong hitting. It will most likely come down to the last game of the season.

Wednesday:
Simi v Moorpark, have to give Simi the edge but Moorpark has a shot if their pitcher can get the off speed stuff over consistently so as to keep Simi from jumping on the fastball.

TO v Westlake - Game of the week, winner has a big advantage re: making the playoffs. Thomson has been pitching very well lately. Pitching v hitting. Just a hunch that hitting wins this one - Westlake

NP v Agoura - NP is probably the better team but Agoura has some hitting - No clue

Royal v Calabasas - Royal should win this one if Berglund pitches.

Simi d Moorpark - only a triple play on the third line shot of an inning kept this one from being a blowout.

Calabasas d Royal - What's going on with Royal?

Westlake d TO - got that one right.

Newbury Park d Agoura

Simi 8-2
Royal 6-4
Westlake 6-4
TO 5-5
NP 5-5
Moorpark 4-6
Calabasas 3-7
Agoura 3-7

Friday:
Moorpark v Calabasas - Moorpark has #1 going in must win game.
Simi v TO - Simi is better team but has been inconsistent when Sandler doesn't throw.
NP v Westlake - Can't call this one.
Royal v Agoura - Royal should take it.

Simi is in, Royal and Westlake are probably in. The next 3 have a shot and Agoura and Calabasas are probably out of it, but a 3-1 finish could give each of them a shot.

I saw that Royal lost again last night...boy are they heading in the wrong direction...

They probably only have to win 1 more to make the playoffs, but this isn't going to help their seeding. Looking at MaxPreps Berglund must have pitched a great game but gave up a home run.

Moorpark d Calabasas
Simi d TO
NP d Westlake
Royal d Agoura

Simi 9-2
Royal 7-4
Westlake 6-5
NP 6-5
Moorpark 5-6
TO 5-6
Agoura 3-8
Calabasas 3-8

Simi is in and almost has the championship locked up. Royal is virtually in. Westlake, NP, Moorpark and TO fight it out for the last 2 or 3 spots. Westlake and TO have drawn the easier games for Friday. Moorpark and NP are in tough. Anything can happen in the Marmonte league.

No real surprises. Interesting to see that Nieves pitched for Westlake. Looks like he pitched well.

Wednesday's games:
Royal v Moorpark - Have to take Royal but Moorpark's #2 could do well against them and defensive miscues could undermine Royal despite having the league's best pitcher (Berglund) going.

Westlake v Agoura - Westlake
Simi v Newbury Park - Simi
TO v Calabasas - TO

Wouldn't be surprised if Westlake, NP, TO and Moorpark all go 1-1 next week.

Berglund didn't have much but Royal still managed to pull out a win v. Moorpark

Simi d Newbury Park - no surprise

Westlake d Agoura

Calabasas d TO

Simi 10-2
Royal 8-4
Westlake 7-5
Newbury Park 6-6
Moorpark 5-7
TO 5-7
Calabasas 4-8
Agoura 3-9

Friday's games:
Moorpark v Agoura - tossup
Simi v Westlake - tossup
NP v Calabasas - NP
TO v Royal - Royal

Royal clinches a playoff spot. Westlake has clinched at least a tie for a playoff spot. NP is in good shape. TO and Moorpark need strong finishes.

I would say Moorpark is a much better team than Agoura.

Simi v Westlake a tossup? You know something we don't?

Same pitchers as last time for Moorpark v Agoura when Agoura won plus other things I know that you don't. On the other hand it is a must win game for Moorpark and doesn't mean anything for Agoura.

Simi v Westlake - Simi is the better team but Westlake has serious hitting and saved their best pitchers for Simi while Simi threw their best vs Newbury Park. Simi has serious hitting also so anything could happen.

Anyways it is hard to be wrong when you call it a tossup.

Moorpark d Agoura (senior day for Agoura)
Royal d TO
NP d Calabasas
Simi d Westlake (Westlake didn't use Nieves or Cuneo on the mound)

Supposedly this puts Moorpark & NP in the playoffs, and probably Westlake even if they lose to Moorpark but I don't know what the rules are for the last playoff spot.

Simi 11-2 clinches league championship
Royal 9-4 clinches 2nd
Westlake 7-6
Newbury Park 7-6 clinches a playoff/wildcard spot
Moorpark 6-7 clinches a playoff/wildcard spot
TO 5-8
Calabasas 4-9
Agoura 3-10

Simi v Royal - Means more to Simi as could help their seeding in playoffs
Westlake v Moorpark - Gotta give the advantage to Westlake given their hitting
NP v TO - NP, because doesn't mean anything to TO
Agoura v Calabasas - Calabasas

If it ends up in a tie for 3rd through 5th or 4th and 5th it'll be interesting to see what the tiebreakers would be as Westlake wouldn't qualify for a wildcard spot if they came in 5th while NP and Moorpark would. A team has to have at least a .500 record overall to qualify for a wild card spot. My guess is that if it is allowable within the rules then Moorpark or NP would be placed 5th by the league to allow Westlake into the playoffs.

Royal d Simi - Must have been great pitching from Berglund.
NP d TO - NP clinches 3rd
Moorpark d Westlake - Moorpark plays Westlake on Friday at Thousand Oaks. Moorpark gets 4th or Wilcard. Westlake must win to get playoff spot.
Agoura d Calabasas

I have no idea who will win the Westlake v Moorpark game. On the face of it Westlake should win as they have more motivation, better hitting and a stronger starter going but they didn't look all that good on Wednesday against a fairly soft throwing lefty although baserunning mistakes were a big part of that. Neither team seems to play that well away from home but Westlake probably plays worse away from home.

Moorpark d Westlake

Westlake's presumed starter was coming off being sick and not fully recovered so he didn't start.

Moorpark's presumed starter had a sore arm so they threw a soft tossing lefty who has been getting hit very hard every time out lately but hasn't given up many earned runs.

Both starters were hit hard including a 2 run bomb off Moorpark's starter that went about 50 ft. over the left center field fence but baserunning mistakes by Westlake left Moorpark with a 4-3 lead after 2 innings. Westlake brought in the kid who had strep throat with a couple on in the 4th. He gave up one run that inning and then I think only gave up one more run. He struggled but did fairly well. Moorpark's pitcher with the sore arm didn't have much on the ball but was throwing strikes. He gave up a lot of hard hit balls but only gave up runs (4) in one inning. Yelich hit a 3 run shot off him and later in the game with a couple runners on hit a low liner so hard it hung up for the center fielder to catch. Moorpark's pitcher went the rest of the way throwing 5 innings with a sore arm. Westlake's 2nd pitcher ran out of gas and was replaced with the score 7-5 in Westlake's favor. The next pitcher gave up one inherited runner and eventually allowed another 4 runs to score resulting in a 10-7 Moorpark win. I'm going from memory and could be off as to when a run scored here and there.

Moorpark comes in 4th and will probably end up playing a wild card game anyways, but they could get "lucky" and get off until Friday and play a #1 or #2 team. Westlake is done.