Dang, that was a short night.
MMWS -- you're amazing -- no one will ever understand the passion you have for this series. Thanks. I hope you found a suitable place to put Tony to work!
The Host Frozen Ropes team knocked off the South Troy Dodgers 5-4 in another nail biter for the Dodgers. Tough to win games when you don't hit.
Great event, well run and just a great experience for my son and the rest of his teammates.
Thanks to all the folks in McKinney.
Great event, well run and just a great experience for my son and the rest of his teammates.
Thanks to all the folks in McKinney.
Puerto Rico eliminates Dallas Tigers in a 4-2 decision on Saturday afternoon... Frozen Ropes Titans plays at 8 pm Saturday
California Rockies and Midland Braves in the championship. Midland was undefeated. Was being the key word. California won 5-2.
Final game under way.
Final game under way.
Sorry, that was 11-2 California in game 1.
Midland Braves came back to win game 2, 10 - 0.
Midland Braves came back to win game 2, 10 - 0.
Just curious if anyone who attended can shed some light on how they thought the Tigers competed overall in this tournament. Frankly, I was surprised to hear they lost two in a row after winning the first one. Any takers..... 
all i know is in the first game they looked almost unbeatable... they pitched well and hit the ball very well..
as for the other two games, i wasnt there so I can only speculate
as for the other two games, i wasnt there so I can only speculate
jb -- you don't want to go out on a limb and speculate that the 17-0 loss was a total disaster? 
Well I can speculate that the defense struggled... doesn't mean it did.
Tiger supporters -- I gotta hand it to you. 
I might be so bold as to speculate that the Tigers struggled in all aspects of the game in their 17-0 loss to the eventual runner-up. They had 3 hits and allowed 16, including 2 HR. Despite the meltdown, they came back and played a strong game, out-hitting Puerto Rico. I wasn't at the game, but Ruben Sierra's kid was a strong player last year --- and I'm sure another year of maturity hasn't hurt. It's hard for me to judge the PR talent because, in my opinion, they are evalulated differently. But I have heard that he's a prospect.
Obviously, it's difficult in this format to lose one of your first 2 games. Congratulations to the both of the Texas teams in McKinney.
I might be so bold as to speculate that the Tigers struggled in all aspects of the game in their 17-0 loss to the eventual runner-up. They had 3 hits and allowed 16, including 2 HR. Despite the meltdown, they came back and played a strong game, out-hitting Puerto Rico. I wasn't at the game, but Ruben Sierra's kid was a strong player last year --- and I'm sure another year of maturity hasn't hurt. It's hard for me to judge the PR talent because, in my opinion, they are evalulated differently. But I have heard that he's a prospect.
Obviously, it's difficult in this format to lose one of your first 2 games. Congratulations to the both of the Texas teams in McKinney.
Panther Dad
That is an interesting statement regarding "Puerto Rican Talent", that "they are evaluated differently"
Would you please explain ---
That is an interesting statement regarding "Puerto Rican Talent", that "they are evaluated differently"
Would you please explain ---
TRhit -- I'll start with a disclaimer. I am not a pro scout so my opinions aren't worth that much -- and I want to walk the fine line of political correctness, if at all possible.
When my son's team played the team from PR last year at the MMWS, we were told that they had a number of pro prospects. At the time, I had no reason to view that claim as an over-assessment of the talent on their team. The kids were only 15 or 16 but, it has been my impression that Latin kids are evalulated at an earlier age, so I watched them closely to try to determine those with pro tools. In hindsight, they had 1-2 pitchers with live arms and 1-2 position players that demonstrated pro tools (in a limited way). There were no 4-5 tool players. It is my understanding that some Latin kids are signed to professional contracts by the time they turn 17 (maybe my info is out-of-date), but...how many 15-16 year olds demonstrate big league talent? Very few. The same holds true for kids in the US.
It has become more common to evalulate kids in the 17-18 YO age group in terms of their pro potential. Even then, it seems 1-2 tools are considered more important -- perhaps because they are easier to measure or because they cannot be taught....speed, for instance.
My only real point was that scouts may be "ready" to project professional talent earlier with the Latin kids. Do you disagree?
-PD
When my son's team played the team from PR last year at the MMWS, we were told that they had a number of pro prospects. At the time, I had no reason to view that claim as an over-assessment of the talent on their team. The kids were only 15 or 16 but, it has been my impression that Latin kids are evalulated at an earlier age, so I watched them closely to try to determine those with pro tools. In hindsight, they had 1-2 pitchers with live arms and 1-2 position players that demonstrated pro tools (in a limited way). There were no 4-5 tool players. It is my understanding that some Latin kids are signed to professional contracts by the time they turn 17 (maybe my info is out-of-date), but...how many 15-16 year olds demonstrate big league talent? Very few. The same holds true for kids in the US.
It has become more common to evalulate kids in the 17-18 YO age group in terms of their pro potential. Even then, it seems 1-2 tools are considered more important -- perhaps because they are easier to measure or because they cannot be taught....speed, for instance.
My only real point was that scouts may be "ready" to project professional talent earlier with the Latin kids. Do you disagree?
-PD
Total disaster is probably not strong enough. The 17-0 loss may have been the worst loss in Tiger history when you take into account the talent level on that team. We had kids make more errors than they had in all games combined all year. The wheels just fell off.
However, they came back to play well against a tough PR team, just failed to hit when it mattered. Thought we had a chance with 2 on and 1 out in the 7th. Charlie Martin had been killing the ball all day, with 2 hits going into his third at bat, but didn't get a hit. Jacob Morris just missed one that could have just as easily been a 3 run homer as a flyout to the warning track, but again, that's baseball.
I was proud of the guys for coming back after the big loss. Sad thing was that we were loaded with pitching, but never got to use them.
However, they came back to play well against a tough PR team, just failed to hit when it mattered. Thought we had a chance with 2 on and 1 out in the 7th. Charlie Martin had been killing the ball all day, with 2 hits going into his third at bat, but didn't get a hit. Jacob Morris just missed one that could have just as easily been a 3 run homer as a flyout to the warning track, but again, that's baseball.
I was proud of the guys for coming back after the big loss. Sad thing was that we were loaded with pitching, but never got to use them.
Tigermamma, I'm sure it was frustrating to watch! That 16U team is still great and will be the next two years as well. 
In your opinion, did the pick-ups you had, help or hurt the team chemistry,etc.
Oophs, sorry about the double m's!! 
A good TEAM won't allow their chemistry to be impacted by guest players. Good guest players will fit in and accept their roles. I would be willing to bet that the Tigers chemistry was not an issue.
I'll 2nd that PD...
quote:A good TEAM won't allow their chemistry to be impacted by guest players. Good guest players will fit in and accept their roles.
An important observation...............
Very good point, PD. As always, I 
to your greatness!! 
I only was perplexed about one of the kids they picked up. They'll be back next year, bigger and better!!
I only was perplexed about one of the kids they picked up. They'll be back next year, bigger and better!!
43momma,
The pickups were great and I don't think there were any negatives from any of the players or parents related to them. Even the ones that didn't get in the game were gracious and all played a role. BTW, which one perplexed you? PM me if you want.
The pickups were great and I don't think there were any negatives from any of the players or parents related to them. Even the ones that didn't get in the game were gracious and all played a role. BTW, which one perplexed you? PM me if you want.
Tigermama, you have a PM.