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I can see both sides of the MSABC argument. Let's not forget Gonzaga, as MD players have attended and played there in the past and may have some talented players this year also.

Not that we like it, I am sure most would agree they have to draw a line somewhere, or eliminate the line altogether. Before you jump to the conclusion of eliminating the line: What about the kid who is from Maryland and plays at a private institution in PA, or MA, or...Once the dominoes start falling...

Some may argue selecting to go to a private institution out-of-state means selecting to give up on the opportunity to be selected by the MSABC regardless of the players abilities. I believe Matt Mack is a top quality, even potential Pre-Season All State type player.

I do have mixed emotions about the subject, but as a coach I know one thing, inequities are tied to awards and with every award given, there are several kids left off without the addition of in-state players playing out-of-state.

In an effort to re-focus the thread without "flogging the dead horse, name calling, showing off, venting, ... " is there some method to the madness? In business I used to say, "Give me a Problem Solver, not a Problem Identifier!"

Eliminating the emotion, understanding the problem, is there a true solution to Maryland Players being selected to Pre-Season All State even when they play baseball at a High School out of state?

Al McCormick
www.mostvaluableplayer.biz
Al,

There are several things going on here.

One is the final list of players that were picked at the meeting.

I haven't seen any list and to my knowledge there is no published list yet. Putting out a list from someone that says I talked a guy that was there or publishing a list of players that wasn't finalized is irresponsible. Somewhere one of the players that saw his name on the unofficial list here is telling his friends and family members that he made the pre-season team only perhaps to suffer embarresment later to tell them he didn't. If msabc wanted to publish a list they would have.

Does anyone have a final published list? That is the question.
Al:

It does not take a brain surgeon or even a member of the MSABC Board to answer your question....If the kid RESIDES in the State of Maryland then he should be included in the potential pool of candidates. Just like Perfect Game, Baseball America and College Recruitment......these groups don't exclude a kid from the State he resides in ....if a kid is designated as a All-American -- He is an All-American from the State he resides in --- period.....the problem is that the MSABC Leaders want to recognize their players although in some cases they do not represent the best high school players that reside in the State of Maryland... that is what Bear was trying to convey.... it is that simple....
Not that I disagree with your statement, but if the rule is attending a school within the State of Maryland, comparing it to PG and/or BA, as much as you may not like it, is an Apples to Oranges comparison.

I do not believe anyone is questioning the talent of your son, LJ, or any other player attending St. John's, Gonzaga, Hill School, Perkiomen, St. Albans etc...A rule is a rule.

Now going forward I would recommend Mark present a proposal to MSABC, and if he can not do it, suggest someone else present it for him. I know he has connections with several coaches in the MSABC.

I also agree with not presenting the list until the MSABC does it, otherwise you run the risk of errors and hurt feelings.

All good points.

Al McCormick
www.mostvaluableplayer.biz
Trepfan:

This would be an issue for every state in America except Hawaii and Alaska.

How do the other states who have such honors handle this issue? How do the states, like Maryland, who are represented in the Sunbelt Classic (Texas, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, California, Arizona, Georgia) each June for the past 40 years, handle this issue for "border" players?

I see your point, and appreciate the talent of the players you are promoting, but this state high school coaches association first needs to get better representation from it's own coaches to nominate and support deserving players before worrying about the players attending high school in other states or DC.
Last edited by baseball12532
Scout:
"No axe to grind" -- the point is that the selection process does not reflect the "best high school players that represent the State of Maryland" -- if you exclude kids that live in the State of Maryland, and are worthy of the designation and are excluded then the selection process is flawed and lessens the honor of those chosen. Everyone understands that the MSABC is a "Maryland organization" --- and that they are primarily interest is in promoting THEIR kids....everyone sees that for what it is...
Scout:

The selections have not been published on the MSABC website. Unfortunately, some names on Bear's list are likely to be different from those who were actually chosen to the 30 man team.

I understand there was an internet/fax/write-in vote among the membership which provided the first half of the team by number of votes received, with each of those players receiving a minimum of 14 votes (there were nine who received 20 or more votes).

Then there is discussion among the coaches at the meeting about the candidates remaining for 15-18 spots on the roster. Some glaring oversights that were left off the original ballot were also voted to the team at the meeting, and apparently several rounds of additional voting went on in order to complete the roster.

There will certainly be some deserving players who were not included, but the MSABC coaches are doing a good job of promoting baseball in the MD and I'm sure next year will be even better.

Finally, it seems the honor has more intrinsic value to a deserving jr. who hasn't settled on a college yet. Shame on any coach of a deserving player, particularly a jr., who wasn't there to support your player.
quote:
Originally posted by baseball12532:
Scout:

The selections have not been published on the MSABC website. Unfortunately, some names on Bear's list are likely to be different from those who were actually chosen to the 30 man team.

I understand there was an internet/fax/write-in vote among the membership which provided the first half of the team by number of votes received, with each of those players receiving a minimum of 14 votes (there were nine who received 20 or more votes).

Then there is discussion among the coaches at the meeting about the candidates remaining for 15-18 spots on the roster. Some glaring oversights that were left off the original ballot were also voted to the team at the meeting, and apparently several rounds of additional voting went on in order to complete the roster.

There will certainly be some deserving players who were not included, but the MSABC coaches are doing a good job of promoting baseball in the MD and I'm sure next year will be even better.

Finally, it seems the honor has more intrinsic value to a deserving jr. who hasn't settled on a college yet. Shame on any coach of a deserving player, particularly a jr., who wasn't there to support your player.


Baseball 12532 - I know we have had some differences but I thankyou for answering the question.
Bear posted a list that was "his list" it wasn't an official list from the MSABC. You can totally disregard that list. I am sure the correct list will be out shortly. Most if not all kids that made the list have been contacted by either their coach or a another coach that attended the meeting. Congrats to the players who made the list. Also baseball 12532 to answer your question, most states have the exact same rules that the MD association has. Virginia has the same rules as MD does. Like AL said, every list or award has some kind of stipulations to it. This list is put out by the coaches who coach in the state of MD. Hence, why only kids that go to state schools get the award. If people can't understand that they never will, so be it. Not sure why an award means that much to a parent anyway. Especially when the player has numerous other awards that honestly carry more weight anyway. I guess that isn't enough. He could get the Gatordaide player of the year for DC though. Seems kinda selfish to me. Again, congrats to those kids who have been contacted, and if you don't make the pre season team, then have a great year and see you at the regional tryout's in May.
Agree -- both players (Hoes/Mack) are strong candidates for consideration.....and have been ranked very high by Perfect Game, and Baseball America as representatives of the STATE OF MARYLAND - since they both reside in the STATE OF MARYLAND and play for Maryland teams during the summer months. They will continue to be recognized as several of the best players representing the STATE OF Maryland by fair minded/non political constitutes ---- in the future.
Trepfan....at what point do you think we don't understand how good your boy is along with several others you've mentioned. Give it a rest....he has made a name for himself, based on his performances on the field, not his daddy on the boards or by how many awards he has collecting dust on the wall at home. Trepfan Jr. is going to have much success at the next level, but the rest is up to him.....not much more you can do now but sit back, relax and enjoy the ride ! I commend your persistance but for the love of god....let's move on. Best of luck to all of the boys this spring !
Last edited by j2h6
quote:
Originally posted by j2h6:
Trepfan.... Give it a rest.... !


Trepfan,

I, as well as many others, enjoy reading and hearing about the success (and struggles) of the local Maryland talent. I will defend your position to offer your opinion.

j2h6: Much information read from you is outdated and overcome by events (OBE). For example, info on VA HS players becoming Terp's have been out for almost a month. Just recognizing it yesterday is rather outdated. I rather hear Trepfan talk about St Johns players
quote:
Originally posted by baseball12532:
Gatorade Player of the Year for DC will go to either one of the two at St John's -- LJ or Mack...


baseball 12532 brings up a good point. If one of the MARYLAND resident players gets picked as the Gatorade Player of the year for DC, then Gatorade must not be using the "where he lives" rule that Trepfan so valiantly espouses. They must be using the "where he goes to school" rule. So Trepfan must think that Gatorade's player selection committee is just as out of touch as the MSABC group.

I would hope that Trepfan would campaign just as hard that Gatorade would do the right thing (as Trepfan defines it) as he is campaigning that MSABC do the right thing (as Trepfan defines it). And if Trepfan is related to a player that lives in MARYLAND and goes to school in DC, and that player should win an award for DC (like the Gatorade player of the year award for DC), I would hope that he would advise that player not to accept that award. I am sure that because Trepfan recognizes that it is wrong for the MSABC coaches to have a "primary interest in promoting THEIR kids" it would be wrong for him to have a primary interest in promoting HIS kid by accepting an award for a state (or District) that his kid doesn't live in.

Imagine if Gatorade didn't have a "where he lives" or "where he goes to school" rule - then one player could win both the Maryland and DC awards. Now wouldn't that be strange?

I suppose that we don't have to worry that one player would be on both the MARYLAND and DC pre-season All-State teams. I don't think that DC has a coaches association (http://www.baseballcoaches.org/stateassociations.pdf) - so DC doesn’t have a preseason All State team.

Maybe that's why it is so important to Trepfan that players that live in MARYLAND and go to school in DC be allowed to be on the MARYLAND team. Maybe Trepfan could try to organize a DC coaches association, or a DC pre-season All District team (he could work with Bear - who is discussing "line-item budgets" and "high level schedules" and working on a "draft charter"). That way he could be working to benefit all the players in DC, and he wouldn't have a primary interest in promoting just kids that he knows, because we know Trepfan thinks it is wrong for the MSABC coaches to have a primary interest in promoting just THEIR kids.

Trepfan is right - "everyone sees that for what it is" - and "it is that simple."

Old Fox
Last edited by OldFox
Trepfan - Just two points on this:

1. What about the kid that goes to school in VA and lives in MD? Should he be included in both states selections? I don't think so..

Shoud he be excluded from the VA list even though he plays in VA? That makes no sense. Remember, this is a HIGH SCHOOL COACHES selection and he plays in VA so only the VA coaches see him play.

It's really pretty simple; this selection is based on players that GO TO SCHOOL IN MD.


2. Administrative rules aside, I'm not convinced that both of these kids that you keep harping on are deserving, anyway. Remember, this selection is based on PAST PERFORMANCE, not on POTENTIAL/PROJECTION, as some of these organizations (Aflac/Perfect Game) base their ratings on.

Obviously one of them is a no-brainer: Two time National Team selection, First Team All-met - both of these are performance-based.

The other one seems to fall short on actual game based performance - Didn't make first OR second team '07 All Met; Didn't even get invited to try out for '07 National Team because of LACK of performance in Carey.

Remember, the MSABC selection doesn't care how tall you are, how hard you can throw in a cage, or even how you do in those simulated games. These are things that Perfect Game care about because they're interested projecting kid's potential. The MSABC selection cares about what you have done on the field in the last year, or so, not what you MAY be able to do in the future.

We could argue all day along about weather or not he deserves to be on the team, but I will absolutely say that this kid is not even close to being 1 or 2 in the state at this point in his career. One day that Perfect Game POTENTIAL may come thru, but again, we're talking about PAST performance and many of the kids on this list CLEARLY are superior in terms of past performance.
Alert - Alert

There is another organization that has it all mixed up. They also are not basing their award by where a player lives - but by where he plays.

In the 2008 International High School Power Showcase Home Run Derby
http://www.powershowcase.us/index.php?ps=participants , the player representing DC lives in MARYLAND. Somebody needs to post 9 messages in the same thread condemning the selection committee from this group. Who is up to the task?

In a non-sarcastic note - congratulations to Chris Barker on his comeback from his injury. I heard it was a rather nasty shot to the face he took playing Legion ball.
Last edited by OldFox
OldFox...where does Chris Barker play ball? I had a player about 9 years ago...Alexander (Shooter) Starr...play for me. His junior year in high school he got crushed in the face by a batted ball. His high school season was pretty much done. When he came to me in summer ball, he was not the kid who played on our 15-16 team the year before. The next year he played for me, he was outstanding...and went on to have a fine career at UVA. I remember asking him the second season what he learned from the first season after the accident that made him struggle on the mound. He flat out said FEAR! He said it took him about a year to get over the FEAR. Good luck to Chris!
What do you say we close this thread out. I believe everyone would agree we have gone way beyond where we need to be. Setting all the inequities aside, I believe everyone is in agreement we love our Maryland baseball player and what is neat so do a lot of other colleges and other organizations. With the holiday season upon us, and the clock ticking away towards spring and the game we love, let's agree to disagree and drop it.


I certainly wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday. What the heck, let's have a great 2008!

For those celebrating with their son's home from college, give them a hug, make sure they know they can call you anytime, any place, about anything and remind them "Success comes from working hard, and success breeds success!"

For those with son's in the military our thoughts are with you, and rest assured our issues are small in comparison.

As always, thank you for the opportunity,

Al McCormick
www.mostvaluableplayer.biz
Last edited by Al McCormick
Perfect Game only ranks kids that go to their events which makes sense for a natoanal orgainzation. The more they see someone the better chance the have of getting it right.

I am not throwing any stones. The kids they have listed are the best kids in the state but there are some that they are mising too.

Maybe one at DeMatha....
1 40 Scott Silverstein LHP 6-5 225 L L St. John's College Brookeville MD Virginia
2 53 LJ Hoes OF IF/P 6-0 190 R R St. John's Mitchellville MD North Carolina
3 75 Kevin Brady RHP 1B 6-3 195 L R Gaithersburg Montgomery Village MD Clemson
4 138 Tommy Winegardner SS P 5-11 175 S R Riverdale Baptist St. Leonard MD Coastal Carolina
5 156 Tyler Hibbs RHP SS 5-11 160 R R Arundel Odenton MD Florida St.
6 242 Gabriel Feldman RHP 5-11 175 R R Notre Dame Academy CabinJohn MD Wake Forest
7 403 Paul Devito LHP OF 6-2 165 R L Arch. Spalding Annapolis MD Radford
8 566 Danny Hultzen LHP 0-0 L L St. Albans Bethesda MD Virginia
9 585 Nick Routt LHP 6-3 185 L L St. John's Silver Spring MD Mississippi State
10 684 Sander Beck MIF P 6-2 195 R R Severn Millersville MD Maryland
11 826 Leighton Cooper OF 6-0 170 S R Flint Hill Fort Washington MD Notre Dame
12 921 Carl Travers C MIF/P 5-11 165 R R Riverdale Baptist Huntingtown MD Radford
13 1039 Austin Knight MIF 6-0 180 S R Boys Latin School Peisteistown MD
14 1179 Austin Poretz RHP IF 5-5 130 R R St.Mary's Lothian MD
15 1215 Jason Patten RHP OF 6-0 175 R R Spaulding Davidsonville MD Radford
16 1233 Matthew Markey RHP 3B 5-11 175 R R St Pauls School Kingsville MD
17 1282 Hugh Adams RHP 6-5 210 R R St. John's Bethesda MD Florida Atlantic
This list, by Perfect Game, is not saying that these are the best players at this current time. This is just a list that the Perfect Game company projects could be the best players at some point in the future. Clearly, some of these have not proven to be the best players at this stage of their careers. There are clearly some here who want to believe that their player is the best at this current time. Sorry to inform them, they are not.
According to one of the posters PGStaff on this website they rank others also. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. If the list was correct I wouldn't have a problem with however they wanted to rank players but the list that they put out is not the best prospects in the state. They are missing some key players that were left on the non ranked list.

I think that PG leaves themselves open for scrutiny by putting some of the names they have on the list- on the list. People look at the list and say that this player had to pay to be on this list. I know I looked at a couple of names and I did.

I did look at the ranked player list and saw that most if not all attended PG events.

I think the poster on this website named PGstaff believes what he is writing is true. He believes in what he is doing for the players and it seems to be more then just a money making thing.
Last edited by Mdbaseballcoach
also curious who should and should not be on the list?

Perfect Game is a pay to play but in my opinion most of the top players in the country have been seen by PG at one point or another. Is there another organization that comes close? Baseball Factory? Blue-Grey? I think not... Is there a better tourny than the one held in Jupiter? I think not....

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