Yes, he is at McLean. I heard they tried to get him back at Mount Vernon but it somehow didn't work out.
I heard that too -- also heard that the problem was that they didn't have a teaching job open for him at MV (he's a math teacher), but they did at McLean.
Jake did a good job for a first year head coach that was tossed into a hornets nest. Since you are so current on the MV trivia, did you know Jake was the 3rd head coach hired that that year? He was hired two weeks before the season......
I know a lot about many Northern Virginia programs. I get around to many games and meetings and talk to several administrators, fans, officials and parents. Just a few nights ago I was talking to Mike Allen of Yorktown. He coaches both baseball and football and has a wealth of information to pass on to someone. He even started one story, "remember back in the day".
I do know that you were the third coach hired that year. The first genious was hired because the AD was pressured by a parent. After picking a fight with a student, Forte fired him. The second demanded last period off and the school refused. Moon seemed like a good choice. MV grad, big time college program. Plus, they gotta hire somebody.
I'm not sure what hornet's nest you walked into except for the late hiring. You had a returning All-Met pitcher, a super star catcher, and a few other good returners. You or Moon, if you're not him, was ejected from the first game of the season. Winning less than 10 games with that talent in the National District does not equal a good job. I don't know you personally. I teach and coach in a different district but am close enough to remember what happened. I was talking to a summer coach last night about the Linza and post-Linza years. People love to talk.
I do know that you were the third coach hired that year. The first genious was hired because the AD was pressured by a parent. After picking a fight with a student, Forte fired him. The second demanded last period off and the school refused. Moon seemed like a good choice. MV grad, big time college program. Plus, they gotta hire somebody.
I'm not sure what hornet's nest you walked into except for the late hiring. You had a returning All-Met pitcher, a super star catcher, and a few other good returners. You or Moon, if you're not him, was ejected from the first game of the season. Winning less than 10 games with that talent in the National District does not equal a good job. I don't know you personally. I teach and coach in a different district but am close enough to remember what happened. I was talking to a summer coach last night about the Linza and post-Linza years. People love to talk.
I remember Jimmy Linza. I remember Jake Moon. I don't think Jake Moon inherited an overwhelmingly talented that year.
Jimmy Linza is a good guy. Cares about the kids. But I do recall that Chad Eagerton blew his arm out his junior year after pitching an extraordinary of games.
Did you son play in the Northern region, Major Dad? Which pitchers did he tee off on for his homerun record?
Jimmy Linza is a good guy. Cares about the kids. But I do recall that Chad Eagerton blew his arm out his junior year after pitching an extraordinary of games.
Did you son play in the Northern region, Major Dad? Which pitchers did he tee off on for his homerun record?
Sorry about so many word omissions in the previous post. Hopefully the gist is there.
What does that mean, "blew his arm out"? Labrum, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, terus minor, UCL?
He played in the Northern Region. The names of pitchers I remember that he hit HRs off of don't need to be mentioned. I only brought that up when BBjunkie (Jake) said I sounded like a parent whose son got struck out by his star pupil. He started on my son. Not me.
He played in the Northern Region. The names of pitchers I remember that he hit HRs off of don't need to be mentioned. I only brought that up when BBjunkie (Jake) said I sounded like a parent whose son got struck out by his star pupil. He started on my son. Not me.
The main difference between the best public school teams and private school teams is that the latter tend to be a little deeper on pitching, year-in and year-out. There may be years where, say, Langley, goes three or four deep on quality starting pitching, but not most years. Teams like St. John's, DeMatha, and Paul VI tend to have four, five, even six starting quality pitchers every year. As far as position players go, the top private schools may have a little better quality at many positions, but my guess is that most top public schools are just as good up the middle (C, SS, 2B, CF) and in the 1-5 spots in the batting order. But the top private schools tend to get some of the better players from the public schools--kids who, if they played for their public school teams, would be top players (say, Peter Verdin of West Potomac and PVI, now of UGA). Had Verdin and the other private school kids from West Potomac played at West Potomac, it is hard to say how good that team would have been, or would be. Same with McLean, Langley, Chantilly, South County, Lake Braddock, and a whole range of Montgomery County schools. Heck, Chris Cook of DeMatha should be in school in Annapolis, but he is probably the best player in the WCAC this year. Anyway, in any given game, the public school teams, using a top two pitcher, will give the private school teams all they want and then some (Stone Bridge vs. DeMatha, for example). These kids have all played against or with each other for 5-6 years. In truth, other than the Verdins of the world and the kids who clearly are not cut out to excel at baseball but who are left on some of these teams, the middle 80% or 90% are all about the same. It boils down to who gets the most playing time against the best competition and, in any given game, it boils down mostly to pitching in that game.
isaac--in most years, I would probably agree with you. This year, the WCAC is an average baseball conference. In defense of the teams, I think it has to do with young and inexperienced players stepping in for teams like StJ and PVI, both of which lost 9-10 full-time starters (PVI's team has only Chad Morgan and Lansing Veeder back who played full-time last year (Costello was pitcher only last year)). It looks like the coaches put all their energy and commitment into winning in 2008, and now are left to try to rebuild. DeMatha may be the exception, since they carry about 30 or so players and seem to give more players opportunity to develop. So, they may end up in the driver's seat this year (though their pitching, after Willoughby, is highly suspect).
I saw PVI vs. O'Connell, and neither team was very good. PVI killed them, but O'Connell is the worst O'Connell team I have ever seen. Their star player, Zach Tessier, committed three errors on routine ground balls. The rest of the team looked worse, from JV level pitching to freshman level fielding (outfielders just picked up the ball and threw it, often into a no-man's land, like little leaguers).
I don't know what tells us about PVI, who, it seemed, sent hitters to the plate 5 or 6 times in a 5 inning game. It was hard to tell if PVI is any good. They certainly looked like a JV team compared to the huge kids on the field for them last year. But Emerson will find his players, give them maximum playing time this year and make them into varsity players for next year. And, with the WCAC down so much, they might still pull it out this year.
How did Dematha lose 11-0 to Stonebridge? Is Stonebridge really, really good? Dematha is pretty darned good with Willoughby pitching. Maybe it's a case of not having a pitcher after him? Chris Cook may beat Leemhuis out for Player of the Year. He hits the ball alot like Wade Boggs used to, or Tony Gwynn. He just knows what the heck he is doing on every pitch. He is a genuine big-time talent.
The wild card for the WCAC will be Good Counsel. I still think they may win it all. They just kill the ball late in the season.
As for public schools vs. private, this year I give the nod to the public schools. St. Alban's is back down to earth after losing Hultzen. The WCAC is way down. And I can't think of another team or conference, locally, as good as the best Va or MD public school teams.
I saw PVI vs. O'Connell, and neither team was very good. PVI killed them, but O'Connell is the worst O'Connell team I have ever seen. Their star player, Zach Tessier, committed three errors on routine ground balls. The rest of the team looked worse, from JV level pitching to freshman level fielding (outfielders just picked up the ball and threw it, often into a no-man's land, like little leaguers).
I don't know what tells us about PVI, who, it seemed, sent hitters to the plate 5 or 6 times in a 5 inning game. It was hard to tell if PVI is any good. They certainly looked like a JV team compared to the huge kids on the field for them last year. But Emerson will find his players, give them maximum playing time this year and make them into varsity players for next year. And, with the WCAC down so much, they might still pull it out this year.
How did Dematha lose 11-0 to Stonebridge? Is Stonebridge really, really good? Dematha is pretty darned good with Willoughby pitching. Maybe it's a case of not having a pitcher after him? Chris Cook may beat Leemhuis out for Player of the Year. He hits the ball alot like Wade Boggs used to, or Tony Gwynn. He just knows what the heck he is doing on every pitch. He is a genuine big-time talent.
The wild card for the WCAC will be Good Counsel. I still think they may win it all. They just kill the ball late in the season.
As for public schools vs. private, this year I give the nod to the public schools. St. Alban's is back down to earth after losing Hultzen. The WCAC is way down. And I can't think of another team or conference, locally, as good as the best Va or MD public school teams.
quote:
I'm not sure what hornet's nest you walked into except for the late hiring. You had a returning All-Met pitcher, a super star catcher, and a few other good returners. You or Moon, if you're not him, was ejected from the first game of the season. Winning less than 10 games with that talent in the National District does not equal a good job. I don't know you personally. I teach and coach in a different district but am close enough to remember what happened. I was talking to a summer coach last night about the Linza and post-Linza years. People love to talk.
HAHAH you kill me. I am certainly not Jake, I do know that when MV beat Gonzaga he was coaching the Edison JV program to a dismal lose. So unless I am Clark Kent it would be real difficult to be in two places at once.
Chad, certainly was not who he was his Jr Year, major arm problems prevented him from reaching his full potential and good'ol Alex Swenson tore his Labrum and couldnt throw out my great grandfather. But you are certainly the most knowledgeable individual on this chat board so I dont want to get on your wrong side, so going forward this issue is dead!
Just out of curiosity, where do you coach?
rhobbs, I agree with your comments. Privates are down and other than West Springfield, publics are down (but more competitive) too. Look at the posting that Superball provided on where Northern Region 2008 players are in college for 2009. 2009 HS grads have many players who will definitely play in college if they choose, but not near as many at the highest competitive levels. If you add players from StJ and the rest of the WCAC to this list, you would find a similar story.
I get around to alot of games because I do some reporting, and I am just very surprised about the level of play. I have never seen so many errors, even this early in a season. Routine ground balls that are simply missed or booted. Fly balls that outfielders simply misplay. Maybe there is top talent out there (Josh Leemhuis, Chad Morgan, Chris Cook) in the private schools, but I am not seeing alot from the other kids supporting those kids. Maybe because they are all young teams they will be in much better shape come May.
Can anyone provide an update on the Herndon / Robinson game?
Robinson 8, Herndon 3
So, Mike Murdock of MtV pitches a near no hitter and the Majors beat Edison comfortably. Quigley homers. Mt V is better than anyone is giving them credit for being. They beat Gonzaga and lost to BI by one run (and BI beat PVI last night).
Speaking of which, BI shut down PVI's vaunted offense (as did DeMatha), 2-1. A couple of timely hits for the Cardinals wins it (PVI's lone run came on a throwing error by the third baseman). PVI appears to be anemic even against average pitching.
BI and DeMatha may end up fighting for the WCAC Championship.
Speaking of which, BI shut down PVI's vaunted offense (as did DeMatha), 2-1. A couple of timely hits for the Cardinals wins it (PVI's lone run came on a throwing error by the third baseman). PVI appears to be anemic even against average pitching.
BI and DeMatha may end up fighting for the WCAC Championship.
Vaunted offense? Not this year. It was only PVI parents or players who said PVI was going to keep going this year without missing a beat. Two players with signficant varsity offense experience is not enough to keep going without pause. This is no surprise.
Mt Vernon is building momentum, although Edison is not very strong.
Mt Vernon is building momentum, although Edison is not very strong.