VA updates

According to my sources on Twitter... Kellam is the team to beat.  But that conflicts with what I'm seeing coming out of Hanover.  Which is also conflicting with what is coming out of Cosby.

I guess we'll have to see how they play in the games.

Just think, by this time next week we'll have everybody on here stirred up with how teams played or didn't play in scrimmages!  Enter the "Are we talking about practice?!" quotes here...

There certainly is a lot of talent coming through right now.  I cant wait to see some guys in action. 

Headed to see VMI at UR today.  Should be a great day for baseball.

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

www.twitter.com/PlayInSchool

For those in Hampton Roads, a scrimmage of Kellam at Great Bridge on Monday 2/25.  A fun way to start the preseason.

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PIS posted.....According to my sources on Twitter... Kellam is the team to beat.  But that conflicts with what I'm seeing coming out of Hanover.  Which is also conflicting with what is coming out of Cosby

Certainly these teams (above) will be very good.  I'd throw Great Bridge in the mix too.  But, what is striking is that all is quiet on the Northern Virginia front.  I've heard barely a peep since Christmas.  What is going on up there.....is everybody agreeing?  I assume it is the usual suspects Lake Braddock, South County, etc....   Anyone?

Heard lake Braddock has several kids injured, recovering from off-season injurIes, etc.  5-6 probable starters are out for awhile.

West Springfield and Lake Braddock will be the teams to beat in the Patriot District this year. West Springfield is the defending Northen Region champion and Lake Braddock, even with the injuries, is the reigning AAA State champion. The Northern Region has a couple of good teams from the Liberty and Concord districts that will contend (Robinson, Madison), but for the last 10 years either West Springfield, Lake Braddock or South County has won the Northern Region....this is an off-year for South County and they have a new coach.  The upperclassmen for both West Springfield and Lake Braddock have significant Varsity game and playoff experience. 

 monday ocean lakes at hickory around 5-5:15!

 4:30Salem at Deep Creek

Atlantic Shores is hosting Granby at 3:30 today.

97 mph!?! from 88-91 to 97 in 3 months? pretty impressive, I guess we will be able to validate this tonight.

There is nothing to validate. You will see consistent 88-91 from Connor early in the spring.  His workouts reflect the potential in his arm, not what he will step out and throw on Day 1. With that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see some 94's from him this spring. 

UVA has had a reputation of getting guys on campus instead of going in the draft.

Will they be able to keep that mojo going with the type of arms and athletes they have commitments from?

Rich

www.PlayInSchool.com

www.twitter.com/PlayInSchool   

When is the Kellam game?

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UVA has had a reputation of getting guys on campus instead of going in the draft. 

Rich,

They most certainly do.  They seem to be able to target (and get) recruits whom they see as draft worthy but not quite high draft $$ worthy.  Their methods have served them well.

From the outside looking in, it almost appears like a "competitive rebuild year".  They have enough talent to be competitive, but the talent is young.  9 upperclassmen and 24 underclassmen sure looks like a rebuild in process to me from those glory years of 2009-2011.  They'll be in the ACC hunt.

great bridge -kellam tonight? are they still playing? deep creek salem game got moved to wednesday!

I believe Kellam @ GB is 5:30 but my experience with scrimmages is they tend to start early.

Monstercup sounds half empty.....Kellam @ Greatbridge will give a early look at some of the best pitchers in tidewater, I would be willing to bet those boys are ready. I would remind everybody it is a "scrimmage".

A guy who peaks at 97 in a bullpen should be sitting 91-93 with his 4-seamer on a typical day.  Two-seamer would be 89-91.  He might pop a 95-96 pitch in here and there, but those are the ranges where I'd expect to see him in a typical game.

But then, the numbers would be lower on a chilly day in March, and may well be higher by playoff time in late May.

I know that Redbird knows this and his post reflected that.  But don't misconstrue his post to suggest that if you go watch Conner Jones, you'll see nothing but 97's.  Nobody said that and nobody would.

Think of this:  Rick Porcello shot to the top of the PG charts when he went to Jupiter in 2006 and topped out at 97.  Watch any of his outings for the Tigers these days and you'll see him throwing sinkers at 89-91.  Same thing really.  Maybe accentuated by having to start every fifth day for months on end as well.

Monstercup - Welcome to the message boards.

For what it's worth, 20+ scouts were at the Kellam - GB scrimmage to watch C.Jones, C.Cody and T.Lane from GB and a few hung around to see T.Bishop from Kellam.  Game time temp of 42. Jones sat 94-95 in the first inning and 92-94 in the second inning.  He struck out 5 of 6 batters faced.  I am just relaying what the guns said and what the scouts were saying.   Bishop was 86 topping at 87/88 but walked a few and gave up some runs.  In his defense, he had not pitched in 2 years due to knee injuries.

Wow.  Even better than I thought.  I am sorry I missed it but my work has me in Las Vegas.

Northern Region will be interesting, namely that almost all are down from last year due to ridiculously talented 2012 class of college bound players graduating (esp pitchers!)

Patriot District:

Arguably the two best arms are at TC Williams (Grosser -- George Mason) and West Pot (Murray -- George Mason).  Braddock is limping in with injuries to 2-4 major contributors and West Springfield and South County will be solid.

Liberty District:

District down significantly due to (pitcher) graduations.  Madison is likely team to beat with good talent on bump and INF/lineup solid with McGuire's (Texas) leadership.  Stone Bridge has Bukauskas (UNC) back with some good Jr/Sr help on mound (hitting will be issue).  McLean and Langley both down to graduation and Fairfax sleeper.

Concorde:

Similar thread here, lots of reloading with last years underclassmen in focus.  Robinson is going to be stout, James' 2nd year will help navigate things.  Oakton solid as will be Chantilly but both lack pitching depth.  Centerville lost a lot of firepower both on the mound and through their lineup, Bach (Concorde University) is always dangerous on the hill.  Westfield is retooling but is always full of good athletes and will be around at the end of the season.

Patriot:

Stuart will likely be the one to beat with Gomersall (VMI) tough every time he gets the ball.  Hayfield, Yorktown, and Edison have athletes to generate runs and play solid defense.

Clearly not a complete rundown, just some early thoughts.  Baseball (games) is right around the corner!!

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QuadAAA posted....Game time temp of 42. Jones sat 94-95 in the first inning and 92-94 in the second inning.  He struck out 5 of 6 batters faced.

That Great Bridge catcher's hand is probably pretty sore today if he can feel anything.  Jones is throwing some early Spring gas on a cold day.

Karl Kuhn must have freaked out when he saw Connor Jones' delivery...he already has the UVA/Hultzen squat! And the towel drill!

Looking at the video, it looks like he gets a lot of sink when the fastball is down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBpgUBr54WQ

http://media.hamptonroads.com/...images/904731000.jpg

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Karl Kuhn must have freaked out when he saw Connor Jones' delivery...he already has the UVA/Hultzen squat! And the towel drill!

EH - you nailed that one!  He reminds me of Tyler Wilson

how was the hickory ocean lakes scrimmage?

Vavals - Did Shores play? 

Agree with ofs10 - Any other scrimmage updates?

atlantic shores was 7-0!

Are there any scrimmages going the rest of this week or this weekend? I know Kempsville has Maury on Saturday.

Shores will host Green Run at 1:30.....if the field dries out.   Not looking good!

Sat.Salem at Indian River 12 pm

Thurs.Salem at Deep Creek 4:30

Sat.Woodside at Nansemond River tba

Sat.Norcom at King's Fork 12:00 pm

i think i saw somewhere Hickory at Kellam

Sat. Cox vs Prince George at 10; Prince George vs JR Tucker at 12; Cox vs JR Tucker at 2.  All at Cox.

Next Fri. Cox at Western Branch at 5.

3 way scrimmage Sat. Oakton vs. West Springfield @ 10, Oakton vs. Flint Hill @ 12, Flint Hill vs. West Springfield @ 2, all at West Springfield. With wind chill high of 35º. Competitive and cold.

Kellam at Hickory, 10:00am, Saturday.