Who has the best Chicago area baseball conference and why ??

SICA West also gets my vote. Low end teams in SICA West would be conference champs if they were in almost any other conference. Many teams outside of SICA West judge how they are doing by how well they fare against the schools in that conference.

SICA West top to bottom is the best conference in the state .

Sica west,I think is a great choice, and YES, I do think the best conference, truth be told. I just threw up West suburban to create chatter, talk, opinions.

Who else has a opinion ???

what about the Mid-Suburban West?

Schaumburg, Fremd, Barrington & Hoffman Estates are all quality programs. I know Schaumburg and Barrington always play a tough non-conference schedule. Schaumburg always plays OPRF, Lockport, WW South, St.Charles East...just to name a few.In the past they have played Lincoln Way, New Trier, Naperville Central just to mention a few.

Just my thoughts....which don't amount to a hill of beans

Seems like there aren't very many people on this site north of 290....but baseball does exist up that way....Libertyville, Stevenson, Carmel, Mundelien, Buffalo Grove, Hersey, St.Viator, Prospect, Crytsal Lake, Prairie Ridge...just to name a few more not mentioned

Viator and Carmel from the ESCC...along with JCA, Marist, ND. Not a bad conference.

MDE, I agree about some very good baseball played up north of 290.

My goal this summer is to spend it watching HS baseball .. so id love to get up there and see some games

I would have loftier goals .. like feeding the hungry, or stopping polution, but..HS baseball .. is what I love.. so Ill go with that !!!

Hopefully you saw the sarcasm .. lol

TARATKO, TWO OF THE LAST THREE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES HAVE INCLUDED TEAMS FROM THE WSC. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ANYONE THAT KNOWS BASEBALL COULD SEE THE DGN WAS THE BEST TEAM IN THE STATE THREE YEARS AGO, BUT RAN INTO SOME BAD LUCK. THE SICA IS A GREAT CONFERENCE, BUT THE WSC HOLDS ITS OWN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. NO QUESTION!

BaLL FAN

Downers Grove North the best team in the state ?
3 years ago ? I dont think so, not because of the talent, but because of the coach.

Im a DG south parent, and he had a good team, decent talent, I dont think the best in the state. Is that the team with Sigerich ( U of II ), Klekner ( U of I ), Tommy Lyon ( tigers minor leagues )they had a catcher who was pretty good. I cant remember his name

hitNrun, did you see them play more than just the time they played dgs? Not many holes in that line-up. They had it all. Pitching, defense, and hitting. not really sure what the part about the coach ment?

Ballfan,

I agree, DGN was the most talented team I saw that year also. I was coaching at OPRF at the time and they had everything a team could need. They had really good pitching, very good defense, very good hitting, and excellent situational hitting. They seemed like a very well coached team to me. If I recall correctly, they got picked off by St. Joe's. I heard they ran into a hot pitcher that day. Another example of a single elimination format where you don't have to be the best team to win.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, SICA WEST, PERIOD!

I'm biased, but the SICA WEST is by far the best baseball conference in the state.

Well I will throw my two cents in and agree with most everyone here and say that the SICA West is by far the most dominant baseball conference in the state of Illinois

No question about the SICA West. Bar NONE!

Now obviously anything I say my be skwed because it was the conference I played in, but I really think the Central Suburban South is as tough as any conference around. All 6 teams (New Trier, Maine South, Glenbrook South, Niles West, Evanston, and Waukegan) have produced very solid D1 and D2 players in recent years. Also The Niles West sectional final has often been between two teams from this conference (thats a sectional that has had teams from the CSL North as well as teams like Lake Forest and Loyola in it). Another reason that I like the CSL South is the tough no conference games that the teams play. Most of all I just think that any conference that has had such great teams like New Trier and Maine South over the last few years has to get a vote. In fact that becomes even more impressive when you see things like Glenbrook South beating Maine South in 2002 and Evanston upending New Trier last year. That was really long, but I guess I have a strong opinon.

Stevenson, Libertyville, Mundelein, Lake Forest are all solid teams every year.

1. WSC 2. SICA WEST.

No doubt Wsc number one!
best teams in the last 5 years
1 Oak Park River Forest
2 LockPort
3 Lyons Township
4 Sandberg
5 Andrew
6 Shaumberg
7 Jca
8 Providence
9 stevenson
10 New trier
11 glenbard west

Your top ten in the last five years doesn't mention Andrew or Sandburg!?

SICA West.

How can a high school poll in this area, with any credibility, not include Sandburg and Andrew, both former State champions and competitive teams every year?

GBsouth12- your league is always very strong at the top (2-3 teams every year, usually new trier and maine south) but then there is a BIG drop off, alot of one-sided games.

LT State Champs 2003
LT State Summer Champs 2002
GW Elite 8 Spring 2002
GW Elite Summer 2003
Hinsdale Central Elite 8 Summer 2002
OPRF 2nd in State 2000
LT 2nd In State 2000

Plus a quality 18 game scheule vs SICA WEST 12 game schedule. If the Lincoln-Way's would actually win with all the talent they have maybe this would be something to talk about. WSS is the best.

beenthereIl: sorry I left those team's out I feel real bad

sosa- your point is not totaly lost on me, however I do believe that each team in the conference can play with each other team.This is evidenced by the big post-season wins of recent years. Last year Evanston took down conference rivals Nile West (w/ Northwestern RHP George Kontos) and New Trier to reach the super-sectional. In 2002 Glenbbrook South beat #2/1 Maine South (w/ D1 pitchers Mark Ori (NU) and Criag Murry (U of M) and reached the sectional final. Also and I guess I can really only base this on what I know which are the GBS non-conference games, but I think each team plays good conference comp. For example GBS will play (OPRF, Rolling Meadows, Hinsdale South, Scahumburg, Prospect, Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove).

LT and OPRF are top programs, but the SICA West has the top conference by far. Its actually not even close. I would love to say the UEC, but the SICA West year in and year out is solid from top to bottom. No disrespect to Morton, but they dont help your defense.

suburban praire south has been revamped...morris minooka lemont plainfield central and south and oswego...plenty of under-rated players here

HC dad, i know it kills to write anything about oprf for you, but they finished 2nd in the summer tournament in 2000 also.

Beat me to it ballfan.

Sorry about missing OPRF Summer League. Jack K. built a top national level program that might not be the same-but is still at the top in the Chicago area each year...WSS is the top..

HC Dad, i know for some this will be heresy but this program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past 3 years.Jacks reluctance to allow players to play travel ball was becoming a problem at OPRF. Chris Ledbetter has clung to the tradition of fundemental baseball that Jack Kaiser epitomized while being open to the travel experience. He is putting the best people on the field regardless of their year.I can promise you that no coach in the area is more well liked by his players or works harder at helping with college opportunities. He is learning and looking to learn all the time, delegates authority well and leads these fellows toward good charachter.

Soxnole,

I played as many or more games for Jack Kaiser as anyone that ever played for him. I agree that he was resistant to the "travel ball" movement in his later years. I will say, he did'nt seem to have any problem with guys like Nelson and I playing American Legion on off times. But keep in mind, Jack always scheduled games on weekends during the summer, Chris doesn't.

I think the biggest improvement Chris has made on Jack's program is in the promotion of his kids. He does an excellent job of helping to find college opportunities for his guys. Another thing he has done in general is bring a new set of eyes and an open mind to the process. Anyone on the job for 50 years can understandably get somewhat stuck in some old ways.

I'm not sure if your comment on Chris putting the best player on the field regardless of year is to say that Jack didn't do that. If so, you are dead wrong. Scott Nelson, Jim Donovan, Ben Shelton, Sean Lawrence, Paul Petrulis, Mike Amerhien are just a few of the guys who played varsity as underclassmen. Jack's point was always if the kid isn't good enought to come up and START EVERY GAME he wasn't going to waste his or the player's time until the annual state tournament "call up".

If it seems like I'm defending the old man, I guess I am. After all he can't defend himself. Believe me, there were many occasions where he and I didn't see eye to eye. But I enjoyed playing for him tremendously. He always played it straight in my opinion and his dedication and energy will never be surpassed. As hard as I tried I was NEVER able be earlier or stay later than he did.

I think Chris deserves lots of credit for his own growth as a coach and person. He has stepped into a big pair of shoes that most people would not want to attempt to fill. I can appreciate your desire to give him credit for all of the good things he has done. With that said, lets not pull out the "Kaiser measuring stick" just yet. "Leaps and bounds" is a little agressive.

FYI, a few Kaiser tid bits

Jack Kaiser - IHSA Coach of the century
- IHSA Hall of Fame
- 892 career wins(state record)
- State final tournament:
appearances-8(record)
wins - 12(record)

Just a few reasons why it isn't fair to say the program has improved by "leaps and bounds". The proof isn't yet in the puddin'. It very well may be someday, but not yet.

Jim...I agree with you.

I believe you started as a freshman. Paul started as a sophomore...as did some others.

Outside of their conference, I don't believe OPRF has made any noise in the last couple of seasons, have they.

It will be interesting to follow OPRF this spring. I remember Providence of a couple of years ago with their 6 D1 players. They stumbled badly. Learned later that several of the D1 prospects didn't last a season at their chosen school.

Jim, In my haste to defend CL the quote should have been that leaps and bounds related to 2 things that Jack seemed to fall short on 1)player relationships and 2)player evaluation. I also had boys who played for and against OPRF. I was lucky enough to share the same field w/Jack. I coached many of his top players in the late 80's and early 90's. Travel ball and player relationships became much more important beginning then and have increased in importance since. Jack Kaiser was as good or better than most, but he wasn't perfect.BTIL, as far as OPRF making progress under CL, 2nd in State in 01 is not shabby. His record with helping kids get to the next level and making them better people is superior to Jack imho. My take on this is 1986-2000.

Sox,

I agree with you on the idea that CL's record of getting kids to the next level is superior. He's a salesman without a doubt. I don't agree with the idea that Chris makes them better people more than Jack did. Jack LIVED hard work, persistance, enthusiasm, hustle, organization and dedication. If that didn't make his players better people I don't know what would. Again, I'm not saying that Chris isn't doing good things in these areas, I just don't think CL is doing it BETTER than Jack.

Sox,
Also, I agree, 2001 wasn't too shabby. I was with that team. It was awesome!

Sox,
One other thing, when I referred to CL as a "salesman" it was not the least bit derrogatory. That is a trait that benefits the kids and the program. Augie Garrido is an amazing salesman in addition to being an unbelievable teacher of the game and the best motivator I have ever witnessed.

Jim, OK,here's the difference as I see it. Jack for all his positives tended to be quick-tempered and not very forgiving with the players that I watched him interact with. Chris is a guy you can talk to. He is forgiving, almost to a fault. Chris is going to save some boys problems later in life through spending extra time with them on a personal basis. Maybe the real difference between these 2 is their chronological history. Chris is modern man, Jack was old school tough. OPRF has been and is very blessed with these men.

Soxnole,
I agree with that. I will say in Jack's defense, in the later years I think he was 1) getting older 2) dealing with illness that he didn't admit for quite some time.

You are right though, different generations require different tactics. I much prefer the modern style myself. I think you can go much further with that type of approach.

I do want to clarify that my defense of Jack is in no way a detracting from Chris. He has done a very good job. If he sticks around for 50 years he may well re-write the record book. Only time will tell.

Thank goodness! We agree!!