Who will win the SEOAL championship crown?

[bluedevilpride]

I still look for Zanesville to capture the North. The DOC will be on a South Division teams home field so that is just 1 game for either side. I don't have the same amount experience watching many South teams so it should be interesting. With the season coming just around the corner I want to wish ALL teams a successful and healthy season.

I have gotten the chance to watch Zanesville practice and interact over the past few Sundays as they were running the kids camp. They are a team that will miss their #1 starter but they have many more horses waiting. It makes kids like Kurt Young and Wade Kaido more important when it comes to pitching but both those kids have won their fair share of games in their careers. These guys have great leadership on the coaching staff and on the field (SR, JT Bunting CF and many experienced Juniors). I look for a different but still very talented team to prove that preperation will still keep them on top of the heap.

I guess all of this doesn't matter until they play a game and get into it so I can't wait for the 30th of March to come.

[cavalier11]

judging by the poll numbers, theres a lot of portsmouth trojan fans....whats the word on them? do they really have the talent to take this division?

[keeping it real]

The key to this year league title for the Cavs will be pitching and defense with no errors,but also you gotta play your top players,who can play the game.I have watched this cavalier programs over the years and I have seen some kid's who can play sit the bench and the one's on the field who was starting needed to sit.I have heard this year team has alot of talent from the senior class to the junior class.Just like chilltown said they just gotta find the right mixer of kids who can play together.

[bluedevilpride]

As in many high school programs the key to almost all teams success this year will be limiting walks and avoiding errors. Teams that don't allow for extra outs and avoid free passes for the opposition.
In most programs you don't have a high strikeout pitcher who just sits everyone down with 3 strikes so in order to win you have to avoid giving them extra chances to beat you. I would be willing to bet the team that wins each division averages less than 2 errors per game and probably allows less than 3 or 4 walks per game.
In the games i watched last year most games that were decided by less than 2 runs were decided by walks or errors in the field. Whichever teams this year can limit these mistakes will win a lot more than they lose.

[bluedevilpride]

Zanesville is off to a pretty good start. The offense is starting to click but still not getting great results in the 5-8 hole in the lineup.

First scrimmage against West Muskingum Zanesville won 24-7 over 10 innings. Got a chance to pitch 6 kids and see what some of the different lineups would look like.

Second scrimmage against Maysville was last night and Zanesville won 17-1. Worked to get some of the top pitchers extended work. A 3 Run HR for Wade Kaido in the 1st got the offense rolling and Zanesville showed a lot of patience at the plate all night working late in counts to get their pitches and they peppered shots all over the field.

Scrimmages Friday and Saturday weather permitting. First game Monday in Logan. We will see how it all goes.

[logangirl]

Sorry 3morethan2 but:

No pitching + New coaching staff = 4 wins this year.

Sorry "Dave" but there is pitching (ColtonBrooks & Pat Angle), and there will be more wins than 4, bc the boys are more excited to play for their new coach, Bo Janey.

[tigersfan88]

and there will be more wins than 4, bc the boys are more excited to play for their new coach, Bo Janey.

i dont kno about that. the SEOAL North is going to be tough this year.

on a side note is there just 4 teams in the North this year because of Athens leaving? (Marietta, Zanesville, Warren, and Logan)

[dave]

pitching (ColtonBrooks & Pat Angle)


logangirl:

Thanks for making my point for me.

[Zanes-Vegas]

tigersfan ... You are correct. The SEOAL maintained the 3-game series in both divisions, so those four remaining teams will only play 12 league games as opposed to 15 each in the South.

Cole Hudson is already moving around pretty well after his first hip surgery. He's due the second one on his right hip on April 8. He'll be ready for football and also his senior baseball season. He's going to be fine.

[dave]

Logangirl:

How is the pitching holding up...

Marietta 21 Logan 4
Lancaster 8 Logan 3
Lancaster 10 Logan 0
Jackson 10 Logan 2
Zanesville 14 Logan 0

[dave]

Sorry 3morethan2 but:

No pitching + New coaching staff = 4 wins this year.

OK.......... lets just hope for 1 win at this point.

0 - 14 are you kidding me.

[Zanes-Vegas]

I did see a marked improvement with your JVs between the first and second time we played them. Improvement in that program is probably going to have to come from the bottom up. How are the youth leagues there, for example? I also contend that when the district finally builds a decent on-campus facility, the interest -- and the quality -- will rise.

IMO, there's no reason why Logan shouldn't have a quality baseball program. None.

[Cap'n Scoop]

Logan's Varsity played Warren very tough last night. It was a well played game by both teams. Logan is lacking a little at the plate to get over the hump yet. I agree with Z-V, there is no reason for a school that size to not be able to field 9 quality baseball players.