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bbman13
7 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2009 : 13:18:00
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Has anybody checked out the USSSA roster for the East Cobb Astros 13U? WOW!
I was able to coach the 12's and 13's last year and watch these kids play. With this roster of 15, they would be a very competitive 14u team and should dominate 13U.
My preseason national rankings top 5
GA - EC Astros
CA - Team Rawlings Elite
TX - Banditos
LA - Terror Baseball Club
MS - Terminators
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AllStar
762 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2009 : 13:49:02
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| Is it different than the roster on their Web Site? |
Edited by - AllStar on 01/19/2009 19:16:41 |
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ingasven
120 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2009 : 16:40:37
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I agree they look nearly unbeatable on paper & should steamroll the competition, but let's wait and see how the games play out and how the team gels before we annoint them the next coming of the greatest team ever assembled...
Remember all the hype surrounding the 12U Stallions last year?
How did that work out?
I wish the Astros a very successful season! |
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whits23
596 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2009 : 17:43:15
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| as a former nc predator moving to the duluth area looking for a team, it is my guess the nc predators will compete well against any team you have listed. |
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AllStar
762 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2009 : 19:34:28
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quote:
Originally posted by ingasven
Remember all the hype surrounding the 12U Stallions last year?
How did that work out?
I agree with your point, but didn't they finish second at Cooperstown? |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2009 : 20:46:35
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It is the same as the website has shown for 5 months.
Secondly, as a team, what ever happens will be done on the field. Unless there are some new rules I am not aware of, how you are percieved does not equate to runs.
How about this, let's assume the team will be average until they prove otherwise. Makes it easy on everyone.
As for the 12U Stallions, we had a good season and had fun. |
Edited by - greglomax on 01/19/2009 20:59:07 |
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ingasven
120 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 08:13:55
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The reference to The Stallions was only meant to illustrate how hype doesn't equate to enormous success.... I guess I could have mentioned Tony Mandarich, Todd Marinovich, Brian Taylor or any other person or team over the ages that was going to be the greatest ever and didn't pan out. I chose to mention The Stallions because of how recently their annointment as "paper champions" transpired.
It's just a lot of pressure for 13 & 14 year old kids to live up to, having to meet all these expectations we adults heap on them. Like Greg said, let's just assume they'll be average and then at the end of the year everyone can say I told you so. |
Edited by - ingasven on 01/20/2009 08:51:32 |
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ingasven
120 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:21:31
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Greg,
We agree on nearly all topics and beliefs, but on your last point I'll beg to differ if we're talking about kids on older elite level teams. They know who the competition is, they keep tabs on Travelball Select, USSSA rankings and such. Now, I agree they also overhear a lot of adult conversations, but to say these boys aren't already aware of "their surroundings" sounds IMHO, a little naive. |
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alsoup22
68 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 15:26:29
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| Isn't the Paulding County Vipers in this age group? They were the team to beat in Ga. last year right? |
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mammabee
95 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 19:47:16
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quote:
Originally posted by alsoup22
Isn't the Paulding County Vipers in this age group? They were the team to beat in Ga. last year right?
Yessir they certainly are !
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Dr. Old School
314 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 20:31:58
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Yes Alan, the Vipers are in this age group and yes they were the team to beat last year. They won the NC Super NIT, AAU State, and USSSA Major State . The Bombers ended pretty well with their placing at the Elite 24, after qualifying by winning the TN Super NIT. They got 2nd in the USSSA Major State. Bulldog Baseball won Battle in the South. The Stallions made it to the Championship at Cooperstown and 2nd in the AAU state.
Unless I am mistaken, there were no undefeated teams from this area in 12U last year. The Bombers beat the Vipers and Bulldog, the Vipers beat the Stallions,Bombers, and Bulldog, the Stallions beat the Bombers and Bulldog, Bulldog beat Vipers and Stallions, etc. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 20:53:22
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| Let's keep one thing in perspective, when you talk about a team, whether good or bad, you are talking about kids. Let's just let them play. |
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Shark
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2009 : 19:22:54
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Let me throw this out if I may. I watched this team play 2 games in the fall at east cobb, and asked one of the parents the makeup of the team. He mentioned that it's a mix of last year's stallions/astros, plus a handful of kids who played 13u last year.
From what I saw, this team is loaded. A couple lefties in the middle of their line up absolutely destroyed the opposing pitchers. I was amazed that they were a 13U team as they have some size. You can say what you want about teams out of east cobb, but any team that faces them this Spring will have their hands full. |
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Speed Kills
4 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2009 : 14:42:57
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| Let the kids play and the chips will fall accordingly. Of course the team has been assembled to win but remember we are talking about baseball the game that is a great equalizer. No team or any one player are bigger than the game. This game has a way of bringing humility to the best of them. The kids are just that kids, no matter how big or how fast they are. All of these players must put on their uniforms and come to play every day. We as adults must not put undo pressure on any team of giving them the championship before the game is played. This goes for Bulldog baseball, Vipers, Banditos or the Astros. If these kids compete and play their hardest, having fun that's all we can ask of them. |
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PIRATE04
3 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2009 : 08:49:25
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| I saw the Vipers in Cooperstown and they looked pretty awesome. It's hard to believe that there is a team in this state that is head and shoulders ahead of them. I know that the Astro's are loaded. I wonder how some of those boy's will handle sitting on the bench? Maybe the better question is how will thier parents react? I think the coaching staff has a very tough job ahead. It should come down to the Vipers, Astro's, and Bulldog Baseball. It's going to be exciting baseball in this age group for sure. |
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bbman13
7 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2009 : 18:52:44
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I agree with Shark.
According to USSSA roster they have kids from 2 Astros, 2 Bombers, 5 Stallions, 5 returning 13U kids and one player that played 12AA ball |
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Dr. Old School
314 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2009 : 21:54:08
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| What will be interesting is seeing the transition to the bigger field. Home run on the smaller field will be a fly ball on the bigger field. Slow runners on 70' bases will struggle on 80' bases. Teams will have problems with slow players. Speed will become a more intregate part of the game. Covering the gaps will become a more important requirement than before. Teams that were successful before may not be as successful as before. It should make for an interesting season. |
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coachdan06
433 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2009 : 00:28:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Old School
What will be interesting is seeing the transition to the bigger field. Home run on the smaller field will be a fly ball on the bigger field. Slow runners on 70' bases will struggle on 80' bases. Teams will have problems with slow players. Speed will become a more intregate part of the game. Covering the gaps will become a more important requirement than before. Teams that were successful before may not be as successful as before. It should make for an interesting season.
Foot speed will be a deal maker or deal breaker to be sure .
The sport is about speed quickness and genuine confidence as the field becomes larger .
Lack any of the 3 and it will show up quick in a competitive setting. |
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mrump
8 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2009 : 10:43:56
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well let UMPMR give you his perspective:
last year the 12u top 3 teams in ga were bombers, vipers and bulldogs, i'm basing this on winning the big tournaments when it counted and these three teams did so. stallios were very tough at times but did not play and/or win any of the big tournaments. vipers and bulldogs were strong all season and the bombers started off slow but finished higher than any of the ga teams at the end of the season finishing 5th in the elite 24. this years astros team will be VERY tough but can be beat if the right pitcher is on the hill. as far as i can see the only pitcher that could possibly beat them is from the vipers but can they out hit the astros at the same time...? terminators will be tough again as usual so i can hardly wait to see how this all unfolds but as i said the astros are VERY tough and will probably even win most of the 14u tournaments they play up in, they were 2 for 3 in the fall while finishing 2nd to a major 14u team in the only one they didn't win. I CALL THEM LIKE I SEE EM SAYS THE UMP... |
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justafan
1 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2009 : 13:50:32
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| Loads of talent in this age group...the Astros have better coaching than the rest. Tony is as good as it gets at developing players. It is a long journey and the Astros will finsih on top this season. Look at what he did last season with a bunch of athletes, but not a good baseball team that was very short on top caliber pitching. I have coached for 25 years and he would be my first selection to coach my own son! |
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bbman13
7 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2009 : 20:42:22
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quote:
Originally posted by mammabee
Well I dontwant to be on the bad side of a Umpire but cant agree some here 
Yea Stallions didnt go top 5 and the Bombers are not a team anymore they disbanded anyway.
What I cant agree is the Astros or any team cant be beat and wont be beat . Thats just not baseball .
I know there are many pitchers around who can win the game against them and we shall see !
quote:
Originally posted by mrump
well let UMPMR give you his perspective:
last year the 12u top 3 teams in ga were bombers, vipers and bulldogs, i'm basing this on winning the big tournaments when it counted and these three teams did so. stallios were very tough at times but did not play and/or win any of the big tournaments. vipers and bulldogs were strong all season and the bombers started off slow but finished higher than any of the ga teams at the end of the season finishing 5th in the elite 24. this years astros team will be VERY tough but can be beat if the right pitcher is on the hill. as far as i can see the only pitcher that could possibly beat them is from the vipers but can they out hit the astros at the same time...? terminators will be tough again as usual so i can hardly wait to see how this all unfolds but as i said the astros are VERY tough and will probably even win most of the 14u tournaments they play up in, they were 2 for 3 in the fall while finishing 2nd to a major 14u team in the only one they didn't win. I CALL THEM LIKE I SEE EM SAYS THE UMP...
I agree with mammabee, but the best players from the bombers went to EC. It will be tough for any one pitcer to match up against this team. |
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greglomax
1031 Posts |
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Dr. Old School
314 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2009 : 23:05:40
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whits23,
Do you feel the NC Predators will have a better season this year than last? Looks like they were about .500 playing 12U Major and AAA teams last year. It looks like the team is made up of a lot of players from last year. Just curious how you think they will compare to the Megastars and Hurricanes, who have been more successful out of NC.
I see they have entered the Atlanta Super NIT in March.
Good luck in finding you a new team home when you move into the area. |
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mrump
8 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2009 : 10:56:04
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mammabee
i never said the astros or any other team could not be beat, if you read it again you'll see i said the astros are VERY tough BUT CAN be beat. in addition, the bombers did not disband they just changed their name and still have the same team for the most part with the exception of the 4 players that now play for the astros. as for their many pitchers around this area that could beat them well, the bulldogs or any other fall 13u teams certainly didn't have any luck so i will say it again, the one pitcher that has the best chance of beating them plays for PC but can they out hit the astros is hard to believe. I CALL EM LIKE I SEE EM... |
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Shark
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2009 : 21:01:46
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wow - being new to this forum it seems like it doesn't take much to set off the east cobb haters. Astros are not invinsible, no one has said that. Any team can get beat on any given day.
But the consensus from 3rd party observers like me is that their staff has assembled a pretty strong team. Looks like they had some early success too in the Fall from what I have read -- have to assume they did this with not a whole lot of team practice either. And, those of you banking on one pitcher to beat them, I'd gladly take that wager. |
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Dr. Old School
314 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2009 : 22:55:58
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| Moving to the 54' pitching distance and 7 innings, rather than 6, I doubt you are going to see many single pitchers shut down a good team at 13U, unless his team is hitting and run rules an opponent early. 7 innings at even an average of 12 pitches per inning equals 84 pitches. Unless that is an elimination game, it would not make sense burning a pitcher for just one game. |
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Astros 13U
