Bluegrassrivals

Does anybody remember the 15th being as wide open as it is this year? Personally I think all teams have a legitimate shot at the title. Opinions?

I believe you have two solid front runners in Paintsville and Johnson Central.
Then you have everyone else.

My opinion - Two team contest - anyone else winning 3 games would be very surprising.
Lawrence has reputation - but not as good as past teams.
Allen Central - can they stay focused?
Prestonsburg - Emotional "Shane Train"
Only way Pike County gets a semi final team is if Pikeville draws Belfry.

1. Paintsville
2. Johnson Central
3 Tie. Lawrence Co
3 Tie. Prestonsburg
3 Tie. Allen Central
6. Belfry
7. Pikeville
8. East Ridge

Old Ball Coach Wrote:I believe you have two solid front runners in Paintsville and Johnson Central.
Then you have everyone else.

Nope. Pikeville 3-2 against those two teams with the two losses being in extra innings. So no. Wide open.

Pikeville is playing their best baseball of the season. With Cody Estep back changes the offensive attack for the Panthers. The pitching has been solid all year and have the depth to win 3 games.

Johnson Central and Paintsville are solid, but watch out for Belfry and East Ridge advancing to the semis. Both are well coached

Pikeville Wrote:Pikeville is playing their best baseball of the season. With Cody Estep back changes the offensive attack for the Panthers. The pitching has been solid all year and have the depth to win 3 games.
Johnson Central and Paintsville are solid, but watch out for Belfry and East Ridge advancing to the semis. Both are well coached

That will be the key for anyone to win it...


JC certainly has that ability but they seem bound and determined to continually give games away in the later part of the game where they have commanding leads.

In the last 2 weeks they have given away games to Pikeville, Paintsville twice, and Tates Creek. Never seen anything like it.

I agree 100% that the Estep kid makes the Panthers much more effective offensively, he seems to be at his best under pressure.

Paintsville and Johnson Central clear class of 15th this year. With everyones top two pitching JC and P are clearly favorites. Lawrence is the spoiler. Pikeville offense is capable but their pitching is just not on same level (right now next year or so may be different). Allen Central if they are hot maybe, but just way to inconsistent, P'Burg could win a very close low scoring game. I just don't think East Ridge or Belfry have to pitching or offense to compete for title. But it will be real fun to watch if I am wrong.

All comes down to the draw if pikeville draws jc it could be over early for jc, pikeville just seems to have their number this year. Paintsville has played really well this year with only 3 losses in the rigion. Lc has 3 losses in the region but all 3 have game against the 57th district. You probably going have to beat both jc and paintsville to win it , thats a tall order for any team. Of the teams lc played this year at the time we played paintsville imo was the best I have seen this year in the region. imo paintsville is the favorite.

If JC pitchers show up and throw strikes and they make routine plays, then nobody should beat them.

dawg fan Wrote:All comes down to the draw if pikeville draws jc it could be over early for jc, pikeville just seems to have their number this year. Paintsville has played really well this year with only 3 losses in the rigion. Lc has 3 losses in the region but all 3 have game against the 57th district. You probably going have to beat both jc and paintsville to win it , thats a tall order for any team. Of the teams lc played this year at the time we played paintsville imo was the best I have seen this year in the region. imo paintsville is the favorite.

Really?...Up, 7-0 in the 6th, and you give it away.

baseball1974 Wrote:If JC pitchers show up and throw strikes and they make routine plays, then nobody should beat them.

There you go!

JC must clean up the numerous base running and fielding errors that have plagued them all year long. If they can do that they are the favorite.

Mister D Wrote:JC must clean up the numerous base running and fielding errors that have plagued them all year long. If they can do that they are the favorite.

There seems to be an epidemic right now around the state. I've been lucky to have seen teams from every region this year except regions 1 through 3 and I've only seen one 4th region team play this year. However, one thing I have seen with every team is the inability to deal with pressure. I can't remember a time when it was this bad across the board? I'm not sure if the overall talent is just down or what it may be, but it's painful to watch sometimes. I hope I'm making a bigger deal out of it than should be, but things arent looking good overall. The inability to make routine plays changes everything in regards to how your team plays because of that. Pitchers are now trying to strike everybody out because they don't think their defense will make plays. Not too mention hitters are getting more and more fastballs with runners on-base because they're worried about their catcher blocking balls in the dirt. When you can't make routine plays it begins a trickle down effect that will impact your entire team.

baseball1974 Wrote:If JC pitchers show up and throw strikes and they make routine plays, then nobody should beat them.

That goes for every team in the tournament. If..thats the word that tells me that it is wide open. When was the last time a JC team had to worry about pitchers throwing strikes and making routine plays? The point I am trying to make was summed up in another post. When the teams that are supposed to be the favs are worried about ifs??? That says a lot about the region as a whole leaving the championship wide open.

In the last two meetings between Paintsville and JC its came down to who responded better to adversity. JC didn't respond well at all when they made mistakes. You could see players heads drop and it effected their play the rest of the game. Paintsville just kept playing the game and waited for their opportunities. If there is a rematch this will be the key again. You gotta play all 7 innings.

Bob Seger Wrote:Really?...Up, 7-0 in the 6th, and you give it away.

That is what i am trying to say pikeville who I don't think is near as good a team as jc has beaten them twice.

specialteams5 Wrote:That goes for every team in the tournament. If..thats the word that tells me that it is wide open. When was the last time a JC team had to worry about pitchers throwing strikes and making routine plays? The point I am trying to make was summed up in another post. When the teams that are supposed to be the favs are worried about ifs??? That says a lot about the region as a whole leaving the championship wide open.

You're absolutely right and on the flipside of that if there is a team that comes out and throws strikes and makes routine plays for seven inning and JC doesn't they will be in trouble. All it would take is for an Allen central, Prestonsburg, east ridge, belfry or Lawrence to come out and have an error-free day and JC or Paintsville to take a couple of innings off and it could be a wide open tourney. In that respect it is very wide open. I think JC has underachieved during the regular season, but I do think the JC teams I have seen in the past have always found another gear in the post season. Like I said in another post though, there seems to be an epidemic going around ky high school baseball, and I don't see the "sense of urgency" that I am use to seeing this time of year.

dawg fan Wrote:That is what i am trying to say pikeville who I don't think is near as good a team as jc has beaten them twice.

Which proves based on your observations you have no way of knowing who will win a given baseball game.:biggrin: j/k with ya....
Looks like we are going to find out if Pikeville can stay on the field with JC (a third time)...:popcorn:

Anyone want to guess who will take the mound for Pikeville and JC?
I would like to see Pikeville throw Justice, but no one will probably know for sure who goes for either team until they see them out there on the mound.:popcorn:

jetpilot Wrote:Which proves based on your observations you have no way of knowing who will win a given baseball game.:biggrin: j/k with ya....
Looks like we are going to find out if Pikeville can stay on the field with JC (a third time)...:popcorn:

If pikeville plays an error-free/walk-free game they can beat anyone in the region. They have a lot of potential. Could very easily get hot and run the table, or they could also lay an egg first round and get blown out in a mercy rule. They are definetely a classic Jekyll and Hyde situation. A lot of teams in the 15th and the state are that way this year. That's why several regions are up in the air.

It'll come down to JC and Pville.

baseball1974 Wrote:If pikeville plays an error-free/walk-free game they can beat anyone in the region. They have a lot of potential. Could very easily get hot and run the table, or they could also lay an egg first round and get blown out in a mercy rule. They are definetely a classic Jekyll and Hyde situation. A lot of teams in the 15th and the state are that way this year. That's why several regions are up in the air.

Pikeville has one loss by 8 to a NY team, a 5 run loss, a 3 run loss, and the rest of their losses were by 1 or 2 runs. They have been solid all year. Looking for a real tight game Monday. But it is baseball, so I wouldn't be shocked by any result. JC can whip anyone on a given night.

Also the Panthers just got Cody Estep back for the first time this year. Great player and huge difference-maker. If there was ever a year to go to all the regional tourney games, I think this is it.:Cheerlead

jetpilot Wrote:Pikeville has one loss by 8 to a NY team, a 5 run loss, a 3 run loss, and the rest of their losses were by 1 or 2 runs. They have been solid all year. Looking for a real tight game Monday. But it is baseball, so I wouldn't be shocked by any result. JC can whip anyone on a given night.

jetpilot Wrote:Also the Panthers just got Cody Estep back for the first time this year. Great player and huge difference-maker. If there was ever a year to go to all the regional tourney games, I think this is it.:Cheerlead

That's not what I meant by what I said. They've had a great year and have been in every game they've played. I was actually laughed at when people were ranking the 15th and I had Pikeville 3rd. I know they're good and they have the potential to be even better. Personally I think they should've won 30 games already. What I meant by "Jekyll and Hyde" was beating JC and Paintsville and then turning around and getting beat by Shelby valley and east ridge. I just think they have a problem with playing down to or up to their competition.

On a side note, I think if their schedule would've have included some teams from around the state from Lexington or Louisville or just better competition with maybe Boyd or Greenup, they would've been better prepared for the post season. I mean they played 27 games against 15th region opponents, and all but four teams they played in myrtle beach were from eastern ky. Two of those teams in myrtle beach would have been bottom of the barrel in the 15th region. Pikeville has a huge advantage with the turf and could get some really good teams in there to play. They should have the toughest schedule every year. I think the large turnover rate with coaches are causing some coaches to water-down their schedule in order to maintain job security. I've seen it with other teams around the state as well.

That's a big if.

Should be a fun tournament to watch.

This is a fun part of the year when coaches use a lot of strategy try help their teams win. Such as who we pitched today and who we pitch tomorrow.

I've only seen Alan Central and a scrimmage early in the year so I don't know a lot about the rebels.

Paintsville Johnson central Lawrence and Pikeville all have multiple arms they could throw in the first round.

Panthers have played a lot of one run games and I think that will benefit them in the tournament.

Predictions are worthless and that is the reason we played the games.

Be sure to get out to Stonecrest next week and watch some quality high school baseball and softball.

What could also make this a wide open tourney is I don't think anybody feels safe enough to throw off in the first round. I think every team will probably use their two best to get to the finals and then go from there. So it could very well come down to who has the best #3 pitcher if one of those guys can't throw again in the finals.

I think lc will go with bowens against east ridge with coverdalel and turner in reserve. then salyers or bailey in game two (if they win) depending on opponent with cantrell in reserve. I think feltner will have quick hook if the young left hander shows any sign of a struggle. LC went 5 and 2 against teams in the tournament. East RIdge only team in tourney that Lc Did not play this year.

dawg fan Wrote:I think lc will go with bowens against east ridge with coverdalel and turner in reserve. then salyers or bailey in game two (if they win) depending on opponent with cantrell in reserve. I think feltner will have quick hook if the young left hander shows any sign of a struggle. LC went 5 and 2 against teams in the tournament. East RIdge only team in tourney that Lc Did not play this year.

It's always a gamble to hold anyone. Unless you are an overwhelming favorite and have beaten that particular team several times handily, you shouldn't even think about it. That's just my opinion though. Other coaches have different strategies. Sometimes it can be affective to use everybody a couple innings in the first round and then go from there if you're confident they'll throw strikes for you. For me, I just don't like the idea of having an ace in the hole and never get to use him because I gambled. Unless it's a double elimination tourney where you can use different pitching strategies, I always played my best lineup and my best pitcher that was available for that day as I went through a single elimination tournament. I think you should always coach the same way you tell your players to play, one game at a time. The second you look ahead, you usually get burned.