[MHS Parent4Life]

Final via KHSAA. Ouch. Any details?

[Hit and Run]

Pitching struggle for the Tigers. Luckily they have five more games this week aganist some pretty good competition. Hopefully they can get back on track. One game isn't going to determine a season. The Tigers are 9-2 and have lost 2 games to a top 15 team in the state. Not too bad!

[Stardust]

^ Who were those two teams?

[UK#24]

Clay County is 9-2 and both of their L's are to Lafayette...

[Stardust]

^ Thx.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Middlesboro will play Lafayette later in the season. It will be interesting to see how they match up with them as opposed to Clay County.

[jed]

Both Clay losses were to Lafayette
Clay lost 2-1 to Lafayette in the first game. In the second game, Griffin, which had not thrown in 2 weeks, could not get get his location down and gave up 9 runs in the second. Coach stuck with him to get him some pitches in and also no use to use another pitcher with so many other games this week.

I am sure Lafayette will use one of their young pitchers against Middlesboro though, but your real test MHSparent will come when you have to play
Clay. I am willing to bet it will not be close.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Both Clay losses were to Lafayette
Clay lost 2-1 to Lafayette in the first game. In the second game, Griffin, which had not thrown in 2 weeks, could not get get his location down and gave up 9 runs in the second. Coach stuck with him to get him some pitches in and also no use to use another pitcher with so many other games this week.

I am sure Lafayette will use one of their young pitchers against Middlesboro though, but your real test MHSparent will come when you have to play
Clay. I am willing to bet it will not be close.

Who knows who they will pitch. All I know is we won't get beat 11-0.

And as for the Middlesboro vs Clay County game, I'll let the players to the talking. I am extremely confident about it though.

[Hit and Run]

You under estimate just how good Clay is. I'm not saying they are a lock to win it, but it'd take a big slip up for them to come up short in this region. I've seen all the top teams in the region play and Clay is much better than anybody around, but they could still slip up. Clay is the best team to come through the 13th in awhile. Not taking a knock at Middlesboro either. Just speaking the facts.

[MHS Parent4Life]

They're a good team. No doubt about it. They're solid in all facets. That being said, they're definitely vulnerable, as evidenced by their 11-0 loss. Will they play that way most days? Probably not. But...if they were an outstanding team, they would NEVER play like that.

I would agree that talent-wise, they are probably a top 3 team in regards to the last 5 or 6 years.

[Hit and Run]

I understand that they got mercy ruled. It was to a top 10 team, and a team that they played tight 3 weeks earlier. That's not saying they've got worse. They just had a rough night. Look at what Clay has done in the region. They have rolled over Corbin, Knox, and North. They haven't had a region game decided by less than 7 runs. They are going to score runs. If a pitcher isn't throwing upper 80's with a plus breaking ball they're going to score runs. The difference in this team is Tyler Young. The last 3 years he has been an excellent hitter, but he's been a gap to gap type of gay. He's expanded on that his year and his already hit 4 bombs. 1 through 9 they may have one kid who isn't capable of driving the ball out of the ball park, but he has actually done it a few times.

[MHS Parent4Life]

I didn't say they've digressed. I simply said that unbelievable teams NEVER lose 11-0.

And Lafayette isn't top 10, their 13. And, if I were ranked 18, I probably wouldn't use that as an argument since you're supposed to be very close to them. Perhaps one of the two teams is not properly ranked.

Their 11-0 win over Clay was their best win of the season.

Now, by saying all of this, it doesn't mean that I don't think they're a great team. I've said many times that they are. I just know that in 2000, after Middlesboro had won two regional championships in a row and had the most talented team they had ever had, they lost in the regional championship.

In 2004 they started 7 seniors, 3 of which played college baseball and 2 that played college football, and they lost in the regional championship to a team that they had beaten earlier in the season.

Baseball is a great sport. You don't always have to show up to win, but you always have to show up to win championships.

The 13th region is not a lock.

[Hit and Run]

I was looking at ihigh's rankins. They had Lafayette at 8 and Clay at 21. Good teams lose all the time, but they all beat theirselves. Clay will have to play bad for them to lose this region. Not saying it won't happen.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Good teams don't lose 11-0 all the time.

[Hit and Run]

Good teams slip up all the time. I've seen many teams get 10 runned, and make a deep post season run. It's one game. When Middlesboro, North, Knox, or Corbin beats Clay then you can argue that they are close. Until then Clay has to be head and shoulders above the rest.

[jed]

So what does this say a bout m'boro?
Mar 28, 11 St. Augustine, FL away 0 - 13 (L)
Mar 29, 11 St. Joseph, FL away 1 - 5 (L)
Apr 1, 11 Palatka, FL away 1 - 22 (L)
Apr 1, 11 Palatka, FL away 0 - 11 (L)

I know they were Florida team but 2 runs in 4 games while giving up 51.

It also appears that M'boro has beaten 1 team with a winning record this season.

[MHS Parent4Life]

So what does this say a bout m'boro?
Mar 28, 11 St. Augustine, FL away 0 - 13 (L)
Mar 29, 11 St. Joseph, FL away 1 - 5 (L)
Apr 1, 11 Palatka, FL away 1 - 22 (L)
Apr 1, 11 Palatka, FL away 0 - 11 (L)

I know they were Florida team but 2 runs in 4 games while giving up 51.

It also appears that M'boro has beaten 1 team with a winning record this season.

As you said in your own post, those were Florida teams and quite frankly, they are on another level at this point. I'm betting they would have handled Clay County as well.


And Hit and Run, how do they have to be "head and shoulders" above the rest? Just because they made a run last year and won region?

That would make them the "favorite"...but head and shoulders above the rest is pushing it.

I love how all these Clay County folks and jumping on the bandwagon after their first regional title ever. You'd think you've been a contender for decades, or even a couple of years for that matter. As time has passed, programs, much like Clay, have come and gone, meanwhile Middlesboro has won a regional championship in each of the past 5 decades. Two in most. Actually, Middlesboro has even gone to a Final Four in each of the last 5 decades.

I love it though. Live it up while you can. I can appreciate that.

[jed]

Living in the past my friend.
We never had a coach that really cared before Griffin took over and Smith has built on that.
I guess we will see in a few weeks.

[Hyper]

Clay is not only head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in this region, they are head, shoulders, knees and toes above every other team in the 13th. Middlesboro is not even mentioned in the song...

[SeKyCatFan]

Clay is not only head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in this region, they are head, shoulders, knees and toes above every other team in the 13th. Middlesboro is not even mentioned in the song...

:thatsfunn

Seriously though, I will agree that Clay is head and shoulders above the rest of the region at this point. I do believe that they can be beat on certain nights from teams like Harlan County with Boggs on the mound, Knox with King on the mound, and possibly a few others. However it will take a dandy of a game from any 13th region team I believe with pretty much no mistakes because Clay is pretty dang good. That's the beauty of a 1 & done format though come region. Only time will tell, but I wouldn't bet against Clay winning this thing.

On the Middlesboro vs Clay note: I don't think Middlesboro has the dominant head of the rotation guy it would take to beat Clay. Clay is going to hit the ball and I believe the best way to try and beat them is to hope to hold them to 4-5 runs and just hope you can hit the ball against their pitching. I may be wrong, that's just my opinion.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Living in the past my friend.
We never had a coach that really cared before Griffin took over and Smith has built on that.
I guess we will see in a few weeks.

"You're living in the past" is something that only people with no real history tend to say.

I will easily submit to the fact that Clay has better pitching. They have a solid staff. I also know they have a great catcher, probably one of the best in the state. They've got a solid offense with some good power and speed, as does Middlesboro.

That being said, I'll take Middlesboro's defense and coaching.

[Hit and Run]

"You're living in the past" is something that only people with no real history tend to say.

I will easily submit to the fact that Clay has better pitching. They have a solid staff. I also know they have a great catcher, probably one of the best in the state. They've got a solid offense with some good power and speed, as does Middlesboro.

That being said, I'll take Middlesboro's defense and coaching.

Clay's defense is their weakest point, but it much improved and well above average. They've had some trouble up the middle, but they are working it out with some experienced guys. I'd hold off on the coaching statement. Powell is a legend, but how man coaches can boast a state tournament appearance before the age of 25? Smith is going to be a legend when he finishes up. He's also 2-0 all time against Powell.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Coach Powell went a Final Four his 1st year (1982).

He also has a very talented staff in Smith and his son Vince Powell.

[Come-On-Man]

Clay should win the 13th again this year, but the best team doesn't always come through. We'll just have to wait and see. That's what makes baseball so great.

[jed]

Are you kidding? We at Clay are at the top of living in the past when it comes to basketball, and I will admit I am one of them. But I am also smart enough to know that it does not mean squat about now and this season.

[jed]

"You're living in the past" is something that only people with no real history tend to say.

I will easily submit to the fact that Clay has better pitching. They have a solid staff. I also know they have a great catcher, probably one of the best in the state. They've got a solid offense with some good power and speed, as does Middlesboro.

That being said, I'll take Middlesboro's defense and coaching.

How could you take that defense, when in your other post you always indicated the other teams have very few earned runs and it was errors that cost you the game. By the way, what happened against KC last night. All errors again. There is another comparison game for you Clay beat KC 15-0. And ask them how the other game was going that was rained out after the first inning.

[MHS Parent4Life]

Middlesboro pitched way down in their rotation last night to save pitchers for their All "A" Sectional game and district games Monday and Tuesday. However, when Capps, Epperson, and Wilson came in for relief innings, they combined to allow 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings. I'm not worried about that game at all. Everyone knew is was a trap game.

We have also beaten KC already this season.

[Johnny Bench]

There is no doubt Clay County is heads and shoulders above everyone else in the 13th region at this point; however, they better not even think about overlooking anyone. M'boro, SL, NL, KC, Corbin, possibly even Bell & Williamsburg, and especially Harlan County could upset them in the right situation. However, I do believe Clay is 7-8 runs better than anyone in the region and it would be a down year for them if they do not win the region. If they can put together a hot streak, they could even make a good run in the state like Pikeville did a year ago.

[jed]

Middlesboro pitched way down in their rotation last night to save pitchers for their All "A" Sectional game and district games Monday and Tuesday. However, when Capps, Epperson, and Wilson came in for relief innings, they combined to allow 2 runs in 6 2/3 innings. I'm not worried about that game at all. Everyone knew is was a trap game.

We have also beaten KC already this season.

You beat them 5-3 the first time. Not exactly a dominating performance over a KC team that is down this year.

[Black Bear Cuz]

Knox Central is actually a solid team that has played a very competitive schedule.