Let's ride the boogie: Baseball Starting Lineup II

Janet Jackson's new joint has a song called Rock With U. It's so not nearly as good as her brother's. She should be ashamed. Anyway, you got your opinion on the top 9 baseball teams. Relax your mind,
lay back and groove with mine:

1. (1) Plant (8-0)
   On the blog, they call teams like Plant "raw". I have no idea what that means, but let's go with it. The Panthers won the Game of the Week when they beat Jesuit 4-1, and Jared Womack is hitting a whopping .714 (15-for-21) with two homers and 14 RBI. Raw indeed.

2. (2) Clearwater Central Catholic (7-1)
   Too bad I bet the under on CCC's last two wins (the Marauders beat Ridgewood 20-0 and Berkeley Prep 16-0). Of course, I jest. I would never bet on a high school event, and if I did I certainly wouldn't take the under in a baseball game. I might consider teasing a game or two, maybe working an all-Catholic parlay in there....well, I think I've said enough already. By the way, CCC has now tossed four straight shutouts, outscoring the other guys 43-0.

3. (4) Seminole (8-0)
   Yeah, so the Warhawks might be a tad overrated at this point of the season. Or maybe not. They rallied to beat Boca Ciega 13-7 (leading us to think, hmmmmm, overrated?) and then knocked off a tough Clearwater team 4-3 (leading us to think, hmmmmm, maybe not?). Either way, we are eager to see this week's games against Northeast (nice pitching with Jacob Wilder, Jeremy Lopez has four HRs) and St. Petersburg (already has a win over Alonso).

If all that isn't tempting enough to make you click this link to see more, then you just ain't raw...

4. (5) Alonso (3-1)
Our preseason No. 1 inches a little closer to it's former spot after wins against Gaither (behind the fine pitching of Alex Panteliodis) and Mitchell (Nathan Hardin hit his third homer). The Ravens have too much pitching for the rest of the district to handle, and their bats are coming alive.

5. (6) Pasco (6-1)
The big showdown with Nature Coast was a dud, as Pasco prevailed 7-1 behind Dustin Brown (4 IP, 7 Ks). Going back to last year, Brown owns Nature Coast, so that wasn't really a surprise. More concerning news for the Pirates, though, is ace Aaron Brandt taking himself out after one inning with arm tightness in a 9-3 win over Springstead. Luckily, Brown homered and doubled to help the Pirates win, and Henry Johnson put in six innings of great relief work.

6. (3) Jesuit (7-1)
The Tigers lost to No. 1 Plant 4-1, which is nothing to be ashamed, but our blogger extraordinnaire Keith Niebuhr added insult to injury when he called the Panthers uniforms ugly. So yeah, they lost to the team with the ugliest uniforms around. Now that just hurts. Certainly explains why Jesuit took it out on Blake their next outing, winning 26-0. Then again, Blake has been outscored 99-4 in six games, so maybe I'm reading too much into that.

7. (8) Land O'Lakes (4-1)
The Gators walloped Wesley Chapel 11-1 and River Ridge 10-4 last week (A.J. Pratt was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI in teh wins), and how good is Trey Dahl? The USF-bound southpaw struck out 13 in five innings against River Ridge (and added 2 RBI), and now has 25 strikeouts in 12 IP. Combine him with righty Matt Fugelsang, and you have a 1-2 combo with 46 Ks in 23 IP.

8. (7) Dunedin (4-2)
Geez. This is a slow start. Rain canceled one game last week, but personally, I'm waiting for our preseason No. 2 team to start going OFF. They snuck by Boca Ciega (scrappy bunch, those Pirates) 5-2 as Max Kreuter improved to 3-0, but...well, yeah...someone wake me up when the Falcons take flight.

9. (NR) Clearwater (6-2)
The Tornadoes losses have come to No. 7 Dunedin and No. 3 Seminole, so we are squeezing them in right here for now after the sandwiched wins over Tarpon Springs (4-3) and East Lake (7-0) around that loss to the Warhawks. According to the team's stats, starters Tim Younger (20 IP) and Craig Goodman (16 IP) have yet to allow an earned run. Younger has back2back shutouts, and Goodman is also 8 his last 11 at the plate.

On deck circle: Gaither

In the hole: Tampa Catholic

Looking for their helmet: Nature Coast, Largo, Bishop McLaughlin, Middleton, Northeast, St. Petersburg, Canterbury, Cambridge Christian.This week

-- Got baseball news? johncotey@gmail.com
 

Comments

[Carlos Pena]

Anyone else see that Largo meltdown in the 5th? D.Ryan stop acting like a little girl.

CBURY's been good enough for long enough now where they're considered a baseball power despite the school's small student body. It's not just the current guys either. They had Sawyer who got drafted by the Cubs just after his graduation from Yale, where he not only was all-Ivy for 3 years, but he set pretty much every school record. Enough actual baseball fans who understand the game recognize Canterbury's program even though the Times instead will fawn over Shorecrest as the baseball prep school in St. Pete. How many years has Shorecrest been ducking and dodging Canterbury now?

Props though to Northeast and Dixie for playing Cbury. I'd love to see bigger teams litter the Canterbury schedule, but there's that whole annoying district thing that forces you to play those guys too. Anyway, I guess Cbury should have their hands full when they face CCC in April and rematch Berkeley to end the regular season.

[anonymous]

Coach Genna is so dedicated. He rocks!

To the person who wrote the comment at 4:09.

Yes i totally agree how sad it is that adults ruin it at kids sports. I can first hand say that because I am still an athlete at a pinellas county school and my dad is one of the adults that ruins the event and makes me look bad. It crushes my heart that I cant even have him come watch me play now because of his actions. Like i said though just let us talented athletes play ball! We do it because we love it and seeing parents ruin it is not part of why i love sports.

[Jimmy Hats]

Northeast is raw dawg. Coach wags will merk everyone in south county!

9:17 isn't it sad how ADULTS ruin kids sports? hate to see what these idiots were like when they were younger.

Seminole being the hardest working team??.....NOT!

u can work and work at it and that will not make u catch a ball unless u have talent!

[Katie B]

Come on people the back and forth personal comments! Grow up. The records are what they are, sports have become TOO political! Just let the kids play ball. Isnt it suppose to be fun? Why talk crap about other players, show some class people!

I second that last comment Seminole works harder than any team around and should deserve wat they have.

Seminole is a good team no matter what any of you say. Yes they have played some not so great teams, but they have also played some top notch teams. All of your excuses for the other teams losing is a bunch of garbage. Yes every team makes errors. Seminole just puts the ball in play more often so that the other team does make errors. And when the other team does, they capitalize on them by putting two or three hits together to score that run. Seminole's whole entire lineup is a work force. The hours they put in at practice is insane! So everyone hating on Seminole can stop.

seminole ss blows

seminole ss sucks!

northeast and osceola will be a good game friday. Last time these team met the warriors fell short 5-6.

Cuda is a player...reminds me of Pete Rose.

You Like Stats, here's the only ONE that matters Seminole 10-0!
DOING WORK!

cleawater and Noretheast should be a good game.

yeah seminole ss 13 errors? i thought baseball players can catch i pop up.. haha u made two runs come in

seminole is garbage they worry bout there record 10-0... yal suk get over it.. stop posting **** 24/7.. GET A LIFE!! just wait til districts. u will choke when it counts.

semiole 18 errors 13 by the ss

All Baseball players are soft. you are all a bunch of whiners and all you do is cry. come and talk to a real athlete when you want to become a man. Baseball players are pink team players who bat for the same team. All of you need a manhood check. Lets get real. Baseball is LAME!!! Your loserness started in little league.

oosceola did have tryouts and they our a very unrated team yea there 5-4 but wit two loses in seventh inning and one to northeast 5-6 there not a bad team and will be hard to beat in there district

[Mr. D.]

Canterbury is for real. Cuda, Hamilton, and Lancaster could start for pretty much any team in the county. Plus hitting, Plus power, Plus arms. Granted they do not get to play against some of the top teams around, but that is because most of the big schools refuse to play small schools, many times out of fear of being embarrassed by losing to a small school.

[Willies]

Toes is nasty raw. He makes me look good.

osceola had tryouts...but i dont know why it matters whether we did or not?

I have seen Osceola and they were good early because they did not do tryouts like everyone else. They will be weak at the end of the year when everyone else catches up

[T]

I have seen over half the teams in the county and know one thing: Seminole is a good team. They win, and last time I checked, that's all that counts. They should be stronger later in the year when they get their 2 starters back, however, I agree with some of the above-if they don't figure out how to play defense they will not get out of Regionals. Their pitching is OK, but not the 90+MPH that you usually associate with a top quality team. However, remember, pitching is not just throwing hard, it's using what you have. As far as Canterbury is concerned, they are legit. They will have their hands full when they see Webber again, but they can play with any of the big teams. They do have more than the holy trinity.

Seminole is not 10-0 cause they are over rated. This team has played together since they were 5 yrs old...they are destined to win.

[They win]

Seminole wins because they play as a team. When one guy has an error someone picks him up with a solid play, hit or pitch. This is why Seminole has a big bull’s eye and has everyone posting their hate Seminole blogs. Just shut up and play the game and if you lose, lose with some class. St. Pete did last night and they deserve to be commended for it.

[luxe vader]

u need to learn how to spell. seminole is just a spoiled , over rated l.l. team that will face the music soon enough. their luck is running out....

[sleeping giant]

what was that last guy smoking??
best teams in the area my butt... look at the win loss cols. my friend what do you think???? everybody is trying to give the hawks their fist lost and they all are giving excuses of why and how they lost.. bottom line is that seminole has found a way to win!!! 10-0 ...would be 12-0 if not from rain, and thats with crippled roster... one game this week... they will get it together and get heathier, strong and more confident....good luck and bring it on!!!

[Yellow Polar Bear]

Seminole is 10-0 but they are garbage? Anyone have some facts that can show me they are garbage if so post them!

[sleeping giant]

dont know why all the hype about seminole is so negative... if seminole could play defense they would be killing their opponents.... it has went both ways with a few of their games but their ss must be leading county in errors.... how do they do it when they are so weak up the middle.... it will cost them soon enough.. it already has cost there work horse pitcher a few wins.. but whos counting

Lets all remember NEHI will always win when it counts

best district in the Tampa Bay area:

Alonso
St.Pete
Gaither
Sickles
Mitchell
Countryside

osceola isn't a team to take lightly...they had the northeast game won if it wasnt for 5 walks in the 2nd inning where ne scored 4 runs with 1 hit,little tayler layner a freshman started that game for osceola,he struk out the side in the 1st and 3rd and had em shut down for the rest of the game.osceola has some real talent watch out

seminole 10-0 ya

osceola didnt get beat by anyone, they beat themselves in the last inning twice n lost 3 games by only one run

osceola 5-4 wit two losses in the seventh and only lost to northeast 5-6.

osceola 5-4 wit two losses in the seventh and only lost to northeast 5-6.

osceola 5-4 wit two losses in the seventh and only lost to northeast 5-6.

canterburys gargabe? im pretty sure they beat northeast who only lost to seminole by one? yea thats right and as far as facing bad pitching? i didnt know ryan weber was a bad pitcher..last time i checked hes going to florida yeah nice try r u serious

[toes is nasty GO CT]

every1 get off craig goodmans back
ur all just jealous that hes raw
no team has scored a run off of him yet
and stop impersonating mr. ray whoever is doin that
and 4 ur info toes hitthe radar gun at 87 mph during tryouts

here s da top ten ppsark,,, dixie,,, lakewood, gibbs,, NOrthside christian,,, palm harbor,,, osecola,,, maybe canterbury there garbag,,

[Ray]

craig hit the radar at 60mph. He is the best senior in the county!

THATS ALL THESE BLOGS HAVE TURNED INTO FIGHTING
HOW STUPID YOU PEOPLE HAVE TORUIN THIS STUFF
GROW UP

[R U Serious]

CANTerbury would be ranked if the Times had a Middle School Top Ten.The holy trinity over there has gotten MORE Times coverage than they deserve.When Canterbury has the top BAs, ERAs, and Power stats each week it's just embarrassing. Players like Rogers and Kollenbaum etc should not have to be in the same Statistics column as guys facing 6th and 7th grade private school pitching. There needs to be a separate category for schools based on classification-then there would be no problem recognizing the dominance of schools like C'bury or N'side.

P.S. Lefty's Dad-R U Serious going on this Blog to try to defend your son against nameless, faceless bloggers!!!!Who the **** cares if he throws 77 or 83??? or who his pitching coach is???

WHY IN THE WORLD IS CANTERBURY NOT RANKED IN THE TOP 10 IN P. CNTY???
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS TEAM!!!!
lOOK AT THEIR PITCHING. LOOK AT THEIR HITTING. LOOK AT THE ATHLETES THAY HAVE PLAYING IN THE FIELD. I DON'T THINK THERE IS A MORE COMPLETE TEAM IN PINELLAS COUNTY.
IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS- YOU MIGHT NEED TO GET OFF YOUR BUTT & LOOK AT THIS TEAM!!! THEY ARE DESERVING OF SO MUCH MORE THAN THE TIMES GIVES THEM. IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! HAVE ANY OF YOUR SPORTS PEOPLE SEEN CANTERBURY PLAY A GAME? FOR GOD'S SAKE - THEY ARE AS GOOD AS IT GETS IN P. COUNTY. GIVE THEM THEIR DUE!!!

[leftys dad is a lard]

lefty is garbo.. there is no pro scouts comin to watch him sorry. must be the same scouts that jay taylor has watchin him. hahaha theres a few good players over at seminole.. none are studs. and lil lefty will need a fastball to be successful in college. just hush up and play ball seminole will lose

Trey is as great pitcher over in the Lakes.