1moreDBmom

ahhhh easy there boys.... "any team can beat any other team on any given day" I think somebody smart said that one time or another so don't give the credit to me...... I will be the first to admit that the odds are probably in DB's favor. Not to mention I am a mom, so you know who I am cheering for. But never forget that baseball has many variables...even when played on a perfect surface the ball can still take funky bounces.... so the game belongs to either team until the umpire says " that's our ballgame boys". Now get out there and lace them spikes up tight, roll around in the dirt a little and have a great time while your trying to shread the cover off the ball!

Should be a fantastic game. I hope the weather holds out to provide a great afternoon of fun in the sun and in the dirt too! Let us know how things go. We love to hear great news about well played games and this should be one of the best!

I can't wait to watch Science Hill play. I do strongly suspect that they will be contending for all the marbles in May! Good luck Science Hill as you continue to march towards May.

Sorry if you took those comments as excuses Piratedad....If I had used a little more wisdom I would have just let the crap that it was fly over. But your talking about my boys now (not they they need defending anymore.) but by golly people ought to just know not to come between a mom and her sons, and those 14 DB boys are my sons, each and every one of them! I will fight for my own every time! I simply got a little miffed when in ignorance someone accused us of cheating Ooltawah out of an "earned win" and then continued to throw insults by calling us selfish for taking care of our pitchers while costing Ooltawah tourney money. Next time however, I will just consider the source and laugh silently at the ignorance. ****Let me add this about your comment of "getting beat without your best team". The best team you can field is the one on the field at the time you play the game. If it's your number 7 pitcher, then that is what you are dealt at the time and he plays his role and the team generates the runs and defense to support him. He may not be a no-hitter type of pitcher but that never means the game is lost. We played 5 terrific teams and every game could have go either way. Most were not won until the 7th or 8th innings! This weekend was an assembly of some of Tennessee's finest High School baseball players.

I think this is the reason you are not a high school coach. DB has 3 regular scheduled games next week with one pitcher questionable as to his status. The head coach was unable to come because of his son being in the hospital, (not that our assistant coaches did not do a wonderful job...the results were obviously a credit to their coaching skills.) Our back was not against the wall in that tournament. But if that is what people choose to believe more power to them. Our #1/2 pitcher was available for a full game if that had been necessary. Our #2/1 pitcher had about 3 innings he could have contributed. (I say 1/2 and 2/1 because it is probably a toss up as to who is which one. They are both terrific pitchers and throw with a different style..like comparing a Maddox to Johnson if you will...so I will not decide which one is which pitcher on our team...that is best left to the outsiders.) Our #7 pitcher also had about 4 innings left on his arm as well. And there were 7 other boys on the team that could have thrown and just let the chips fall where they fell! So, as you can see we could have made a rash decision and thrown Tuesday's conference game to the wind (pulled out all the stops to win at all costs) and assumed that our #4/5 Pitcher was just working through some early season stiffness that would be gone for sure on tuesday when he had reached 8 days rest. Or we make the smartest decision and go home with our pitchers becoming available with 4 days rest on their arms for each of our conference games coming up this week. Any fool could put 2 and 2 together if they wanted too and come up with the proper answer. If you choose to look at it differently that is your option. But I will say this one last time, with conference games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of this week, that was one of the smartest decision I have seen a coaching staff make in my entire life. DB can and will pull out all the stop, when it is time to pull out all the stops...this weekend was not that time. The Tournament money was obviously not the issue as was eluded to, or Ooltawah would have invited another team to step up and finish that game so they could take their gate money... and surely there was another team there that would have jumped at the opportunity to measure themselves against a team like Ooltawah. Now lets move to the second half of the season and look forward to the TSAA games at the end.

Oh, so it was all about money and not the love of the game. Shame on me for not thinking of that angle. I stand fully enlightened and ashamed to think that is was something beyond the all mighty dollar that brought people out in the sun to a ball field....at this moment in time...a little shocked but brough back to earth. Thank you for grounding my feet. Oh but wait...if it was all about money...and the benefit someone else could gain playing that last game why didn't they extend the offer to allow Maryville to step up and play in our place? Could it be that everybody was running a little low on pitching and it was the best thing to do for ALL the teams left at this point?

I am heading to the Ooltewah tourney tommorow down in Chattanooga and it is suppose to be in the mid 80's down there... I plan to kick my shoes off and sit the dirt while I keep my stats and scream at the umpires. Well, I really am not much of an umpire screamer...but it just sounded like something were are suppose to do when we're on the outside of the fence looking in! I don;t even scream for my son when he makes a great play...it embarresses him so I just sit quietly and keep really good stats... and take the memories home in my mind. I heard it once said that the little league programs would works a lot better if we would chase the dad's off the fields completely and toss a box of uniforms and some equipment out there and go at it boys...we would probably be surprised at how well they divide up in order to keep the teams balanced and fair... and I bet the catcher could call ball and strikes much better then that 30 dollar an hour umpire that is only there to send the parents into a frenzy over his bad calls. You see when one catcher calls the game he knows he has to be close enought to accurate that the opposing catcher will be carefull as well.... and they all know if little Johnny was tagged out at second or slid safley under the glove... We threw money at it and erected a hotdog stand to make more money for the program so we could put up big neon scoreboards.... all you need is a bat a ball or 2 and some gloves...the uniforms are just extras and if they are not there the boys can play skins and shirts or something like that to tell who is who. How do we teach this mentality to our umpires? So many of them are there to be seen struttin around in there cute little uniforms...and they do not have a clue how to keep the game fun for the boys playing. Well Nite David, good to chew the fat with you for a second.

David I suppose that you either love the clay or you don't. I still like to stop on the side of a farm road when I see a plow breaking up ground for the spring planing and roll my windows down and just breath in. Real dirt has got to be one of most relaxing smells I know of. And as an old softball player I also will be the first to grab a rake and help pull and cut grass out of the infield skins on a little league field...I am happiest when I am constantly having to dig dirt from under my fingernails or griping because I just broke another one diggin roots off the mound. Don't let this mom fool you...she loves the game her boys play almost as much as she loves her boys!

In a tourney last weekend held at Farragut, Collierville lost to Dobyns-Bennett 14-4. In Collierville's defense however it was a very very close game until one of the worse calls I can remember witnessing happened at the plate. Mark the record books with the third out and erase that go ahead run that was so obvious you already had it blackened in, and send DB out onto the field coaches while you chalk another one up to an umpire. DB was stopped cold (on a cold evening at that) But note here that Collierville had played a game Thursday night in the Tourney and had just lost a heartbeaking game to North Cobb out of Georgia. So with DB in their first game of the weekend and Coliever already into their 3rd game in 2 consecutive days, they were noiw drawing from the middle of their pitching staff. DB was still at the top of theirs. Like I said it was a back and fourth game for 4 innings and that call at the play flew all over those DB boys ( don't even try to tell me an umpire does not effect a game...watch one with an inconsistant strike zone frustrate pitchers and coaches and you too will agree that a visible umpire can totally destroy a game that would probably have been better called by the catchers of the team).... Tyler Joyce took the mound to relieve Henderson who was becoming more and more frustrated by the "wishy washy umpire" and quickly despensed of the Collierville bats. When DB got back to bat they scored 4 runs quickly as they pounded out their anger towards the umpire on that baseball. No home run swings now boys, it was nothing more then back to back singles coupled with an infield error. With 3 men on base and the score now 10 to 4 and not an out yet in site, Collierville did a fantastic job to get out of that inning only 6 runs down... DB batted 12 men that inning and you could feel the electricity in the air. Collierville probably felt great relief to be getting out of that flurry of ball - beating anger only 6 runs down. With 3 innings left to play for a team of that calibur and only 6 points behind it is not time to panic yet. You go in and get a couple runs back each inning, as they had been doing up til that time, and your still in the game. But the problem here was that DB was still sething over that blown call at the plate this time Tyler Joyce retired Collierville batters in order...3 up and 3 down with a total of 7 pitches towards the plate. That is efficient work from the bump if you've ever seen it. Then DB raced off the field and picked up their bats to continue where they left off the prior inng. Pounding out the remaining 4 runs to run the score up to 14-4. The umpires envoked the mercy rule and it was all over. And once again I am reminded that an umpire can and sometimes does change the game... the fire that umpire lit under the DB boys was still blazing hot when they finished in the bottom of the fifth. The follow game was DB against a Farragut team that had yet to win a game this season... the score tettered back and forth with yet more of those controversial calls we had been watching all evening. Admiral head coach Tommy Pharr, whose team dominated the opposition to win the state title in Murfreesboro just last May, said "the real state championship game had been that game in Kingsport." Where they walked out with a squeaker of a win 3-2 over DB. But back to our Cold March game of 2007. One team would get a run up only to be down a run the next time they came back to bat. For 7 innings they swapped the lead back and forth only to stagnate with a tie game after making the final out in the bottom of the 7th. Temperatures felt like 32 degrees as the game stretched into the 8th inning. DB failed to get a run in at the top of the 8th and Farragut came to bat ready to make things happen in the bottom of the inning, puttin their first three runners on the bag with no outs! The situation was looking grim for DB... and then to make matters even more bleak, Bo Burton picked up a ball bunted towards the plate and tried to get the lead runner out at third the ball was thrown low into the dirt at 3rd base. It began a collision that had to have been heard around the city of Knoxville when the 185 lb DB thrid baseman came shoulder to shoulder low across the bag with Farraguts M. Williams...one scramblin for a low ball the other just trying to get his paw back on that bag. There was an even bigger reverbrating echo when it all finally ended. You see the sliding runner collided with the third baseman, shoulder to shoulder, sending him for about 3 sumersaults with the ball rolling about 20 feet back behind third and nestling up against the dugout fence. This all but sealed DB's fate...but it ain't over just yet folks. David Atchley was not going to concede the winning run without a fight first. Dave finished his roller coaster ride managing to land square on his feet with his back towards home just as the runner was springing back up off the bag and gathering himself for a mad dash towards home for the game winning run. Atchley took off like a bolt of lighting in the direction the ball had to have gone and quickly located it during his trip to no mans land back there on the outskirts of nowere. He picked that ball up and turned like teacup out at Dollywood in a fast spin, to fired a lazer shot 80+ feet to the waiting all American DB Catcher Derick Trent. The ball got there with time to spare and we recorded the first out of the inning in breathtaking style. With the leadoff runner still standing in total shock at second. Burton intentionally walked the following batter to put force plays at ever base. The next batter lined out to Jordan Adams on second and Bo struck out the last batter..... pull your blanket up a little closer to your chin and sit tight because there there is more ball to be played tonight boys. DB's lead off batter hit his second homerun of the game over the left field fence to score a quick go ahead run for DB in the top of the ninth... how quickly this game went back and forth is just mind boggling for those of us who sat "literally" frozen in our seats watching the war rage on inside the fence. Farragut got the next 3 outs without allowing anymore damage and took up their bats in the bottom of the ninth to tyr to fight back once again. But it looked grim for them this time when the first batter struck out. The second man reached on an outfield misque (it was cold and now 11:30 pm at night in the ninth inning of play...how else can you excuse a easy fly that should have just as easily been gloved for an out?) But that worried Db's pitcher none at all... he proceeded to strike the next batter out as well. So with 2 outs and a lone man standing at 1st, down by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Farragut was now the one stretched over the barrell. The batter wiffed at the first 2 pitches to quickly drop behind in the count 0-2. Remeber how we discussed earlier that an umpire can change a game??? We all know about the manditory 2 strike or 3 ball call right... Well the umpire did just that and called not just one but the next 2 pitches balls. So now sitting with a 2-2 count the batter is feeling like it ain't over just yet...he has new life...and the next thing we know that batter is standing on first with a base on ball representing the possible winning run for Farragut. Did I mention how quickly thigs tettered back and forth in this game...neither team wanted to lose andby this point let me say it is a craying shame we just didn't stand up and shake hand and say man what a tough team you guys are this year, then just walked away from it all knowing that either team could be the state champion come May. But back to my game....there are 2 outs so no reason to sweat just yet. The next batter quickly finds himself down 0-2 in the count when he could not catch up to 2 more fastballs, and then once again that umpire thingy kicked back in and gave the batter a 2-2 count. Why an umpire can't call 4 straight balls or 3 straight strikes is beyond my understanding....man the pitch is either there or it aint...I've seen a few that know to call what crosses the plate but every so often those pony league umpires get there with that 3 ball the next "has to be a strike" mentality and changed the game completely. Now unable to even think about putting a curve ball on the corner of the plate, the corners have all but dissappeared this inning, Burton felt that he had to reach back and fire his best fastball and hope it would be enough or that his fielders could haul it in if it wasn't. But Cooper, Farraguts 7th hole hitter, laced a rope of a shot back up the middle, almost removing Burton's jaw. Both runners came across the plate with a good throw from DB's centerfielder Wesley Jones on their tail, Wes has a rocket of an arm but the ball arrived a split second to late, ending one of the best games I have ever been witness in my life. But of course there are only 3 QUALITY baseball teams in the entire state of Tennessee so I must have dreamed this level of play happened in a weekend tournament in May... (tongue in cheek) and for the life of me I have yet to figure out why it took me until nearly 2 am to get warm enough to fall to sleep that night! Here you can read the local sports writers version of that game if you like...but he likes the flare and passion that an old softball player of a mom has...so remember to take his version with a grain of salt! He writes one of these articles every night of the week you know... maybe we need to light a fire under our sports writers??? Perhaps a little better description of the game might bring more people into the stands on a cold night in. the middle of March??? "It was a great game,'' said Pharr, the Farragut coach afterwards. "They've really got a good team. Our kid pitched well at the beginning. There were some controversial calls. It had all the elements. That was a huge hit by Joey Delmonico and the hit by Michael there at the end was also huge -- two, two-out singles. It was just a great ball game.'' That about sums it up folks...the clash of the titans happened Late saturday night in a corner of Knoxville and gave us a taste of what to expect in May. Check some pictures out here and read the local sports writer's version of the game. http://www.tricitiessports.com/default.asp...rts&he=.com Look around in the following photo sections and you will find 2 pictures of my own son (red headed) third baseman scooping 2 batted balls our of the dirt... along with some great shots of almost all the DB boys in action. http://www.tricitiessports.com/default.asp...rts&he=.com Dobyns Bennett at Sullivan south http://www.tricitiessports.com/default.asp...rts&he=.com Dobyns Bennett at Volunteer High

Well, I'm personaly thinking it's already too late for you not to name names. And I also suspect you better revise your "3 good teams in the state" comment and save face while you still can. I'll start a list from the ClassAAA and pull a team out my area/region to start us off..others will certainly be able to add to this feeble attempt to help you recall that Tennesse does have some baseball programs after all! East Tennesse ball clubs that will be fighting it out for the state championship title this year will be Farragut defending their title and trying to pull off another (yes ANOTHER back to back championship.) This would be their second back to back in just 5 year if they could pull it off! Only one other team in the state has ever done 2 back to back...so as bad as I hate to say this...bite my tongue "go Admirals go" but you have to come through Dobyns Bennett to reach that lofty goal and with DB starting the season ranked #8 in the nation in pre-season polls you better work hard and pray for some good bounces because we think it's our turn up here to get in on the Championship action again! Go here to check out some of our state records and refresh your memories: http://www.tbca.org/TBR%20State%20Record%20Book.htm Shaking my head... I am thinking somebody needs to lighten up and give some credit to Tennesse's boys of summer! Yes, Mary Ann, we do play baseball in Tennesse and we play with a lot of talent and heart as well. Rethink this and consider being a little more open minded before you so quickly diss your state! It's real easy to say" sorry folks...I put my mouth in gear before I engaged my brain on this one...We do have more then 3 quality programs across the state" Now if you MEANT to say was that you had only 3 quality programs in your AREA (75 mile radius) I think we will all agree with you that a statement like that does ring with some truth. Just don't tell those teams that fall in the 4th and 5th spot in your area because they will rip you apart for a comment like that. I present to you the fact that Tennesse is a long state, and could have oh lets say about 8 "area's" to be conservative. That alone will put out at least 16 quality baseball programs if there are only 2 quality teams in each area. And many will agree that you can probably find 3 teams per 75 mile radius that could be considered "high quality-reload year after year programs" That makes it more realistic to say Tennesse actually has and extimate of 24 quality programs schools who produce contenders year in and year out. It's not as bad as you think, so lighten up a little and try to look on the sunny side instead of the dark side...life will be more enjoyable for you if you will take this advice trust me!

I like your thoughts on how this mercy run ruling effects the hHS pitchers ERA. Your formula appears to be trying to allow concessions to a pitcher who is pulled in the middle of an inning is that correct? We charge him with a full inning when he only got say one out during that inning. The relieving pitcher is also charged with the same inning and he only will get 2 outs. So you are trying to convert inning into outs in order to more accurately show the ERA.. am I following you here? My next question is this. Is a more complicated formula of converting innings into outs (simple enough there..multiply total game innings by 3) but then requiring your score keeper to also keep track of individual outs recorded for each pitcher on an already full record book (8x10 books are already too small for those of us with weak eyes) really worth the effort in the overall scheme of things? Of course I already draw a line wher ethe pitchers are changed so I know how many outs each pitcher recorded... So now I need one more line on my computer spread sheet and adjust the formula in order convert innings to a larger number of outs (which could be smaller if the pitcher in pulled mid-inning) How many times would you estimate a good HS pitcher gets pulled mid-inning? While a pitcher with a much higher ERA, having given up say 4 runs in a single inning before the coach relieves him, probably has and ERA he really would prefer not to share anyway. And when you think about it the rookie MLB pitcher does not get any do overs either....he spend his entire career trying to work that EAR back into something that looks respectible...may that is whey you see a lot of ERA's for this year only...as well as batting averages for the current year... so a bad year you just need to forget about and look at what is happening this year when you judge a player...does he have good mechanics? Does he look like a baseball player when he takes the field or does he look like a hip hop artist or a rocker? Show me a player who keeps his shirt tucked in and his hair and clothes neat and I will bet a good chunck of money that he is the cream of the crop for that team. Let me watch him one time throw a ball or scoop up a grounder and I can tell you if he has the stuff to beyond HS ball. Stats..do not really tell you character and desire...you see that in 5 minutes of the guy standing in the clay! Of course for the freshman pitcher this could haunt his overall ERA through his HS years...So I do hear what your saying...but as a bookkeeper and then the computer person who transfers all the stats into a sreadsheet I grimmace at the thought of typing in one more stat in my spread sheet! Ok call me a disgruntled volunteer. How many parents acutally understand all those %'s anyway?...you know Fielding Averages, Slugging%, on base%, and Range Frequency (come to think of it...how many parents do you think have ever heard of range frequency and understand how it combines with fielding averages to get a better overall picture of both the difficulty of certain positions) I have been up for about 50 straight hours now without closing my eyes so I think I am getting tired. I do think you might be interested in checking out the following link where a baseball guru is discussing a very similar problem with major league ERA's over the years.... You know the dead ball years vs the live ball years controversy. Then there is that Amercian League designated hitter thingy, where if you compare a pitcher in one league with a pitcher in another ...well apples justt ain't apples anymore when you do that! Seems to be the same muddy watered ERA's are happening in the Majors. If they can't fix it it probably can't be fixed or is not worth fixing in the long run. http://www.homerunweb.com/era.html