catsbackr

I spoke with a college coach from Ohio yesterday and he said his players preferred the Rip It Sports or the Rawlings 5150 best. The Rip It bats have a 30-day performance guarantee also. Keep in mind, colleges have been using BBCOR for 2 years now.

I just spoke with the Hixson AD, Coach Fitzgerald is the new football coach at Hixson.

Agreed. And most fans and parents know as much about HS baseball rules as the umps do about aluminum bats.

Hummm, not a very hot topic anymore I guess. I remember a couple of years ago, we had a 15-20 page topic on CoachT about metal cleats and the carnage that would result. I guess I was right all along, much ado about nothing!

Well, I couldn't identify a modified bat when I put my hands on them. All I did was remember the manufacturers and the bat names that were illegal. The bats in front of the dugout thing doesn't work either. You only get to see the bats they want you to see. It's where it should have been all along, on the coaches.

Bat responsibility now falls on the coaches of the teams. Last year, the umpires had to inspect bats. This was a bad idea from the start. Umpires should not be entering the teams dugouts to inspect bats. Umpires have no place in teams dugouts, period. A batter using an illegal bat is called out. The bat is thrown out by the umpire. Anyone else using the excluded bat is ejected. I doubt you will ever see schools with on site xray machines. Wood is the answer.

A couple of years back, when the TSSAA along with the NFHS, allowed metal cleats in high school softball, there were many, many fears. What has the past few years shown everyone regarding metal cleats in high school softball?

Teams with good fundamentals, defense, pitching, bunting, stealing, will thrive. If the games are anything like the college games were last season, it will be much better baseball.

I don't know about striking, maybe to send a message, but that's kind of a dire message. But, umpires are independent contractors, and they could have chosen to work or not work, under the pay system in place. It is kind of cheesy they were promised a single game increase and the State backed out on it, though. The State does need to get rid of those stupid blue hats and black jackets. Either go all blue or all black, not a mix. My suggestion would be all black, that's what most college umpire associations have gone to.

The umpires were promised a raise and the TSSAA backed out of it. Umpires deserve a raise.

IMHO, it will become baseball again. Pitching and defense and the ability to move runners up (bunting) will take on much more importance. The only thing better would have been to go back to wood bats.

OK, it's been 3 years since the girls starting using steel. What is the final verdict?

AAA State Tournament bracket

About 3 years ago, when my daughter was a senior at Hixson, I spoke at length with Ron Bush, the Sports Editor at the Chattanooga Times-Free Press. He told me bowling was not a big enough sport in the area to be included in Best of Preps. It might be time to call him again.

8 years old is way, way too young for travel baseball. Let them be kids for a little while.

Congrats to my HIXSON WILDCATS!!! 2 State Championships in a row!!

OMG! That is absolutely outstanding bowling by the Lady Wildcats. 3,697 is the highest I've ever heard for a girls team. Back in 2008, the Hixson Lady Wildcats shot 3,675 in the Region 3 championship finals against Soddy Daisy.. Awesome bowling ladies!

No way. The Chattanooga fields listed are every bit as good as the one's used in Murfreesboro, I have worked on all of them. The bad thing is that Walker Valley and Bradley Central's fields weren't even listed. They are both gorgeous. Chattanooga State is adding lights, locker rooms and hitting facilities this year and their playing surface is perfect. And even though MTSU is nice, AT&T Field in Chattanooga blows it away. I don't see how the advantage went to Murfreesboro. Truly. Advantage, Chattanooga, by a bunch! OK, I guess I'll go with this one. HUGE advantage to Chattanooga. No Way! The Champions Club is just as described. Huge advantage to Chattanooga. I'm good with this one, too. Hands down, Chattanooga. Using the criteria listed, baseball (Chattanooga), soccer (Murfreesboro), softball (Chattanooga), tennis (Chattanooga), track (Murfreesboro) and attractions (Chattanooga), it shouldn't have even been close. Chattanooga 4, Murfreesboro 2! Something smells here.

The 27th annual Athletic Shop Hixson Wildcat Classic is March 18-21.

Uhh, no. This falls under the question, "Coach, are you players all legally and properly equipped?", asked at the start of each game.

2009 TBCA Showcase Rosters

Like I said.....Ooltewah...

Division II is very weak this year if McCallie is #3 in the State.

Ooltewah.

We were told by the head of baseball officiating (I know you know who told us) at our State meeting in January, that as long as the runner was given access to part of the base, be it the front, back, or side, that we were not to call obstruction. I truly believe that was good instruction as far as making it easier for us to make the obstruction call. JMHO, however.