borodbackscoach

Juco's aren't the only schools that offer tryouts, or "workouts". Some D1 schools offer almost a full week of tryouts, in the fall, where they players have the chance to make the team as a walk-on. They go throught the same routines and practice with the rest of the team. I know that MTSU does this and some other schools. There is a place for anybody and everybody in college baseball. Have good references, also. Have the high school and/or summer coach make contacts, that should be part of what they do. Good luck!

My thoughts and prayers are with the Elam family from a friend and former teammate at Motlow.

I don't claim to know it all about baseball. I was a pitcher, in fact a pitcher with a what you would call a rubber arm, pitched out of the pen in college. However, I would never use a kid 3-4 innings one day and bring him back the next. If I used him 1 inning one day, I would bring him back the next day, but watch him carefully. These guys may be on college workout programs, but they are not college players just yet. Our guys, even in the summer, are on pitch counts and we watch them closely. This is a very important time for them and if a kid blows his arm, the coach is getting jumped on for throwing that kid too much instead of enough. As for Coach Messer, if you like him, great, if you don't, I can tell you now that I am sure he is losing no sleep over the fact that you don't like him. At least give the man more than one year, much less 2 weeks to rebuild that program.

Don't kow the specifics, Riverdale beat Oakland 7-6 tonight at the Reservation.

Riverdale defeated Oakland 5-4. RHS jumped out 3-0 in the first. Oakland's Tye McLeary weathered the storm and threw well over the next 5 innings, surrending but one more run. RHS starter Will Underland battled also and left down 4-3 in the 4th. Justin Jones came in to throw 3 innings of shutout ball to pick up the win. Riverdale scored the go ahead run in the top of the 7th. Blackman defeated White Co. 2-0 as I have been informed. David Price K'd 19 White Countians to pick up the impressive victory. Take it from here, Mr. Limbaugh.

Spoke with Bobby yesterday. 4 Homers in 5 games isn't too shabby.

Riverdale trailed 11-2, with one out in the 7th, and chipped away to an 11-8 margin before Alex Watson's grand slam gave them the lead 12-11. Christian Brothers answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Riverdale put a 4 spot on the board in the top of the 8th and David Sweazon closed out a 16-12 victory in one of the best high school baseball games I have ever seen. Christian Brothers built a huge lead with a dominating lefty on the hill, but the bullpen couldn't contain the lead.

I would love to see Riverdale send a handful of players to the pros and D1 schools. However, I don' think that is even fair to say that they compare to those Oakland teams. Keep in mind that OHS had 5 guys (Sharber, King, Knox, Hicklen, and Rauschenburger) drafted off those teams and another that is probably going to after 4 years of college (Williams).

This is true, however, let me pose this question? Would you rather be the team that is 35-5 and is put out in the district or region tourney? or Would you rather be the team that is 20-17, plays a tough schedule, gets hot come tourney time and advances to the state tourney with a shot to win thanks to that tough schedule. The sparkling record is nice, however, I think I would rather be on that state tourney team. No predictions, just taking note on some teams over the last few years. Not every team is going to run the table from opening day like Farragut did last year. I wouldn't count anybody out just yet, we are only a few days into the new season.

Congratulations in order for Bryan Morris from one of his summer coaches.

For Information on the Murfreesboro Diamondbacks, go to www.eteamz.com/murfreesborodiamondbacks/ or go to links on sandlotter.com and it is listed there.

Correction, Steven wasn't drafted, he signed as a free agent the summer following his senior year. Everybody knew where I was going with it anyhow.

I caoch Bryan in the summer, played with his brother Steven, played against Josh Morris and played for Ricky Morris. It's in the bloodlines. All have been drafted or in Bryan's case, hopefully on the way to getting drafted. All are or were tremendous ballplayers and in each case, seemed to get better as they got older. Keep in mind that Bryan is just a junior. It is scary to think that he is only getting better. The kid can swing the bat also, his dad is probably the best hitting coach around.

Thanks for the name.

Can somebody please tell me the name of Tullahoma's number 2 pitcher? Baseball 109, read my post above and you will see that Bryan has been mentioned.

Dakota Gardner at Lincoln County has a very good change-up. I think that the change is the most under-rated pitch in baseball. Kenny Griffin, now at Western KY, from Tullahoma has a nasty deuce. Nell from Blackman does have good one also. Robinson at Oakland has a pretty good one, too.

i beg to differ about all throwing in the upper 80's. one of them may top out in the upper 80's. i know vincent tops in the 85-86 range, clark the same and mcneese also. they all form a very good staff. i don't know how many times it has to be said that just because a kid tops in the upper 80's doesn't mean he pitches there all the time. that is why they call it topping out. not yet mentioned, probably two of the best pitchers in bryan morris from tullahoma, who TOPPED OUT, not throws consistently, at 91 this past fall and dakota gardner from lincoln county who pitches at about 80-82, but has great command of his stuff. tyler ward is also a good one from lincoln county.

i have seen woodlee throw 2 or 3 times and the highs i have ever seen him is 86. that is topping out. i have spoke with college coaches that have told me the same thing. he is no doubt a good pitcher, but there is a difference in topping out and pitching in the high 80's. i am not saying he has never hit that high on the gun, just not pitched an entire game at those speeds. if you ask enough scouts, they will tell you that there are lots of kids that will top in the mid to upper 80s, but only a handful that will stay there for an entire game.

I do agree, there was nothing meant against green or sheffield, i was just speaking from personal experience.

do know that if their ace, Dakota Gardner is over his tendinitis, they have a solid 1-2 with Western KY signee Tyler Ward. Gardner was Lincoln Co. pitcher of the year as a sophomore last year. Gus Fraley will swing it well also.

By the way, Coach Brewer is about as good as they come. He was an assistant at Riverdale my jr. year and we learned a lot from him in just that one year.

I had heard that Andru may be behind the dish some from Coach Brewer. I just didn't know how much further it had gone.

When I say better 1-9, I am saying more "solid" 1-9. The three seniors will stand out and a few others, but no Humphrey or Kendrick. I'm not saying they are all 6'3 switch hitters that drop bombs to the opposite field. This will no doubt be a very tough district, no predictions here on who will come out on top. I coach guys from all three 'boro schools in the summer so I am rooting for all of them.

If Cookeville has some younger guys step up now, they will have a tough team, if not, it may be a year or so. Glad to see coach back up there. He always put a team to be reckoned with his last go round. Riverdale will surprise some people on the hill. Even though they lost some big guns, there are some younger one's waiting that can throw it as good as anybody's. It is just going to come down to who is the hottest come tourney time. Last year Oakland stepped up at the right time and exceeded expectations. With Steven Watson, Birkofer and Hines in that lineup they will be dangerous again. Howard is going to throw it well for them, as will McLeary. Blackman will have the pitching, but besides Andru and Price, what kind of offense will they produce. I have seen Riverdale and they can flat out hit, probably better 1-9 than last year. There will be no Humphrey or Kendrick, but a more solid lineup.

Don't forget Alex Watson from Riverdale and Kyle Brewer from Grundy County. Both have signed already, Watson with MTSU and Brewer with Walters.