Cephas

I'm not gonna get after a person who shows concern for a player. However, baseball has been played longer than anyone has lived on this board and the ODC has ALWAYS been on the team's dugout side. It actually is very rare that a batter in the ODC gets hit, I've played for many years and coached a few and only remember once a player getting hit...on the bottom of the cleat and they were ok. I actually see more fights in baseball then seeing an OD batter get hit...at the HS level. I don't think it is wrong for a person to show concern and have their opinion about where a hitter should and shouldn't stand on deck. But I don't think you should think it is crazy that high school teams are supposed to stay on their side when it is a rule and they've been doing it for decades. Getting hit in the ODC is rare and even more rare to have it happen and the player be seriously injured. They have a helmet (unlike a pitcher who is more likely to get hit) and they are aware, or should be, of what is going on. Obviously we would all agree that we wouldn't want any player to be hurt in a baseball game, or any game. However, players getting hurt does happen and athletes are all aware that getting hurt is a possibility during the course of a game. For me, the concern is appreciated but don't plan on anything changing, its baseball!

Logan Long, soph at Grace Academy has 5 so far, one being a walk-off.

I would say your two predictions are good though I would also add Grace to the mix. They are off to a good start with many skilled players. They obviously don't have the size they are used to but they still have some tough players under the basket.