Your pick for the All-Mid State

[Tennecqt]

Jackie West, 1st base Riverdale

Falon Catalano, Pitcher Riverdale

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I had the pleasure of meeting Falon tonight and she is no doubt one of the top pitchers in this state (probably the whole southeast). She is confident yet not cocky and very friendly. I know she makes her parents proud! Good Luck Falon and God Bless (keep that shoulder healthy).

[Bleacherbum]

I would add Katie , the shortstop from Brentwood, junior. She and Lindsey would be my picks from Brentwood.

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those are good choices, but everyone seems to forget about Lindsey's younger sister Caitlyn?....soph. 2nd baseman for brentwood, who might be the best hitter on brentwood's team, and possibly the most underrated player around nashville.

[overthefences]

those are good choices, but everyone seems to forget about Lindsey's younger sister Caitlyn?....soph. 2nd baseman for brentwood, who might be the best hitter on brentwood's team, and possibly the most underrated player around nashville.

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I agree with Bluesfan. Caitlyn might be the best hitter and a good fielder but a great catcher is worth their weight in gold. People do not give great catchers enough credit. A great catcher can take a pitcher up a notch or two and Lindsey has done just that. She frames very well. She turns marginal strikes into strikes which enable the pitchers to utilize the corners to their advantage. She is skilled in all areas. Stand behind the plate and watch her sometime. She will be hard to replace next year. Brentwood will feel it. My vote is for Lindsey, hands down.

Edited May 3, 2005 by overthefences

[kksdad]

My vote goes to Casey Teal. She has a record of 19 - 4 and has thrown five consecutive shutouts in 9AAA. She will be going for number 20 tomorrow against Wilson Central. Should be a great game.

 

Ashley Elrod is also a fine pitcher that deserves some recognition.

[bbl12753]

I may be reading something into it, but looking over this thread, talking about Freshmen & Sophmores deserving the recognition. I think there are more Freshman & Sophmore parents writing on this board & I wish more would write about players & teams that you have seen vs. an agenda to build up your on daughter. They are good & deserve their props, let's just give them all time to prove themselves & enjoy what they are doing.

 

Good Luck to all as the season wines down & tournament picks up the tempo. Hope all of you get your wish but only 1 team from each classification will win.

[JJ810]

It is hard for me not to believe that these freshman pitchers would not be as highly recognized if it weren't for the upperclassmen playing great defense behind them. And even then joining already successful teams who have already built names for their respective programs.

[softballscout]

Thinking about it there isnt much defense involved concerning the young freshman who has hit the ball over the fence 16 times either. What about the hitting power of the young lady named Jenny who is a freshman that plays shortstop for Hendersonville? She is impressive in all aspects. But I guess I am just a bragging parent? What about Lauren Baker , freshman pitcher who hit the ball over the fence yesterday, along with Colby the impressive Beech sophmore shortstop who socked one out too. I know a lot of kids hit the ball out but I am just trying to give examples of what top level training has produced and is really starting to surface in our younger classes. Think of what these young girls will be in a few years.

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jenny has developed into a very good player, my daughter played with her in travel ball when they where 12U and they face each other to this day. she has become a very good batter and a hard out on hendersonville. the reason for so many good underclassmen is that just a five-six years ago most of your high school teams were made up with roster fillers, and some league ball players. the development of travel ball in the mid-state has help us catch up to chattanooga.

[basehits]

Thinking about it there isnt much defense involved concerning the young freshman who has hit the ball over the fence 16 times either. What about the hitting power of the young lady named Jenny who is a freshman that plays shortstop for Hendersonville? She is impressive in all aspects. But I guess I am just a bragging parent? What about Lauren Baker , freshman pitcher who hit the ball over the fence yesterday, along with Colby the impressive Beech sophmore shortstop who socked one out too. I know a lot of kids hit the ball out but I am just trying to give examples of what top level training has produced and is really starting to surface in our younger classes. Think of what these young girls will be in a few years.

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No one is saying that the underclassmen arent great ballplayers, they really are, it is unbelieveable how many great freshman and sophmores there are....its just that the upperclassmen deserve to be named to the midstate team, again surely there are enough great upperclassman who deserves these honors.

[Bleacherbum]

I think people write about what they see. Some may be parents , some not. Pick up the paper and read. A few of these kids are better than we have ever seen. Freshmen hitting , what is it 16 homeruns over the fence? My goodness. 14 or 15yr. old freshmen  pitchers striking out over half the hitters they face in AAA ball. If thats not impressive I dont know what is. All of this is in the paper, talk to their coaches. Read about it.  I know of a sophmore pitcher ruling right now out of Chattanooga. A lot has to do with earlier training and  better coaching. If these kids are being recognized they have earned it. Papers are not going to run out to the field and interview daddy's little princess because he asks them to.

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As I said before, there are many really good Freshmen and Sophomore players....but there are just as many really good, if not better, Junior and Senior players....and this thread is for "All Mid-state choices", of which there usually arent but one or two chosen per position...so everyone cant be selected. Most of the freshmen/soph listed have a great future, but they are not the best players in the mid-state...Goodpasture has 4-5 seniors on their team that are as good as anyone....same holds true for riverdale, Wilson Central, Brentwood, Dickson, etc.

Most of the freshmen/soft parents havent seen those girls play much because their kids have been in lower age brackets in travel ball. And just because someone builds some good stats against "sisters of the poor" teams, that doesnt make them worthy of all-midstate.

[basehits]

As I said before, there are many really good Freshmen and Sophomore players....but there are just as many really good, if not better, Junior and Senior players....and this thread is for "All Mid-state choices", of which there usually arent but one or two chosen per position...so everyone cant be selected. Most of the freshmen/soph listed have a great future, but they are not the best players in the mid-state...Goodpasture has 4-5 seniors on their team that are as good as anyone....same holds true for riverdale, Wilson Central, Brentwood, Dickson, etc.

Most of the freshmen/soft parents havent seen those girls play much because their kids have been in lower age brackets in travel ball. And just because someone builds some good stats against "sisters of the poor" teams, that doesnt make them worthy of all-midstate.

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Very well said Bleacherbum........

[Bleacherbum]

Very well said Bleacherbum........

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Thanks basehits..I guess great minds think alike ... ...but I've been thru all this before...parents of young girls who have success in high school ball immediately always assume their daughter is the best in the city...when in fact, they have never seen many of the older girls play much.

[blazin08]

On the subject of non-mentioned players, the Blackman catcher Courtney Cahoon is very good. I have seen most of their home games, she can hit anybody. She has faced the good pitchers, Falon and Cat, she hit them. And she is leading Ruthreford County in batting averages. She is beating Jackie West and Falon. I'm not saying that she is the best freshmen or anything, I just think that she has been looked over because of the team she is on. Blackman has not had their strongest team this year. I really hope that they consider her for this year. I know that she has worked very hard. She took Alana Hicks' place behind the plate, and I think that she is filling her shoes very well.