South Doyle v. D-B

[5743]

SD BB field is about 295 down the lines 345 in power alley and 380 to dead center. Not exactly a "small" park. It is a decent HS park.

 

Someone commented on how they beat SD in the regular season... Did Bell or Holland pitch in that game??? If you don't see those guys you aren't seeing their best. Both are lefties and both can throw into the 90's. Bell was hitting 93 on the gun against DB.

 

My "grand experiment" comment was a jab at the "we wiil do what Farragut did last year posts" of earlier today when it came to the starting rotation. Obviously Farragut got away with it last year but it is tough when S-D essentially has 2 #1 starters and a pretty decent # 3 in Brentz.

 

Scarry thing is how good would they be if Cody Haun (Arkanasas signee) hadn't tore up his knee in Feb. and missed the entire season. he hit something like 15 Homers last year and with this lineup would have been hard to pitch around.

 

With Oakland's loss the door is wide open for SD.

[WaCoJaCo]

I wonder if anybody keeps such records as most playoff appearences without a championship? DB has most football wins in the state, most baseball wins in the state, and most basketball wins in the nation, but have never even come close to winning a state championship. You can make all the excuses you want, choking, coaches, weak schedules, etc. Wheather your a DB fan or not, just think about it. History has shown that in the regular season DB can play some of the best teams in the state and win, or at least be in a position to win right up to the last second. Put them in a playoff game and they will lose 90% of the time. This has been the fact for 40+ years. I can't explain it. Maybe there is a jinx, if there is such a thing. I just know Morristown West must be felling pretty low knowing they lost a playoff game to DB. Anyway, Im putting another million dollars on DB losing in the first round of the playoffs in football this upcoming season. Anybody want any of that action?

[XxYyZz]

By Ron Bliss

TriCitiesSports.com

May 18, 2007

 

"You have to be able to hit good pitchers like him when you get to this level and he dominated us,'' said D-B coach Mike Ritz. "You can't go anywhere if you can't hit those kind of guys.''

 

"We didn't even hit a ball hard off him today,'' lamented Ritz. "That is about as much as we've been dominated by a pitcher.''

 

"He's as good as we've seen this year,'' said Ritz. "He pitched a great game. He has good velocity, a good changeup and curve.''

 

Well, who have the D-B kids played against all year (or over the last few years)? That kind of training of your best hitters happens for the state's best high school programs in the summer. Those Knoxville guys spend their summers playing for The Thunder or The Yard and seeing pitching like this every weekend. Other guys across the state do the same thing with other elite programs.

 

It all came undone for the Indians in this game -- with pitching, defense and offense all subpar. The four errors committed led to five unearned runs in the game.

 

Again, the best players develop those pitching, defensive, and hitting skills playing against the best all summer long -- not playing just together since they were 9 or 10. And maybe it's not enough to "live by the long ball" as D-B is described doing. Maybe you also have to catch and throw without errors and to get the best hitters out.

 

Burton allowed two-run home runs by Eric Conley and Matt Kirkland and was pulled in favor of Tyler Joyce, who then allowed a two-run shot by Bell to complete the six-run, first-inning outburst. Joyce allowed the Cherokees only two more runs -- both unearned -- while finishing, but with Bell's domination it was too little, too late.

 

Does go back to someone's earlier question about why you'd start Burton on short rest when he hasn't pitched on short rest and Joyce hasn't pitched in 8 days, not to mention that Joyce has actually been the "big game pitcher" for this team for the last two or three years.

 

The only hit off Bell, now 13-0 with a 0.90 ERA, was a soft single by junior Gabe Overcast who only came into the game after a change had to be made to pull starting pitcher Bo Burton in the first after it became obvious he didn't have the same stuff he'd shown Monday while beating Morristown West.

 

Or, maybe he had the same stuff and SD isn't Morristown West or any of the other n'east TN teams. The only other strong team from the Big 9 beat D-B 3 times in the last 2 weeks and is "going to State"

 

Or maybe the fourth, when he struck out the side. He finished with 13 strikeouts and fanned every batter in the Indian lineup except Jordan Adams. He got Wesley Lane, Derek Trent, Easton Ring, Wesley Jones and Overcast twice each. The only two runners to reach got there on walks. Derek Trent and Joyce each drew walks in the third inning.

 

Bottom line is that D-B's pitchers didn't just give up 8 hits and 8 runs, the "best hitters in n'east TN" didn't get a hit. Heck they had 13 strikeouts and only had 3 baserunners. Maybe it's time for a true "grand experiment" -- consider putting the best in the D-B program out into the real baseball world to see how they measure up and to give them some training that will give them a chance to compete when they get into the post-season with their high school team. It's time to modernize the approach and to get those kids out of the cacoon. Again, not intended to pile on for the D-B seniors. They're probably not quite as special as a class as the D-B community has talked (and talked and talked), but they also weren't given the same instruction and direction as the best players in the big programs across the state. They weren't ever given a realistic measure of themselves as players because they only play with their high school team against weaker competition from little schools in their area. Feeds the ego while it's happening, but it also leads to season ending disappointments like the one last night. Baseball's not like football where kids are pretty dependent on the coach being able to schedule strong competition during the season for their teams to get better. Baseball players have full summers for skill development if they (or if their coaches) choose to take advantage of it. If your best players go off and compete against the best and succeed there, then maybe it's fair to talk big about how great the team is going to be and lofty season expectations. But, when they don't have success against the elite players from across the country, you might just end up with egg on your face when the actual measure of the team comes when it matters most in post-season play against the first real competition of the season and ends in a whimper (sad 8-0 loss as the one last night).

[eagle26]

QUOTE(5743 @ May 18 2007 - 11:33 PM) 826462540[/snapback].......With Oakland's loss the door is wide open for SD.

 

 

Anyone who really understands baseball knows that the "door is wide open" for eight AAA teams coming to Murfreesboro. Clearly, SD is a good baseball team, but they will do themselves an injustice if they come into this looking past Cleveland, Smyrna, Houston (not to mention clubs like Franklin, Bartlett, Science Hill, and Bradley Central).

[DBGRAD70]

QUOTE(XxYyZz @ May 19 2007 - 08:41 AM) 826462679[/snapback]Bottom line is that D-B's pitchers didn't just give up 8 hits and 8 runs, the "best hitters in n'east TN" didn't get a hit. Heck they had 13 strikeouts and only had 3 baserunners. Maybe it's time for a true "grand experiment" -- consider putting the best in the D-B program out into the real baseball world to see how they measure up and to give them some training that will give them a chance to compete when they get into the post-season with their high school team. It's time to modernize the approach and to get those kids out of the cacoon. Again, not intended to pile on for the D-B seniors. They're probably not quite as special as a class as the D-B community has talked (and talked and talked), but they also weren't given the same instruction and direction as the best players in the big programs across the state. They weren't ever given a realistic measure of themselves as players because they only play with their high school team against weaker competition from little schools in their area. Feeds the ego while it's happening, but it also leads to season ending disappointments like the one last night. Baseball's not like football where kids are pretty dependent on the coach being able to schedule strong competition during the season for their teams to get better. Baseball players have full summers for skill development if they (or if their coaches) choose to take advantage of it. If your best players go off and compete against the best and succeed there, then maybe it's fair to talk big about how great the team is going to be and lofty season expectations. But, when they don't have success against the elite players from across the country, you might just end up with egg on your face when the actual measure of the team comes when it matters most in post-season play against the first real competition of the season and ends in a whimper (sad 8-0 loss as the one last night).

 

 

Do you know for sure that they did not participate in special summer programs last summer or is that just a guess on your part? Obviously it is a good point if you are correct. But how does that explain the fact that they beat Science Hill 3 times (8-2, 17-4, 3-1) in regular season and get whooped just as convincingly in playoffs. Same deal for South Doyle. Maybe they just caught SD on a bad day? I do agree that they need to get these kids experience outside this area so that they really do know how good or bad they are and learn where to improve. Maybe looking in the larger areas for top quality coaches might be a novel idea too.

[ihavenofriendzz]

QUOTE(HB2021 @ May 18 2007 - 11:42 PM) 826462474[/snapback]not surprising db is always overrated and are not good enough to hang with this region

 

 

Where have you been HB? You quite posting on the district board once the season started.

 

QUOTE(5743 @ May 19 2007 - 12:33 AM) 826462540[/snapback]SD BB field is about 295 down the lines 345 in power alley and 380 to dead center. Not exactly a "small" park. It is a decent HS park.

 

Is it really that deep in center? The HR that LC got there was to dead center and when I heard it(I didn't see most of it, I was getting some of that great food at SD), it did not sound like a HR. It just sounded like a kind of deep fly ball, but I never would have thought it would be a HR. The distance down the lines is what I was thinking when I was there, but I thought it was shorter to dead center and in the power alley.

[oldtimer41]

SD BB field is about 295 down the lines 345 in power alley and 380 to dead center. Not exactly a "small" park. It is a decent HS park.

 

 

295 down the lines? are you kidding me? What do you think this is....William Blount? The power alley and center dimensions are correct, however it is 310 down the lines. Trust me, I've personally measured it.

[XxYyZz]

QUOTE(DBGRAD70 @ May 19 2007 - 10:58 AM) 826462810[/snapback]Do you know for sure that they did not participate in special summer programs last summer or is that just a guess on your part? Obviously it is a good point if you are correct. But how does that explain the fact that they beat Science Hill 3 times (8-2, 17-4, 3-1) in regular season and get whooped just as convincingly in playoffs. Same deal for South Doyle. Maybe they just caught SD on a bad day? I do agree that they need to get these kids experience outside this area so that they really do know how good or bad they are and learn where to improve. Maybe looking in the larger areas for top quality coaches might be a novel idea too.

 

 

 

No, it's not a guess. Know for sure their top players did not play on travel teams. Their top players rarely do, and when they do they pay a price. Very much discouraged by coach who likes to keep them together to play area "summer ball" which is a joke. Even the smaller schools don't have all their kids there in the summer, so they're not even playing the best in the area. But, they win a lot of games and can walk around talking about how they're going to dominate and will "win state". That's said every 3 or 4 years. Only, they never do -- don't even get there. Can't tell you about this team this season and the Science Hill games specifically. Have held back from suggesting the team "choked" as some have said, though they must have felt a tremendous amount of pressure. It's been predicted that this senior class at D-B would "win state" in football and baseball and get to the state tourney in basketball since they were in grade school. As Waco points out, the end result in post-season play for many D-B teams (in multiple sports) is most often the same -- big talk before and during the season but still never get as far as predicted. Happens year in and year out. The constant in that is not players because they come and go. The constant is the coaches and the organization of their programs. And, maybe the problem is coaches identifying their "star" players when they're 9 or 10 and never watching again to see if those kids really mature and progress as players. And, they often don't watch other kids who may be in "weak classes" or late bloomers. Anyway . . . just my opinion.

[1moreDBmom]

QUOTE(riverdaleman @ May 18 2007 - 11:50 PM) 826462484[/snapback]I have no seen DB play but i will have seen SD play i to me they was the best team i saw play this year they can hit top to bottom and their pitching was deep they pitched their 4 against us and handled us very well and they tattooed one of our better pitchers so do me a favor

STOP SAYING DB CHOKED

this SD team is a VERY GOOD TEAM and in my opinion has a very good chance to win state

good luck in the boro SD

 

 

 

I think by claiming DB choked you are in essence trying to say SD is not a good team....hogwash. South Doyle is a fantastic ballclub.

 

South Doyle played a lights out game last night. They not only got the win they deserved the win as well!

 

The best team won that game hands down.

 

The fans, players and coaches on both sides are to be commended. When the game was over the boys meet on the field and did not just slap hands as they passed...they shook hands and gave hugs to each other...

 

South Doyle won with a lot of class and Dobyns-Bennett lost with a lot of class.

 

Now I am exhausted, I spent the morning sitting in the bleachers watching my son along with about 400 other students graduate today, after getting about 4 hours of sleep last night.

 

I had a minute and I wanted to wish South Doyle the very best of luck next week.

 

I will be cheering for you guys!

[bravos2007]

u no i feel sorry 4 sout doyle if they had beat ne other team that was in sectional in the fashion they beat db all we would hear is bout south doyle but no since they beat db its db who didnt come to play or choked its plain and simple SD not only won they got DB down from the begining and kept them there great game SD good season DB hopefully SD great game can turn in to a great season with 4 more wins

[Mi Kees]

QUOTE(1moreDBmom @ May 19 2007 - 03:39 PM) 826462894[/snapback]I think by claiming DB choked you are in essence trying to say SD is not a good team....hogwash. South Doyle is a fantastic ballclub.

 

South Doyle played a lights out game last night. They not only got the win they deserved the win as well!

 

The best team won that game hands down.

 

The fans, players and coaches on both sides are to be commended. When the game was over the boys meet on the field and did not just slap hands as they passed...they shook hands and gave hugs to each other...

 

South Doyle won with a lot of class and Dobyns-Bennett lost with a lot of class.

 

Now I am exhausted, I spent the morning sitting in the bleachers watching my son along with about 400 other students graduate today, after getting about 4 hours of sleep last night.

 

I had a minute and I wanted to wish South Doyle the very best of luck next week.

 

I will be cheering for you guys!

Thanks DBmom. The Cherokees hope to keep the state championship in East Tennessee. You are correct when you say all to be commended. I know it was a hard game for the DB fans to sit through, but they continued to lift their team late when Bell looked unhitable. These guys have too been talked about since they were 12 years old and it is great to see 8 great seniors have a chance to do something no major sports team has at SD and that is a state championship. OH and GOOOOOOO KEEEEEES We are all so proud of you.

[catsbackr]

Great game, great atmosphere, knowledgeable fans. It was a very good experience for myself and my 2 partners.

 

Thanks to the South Doyle staff for setting up a first class entry and exit, first class dressing area and food and drinks after the game for the umpiring crew.

 

Congratulations to both Dobyns Bennett and South Doyle for great seasons!