Grainger Grizzlies

[GC Grizzlies]

What can we expect from the Grizzlies in their inaugural season? Does anyone know who is coming back and if there will be any suprises on the team this year? How about you KevB, what insight do you have on this years team? I heard one big rumor about a possible newcomer. Is there any truth to the rumor that Skylar McBee may try his hand at baseball, perhaps trying his hand at pitching? ( He definitely has a great arm. He can throw a football 65 yards.) What can we expect from the Grizzlies this season?

[frankenvol]

What can we expect from the Grizzlies in their inaugural season? Does anyone know who is coming back and if there will be any suprises on the team this year? How about you KevB, what insight do you have on this years team? I heard one big rumor about a possible newcomer. Is there any truth to the rumor that Skylar McBee may try his hand at baseball, perhaps trying his hand at pitching? ( He definitely has a great arm. He can throw a football 65 yards.) What can we expect from the Grizzlies this season?

 

The McBee kid would be interesting? Is it true that his sister was a standout at Rutledge? I also heard that his brother-in-law was a college coach (baseball). If that is true, he could be a huge addition to the Grizzlies.

[Luvdagame]

Should be a strong inaugural season for the Grizzlies. Yes, McBee may add something to this team, but even without McBee they have a good mix of older and younger players with experience coming back. They only lost two starters off of last years team and they lost no significant pitching to speak of. Seniors Jed Corum, Zach Blanken, Billy Connelly, and Brack Ballard have all played significant innings at the Varsity level and in good summer travel situations. Corum, Blanken, and Ballard can hit with anyone in East Tennessee and all three can go deep at any time. Connelly probably ended last year as the best pitcher in the rotation with a decent fastball and a better curve.

 

Juniors Ryan Webster and Lucas Cope will be back making significant contributions. They both add great size in the 6'3" to 6'4" range. Webster can be an effective pitcher and a very respectable hitter. Cope has such tremendous promise as a catcher and a hitter, but honestly needs to follow the seniors' example on working in the offseason to get better. What he hits goes a long way, but he needs to to add consistency at the plate. Dylan Evans worked hard in the offseason for a team playing out of Carson-Newman College. He should push Cope a bit for playing time. Jake Graves is also a junior who is improving and could also add help at first base.

 

Sophomores Jake Corum, Konner Brabson, and Brandon Sautorius also return having played significant innings as freshman. Aaron Carter probably has the most upside with more work of any of the sophomores. He has a big body and is a very strong young man, but lacks the reps to probably help a great deal at the Varsity level this year. Cody Glascock may also add depth in the middle infield.

 

There are a handful of other players who may contribute, but these are the bulk of what the Grizzlies will be calling upon this year. Ought to be a good conference with Pigeon Forge losing two major players (Guinn and Harveston) and Gatlinburg-Pittman consistently getting better.

[Anonymi]

Should be a strong inaugural season for the Grizzlies. Yes, McBee may add something to this team, but even without McBee they have a good mix of older and younger players with experience coming back. They only lost two starters off of last years team and they lost no significant pitching to speak of. Seniors Jed Corum, Zach Blanken, Billy Connelly, and Brack Ballard have all played significant innings at the Varsity level and in good summer travel situations. Corum, Blanken, and Ballard can hit with anyone in East Tennessee and all three can go deep at any time. Connelly probably ended last year as the best pitcher in the rotation with a decent fastball and a better curve.

 

Juniors Ryan Webster and Lucas Cope will be back making significant contributions. They both add great size in the 6'3" to 6'4" range. Webster can be an effective pitcher and a very respectable hitter. Cope has such tremendous promise as a catcher and a hitter, but honestly needs to follow the seniors' example on working in the offseason to get better. What he hits goes a long way, but he needs to to add consistency at the plate. Dylan Evans worked hard in the offseason for a team playing out of Carson-Newman College. He should push Cope a bit for playing time. Jake Graves is also a junior who is improving and could also add help at first base.

 

Sophomores Jake Corum, Konner Brabson, and Brandon Sautorius also return having played significant innings as freshman. Aaron Carter probably has the most upside with more work of any of the sophomores. He has a big body and is a very strong young man, but lacks the reps to probably help a great deal at the Varsity level this year. Cody Glascock may also add depth in the middle infield.

 

There are a handful of other players who may contribute, but these are the bulk of what the Grizzlies will be calling upon this year. Ought to be a good conference with Pigeon Forge losing two major players (Guinn and Harveston) and Gatlinburg-Pittman consistently getting better.

Pigeon Forge will hand it to them this year. They are going all the way.

[Luvdagame]

/sleep.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="-_-" border="0" alt="sleep.gif" /> "Pigeon Forge will hand it to them this year. They are going all the way."

 

Please.............., don't be too brash with false bravado. I give homage that Pigeon Forge can be a good ball team, but Carson Newman signee Lucas Watson from GP can shut anybody down on the right day. And what Grainger lacks in quality pitching can be more than made up for with the big bats all through their lineup. This will be a wide open race with potentially three very good teams.

[KevB1990]

I'll have to admit that's the first I've heard about Skylar playing baseball, or even entertaining the idea of playing baseball. Like Luvdagame said already there's plenty without him on the baseball team. I mean for goodness sakes Rutledge was always in contention and did about everything they could on the baseball field except get past the sectionals. Now with newer facilities and quite possibly more interest at Grainger there's potential there for a carryover of the success from the Rutledge days.

 

I've not talked with Coach Bishop or Coach Tate though to get the skinny. I'm sure that the Skylar rumor is a lot like the Daniel Singleton rumor from five years ago at Rutledge when some thought his uncle, then head coach Wallace, was going to get him to play as a senior. It's a good topic for discussion, but probably not something that will happen.

 

As far as the rest of the district, the Sevier County teams (both of them this year I suppose) will be the main competition. Pigeon has been very tough to beat since they broke through with the Cannon family in the early part of this decade. The extra inning championship game at West Greene where the Tigers were the first team to beat Jason Gray in nearly two years was a classic and a heartbreaker rolled into one.

[GC Grizzlies]

/sleep.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="-_-" border="0" alt="sleep.gif" /> "Pigeon Forge will hand it to them this year. They are going all the way."

 

Please.............., don't be too brash with false bravado. I give homage that Pigeon Forge can be a good ball team, but Carson Newman signee Lucas Watson from GP can shut anybody down on the right day. And what Grainger lacks in quality pitching can be more than made up for with the big bats all through their lineup. This will be a wide open race with potentially three very good teams.

 

What will be the possible rotation this year? I know that no one knows who will be 1,2,3, etc...but who are some of their pitchers and what do they bring to the table?

[Luvdagame]

What will be the possible rotation this year? I know that no one knows who will be 1,2,3, etc...but who are some of their pitchers and what do they bring to the table?

 

 

Great question. Grainger returns some respectable arms this year with senior Connelly, junior Wesbster, and sophomore Jake Corum. Senior Jed Corum will certainly get an opportunity returning from arm surgery last year. Beyond that it is probably anyone's guess. The pitching area is where the McBee rumor becomes interesting. If he does play will it be as a pitcher? Or put him in the outfield to run about anything out there down? Or do they allow his natural athleticism to contribute at short or third? Pitching is the X factor for this team. If it steps up they could be very, very good. If not, well....

[GC Grizzlies]

Great question. Grainger returns some respectable arms this year with senior Connelly, junior Wesbster, and sophomore Jake Corum. Senior Jed Corum will certainly get an opportunity returning from arm surgery last year. Beyond that it is probably anyone's guess. The pitching area is where the McBee rumor becomes interesting. If he does play will it be as a pitcher? Or put him in the outfield to run about anything out there down? Or do they allow his natural athleticism to contribute at short or third? Pitching is the X factor for this team. If it steps up they could be very, very good. If not, well....

 

I have never watched McBee play baseball and I don't know where he could play if he was to come out for the team. I saw the Pioneers play last year and they were in need of some experience up the middle. They played a freshman at SS and he struggled quite a bit. He looked very athletic, but was kind of small if I remember right. How is Grainger's depth in the IF and OF this year?

[Luvdagame]

I have never watched McBee play baseball and I don't know where he could play if he was to come out for the team. I saw the Pioneers play last year and they were in need of some experience up the middle. They played a freshman at SS and he struggled quite a bit. He looked very athletic, but was kind of small if I remember right. How is Grainger's depth in the IF and OF this year?

 

Grainger should have four to five good outfielders to call on at any time. Should also have four to five solid infielders. Who plays what is of course for the coaches and what they see this spring in practice. It is too early to tell or even predict who will be playing where at this point. Your question pertained to the middle D - center field and catcher will probably be patrolled by juniors and seniors. The double play combo will more likely be left to some combination of sophomores/juniors. They should be better defensively than last year. But this question should really be answered by someone who knows this team much better than myself. Maybe someone from Grainger can join in?

[GC Grizzlies]

Grizzly fans don't forget Phil Garner will be speaking at a dinner the 20th for the baseball team.

[Coach Bigdog]

Looks like the rumor is true, McBee is suppose to be playing on the diamond this year although his positon has not yet been decided. Hopefully he can find the strike zone if he pitches.

 

No matter what position he plays ,I think he will help the team in all aspects of the game.

 

He will do his part and do whatever he does well , like he always does because that is how he does things , he is a hard worker.

 

Hopefully this first season as a Grizzly will be a great one to remember.