Top TN 2004 Short Stops

[HiwasseeVol]

It's getting close to the start of the season and I had some fun last year putting together the pre-season "Top Position" list for the first time on the 2003 players and didn't get too much grief, so if I can make the time.... I will try again for the 2004 class.

 

I'll start with the Short Stop position. Keep in mind that players play multiple positions on most high school teams and they may show up on more than one list and may not show up in the position that you prefer, but I will try my best.

 

Top TN 2004 Short Stops

[bizazz]

"Let the fray begin"

 

quoted from one of my favorite bands.

[REDSMAN]

TAYLOR BATES? ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHERE IS WILSON TROUTT OF GALLATIN? HIT OVER .400, ALL 9AAA? THE KID FORM WILSON CENTRAL IS TOUGH.....ANDREW NICKERSON FROM BRENTWOOD ACADEMY.......RICH FRONING SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE FROM COOKEVILLE....

Edited February 23, 2004 by REDSMAN

[5eagleball]

Nickerson is a junior at BA, Hiwassee... when does the outfield list come out?

[Bigman41709]

Andy Willis of Rockwood. He is just a sophomore. Switch hitter- will be one of the best when he's a Senior.

[yellowjacket21]

Hey man nice job on the listings there, i agree with you 100% and its nice to see Matt Putnam on the list at #22, he is a great player.

[Hack]

Trae Helton of Greenback will be once again one of the best SS in the state. The 2003 All Stater hit .550 and was District MVP. Their aren't many with his stats. Bigman I thought Cook was the starting SS at Rockwood. I watched him stroke the ball yesterday but will Coach Lane take out Cook who started all last year? If not where will he play because his stick has to be in the line-up

Hack #3

[HiwasseeVol]

TAYLOR BATES? ARE YOU SERIOUS? WHERE IS WILSON TROUTT OF GALLATIN? HIT OVER .400, ALL 9AAA? THE KID FORM WILSON CENTRAL IS TOUGH.....ANDREW NICKERSON FROM BRENTWOOD ACADEMY.......RICH FRONING SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE FROM COOKEVILLE....

 

Rich Froning is a 2B (2005 Class), Andrew Nickerson (2005 Class), Are you talking about Kyle Hicks at Wilson Central? (he is 2005). I don't have any information on a SS from Gallatin HS.

 

Email me detailed information if you wish, that is better than bashing a player on the list.

 

5eagleball,

Not sure on the OF yet, I have started work on C. I will get to it at soon as I can. That is as long as the hate mail isn't too bad.

[c-town'sfinest]

Bobby Bratten is a great player.glad to see he is in the top ten

[FightinAnchor15]

I am not one to step on toes, and surely I will not down play anything that HV does, and maybe this is a conversation that I need to come out of the "Dawg Pound" one of these weekend series and discuss face to face. But for the moment I am going to throw this out there everybody............What sets Cale Iorg apart from everybody else in his class? I have seen so many good players during high school and summer ball. I have never seen anything that really just overwelmingly sticks out about him. I guess to me he plays a "boring" game.....which is not bad at all....when I say boring I mean he walks a lot, which means he has a good eye and selective at the plate(a big plus) and he is just very fundamental and not show-off flashy at short. But I guess I have only seen so little games of his and how he has done against some good competition(Farragut and Thunder in this case) that I just would like some peoples input and how well he will fit at Alabama, what kind of sucess he will have in the KIL this year, will people pitch to him or around him, does he have the deep ball threat, how his line-up around him is? I am talking about educated input and thoughts not meaning to put him down in any way, I just was very surprised by his signing back in the fall, but more power to him . Because surely did something I did not do, which is getting a shot to play at the next level when his career at Karns is over.

[HiwasseeVol]

FightinAnchor15,

I would like to try to answer the question on what sets Cale apart, but first let me say that Zack Cozart has always impressed me the most at the SS position of the players in the 2004 class of the players I have watched. You might find that strange because he is #3 on the list, but more goes into the ranking than what I think.

 

Cale has done many things when it comes to exposure on a national level. He attended the right events and was seen by the right people and his five tools rate well when judged. He has the size and speed to project well by the pros. I was told not long ago that one scouting director has him rated the #2 SS by their club. That surprised me, but I'm not a scout.

 

On the high school level, my son plays 1B and has told me that he never gives up on any play that Cale has. He amazes him by getting to the ball and his outstanding arm. I also take into consideration the way others judge these players as you can see by my feelings on Zack Cozart.

 

Yours is an excellent post and I hope some others will respond.

[bizazz]

I'll throw a little in FA15.

 

I hadn't seen much of Cale, in person, until this summer. There's nothing he doesn't do well. He has very good metal bat power, which will be fine for college. He makes all the plays at shortstop. My only criticism is that he was sometimes a little nonchalant in delivering the ball to first base. But the throw always gets there on time, and accurately. From what I've read, Cale performed exceedingly well at some of the major showcases. He was selected to play in the inaugural AFLAC high school all-american game this summer, but had to sit out due to TSSAA rules. He has outstanding speed. I think he ran a sub 6.7 60 this summer. I think, like his older brother Eli, he would have the ability to play other positions as well.

 

If I were starting a team he'd cetainly be one of the first players I would consider.

 

I'm not saying he's the best. But he's certainly one of the best. IMHO