High School Baseball Forum: 2017 MHSBCA Pre-Season Rankings

Posted by Larry Doby on Tue, Jan 24, 2017, at 9:09 AM:

Congrats "Belle" City and 3 S-MC teams in the poll.

Class 1

1. Belle City

2. Northwest Hughesville

3 Silex

4. Oran

5. St. Elizabeth

6. Braymer

7. Green City

8. Cooter

9. Hurley

10. Macks Creek

Class 2

1. Valle Catholic

2. Canton

3. Plato

4. Lincoln

5. Vienna

6. Mansfield

7. Crane

8. Sturgeon

9. Chaffee

10. Scotland County

Others Receiving Votes:

Purdy, Bismarck, Liberal, West Platte,

Clopton, Galena

Class 3

1. South Callaway

2. Summit Christian

3. Scott City

4. Mt. Grove

5. Lawson

6. Strafford

7. Butler

8. Cuba

9. Caruthersville

10. Bowling Green

Class 4

1. Aurora

2. MICDS

3. Boonville

4. Fulton

5. Jeff City Helias

6. North County

7. Lutheran South

8. Smithville

9. Carl Junction

10. Notre Dame / Westminster (tie)

others receiving votes

Bolivar, Monett, Lutheran St. Charles,

Borgia, St. Joe Lafayette

Class 5

1. Jefferson City

2. Lindbergh

3. Rockwood Summit

4. Lee’s Summit West

5. Poplar Bluff

6. Ozark

7. Francis Howell

8. Vianney

9. Kickapoo

10. Hickman

Others Receiving Votes: Staley, Platte

County, CBC, Rock Bridge, Holt, Webb

City, Liberty North, Jackson, Sedalia

Replies (37)

• 

  Surprised to see caruthersville in the top 10.

  -- Posted by The WizKid on Tue, Jan 24, 2017, at 12:50 PM

• History happens when the time is right.

  -- Posted by Dustin Ward on Tue, Jan 24, 2017, at 3:08 PM

• "History happens when the time is right" is by far my favorite Dustin quote. Maybe favorite quote of any media.

  -- Posted by ESPN05 on Tue, Jan 24, 2017, at 3:31 PM

• I don't know much about C-ville except they have a very good young pitcher named Dudley.

  Bell City, Scott City, Oran and Valle will all be contenders in the post season. Not sure about Chaffee. They've got some good underclassmen, but are probably a year away from being a state contender.

  Jackson should be a top 10 team for sure.

  -- Posted by Deuce43 on Tue, Jan 24, 2017, at 5:25 PM
• 

  Cville lost some key seniors. I don't see them in the top ten when the season gets underway

  -- Posted by The WizKid on Wed, Jan 25, 2017, at 10:39 AM

• Caruthersville has most of their team back. They won't be able to replace the Faulkner or Young kid but they have mostly juniors and some good seniors this year. They have a plethora of pitching this year and with the new pitching rule they should be pretty good They will give Scott City all that they can handle

  -- Posted by Kennett fan on Wed, Jan 25, 2017, at 8:21 PM

• I can't help but think the new pitch count rules are going to be a "nightmare" to enforce!

  -- Posted by semo7178 on Wed, Jan 25, 2017, at 8:43 PM

• new pitch count rules are going to blow ranking apart. For those teams that are not deep in pitching and try to ride 1 or 2 pitchers are going to struggle.

  -- Posted by thatDude on Thu, Jan 26, 2017, at 9:52 AM
• 

  I think Scott city is gonna be real tough this year. Idk if cville will be able to touch them but you never know baseball is a game of who shows up and who doesn't.

  -- Posted by The WizKid on Fri, Feb 10, 2017, at 8:04 AM

• Very surprised to see Poplar Bluff that high, they haven't won the district in a few years. They have won 1 in the past 5, and they lost their best player in a generation.

  I do believe they have as good of shot as anyone to win the district this year, but to be ranked 5 in the state???

  -- Posted by insidescoop on Sun, Feb 19, 2017, at 8:52 PM

• I've got a contact in Bluff that has a son on the team. He says they have 4 Senior's that have already signed to play college baseball and possibly 2 more that will sign before the season starts. Also, says their Junior class has several good players. Of course, with the new pitching rules it will depend on how deep they are in quality arms. Guess we will see pretty soon.

  -- Posted by CrashDavis on Tue, Feb 21, 2017, at 1:18 PM

• Bluff may be good, but some of the St. Louis schools have Juniors that are already committed to colleges, let alone Seniors. I am talking Division I commitments. I'll be surprised if they are better than Vianney or Francis Howell. Those schools are loaded.

  -- Posted by Mr. Baseball on Thu, Feb 23, 2017, at 12:11 PM
• 

  History tends to repeat itself.

  With that being said...History happens when the time is right.

  -- Posted by bulldog21forever on Thu, Feb 23, 2017, at 12:22 PM

• ^^^^Awesome Comment

  -- Posted by ESPN05 on Thu, Feb 23, 2017, at 12:40 PM

• They still have to get through their district before worrying about the STL schools.Jackson is not an average team and has had a lot of recent success. Class 5 districts are tough and anyone can win.

  -- Posted by bulldogfn on Thu, Feb 23, 2017, at 5:59 PM

• I mentioned Vianney and Francis Howell because they are ranked below Poplar Bluff in the pre-season poll. No doubt, Jackson is a good team as well.

  -- Posted by Mr. Baseball on Thu, Feb 23, 2017, at 7:22 PM

• Im not sure how the rankings are selected. No doubt bluff had a talented team last year not to mention a kid going in the MLB draft however, Misner is on to bigger things and won't help bluff on the hill, in the outfield, or even at the plate. I wonder how they will recoup without him. Jackson vs Bluff game this will be a lot better game than last years game.

  -- Posted by sportsfan14 on Fri, Feb 24, 2017, at 8:04 AM

• I see a couple of MAAA schools are in the rankings. I know there are a lot of MAAA followers on this website. What are your thoughts? Large and small schools.

  I know North County has most everyone back, which I am sure why they are preseason ranked. Ste. Gen has almost everyone back. Farmington lost some key seniors. Potosi has some quality kids back, especially the Jacobson kid. Fredericktown will be improved. Park Hills will be tough as usual. Don't know much about the small schools except that Valle always has talent like Wood and Loida and Bismarck has some real quality kids like the Jarvis kid. Arcadia Valley has the Pryor kid who is a dandy also. What does anyone else think?

  -- Posted by Tales of the Crypt on Wed, Mar 1, 2017, at 3:09 PM

• It only matters where you are ranked at the end of the season.

  -- Posted by Oiler12 on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 9:48 AM

• Agree with the above on the MAAA schools, should be some great competition and games. The pitch count rule will hurt some these schools because though they have some good talent they are not very deep in quality pitching. I think North County will be the team to watch because they do have about everyone back and I hear they added another #1 type pitcher that moved back in this year. I heard a 6-5 kid that can touch 90, but that is hear-say and havn't seen it yet.

  -- Posted by thatDude on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 9:51 AM

• Regarding the pitching rules: I am not sure if the pitch rule will matter as much in the playoffs. I can see a team with a worse record than they usually have in the regular season, but finish very well in the state playoffs. It may work out better for teams with 2 or 3 primary pitchers, as they can rest more in the regular season and may have less stress on the arm when it comes to playoffs. I will have to think about this some more, and how it could impact a playoff run to state.

  -- Posted by Mr. Baseball on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 11:09 AM

• Mr. Baseball - To get to State you have to get through districts, districts is usually 4 day tournament (some are longer, but average 4 day). Your #1 and #2 throw enough pitches to get you to the championship day they could potentially not be available to pitch in championship - which if you don't have a good #3 and the other team does - big advantage in my book.

  46-60 = 2 days

  61-75 = 3 days

  76+ = 4 days

  I think your going to see some new techniques in place in post season - I think pitchers will be coached to be very conservative and take more pitches? possibly - thoughts?

  -- Posted by thatDude on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 11:36 AM

• correction above - I think your going to see some new techniques in place in post season - I think "HITTERS" will be coached to be very conservative and take more pitches? possibly - thoughts?

  -- Posted by thatDude on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 11:37 AM

• In smaller school especially, the new rule will change records which could effect post season seeds. This is definitely a scenario where the rule effects post season results.

  Now coaches are going to have their kids learn to take productive at bats and be selective instead of aggressive. Before some people may have wanted to make productive, yet aggressive outs with a first pitch ground out. "Make the other team make plays!". Now the more helpful at bat could be a 7 pitch strikeout. I see average scores and game times going up until everyone adapts.

  -- Posted by ReyCOCoach on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 12:13 PM

• Thanks for the feedback. The new rule is making me think about how the best strategy plays out. A team is definitely at an advantage with a deeper staff, with the 3rd pitcher maybe being the key guy.

  Shortened games because of the 10 run rule could really help a team in the districts, so how tough your district is will be a factor.

  Taking pitches, as you have mentioned, could be a key.

  Also, maybe getting your primary pitchers to get more outs by contact rather than striking people out?

  -- Posted by Mr. Baseball on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 12:18 PM

• SEMOsportFan, I may have made a few of the same comments as you, sorry. I was typing when your response posted.

  Either way, I can't wait for baseball season.

  -- Posted by Mr. Baseball on Thu, Mar 2, 2017, at 12:37 PM
• 

  It will be very interesting to see how this new pitch count rule will work. I have seen some teams throw their number 1 who has pitched 100+ pitches in a game on a two days rest because they don't have a 3rd pitcher. this will be a big game changer

  -- Posted by The WizKid on Fri, Mar 3, 2017, at 2:56 PM

• Will make for some really BAD baseball. I would schedule less games if I were a coach but it's too late for that this year.

  -- Posted by crackerjack on Fri, Mar 3, 2017, at 3:08 PM

• I can see where the new rule could change the game in a couple of ways: In the past, where some coaches have eased up, as opposed to ending the game after 5 innings, there might be more instances now of keeping the hammer down, which could reduce playing time for non-starters. And like others have mentioned, I think we can expect hitters to take more pitches than in the past.

  -- Posted by semo7178 on Fri, Mar 3, 2017, at 3:33 PM

• I think at times it could get ugly but your main guys are going to throw a district game and in tourneys you will see some upsets, but in college normally the third guy isn't spectacular so those sunday games are high scoring, its going to effect the playoffs because if your guy struggles at all then you take him out he could be done for multiple days, I think its dumb, I think its a 1 yr deal, the yr we got lucky and won it all our number 1 threw awful we pulled him in the third, by these new standards hes done and he doesn't pitch anymore the rest of the time, well the next day he throws a shutout, all kids are different and I don't think coaches hurt kids arms, if you have a kid throughout summer fall and spring you know how many days he has to rest to be effective, these new rules are terrible in my opinion, we will see a ton of football scores this spring and umpires who will widen the zone to try to move game along, its going to be bad.

  -- Posted by CoachMathis44 on Mon, Mar 6, 2017, at 8:46 AM

• Exactly right coach. They're trying to treat every kid the same. Let the coaches do their job.

  -- Posted by crackerjack on Mon, Mar 6, 2017, at 8:49 AM

• Thinking about it more, with hitters maybe more conservative and looking at more pitches, maybe it changes in that pitchers are more aggressive in their approach. I've seen some good pitchers that live on those outside 2 inches of the plate and sheen high fastballs. Maybe they know this year with the pitch count, and hitters taking they will move those pitches in and up a little to save pitches - maybe those great pitchers get hit harder this year? it will be interesting to see how it plays out this year! I definitely think it will be based on teams and knowing how deep they are in pitching on how coaches approach the game. I can't really say if I'm for it or against it yet - but one things for sure I will be in the stands paying close attention to how it pans out!

  -- Posted by thatDude on Mon, Mar 6, 2017, at 9:45 AM

• The new pitch count rule makes throwing strikes and playing defense all the more important. If you can throw plenty of strikes and make the routine play you are going to be able to have pitchers in the game a lot longer with the pitch count in place.

  -- Posted by CoachThompson8 on Thu, Mar 9, 2017, at 10:38 AM

• One of the saddest things about this rule is that it is going to make the results of all non-district games virtually meaningless. NOBODY is going to waste a single pitch from any of their top arms in a contest that isn't within their district. No one has enough arms to be able to afford to.

  As a result, it is going to significantly lower the quality of play, and accuracy of result in some of Southeast Missouri's top rivalries.

  For Example:

  Cooter (C1) vs. South Pem (C2)

  Malden (C3) vs. New Madrid (C4)

  Senath-Hornersville (C2) vs. Kennett (C4)

  Etc. Etc. Etc.

  -- Posted by No sir on Thu, Mar 9, 2017, at 5:33 PM

• It's a BAD rule. Let the coaches coach.

  -- Posted by crackerjack on Thu, Mar 9, 2017, at 5:50 PM

• I'm sure the Kennett-Senath game means a whole lot more to Senath than Kennett. Kennett could care less about Senath, guaranteed.

  -- Posted by Slim shady on Thu, Mar 9, 2017, at 7:05 PM

• KillerWhale I think you're fishing but I do think that last thing about Senath's coach (2Trip2C) is pretty funny lol...you and that guy from Kelly that was on his case would have a good chat I'm sure.

  -- Posted by PimpDaddyTaddy on Fri, Mar 10, 2017, at 1:56 PM