DRock88

BM should cruise to the semis, and I'd expect either Rummel or STM. BM swept Rummel this season. Rummel doesn't have alot of scary pitching after Nugent. I don't know much about STM.

I take BM v STM in the semis on the top side.

Catholic should also cruise to the semis, and I'd expect Jesuit or Curtis. Jesuit is the more fundamentally sound team but Curtis is very athletic. Curtis will have to pitch very well to win.

I take Catholic v Jesuit in the semis on the bottom side.

STM has given BM problems in multiple sports. I still think BM gets by, even if it's in 3. BM has 3 solid starters and 3-4 trusty relievers plus some other arms. STM will probably have to beat them in 2 or use a bunch of their pitching before game 3, unless STM is deeper than I expect.

Jesuit could nickle and dime with Catholic, but won't beat them unless Catholic implodes like BM did against Jesuit in game 2. Catholic just almost never plays poorly.

BM v Catholic for the rematch. They are 2 different teams this season. BM lost all of the experienced Little League kids but this group seems hungry. They're deep on the mound and mostly swing the bats well. They start a 9th grader at 1B, they've struggled against small ball, and teams have been able to swipe bags against them, though. Catholic is obviously the best team in D1 Select, even with their own key losses to graduation, plus they get Lawrence back. To beat Catholic, you have to play almost perfect, run into some balls, and get some luck.

I don't see Catholic losing. In order for BM to win their first title since 1996, they may need somebody to sneak up on Catholic before the finals. Otherwise, it will take BM catching a bunch of breaks. Or, maybe BM gets them deep in the staff in games 1 and 2, and just outgrits them in a game 3 thriller.

Catholic sweeps BM again.

The metro area is really good in the 5th-7th grades, too (11U-14U for travel ball). And alot of those kids are playing a school schedule already at Christian Brothers, Curtis, Holy Cross, and some of the grammar schools.

BM beats Stanislaus 3-2.

Rummel beats Chalmette 11-1.

Curtis is beating Centerville 17-4 in the 3rd.

They play Lakeshore on Saturday. Again, I don't see a way they will throw a kid again on a Monday against Chalmette after a complete game on Thursday when he could throw a bullpen, sim, or intersquad later in the week or in the game/scrimmage this weekend. But, maybe I've lost touch. The fact that they have a bye doesn't seem relevant. He just pitched on Thursday and will have ample opportunity to pitch again before the playoffs start. Teams have more than 2 capable starters, as I understand. You don't blow your ace out against Chalmette before the playoffs start.

quote:

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The starting SS at ULL is a freshman from Slidell

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Blaze Rodriguez from Pope. He was hurt some of his senior season. Really good athlete. Good kid and family, too. He's struggled a bit at the plate as a freshman, but I think he'll be fine.

Jesuit beat Rummel in game 2, so BM and Jesuit are district co-champs.

Catholic has also taken the 1 spot in the power rankings. BM sits at 2, Curtis at 3. If the bracket were made today, most all of the Catholic League teams would be on the same side of the bracket.

Rummel won't use either of their top 2 arms but they swing the bats well. You're going to have to score some runs.

If he continues at this pace today, they'll make the move next week.

It's still fairly competitive in all stars in Jefferson Parish, but the rec leagues before all stars are very top heavy especially at the smaller parks like Cleary. Eastbank still puts some good all star teams out there in the 9/10 and 11/12 divisions from Girard, Lakeshore, Pontiff, Miley, and sometimes Cleary. When it gets to 13 and up, it gets watered down alot more. JPRD Eastbank still pretty much runs the state in 13 and up because it's even more watered down around the state. Westbank is done until 13 and up. I guess some of the kids come back.

I really like this order. Back to his R/L sequencing. Hunter Elliot is a handful, though. I feel like he's been there for 8 years.