UPDATED! 12u Top Team Ranking – Pre ASA Nationals Poll!

[Under the Radar]

There was a little more defense this weekend then you are giving credit for. The semi final between the BB & VT it was almost all defense, with a score of 3-2 The Tribe only recorded 1 K in 5 innings, BB recorded 7 K. All in all it was a very good game depite the drama.

Championship game was also all defense 0-0 until the 4th inning Where the Angels scored 6. The Tribe recorded 0-K in the game & the Angels recorded 2-K's. Agian this was a very good game with alot of plays being made all over the field despite the final score.

I remember this same talk last year in 10u that all the So Cal teams were going to get killed at Nationals & they should merge in order to compete. Well guess what happened,

Team Smith Blue 1st
CA 2nd
OC BB 3rd
VT 7th

Not too bad for SoCal when I am sure we can look through the HeyBucket Archives and see where none of them were predicted to even make the top 10...... Go So Cal

[Clean_up]

I don't know who Yellow Balls is, but I don't think he is with our team. Sorry, I didn't mean to chest-thump, it would hurt. But when there is so much doubt about being able to win a tournament, well it's just nice to see the team come together and pull it off. My bad..

But, I also don't think the 1996s are of lesser talent than the 1995s or 1997s, I actually think there are more good players but are spread out on so many teams. So, Bracket is right with stacking the teams with the sticks and not putting a team together covering all the aspects of what makes a team great, ignoring critical defense needs. Also, IMO if 2010 is going to be more like 2007 or 2008, it's only because there are a few teams with most of the talent on them so much more likely to have 2 or 3 "super teams" who will shine above and beyond the rest.

CA-Lockman, BB Snow and AA Palomino IMO with Minor's Gold 97 and Wildcats 97 maybe making a tough run as well.

[Clean_up]

There was a little more defense this weekend then you are giving credit for. The semi final between the BB & VT it was almost all defense, with a score of 3-2 The Tribe only recorded 1 K in 5 innings, BB recorded 7 K. All in all it was a very good game depite the drama.

Championship game was also all defense 0-0 until the 4th inning Where the Angels scored 6. The Tribe recorded 0-K in the game & the Angels recorded 2-K's. Agian this was a very good game with alot of plays being made all over the field despite the final score.

I remember this same talk last year in 10u that all the So Cal teams were going to get killed at Nationals & they should merge in order to compete. Well guess what happened,

Team Smith Blue 1st
CA 2nd
OC BB 3rd
VT 7th

Not too bad for SoCal when I am sure we can look through the HeyBucket Archives and see where none of them were predicted to even make the top 10...... Go So Cal

BTW, 2nd baseman is a stud on Valley Tribe - awesome defense!

[Comets16]

Something to think about...You can say what happened in 2007 didn't matter, but I think it does..All of our girls heard CA teams are this and that, and they are and were all of it. However in the mind of 12/13 yr olds, they faced California teams best, and beat "them", therefore they "know" it can be done....

[bracketologist]

There was a little more defense this weekend then you are giving credit for. The semi final between the BB & VT it was almost all defense, with a score of 3-2 The Tribe only recorded 1 K in 5 innings, BB recorded 7 K. All in all it was a very good game depite the drama.

Championship game was also all defense 0-0 until the 4th inning Where the Angels scored 6. The Tribe recorded 0-K in the game & the Angels recorded 2-K's. Agian this was a very good game with alot of plays being made all over the field despite the final score.

I remember this same talk last year in 10u that all the So Cal teams were going to get killed at Nationals & they should merge in order to compete. Well guess what happened,

Team Smith Blue 1st
CA 2nd
OC BB 3rd
VT 7th

Not too bad for SoCal when I am sure we can look through the HeyBucket Archives and see where none of them were predicted to even make the top 10...... Go So Cal

BTW, 2nd baseman is a stud on Valley Tribe - awesome defense!

Great points about the Valley Tribe games and defense.

But you can't compare 10u Nationals to ASA 12U Nationals.... as most of the country does not play travel ball at 10u level. Typically the good pitchers from the other states have never played 10u travel ball. Yes you will see the same teams/names but the players will be different and the coaching much improved. The gap between the top So. Cal teams and the rest of the country has never been very big... yes we get the top spots... but it usually is because one team at Nationals usually sends the other states top teams to the losers brackets.

Last year it was the grapettes that did all the demage to the TX teams. Who sent OC Impact to the losers bracket a texas team........

[Luv_SC]

Wow Charlie hold on there I am not sure if yellow balls is a CA parent or not but maybe they are a little passionate about the team no need to bash. I have seen many close games between the top teams 1 to 2 or 1 to 0 so the defense is proabley better that soem give credit for. The problem is consistency and playing down to competition in my opinion. The teams need to learn to play consistently and at the same level each and every game and then things will be quite different. The 96's are not the 95's thats true but I do see a good level of talent. Good thing is we have time we arent leaving for nationals quite yet so thats a positive. We all should now know what we need to work on..

Under the radar I was one of the biggest advocates for the 10u teams merging last year and boy did I put my foot in my mouth wont make the same mistake twice this year. They all proved me and many others wrong. I will hopefully send a DD to both 10's and 12's this year so I hope Califronia teams perform good this year.

AS for Chris from the Comets it is getting old after three year hearing the same things about the Califronia teams. His big girls there 60MPH pitching and how they hit. Most team are very different with added players and different chemistry and our girls are proabley about same height as yours now but will never be as wide by nationals I can gurantee that.

[Clean_up]

Wow Charlie hold on there I am not sure if yellow balls is a CA parent or not but maybe they are a little passionate about the team no need to bash. I have seen many close games between the top teams 1 to 2 or 1 to 0 so the defense is proabley better that soem give credit for. The problem is consistency and playing down to competition in my opinion. The teams need to learn to play consistently and at the same level each and every game and then things will be quite different. The 96's are not the 95's thats true but I do see a good level of talent. Good thing is we have time we arent leaving for nationals quite yet so thats a positive. We all should now know what we need to work on..

Under the radar I was one of the biggest advocates for the 10u teams merging last year and boy did I put my foot in my mouth wont make the same mistake twice this year. They all proved me and many others wrong. I will hopefully send a DD to both 10's and 12's this year so I hope Califronia teams perform good this year.

AS for Chris from the Comets it is getting old after three year hearing the same things about the Califronia teams. His big girls there 60MPH pitching and how they hit. Most team are very different with added players and different chemistry and our girls are proabley about same height as yours now but will never be as wide by nationals I can gurantee that.

Yeah, Charlie - be nice. If you don't think keeping high-energy in the dugout is an important factor, that's fine and you are entitled to your opinion, but you don't have to dictate what can or cannot be posted... JK

[redzone]

Mr. Comet -- As I understand it, you were so confident with your 10U team that you merged with the Frost Falcons. Is that true? I'm sure that if the Firecrackers and Corona Angels merged (or any two of the top 6 in Southern California merged), we might be able to muster a few good innings against your powerhouse team.

[Comets16]

I love it when an outsider comes onto the California board you all stick together...Then tear each other apart in between..

Yes we merged with Frost Falcons..Our best and their best. A beautiful merger, egos, personal agendas set aside for one goal..Think California could ever do that? I think we know the answer don't we..

Beat us and you can have your three years.lol If you beat us, you were suppose to because you are from CA. We win, either way.lol If we win 3 more years, or until we are back at Nationals in 2010, but I guess for most of the 96 teams Nationals is an every other year kind of thing.....

Look I love our team, and I am just having fun with the die hard CA teams...Not everyone can "boast" a winning record against CA teams across the nation. CA is where it is at, everyone knows that....What you fail to see is my respect for all of the teams that are on Bracketologist top 20....The way CA teams talent, the way they play and coach the game, the dedication and sacrifices to the game of fastpitch, just the pure love for the game. CA is the best...

So I can't wait for the next big tournament results and Bracketologist report!!!

[Clean_up]

I love it when an outsider comes onto the California board you all stick together...Then tear each other apart in between..

Yes we merged with Frost Falcons..Our best and their best. A beautiful merger, egos, personal agendas set aside for one goal..Think California could ever do that? I think we know the answer don't we..

Beat us and you can have your three years.lol If you beat us, you were suppose to because you are from CA. We win, either way.lol If we win 3 more years, or until we are back at Nationals in 2010, but I guess for most of the 96 teams Nationals is an every other year kind of thing.....

Look I love our team, and I am just having fun with the die hard CA teams...Not everyone can "boast" a winning record against CA teams across the nation. CA is where it is at, everyone knows that....What you fail to see is my respect for all of the teams that are on Bracketologist top 20....The way CA teams talent, the way they play and coach the game, the dedication and sacrifices to the game of fastpitch, just the pure love for the game. CA is the best...

Good luck at Fresno Force, and can't wait to see the results and Bracketologist report!!!

We always stick together, even when we bash eachother - we have so many teams here, what else are we supposed to do each weekend? Listen to the crickets? Nothing but love here in CA. Wasn't your team mixed 95/96s last year? So, then this year you have a true '96 team that I'm sure will do great, since you too are expected to have a great showing.

Does anyone know what's up with Indiana Thunder? They went to Northern Nationals instead of Alabama last year, I assume they didn't want to get beat up and are waiting to send their team this year..