Teams to watch come States.

[Sftbll4ever]

Pulver's team is a legit 16u team. You might be thinking of Grant's team for 14u playing up.

[Sam]

10U Watchlist: (this is not too difficult):

1. Corona Angels
2. Team Smith Blue
3. Cerritos Franchise
4. American Athletics
5. OC Batbusters
6. Valley Tribe
7. Double Play
8. IV Stealth
9. So Cal Crunch 98
10. So Cal Heaters

1-6 are interchangeable depending on what week it is... Angels and TSB remain the favorites... 3-6 is a matter of opinion depending on the style of ball your prefer... #3 Franchise is quick, exciting on defense, fast on the bases, 3 slappers in the line-up but prone to a bad inning on defense and lacking a dominant pitcher #4 American Athletics has the best 10U hitter on their team and overall pretty solid, but can be prone to getting a little rattled...#5 OC Batbusters, good team, but has match up problems with some of the better teams. #6 Valley Tribe has the dominant pitcher in the division (along with Angels P #00), but they are inconsistent at the plate and average on defense. #7-10 won't win States, but they will play an important role as spoilers... DP took TSB to ITB in the Palm Springs Tournament, So Cal Crunch beat Franchise in the semis of the Vegas tourney after being mercy shut out by them the day before...

Don't think any of the teams will fare well at Nationals... Just one of those years...

Here are the facts-
Angels and TSB will battle every single game with the Angels having the "Ship" experience behind them. Will be interesting if they play one another early. Angels have depth in there line up that can play small ball, put the ball in play and hit for power. You can't figure out #00- this kid is special. 5 tool player which separates her from all other 10u's. Power, Speed, Arm srength, Range and Wits (Can also pitch). She plays beyond her years and can cause havoc. Pitching-both pitchers on the Angels are flat out studs. Can throw (verified) low 50's with movement/location which is rare in 10u and have the experience of the big games behind them X 4 since Sept. 2007.

TSB all around good team and likely biggest threat to CA. The problem though is there pitching. They will not blow it by you and against a good hitting team like CA it can get ugly.

Dont count out Batbusters. On a good weekend they can be tough.

Lastly, CA has a winning coach behind them who will out coach others.

My prediction: CA, TSB and Batbusters.

Nationals- Dont count out CA teams. Last years out of State contenders moved up.

The fact that one has been able to recruit the most talented players does not equate out-coaching another team. Our team in 2001 finished 13th at SoCal State....yet we finished 5th at ASA Nationals....we had a great draw, but we finished higher than a lot of teams that had better ballplayers. I don't see the Angels outcoaching anybody...he's been luck enough to be associated with teams with some very good players.

[Dontknownutin]

10U Watchlist: (this is not too difficult):

1. Corona Angels
2. Team Smith Blue
3. Cerritos Franchise
4. American Athletics
5. OC Batbusters
6. Valley Tribe
7. Double Play
8. IV Stealth
9. So Cal Crunch 98
10. So Cal Heaters

1-6 are interchangeable depending on what week it is... Angels and TSB remain the favorites... 3-6 is a matter of opinion depending on the style of ball your prefer... #3 Franchise is quick, exciting on defense, fast on the bases, 3 slappers in the line-up but prone to a bad inning on defense and lacking a dominant pitcher #4 American Athletics has the best 10U hitter on their team and overall pretty solid, but can be prone to getting a little rattled...#5 OC Batbusters, good team, but has match up problems with some of the better teams. #6 Valley Tribe has the dominant pitcher in the division (along with Angels P #00), but they are inconsistent at the plate and average on defense. #7-10 won't win States, but they will play an important role as spoilers... DP took TSB to ITB in the Palm Springs Tournament, So Cal Crunch beat Franchise in the semis of the Vegas tourney after being mercy shut out by them the day before...

Don't think any of the teams will fare well at Nationals... Just one of those years...

Here are the facts-
Angels and TSB will battle every single game with the Angels having the "Ship" experience behind them. Will be interesting if they play one another early. Angels have depth in there line up that can play small ball, put the ball in play and hit for power. You can't figure out #00- this kid is special. 5 tool player which separates her from all other 10u's. Power, Speed, Arm srength, Range and Wits (Can also pitch). She plays beyond her years and can cause havoc. Pitching-both pitchers on the Angels are flat out studs. Can throw (verified) low 50's with movement/location which is rare in 10u and have the experience of the big games behind them X 4 since Sept. 2007.

TSB all around good team and likely biggest threat to CA. The problem though is there pitching. They will not blow it by you and against a good hitting team like CA it can get ugly.

Dont count out Batbusters. On a good weekend they can be tough.

Lastly, CA has a winning coach behind them who will out coach others.

My prediction: CA, TSB and Batbusters.

Nationals- Dont count out CA teams. Last years out of State contenders moved up.

The fact that one has been able to recruit the most talented players does not equate out-coaching another team. Our team in 2001 finished 13th at SoCal State....yet we finished 5th at ASA Nationals....we had a great draw, but we finished higher than a lot of teams that had better ballplayers. I don't see the Angels outcoaching anybody...he's been luck enough to be associated with teams with some very good players.

Some truth to this statement but being able to recruit is the first stages of out coaching another. That being said, it certainly won't guarantee a win but it sure is a great start.

[CoachShark]

That is Dave Clark's Dynasty, Art Lilly's Team is So Cal Dynasty. They are still getting players back from HS.

[Jitterbug]

I was wondering why Renegades Sandberg (spelling) was playing in the SOCAL 14&U state tournament. I thought a team forfieted their berth to nationals if they played in the state trounament. I feel sorry for any team they may eliminate because they already have a berth to nationals.

[anonlooker]

That is Dave Clark's Dynasty, Art Lilly's Team is So Cal Dynasty. They are still getting players back from HS.

Speaking of Dave and Art, if their HS teams both win today (Tuesday), they will play each other on Thursday in the CIF playoffs. Definitely a game worth catching if it comes off.

[Sam]

Sam,
I have always respected your opinions and insights but lately you have just become extremely cynical and curmudgeonly.
I know you don't mince words and used to have the voice of reason and common sense, but has it really gotten that bad?

You don't know the half of it....

[Sam]

I was wondering why Renegades Sandberg (spelling) was playing in the SOCAL 14&U state tournament. I thought a team forfieted their berth to nationals if they played in the state trounament. I feel sorry for any team they may eliminate because they already have a berth to nationals.

That rule was changed a couple of years ago.

[Sam]

Sam,
I have always respected your opinions and insights but lately you have just become extremely cynical and curmudgeonly.
I know you don't mince words and used to have the voice of reason and common sense, but has it really gotten that bad?

You don't know the half of it....

I particularly take exception to the illusion that the Corona Angels coaches can somehow outcoach their opponents. Minus Marty and Mike Smith (two of the finest coaches in the game), the coaches over there are fairly ordinary and benefit from the name of the organization and that Marty often participates in tryouts for teams he has little to do with. The same can be said of other organizations who recruit many players due to the earned reputations of other coaches within the organization.

Just my opinion.

[sanschromo]

What are the 16u and 18u teams to watch? It looks like there are maybe 66 16u teams in SoCal State 16u and there must be that many in 18u now that it is at 43 feet and so many 18u teams with "Gold" in their name to attract players whose parents insist their kid be on a "Gold" team even though they won't qualify for Oklahoma, or in half the cases even enter, Gold qualifiers. Isn't the "win games by playing regular rules" that 18u now does result in a more accurate team measure of achievement than these "Gold showcase" event teams that bend the rules of the game so much? Not to take any kudos away from the top Gold Nationals teams, now apparently loaded with 1st year college players, but with so many of these end-of-your-youth teams now playing 43' 18u, and having to actually play by regular rules like no endless pinch running your fastest runner EVERY baserunner, etc., like many do at the "Gold showcases", and managers actually having to manage games and skillfully use their players, it seems like the 18u and even 16u tournaments will suddenly return to highly competitive team softball. So who are the hot teams to watch?