Nor - Cal 12U Spring Summer Rankings

[bring'nheat]

Junkie, as for high school ball, it's just that....high school ball. If you look on a majority of high school teams, you may be lucky to find 3-5 travel ball players. Now if you go to schools like Oakdale and Hughson, every one of their players are involved in ASA 'A" travel ball. Now maybe not all of them are successful at that level, but they'll be better than the average high school player. There were several Freshmen (14u's) that if they did not make varsity, they bypassed high school ball and continued to play travel ball. And if you were ever a high school athlete, the pride of playing for your school (and that's if you liked your school) and with your friends is why many play. Also, there are those that have no desire to go on past high school softball. It's suppose to be FUN!

[Sftball Junkie]

Bring'n Heat

My point exactly... 1st to 3rd makes this comment If I'm understanding it correct that these girls who play for Stone won't be able to play HS Ball based on all of the false promises?? If I read this wrong let me know. All I know is HS Ball is more about playing with your schools name on your chest, School Pride and fun then it is anything else. Maybe I did not understand his comment its below if someone else can shed some light.

1st to 3rd wrote:
I seriously doubdt ANYONE is scasred about playing stone. REC BALL/ Daddy GOGGLES what happens when these girls get to HIGH SCHOOL with all the false promises?

[1st to 3rd]

I apoligize for the comment my intention was not to ever put down 11-13 year old girls. The comment was directed more to overzealous paents in general. The point I was trying to make is parents and coaches should not sugarcoat their kids or teams abilities. If your individual skills and overall team play need improvement (which all girls and teams do) then acknowledge that and go to work! This game teaches ladies life lessons that will be with them forever! How to work hard to achieve your goals, how to win with humility and lose with grace, time management skills, social skills, ect... I am sorry I offended anyone and will choose my words wisely moving forward. I will get back on track with rankings only and will release them the first week of every month. Next ranking will be released April 2nd.

[lookingIN]

Mizuno Stone lost to KG hitters in Championship game in Manteca. Congrats to the KG hitters on winning the tourny.

[1st to 3rd]

I saw that Congrats to KG. I have said all along they are the best 00' team out there. I would expect them to beat Stone 7-10. Also noticed Grapes Norwood was run ruled 9-0 in the championship game at Arnaiz by RR - Miller and Grapes - Kappmeyer had a bad Saturday and ended up in a silver bracket in Manteca Sunday due to two 1 run losses (they did end up winning the silver bracket). Looks like the Grapes teams have some work to do to be spoken in the same breath as RR - Miller and Mizuno - Garcia. Both have good coaching, talented athletes and tons of potential. Looking forward to an event where the Top 10 teams are all in attendance. Looks like that will not happen until Fresno Force.

[MommysPitcher]

I saw that Congrats to KG. I have said all along they are the best 00' team out there. I would expect them to beat Stone 7-10. Also noticed Grapes Norwood was run ruled 9-0 in the championship game at Arnaiz by RR - Miller and Grapes - Kappmeyer had a bad Saturday and ended up in a silver bracket in Manteca Sunday due to two 1 run losses (they did end up winning the silver bracket). Looks like the Grapes teams have some work to do to be spoken in the same breath as RR - Miller and Mizuno - Garcia. Both have good coaching, talented athletes and tons of potential. Looking forward to an event where the Top 10 teams are all in attendance. Looks like that will not happen until Fresno Force.

Kappmeyer lost 2 games Saturday. Not just 1. & he played one of the easiest teams in the championship game.

[SoftballSoccerDad]

Kappmeyer lost 2 games Saturday. Not just 1. & he played one of the easiest teams in the championship game.

First time, I thought you were just joking, but now it seems that you're just mean.

It would be one thing if you said that he coached against one of the weaker coaches in the division, but you called them an easy team. That's not nice, even just having fun talking smack.

[99NorCal]

The tone of this entire topic has been this way, unfortunately. Lots of things said about specific players and things like "weak" or "easy" about entire teams. Check the ranking notes about Breeze '00 losing to a "weak" Mizuno-Leppanen team.

1st to 3rd, you lost a little credibility with some of your comments in the thread, but like you said, you had a moment of weakness and apologized for it. I'd like to see you keep this ranking alive because you put together a strong initial ranking. You might have changed it a little too quickly based on some individual games. Look instead at how a team does through an entire tourney and whether the team gets to the 'ship (whether winning it or not). So Grapettes-Kappmeyer getting 2nd place to Norwood a couple weeks ago keeps them in the top 10, even though they didn't have as good as a tourney in USSSA last weekend. Maybe they drop a spot or two, but still a top 10 team. KG Hitters shows it's a legit call for top 10 by winning the championship over Mizuno-Stone at that same tourney, who should get credit for placing 2nd in a big field (but still polled behind KG) and should have a top 10 ranking over Heat-Cota and Breeze-Madison until those teams go deep into a tourney on Sunday.

Too much action takes place to only update once a month. May I suggest at least twice a month? Otherwise, I can see others creating competing pools. You have something here. Keep it up. Maybe instead of calling out specific positions, focus on the strengths of the team overall and keep track of their tourney finishes (1st place ASA Sacramento, 2nd place RR Gold, etc.).

[1st to 3rd]

Ok points taken and agreed. I will update twice per month after the April 2nd poll. This will mean that no more than 2 tournaments occur without an evaluation and ranking. I actually plan on adopting Brackeys (SoCal) ranking system. He uses a system that has been in place in SoCal for 5-6 seasons and has been pretty spot on every year.

[Thebattery]

Heat Cota 2000 has 1 (one) 1999 player, 9 (nine) 2000 players and 1 (one) 2001 FYI.

And dont tell me no team has no bad day. Because really nobody is perfect. Laugh about all you want. Truth.

There's nothing wrong with making preseason rankings based on potential and hype. Once the season begins, however, rankings ought to be based on performance, not excuses. Any team that plays in the silver bracket of a 20-team tournament is not in the region's top 10 until they prove otherwise at their next tournament. They lost to a great Team Xtreme which was to be expected, but also lost to a younger Roseville Heat Cota team that is not even in the top 10. Maybe Cota should be. Rankings should be based on what a team has done, not what you think a team can do.

It's just fun to talk about here. No excuses, though.

SSD I completely agree with what you are saying yet we really don't know what any of these teams have done. You can't look at friendlies because all teams treat those different. I kinda look at it like a college football ranking. You can't really say who is one thru ten or who is weak and who is not until the teams get a body of work under them. 1 or 2 tournaments is not a body of work.
1st to 3rd I am not sure I would put any 00 teams in the top 10 other then KG Tracy. To answer someones question yes Heat 00 is not an age pure 00 team I have been told they have at least 4 99's I think 5. That I know of the only 3 age pure 00 teams out there are Breeze Madison, Hype Cobian and Mizuno Lep. The rest from what I have been told have at least 3 or more 99's.

Everyone is talking about the one game with Heat 00 and Stone 5 - 0 win. Does that really mean much?
Example:
Hype 00 beat North Valley Rapids 3 - 1 on Sat then got run rule pounded by Stone on Sunday. Yet at the same time North Valley Rapids took Heat 00 out of the tournament on Sunday. If we are going on one game stats wouldn't this put North Valley Rapids from the middle of nowhere above the Heat. But wait the based on the one game stat Hype 00 beat North Valley Rapids on Saturday so they must be a better team then Stone, Heat 00 and North Valley Rapids. Right?? One game stats that's crazy!!! That would be like saying because Mizuno Lep a team that has 1 descent pitcher and is clearly in a building year is better then Breeze 00 because they run ruled Breeze 13 -2. 00 teams will ping pong all over at the start of the year that's part of the transition to 12's, any one of these young teams can step up and play for a game it's what they are doing at the mid point of the year and on that would allow me to rank them.

I can't imagine the coaches or parents of the Heat are hanging their hat's very high on this win over Stone or a win over Breeze 99. Breeze 99 is a pretty weak 99 team and Stone waxed Heat every game in Fall.

JMHO I would keep the ranking the way you had them until we see more proof.