by bracketologist » Mon Jan 26, 2009 8:03 pm
Here is my response to Comet 16u about this weekends TCS HB Classic. I think it sums everything up.
Winners - Corona Angels K
2nd - Valley Tride
I know it was the first tournament back... but I see the same lack of basic defense skills every tournament. Having watched 12u Nationals for 3 straight years, the formula is the same 4-5 decent bats….everyone else has a role! You simply can not hide 3 girls with big bats but no or very little defensive skills. A simple rule that works today, as it did 3 years ago.
“If you don’t play good defense you don’t bat.” At least 5-6 girls on the team must eat, drink and sleep this….. believe this! If we don’t improve the defense being played in 12u … every team will return from Nationals like PowerSurge 96 stating
“Our bats went dead at Nationals.”
The problem at Nationals weren’t the bats, but their defense wasn’t good enough to keep them mentally in the games!
Victory USA won the 2007 ASA 12U National Championship tournament with a record of 9 wins and 0 losses, scoring 61 runs while allowing 3 runs.
Victory 7 - Worth Cobras (Georgia) 1
Victory 8 - San Diego Renagades 0
Victory 16 - Austin Storm (Texas) 0
Victory 10 - Lady Lasers (Ohio) 0
Victory 5 - Frost Falcons (Tennessee) 1
Victory 8 - Salinas Storm (Calif) 0
Victory 2 - Lil' Slammers (Ohio) 0
Victory 2 - Corona Angels (Calif) "D" 1
Victory 3 - Lakewood Ladies (Calif) 0
I hope someone posts the CA95 Smith ASA Nationals scores...
Ok I added my two cents... here's what I said on another post on Heybucket!
Comets 16u
The good news for you. Any of the Top three Texas teams in 2008 or the three Ohio teams in 2007 would be favorites at ASA Nationals against this years SoCal 12u teams!
What's happened? We have stated to play softball like baseball..... the long ball makes up for a poor defensive! So if you have three good pitchers and a solid defense you will be very very competitive. However, I will promise you that in 2010 we will be very strong - similar to 2007!
Here's the free scouting report!
I think I did a good job handicapping the 12u field at TCS Huntington Beach Classic
I said -
The Final 8 should be............ if they play!
So. Cal Diamonds
OC Wildcats 96
Corona Xpress
Corona Angels – K
Valley Tribe
SD Legacy
OC Batbuster 96
CA Rebels
The Final 8 were
Oc Wildcats 96
Corona Express
Corona Angels – K
Valley Tribe
OC Batbuster 96
SD Legacy
--- didn’t get –
American Athletics P
Nemesis
However I did state that Pool A was the hardest – which contained three of the final eight Wildcats, Nemesis, AA-P!
What did I learn?
1. The 12u poll is pretty accurate … if you are scouting from out of state as all of the final eight team were already ranked teams (except. SD Legacy – which benefited from the bracket)
2. This isn’t 2008, 2007, or 2006 – there is not a super So. Cal team that can play bad and still beat another top 12 team! In fact I do not believe we have a team that is capable of beating any of the teams ranked 11-20 and then beating three top ten teams in back to back to back games.
3. The 2007 teams play better overall team defense than the 1996 12u teams. The younger teams still are not as arm strong, don’t pick things up quickly or make spectacular plays but overall – if you take the fielding percentages of the top 96 team’s infield and the top 1997 teams have the same or better fielding percentage.
4. The top teams are all hiding bats that are a serious defensive liability! The coaches did not pay attention to what wins 12u nationals for So.CA every year … and that is defense not offense. The CA95/OC Impact and Victory/Lakewood, Synergy 93 all won the key 2-1, 1-0, etc. games To put it frankly, if any of the top ten teams 1 and 2 pitchers had the Corona Angels 95 defense they would win state! I bet if you look on the other site today … you will see 5-6 teams looking for more bats and not one looking for a SS or 2nd, and a softball 3rd stud. In softball you can’t hide a great bat at 3rd base… to win ASA Nationals you need a stud at 3rd – one that’s willing and able to play up close and take away the short game, has a accurate arm to make a catchable throw to 1st 95% of the time and is aggressive as hack to take medium to slow rollers headed to SS. I could go on and on but you get the point. Defense is way down, offensive is up and pitching is even with 1995. Sorry but a great offensive may help you beat the Firecrackers, Powersurge etc. in one game, but the defensive liability will get you killed against the other teams ranked 11-20.
5. Here is how I group the teams:
Will qualify with talent to win Nationals: without help!
Firecrackers – two good pitchers, above average offensive … not top team defense. Hiding bats!
CA Rebels – Most consistent offensive – defensive hiding bats!
Corona Angels Knighten – best defense day in and day out – that’s not saying much with the 1996s. But this is the team closest to the formula - 2 monster bats everyone else needs a role!
San Diego Power Surge – Speed & Power … hiding bats!
Will qualify for ASA Nationals but will need a good bracket or a little help to win Nationals!
O.C. Batbusters Marquez
So Cal Jynx –
O.C. Wildcats 96
2007 Teams that if they improve like a normal elite younger team can challenge
OC Batbusters – Snow 97
Corona Angels Lockman (mostly 97)
(parents please keep these 97 teams together - they have the potential of 2007 12u So Cal top three Victory, Lakewood, Corona Angels ... good enough to win 14u as a young team and have players jump from 1yr 14u to 18u).
Should qualify and be dangerous – will send some of the above teams to the losers bracket or home in the elimination bracket.
AA Palomino 97
BombSquad 96
Valley Tribe 96/97
Corona Xpress
Cal Thunder
Will battle to qualify – can beat anyone except the top 4 teams - when it counts!
Irving Sting
Raiders
Team Smith 96 –
So Cal Crunch
No Fear 96
OC Batburster – Ray
Nemesis 96