Great reminder of a great tourney. They had a few down years with some quality teams having to drop out at the last minute and the space being filled with local teams who were available (the better teams had already committed elsewhere). But it is a fun tourney of high school teams, a bit different than when the 'elite' and/or travel teams compete in the summer. When a school team competes, it is most often done with the 'team' it was dealt, boys playing for the school they are assigned to attend. (Hopefully the recruiting topic won't come up.) It is great to see what these coaches can do with their own local talent.
As a side note, just to voice my opinion, I find these types of topics interesting and yet painful because people start guestimating who is the best etc. There is no level playing field when publications like BA select the top 50 teams, because we have no way to see what the competition is like for each school. Kind of like looking at a player's high school stats ... how do we really compare him to others when we can't tell what his competition was (other than in general terms because of the league he is in).
I always liked this idea: It isn't where a team starts the season (i.e., these 'lists'), it's where they finish at the end of the season.
Take care all. Sure am glad this part of baseball is behind me ... so much easier to watch from a distance (... yeah, right !!!)
Mary Ann * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8 [8/21/08]
Posts: 3937 | Location: Somewhere out there beneath the pale moonlight ... | Registered: January 02, 2003
The LA times posted their rankings. Crespi was their #1 for the greater LA area. I don't think the San Diego schools were included. One interesting point was that Royal and Westlake were ranked ahead of Thousand Oaks. Should be interesting. I remember seeing it in the paper this morning but I don't see it on latimes.com so I might have the wrong paper.
They also posted their list of players to follow on latimes.com/preps
Posts: 4703 | Location: Southern CA, USA | Registered: January 02, 2003
Whatever I read was from one sportswriter and not a coaches poll. Could have been from a different paper.
It was the Times. Dan Arrit's preseason baseball top 25 rankings.
1. Crespi 2. Cypress 3. Mater Dei 4. Wilson 5. Saugus 6. Los Al 7. Orange Lutheran 8. Vista Murrieta 9. Los Osos 10. Royal 11. Westlake 13. TO 14. Simi 21. Chatsworth
I think he's a Marmonte league fan.
Posts: 4703 | Location: Southern CA, USA | Registered: January 02, 2003
