What does James River have coming back next year? We play them early on in 2009. Thanks in advance...

4 positions return starters, three .300+ hitters and one .400+ hitter (2nd team All Metro). One backup/DH who also hit well with lots of power also returns and should start.

LHP who beat two of Baseball America's preseason top 50 teams with complete games, including the Central Region championship game. Outside of him, pitching is a question mark. Someone will have to step up if the team is going to contend.

There should be a good nucleus to start with, though some inexperienced and up-from-JV guys will have to prove themselves for the team to have a lot of success.

I would expect the team to be pretty good but it will be a challenge to pass by Manchester and Cosby with what they have coming back next year. I would expect JR to use any non-district games as a chance to evaluate new blood on the mound, so you should be in the game for sure.

The way the new field is situated, look for a lot more HR's in coming years. Wind blew in from left at the old field, it blows out to right center at the new field.

P.S.

I like that Bill Cullen kid. Great swing! But do you think he's done growing? Is he a 2009 or 2010 player?

Bill is a rising Junior. He probably won't get much bigger but he is drawing a lot of interest from college coaches as an outfielder. He is a bulldog on the mound, too. Dale will be similar to JR with regard to guys coming back. Dale returns the nucleus of Cullen, Carter, and Green among 5 starters returning. Should be a great early season matchup. Thanks for the info.

Jake Matthews has moved to Powhatan and the family has decided to enroll him at Powhatan HS. So that changes the answer above.

James River will now return pitchers who threw only 16 of over 170 innings pitched in 2007. And I'm not aware of any real studs moving up from JV on the mound. The batting order will be pretty good, but they'll have to be to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.

If you look at the successful 137 squad, most of the underclassmen in that team's starting lineup are from Manchester. You have to figure Cosby will reload, too, and Cosby may have the edge in coaching, but Manchester has several very stiff bats coming back plus one of the state's best rising senior pitchers. They did well this year with only one (now graduated) senior in the lineup, so they'll have at least 8 experienced varsity starters returning to the batting order.

I may make it a point to get to one or both of those Cosby-Manchester games if I can.