Baseball: Yes, Bonita takes top spot
TOP-TEN POLL: After one week the only undefeated team is Gladstone (6-0), and they're not in our top ten? If you want an explanation, look at their schedule. Now, Bonita deserves No. 1, but Northview is right there. Bishop Amat does fall all the way to No. 5 with two losses, especially after allowing so many runs to Diamond Ranch. Nogales makes a big push in the rankings following the return of all-everything Andrew Melchor. Diamond Bar is the best .sub 500 team in the Valley. And Damien, look at what they did in that tournament east of here. The Sierra League is scary. Only three teams get to the postseason, but all six are talented. When Diamond Bar is the only team with a losing record, you know it's going to be a long drawn-out fight until the end.
Games to watch this week:
Today: Covina at Baldwin Park, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday: South Hills at Nogales, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday: Diamond Bar at Glendora, 3:15 p.m.
Baseball Top Ten Poll
1. Bonita (3-1) -- Leading up to the rankings I thought the Bearcats were a team too many slept on. They weren't ranked in the preseason Division III poll, but had all the big pieces coming back. Northview fans are going to argue they won head-to-head, but it wasn't convincing enough to stop the tournament champions from taking over the top spot.
2. Northview (3-1) - Beating Murrieta Valley, Diamond Ranch and Bonita is certainly impressive. But they lost to Claremont when they were 0-2 and that sticks out like a sore thumb. Who knows, maybe a little taste of humble pie will serve them well in the long run.
3. Glendora (3-1) -- Except for their 8-4 loss to Bonita in the championship, the Tartans made a statement. They were the most consistent from start to finish, scoring 23 runs and allowing only 3 all the way to the finals.
4. Damien (3-1) -- What a terrific job coach Leyva has done in his short time with the program. They went to the Chino tournament and beat Miller, which is Miller's only loss; beat Kaiser and lost a close 3-2 game to Yucaipa. That's impressive any way you look at it.
5. Bishop Amat (2-2) - The amount of runs the Lancers are allowing has to be concerning. They have two of the best pitchers back, but maybe they're no so deep after that. It will be interesting to watch how they bounce back from two humbling losses in the Glendora tournament.
6. San Dimas (3-1) -- We only know of the four games posted, and one was a 15-2 loss to Chino Hills. They might be the only team in the Valle Vista capable of dethroning Northview. But we still don't know enough about them.
7. Nogales (4-1) -- Andrew Melchor, injured his junior year is back and what a difference it makes. Are they good enough to topple South Hills in the San Antonio? We'll see.
8. Diamond Ranch (2-2) -- When you swing the bat as well as they do you have the potential to knock off good teams like Bishop Amat. But don't expect any consistency.
9. Diamond Bar (2-3) -- The Brahmas arguably have played the toughest schedule so far, and with it comes wins over Long Beach Wilson, Villa Park and a loss to El Toro, one of the best teams in the Southern Section.
10. South Hills (3-3) -- After starting 0-3, the Huskies rallied back to win three straight, beating Arroyo, Colony and Don Lugo. They're still a mystery. Maybe the loss of Shirley affected them early, but they seemed to have regained their form.
Others of note: Gladstone (6-0), West Covina, (3-1), Charter Oak (1-2).
Baseball Standings and Schedules
Del Rey League
Miramonte League
Mission Valley League
Montview League
San Antonio League
Sierra League
Valle Vista League
23 Comments
Leave a comment
Links
Tribune Prep Sports
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
Miguel Melendez's prep blog
In the Huddle
ESPN
OC Varsity
San Bernardino Sun Preps
LA times Varsity Blog
Daily Bulletin Preps
Whittier Daily News Preps
LA Daily News Preps
Long Beach Press Telegram Preps
Daily Breeze Preps
Dyestat Track and Cross Country
MaxPreps
Rivals.Com
College Level Athletes
Nothing in Life is free..!
I Agree with the fact that the parents should cut the cord.Let them earn there place in life both on the field and off.It is said that when you throw a rock in a pack of wolfs (in this case pups)the one who yelppsss.. loud is the one who got hit.So take your addvice and cut the cord.the MEN on that team will out play the boys everytime..your smearr.. campian won't work here..so grow up really ...!
I fought this last year with a famous Amat blogger - ONE can never underestimate Baldwin Park. Loaded with talent or not, suprisingly or not - they can beat you. that is what enriches the VVL even more.
whaatt knowww..!
Its good to see that we can discuss this subject,travel team trivia.I know for a fact that there are freshman that are varsity material.but not many and not all from travel teams,and I only mentioned 2009 covina colts.call it like I see it.By the way how about that BP ball clubb.. Thank you for open mineded bloging.Good Luck to all ...
who has a bonita v dimas score?
Hey Fred are you feeling ok? Why is Glendora ahead of Damien? Lets go over some stats Damien beat Palm desert who is 5-2, beat AB Miller who is 3-1, beat Kaiser who is 2-2, and lost to Yucaipa who is 4-0 by 1 point. Now Glendora Beat Charter Oak 1-3, Alta Loma 2-2, and Diamond Ranch 2-2 and lost to Bonita 3-1 by 4. Damien also played at big kid parks not little league fields. Damien should be #3!!!!!
Competition is good...it's a part of life...it creates stronger work ethic for those that are able to handle the concept of wanting something and working your tail off to get it and keep it..I sit in the stands and hear parent after parent make excuses for their kids, instead of cutting the cord and holding them accountable for their performance. When did it all change and we become a society of expectation and entitlement. What happened to hard work and earning something? Last game I saw, it was the seniors that aren't getting it done and have had plenty of opportunities to do so....nobody is owed anything in life..
Bonita on top 5-0 top of 4
Ponzo getting hammered
AZUSA??? what's up? Lets start playing some ball and stop committing so many errors!
You've been replaced in the ranking. Lets go Coach Rigney and get them going!
SAN DIMAS VS. BONITA @ SANDIMAS......
Should be a great game, wondering if the coaches could hold back from using their aces, to prep for their season openers.
Ponzo, Leyland, Mier, Gelalich, Plowman, Calderone, who else will step up aside from the list above, that will determine the win.
8TH. GRADE PARENT,
QUIT WHILE YOUR NOT AHEAD!
8thgradeparent,
You make one very good point about the number of kids who show up to try out for their HS team unprepared but then, that was the case long before anyone ever considered travel ball. The fact of the matter is, preparation for the big field comes from drilling and practicing and not playing games, something most, if not all, travel teams fail to do enough of.
All pre-HS players need to practice at least two or three times more than they play. Nearly all travel teams I know of, do exactly the reverse, practicing three or four times a month to play in a couple of 3-5 game tourneys. The kids who DO show up as well prepared Freshmen do so usually because they have taken the time for EXTRA practice either with one of the travel coaches (often for an extra fee), an outside contractor (mostly for hitters and Pitchers), or a Dad who may have a little knowledge of the game.
This is all the more tragic when you consider that many HS coaches do very little teaching of the game. Some may have a Frosh or JV guy or two to bring along a prospect but often times they await fully trained if not fully developed talent. They really see themselves more as managers of the games and players than teachers. OK if you have a full pipeline, but not so swell when it gets a little dry or the mini-stars head to greener pastures.
loaza is so desperate to create a dynasty it just may bite him in the a**. good seniors should play - period. loaza wants the northview dynasty to go his way as well. he sure walked into a loaded 'packaged' team. that is the worst part of cif rules. those kids should not have been allowed to do that.
I Agree -- You can't use a kid's success at the lower levels or the success of a kid's lower level team as a predictor of success in High School, however---go to a Freshman Team tryout and you have to wonder, did some of these kids play any baseball in their lifetime? You can for sure tell the travel club players from not -- I admit that there are good travel teams, not so good travel teams and teams that call themselves a travel & should just play rec ball but the better players usually always get picked up by the better clubs and play in HS tournaments as 8th. graders and yes, can compete.
Bonita @ San Dimas tonight at 6:30
Lots of people are going to be there you may as well go to watch an exciting game
Good luck to both teams and GO SAINTS!!
8thgradeparent,
For every 9th grader who can make his HS team there are hundreds and hundreds who cannot, especially at established programs. As they grow and mature the odds improve markedly. You guys have a new coach, (and your handle is an indicator of your perspective), a certain amount of his transition will be loading up on new players, many of them young, that's natural.
BTW, don't get too worked up over that travel team thing. It's 2009 and everybody has played on one type travel team or another. There are dozens of travel ball studs riding the pine or playing JV ball all over. You can't use a kid's success at the lower levels or the success of a kid's lower level team as a predictor of success in High School.
Freshman can compete with the upper classmen. There is Freshman playing at alot of schools this year. Ayala has one, San Dimas has one, Charter Oak has one and as far as I know, they are all starting. If the seniors think they should play cuz they are seniors and don't want to compete for a spot, then they should not be playing the game.
Rock Day --
I have to disagree with you about Freshmen not being physically or mentally prepared to play in the Varsity level. No, the 14/15 year olds don't have the same mentality as the 18 year olds in the real world but in the baseball world they can be just as good if not better. Most of the Freshmen players that have made their high school varsity team have played years and years of travel baseball and can compete at any HS level. Which is how they even made the varsity team, they are gamers. Covina is loaded with Freshmen players, most of who played on the same travel team at one point or another. West Covina has a Freshmen player Bishop Amat and South Hills. All good ball players and definately can hang with the upperclassmen. Physically -- have you seen some of them? There are a few 6' and over. It's a shame the Seniors are quitting but hopefully it's for reasons other than the Freshmen starting.
Wow, Damien at #4. Spartan fans will be disappointed. Today we play Corona for the 3rd place in the Chino Tourney @ 3:15 @Chino. Come on out and support the SGV vs IE. If you don't make it I will report out later.
GO Damien!
don't sleep on Baldwin Park.
New coach, Old tradition!
Believe it!
Fred,
This long delay time between comments is killing the blogs.
Huummm..!
Games to watch,Is Covina vs BP going to be a competitive match up. Or will we witness continual collapse of the colt program.,Coach Loisas decision to start freshman,(not yet prepared for this level of play physically & mentally) over there stronger players.Has created a divison . Colts lost Another senior pitcher in the past few days. whaaat nowww...!?
Fred:
Another big game today is Bonita - San Dimas!
Will Bonita take the BB Smudge...
Stay tune and lets get ready to RUMBLE!!!
Yes, Fred you are right about the Sierra League, it's going to be a slug fest! Diamond Bar just finished playing a TOUGH pre-season schedule. I think their ready for league. Long Beach Wilson, Servite, and El Toro, gesh El Toro can hit hit hit hit! Diamond Bar needs to stop the infield hits through the 5 6 hole. To watch infield grounders go through the same hole game after game is not good! I think Shibley has worked on that at practice. DBAR needs to tighten up big time on defense, they can't continue to have problems running down balls in the outfield. A couple hits with a couple of errors that's their problem. Way to many successful bunts off DBAR's pitchers.....Third baseman & catcher need to work this out it has been a big problem. This team is young, but theres a lot of talent. Go DBHS!