Twitter blowing up about 7th grade rankings

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Dec 11, 2010
4,713
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I would say if she is 13 and hit 12 HR's, if the fences were regulation it don't really matter who was pitching.
I disagree with this, although this thinking is something that perpetuates itself in college too.

I think the true measure of hitters is “can they hit good pitching”. Can they contribute in competitive games i.e. “games that matter”.

So many hitters can hit homers in games that were never contested. They hit two in a 5 inning 15 run short game. Then they get eaten alive in “the games that matter”. Yet the coaches that recruited them can’t be wrong about their recruit, want them to be an All American and touts their home run numbers.

There are players who hit tons of HR’s that never amount to anything because they can’t hit good pitching. They disappear with time. Some stick around but never become the best hitters they can be because ”they hit a lot of home runs”…..

I hope you understand this is not a criticism of a player whose name I don't know and whom I have never seen swing a bat. It is an observation that hopefully helps someone.

14u was a really long time ago for me. My views on such matters have changed over the years.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
I will reiterate that the rankings are silly but with regards to this #1 player and how good she is,
her team won the 12U PGF championship in the Summer so I am going to take a wild guess and say they
were not playing C teams in the Fall...
She compiled a batting average of .512 at the 2022 PGF Nationals against top competition and also had an amazing 27 RBIs over the week. Heading into PGF, Kate had produced a .472 batting mark with 24 doubles, 10 triples, a dozen dingers

Is this who we are talking about? Because this player can indeed hit good pitching.

I would have thought the top 5-10 players would be no brainer good almost all the time. Except that one #5 was from my area…..
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
She compiled a batting average of .512 at the 2022 PGF Nationals against top competition and also had an amazing 27 RBIs over the week. Heading into PGF, Kate had produced a .472 batting mark with 24 doubles, 10 triples, a dozen dingers

Is this who we are talking about? Because this player can indeed hit good pitching.
I've lost track but I believe so...
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I would have thought the top 5-10 players would be no brainer good almost all the time. Except that one #5 was from my area…..
The kids I know in the top 20 2028's can all hit. They are all MI and I am fielding mechanics stickler so their fielding leaves a bit to be desired but the footwork necessary to be a good MI sometimes takes the longest to develop. I saw some video of Grace Lyons when she was in 8th or 9th grade and even she looked a little "clunky" (although you could tell she had a cannon for an arm)
 
May 13, 2021
643
93
I disagree with this, although this thinking is something that perpetuates itself in college too.

I think the true measure of hitters is “can they hit good pitching”. Can they contribute in competitive games i.e. “games that matter”.

So many hitters can hit homers in games that were never contested. They hit two in a 5 inning 15 run short game. Then they get eaten alive in “the games that matter”. Yet the coaches that recruited them can’t be wrong about their recruit, want them to be an All American and touts their home run numbers.

There are players who hit tons of HR’s that never amount to anything because they can’t hit good pitching. They disappear with time. Some stick around but never become the best hitters they can be because ”they hit a lot of home runs”…..

I hope you understand this is not a criticism of a player whose name I don't know and whom I have never seen swing a bat. It is an observation that hopefully helps someone.

14u was a really long time ago for me. My views on such matters have changed over the years.
So when Alo set the home run record which ones should they have not counted?
 
Sep 3, 2015
372
63
I will reiterate that the rankings are silly but with regards to this #1 player and how good she is,
her team won the 12U PGF championship in the Summer so I am going to take a wild guess and say they
were not playing C teams in the Fall...



Go Magic!!!

My DD was on the 18s team that placed 3rd and Ernie also coached the 12s that won it all. I believe the coaching staffs were the same. Pretty good couple of weeks!

Great example of a small org that can compete with the big dogs.

Who knows how good this kid is, good players on good team will by default get a higher ranking. Obviously she can play.


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