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03-14-2011, 08:26 AM
For a team that has won 13 regional titles and has a coach with 600+ wins, this team is really flying under the radar.
They will return 6 starters, including 3 of their top 4 batters in the lineup. Womack, one of their 3 seniors this year, hit .396 last year, including multi-hit games against, Harlan County, at Clay County (Griffin), at SL (Smith), at Knox (King) and stole 18 bases.
They also return Junior shortstop Thomas Epperson who hit .333 last year as a sophomore with multi-hit games against Corbin (Vorbeck), Knox (Bailey), at Greenup, and Clay (Griffin- two of those 3 hits were HRs).
They return a few guys who will compete for the role of ace this year with the number one candidate being sophomore lefty Michael Wilson who went 4-1 last year as a freshman. He pitched 27.1 innings and struck out 37 batters. He also only gave up 10 hits in those 27.1 innings of work. He pitched 4 2/3 against Clay County at their place last year and only gave up 1 hit. In my bias opinion, a 3.07 ERA is pretty good for a freshman.
http://www.middlesborohighschoolbaseball.com/
How do you all think they will do?
They will return 6 starters, including 3 of their top 4 batters in the lineup. Womack, one of their 3 seniors this year, hit .396 last year, including multi-hit games against, Harlan County, at Clay County (Griffin), at SL (Smith), at Knox (King) and stole 18 bases.
They also return Junior shortstop Thomas Epperson who hit .333 last year as a sophomore with multi-hit games against Corbin (Vorbeck), Knox (Bailey), at Greenup, and Clay (Griffin- two of those 3 hits were HRs).
They return a few guys who will compete for the role of ace this year with the number one candidate being sophomore lefty Michael Wilson who went 4-1 last year as a freshman. He pitched 27.1 innings and struck out 37 batters. He also only gave up 10 hits in those 27.1 innings of work. He pitched 4 2/3 against Clay County at their place last year and only gave up 1 hit. In my bias opinion, a 3.07 ERA is pretty good for a freshman.
http://www.middlesborohighschoolbaseball.com/
How do you all think they will do?
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03-14-2011, 08:33 AM
should have a good season
03-14-2011, 11:37 AM
Middlesboro lost some good talent from last years team. Coming into the season I see them to be projected as the number two team in that district behind HC. But by the end of the season they very well could be the number one team in the district and a top contender for region. That wouldnt surprise me one bit.
03-14-2011, 11:51 AM
the dark wizard Wrote:Middlesboro lost some good talent from last years team. Coming into the season I see them to be projected as the number two team in that district behind HC. But by the end of the season they very well could be the number one team in the district and a top contender for region. That wouldnt surprise me one bit.
HC has a ton of talent coming back and I can understand their optimism. But, they did get beaten by MHS 3 out of 3 times last year, one of those times by a pitcher they have returning this year (Cox). I don't agree with MHS coming in as the 2nd best. If anything, the reasoning should be the other way around.
Since Middlesboro beat HC 3 times last year, they are the number 1 coming into the season but HC could overtake them by season's end.
03-15-2011, 03:28 AM
MHS Parent4Life, I have seen a few of your posts and was wondering if you have some obsession with how Middlesboro beat Harlan County 3 times last year? Not trying to be rude or get off topic, but I'm being serious.
Everyone will agree that Middlesboro is going to be a good team and they always are. However, this is my opinion, HC is the heavy favorite for this district. Cox and the little lefty for M'Boro are both quality pitchers, but I don't think either one of them are of the quality of Boggs/Bond of HC. And I believe that is the biggest difference. Everyone knows about Tyler Boggs, but look for a breakout year from fellow sophomore Bond, James Bond. The kid is pretty nasty when he is on. Along with the fact that the guys you all lost were very, very large parts of your team. Partin to me was the best player in the 13th last year. Seemed like every time I seen him play from his freshman year on he hit a bomb. And he covered as much ground as anyone with one heck of an arm. Pratt and Ferguson were probably your top 2 arms(maybe Cox in there?). Losing Partin, Ferguson, Pratt to me seems like a very big loss. Womack, Epperson, and Cox are all really fine ball players and I do believe the HC/M'Boro games will be close as every last one of them seem to be, but I do believe this year is the mark of a turning tide in District 52 for the next few years as HC looks to make some serious noise over the next couple years.
Didn't mean to make this an HC post or and HC vs M'Boro post, I was just pointing out some things for down the road.
Good Luck to you all this season. Should be a good one. I really like Coach Powell. And he is one heck of a coach.
Question: Does Epperson pitch? I believe I have never seen him throw.
Everyone will agree that Middlesboro is going to be a good team and they always are. However, this is my opinion, HC is the heavy favorite for this district. Cox and the little lefty for M'Boro are both quality pitchers, but I don't think either one of them are of the quality of Boggs/Bond of HC. And I believe that is the biggest difference. Everyone knows about Tyler Boggs, but look for a breakout year from fellow sophomore Bond, James Bond. The kid is pretty nasty when he is on. Along with the fact that the guys you all lost were very, very large parts of your team. Partin to me was the best player in the 13th last year. Seemed like every time I seen him play from his freshman year on he hit a bomb. And he covered as much ground as anyone with one heck of an arm. Pratt and Ferguson were probably your top 2 arms(maybe Cox in there?). Losing Partin, Ferguson, Pratt to me seems like a very big loss. Womack, Epperson, and Cox are all really fine ball players and I do believe the HC/M'Boro games will be close as every last one of them seem to be, but I do believe this year is the mark of a turning tide in District 52 for the next few years as HC looks to make some serious noise over the next couple years.
Didn't mean to make this an HC post or and HC vs M'Boro post, I was just pointing out some things for down the road.
Good Luck to you all this season. Should be a good one. I really like Coach Powell. And he is one heck of a coach.
Question: Does Epperson pitch? I believe I have never seen him throw.
03-15-2011, 07:29 AM
You're not rude at all. I have brought up the fact that MHS beat HC three times last year because that just shows to dominance in the series. If the two teams were really close to being evenly matched, don't you think HC would have won at least one of them? Especially since Boggs pitched in two of the games?
What I've seen through to years at Middlesboro is that they develop so many great baseball players that when they actually graduate someone with a bit of popularity, folks around the region say, well they have to be down, look who they graduated. And every year, they have another guy step and become that new face of the program. Were Partin, Ferguson, and Pratt great players? Yes. However, they weren't bigger than the program nor can they not be replaced.
Fact: Partin was a great hitter but missed a large portion of the season last year- he ranked 7th on the team in at bats.
Fact: Ferguson and Pratt were great pitchers but Michael Wilson led the team in ERA.
Fact: Neither Pratt nor Ferguson hit over .300 last year and both players struck out more at the plate than they walked.
You posed some good questions and I am not offended by them at all. However, I simply disagree with your opinion on HC being the heavy favorite in the district. They will have a great team...but they're no Middlesboro.
What I've seen through to years at Middlesboro is that they develop so many great baseball players that when they actually graduate someone with a bit of popularity, folks around the region say, well they have to be down, look who they graduated. And every year, they have another guy step and become that new face of the program. Were Partin, Ferguson, and Pratt great players? Yes. However, they weren't bigger than the program nor can they not be replaced.
Fact: Partin was a great hitter but missed a large portion of the season last year- he ranked 7th on the team in at bats.
Fact: Ferguson and Pratt were great pitchers but Michael Wilson led the team in ERA.
Fact: Neither Pratt nor Ferguson hit over .300 last year and both players struck out more at the plate than they walked.
You posed some good questions and I am not offended by them at all. However, I simply disagree with your opinion on HC being the heavy favorite in the district. They will have a great team...but they're no Middlesboro.
03-15-2011, 01:26 PM
MHS Parent4Life Wrote:You're not rude at all. I have brought up the fact that MHS beat HC three times last year because that just shows to dominance in the series. If the two teams were really close to being evenly matched, don't you think HC would have won at least one of them? Especially since Boggs pitched in two of the games?
What I've seen through to years at Middlesboro is that they develop so many great baseball players that when they actually graduate someone with a bit of popularity, folks around the region say, well they have to be down, look who they graduated. And every year, they have another guy step and become that new face of the program. Were Partin, Ferguson, and Pratt great players? Yes. However, they weren't bigger than the program nor can they not be replaced.
Fact: Partin was a great hitter but missed a large portion of the season last year- he ranked 7th on the team in at bats.
Fact: Ferguson and Pratt were great pitchers but Michael Wilson led the team in ERA.
Fact: Neither Pratt nor Ferguson hit over .300 last year and both players struck out more at the plate than they walked.
You posed some good questions and I am not offended by them at all. However, I simply disagree with your opinion on HC being the heavy favorite in the district. They will have a great team...but they're no Middlesboro.
Middlesboro is a heck of a program and they do always find a way to be right there when it comes to district/region. Middlesboro did sweep the series, but it wasn't like they just steamrolled HC either. Also as far as the complete series M'Boro does hold the lead, but I do remember a district tournament game 2 years ago where Boggs came in as an 8th grader and threw the final 3 innings I believe and shut the bats down of M'Boro and HC prevailed.
The series has been a little lopsided. But I do believe that this is the year where things turn a little bit. Your right it'll be a while before HC is ever the program M'Boro is. I do think this is the year they start working toward that standard though. Should be a tight race and a heck of a district tournament. Assuming these two don't bow out in the first round like I totally don't expect them to.
I think I'm going to start a 52nd district thread. So this can be further discussed, this thread should be about Middlesboro only and I apologize for making it turn just a little bit.
But once again? Does Epperson throw????
03-15-2011, 01:57 PM
He does throw and he throws very well. If I had to estimate his velocity, I would probably put him at about 83-85.
His recruitment is starting to heat up as well. I think most coaches at the next level are projecting him as an outfielder though.
His recruitment is starting to heat up as well. I think most coaches at the next level are projecting him as an outfielder though.
03-15-2011, 05:27 PM
MHS Parent4Life Wrote:He does throw and he throws very well. If I had to estimate his velocity, I would probably put him at about 83-85.
His recruitment is starting to heat up as well. I think most coaches at the next level are projecting him as an outfielder though.
Did he not throw much last year? Just curious because I've never seen him throw.
03-16-2011, 02:37 PM
I would have to see the radar to believe he can really throw mid 80's, You hear it all the time but very few kids around here can throw strikes in the mid 80's. They may occasionally hit 80 but it is a big jump to get into the 85 range consistently and throw strikes.
03-18-2011, 10:15 AM
jed Wrote:I would have to see the radar to believe he can really throw mid 80's, You hear it all the time but very few kids around here can throw strikes in the mid 80's. They may occasionally hit 80 but it is a big jump to get into the 85 range consistently and throw strikes.
Well pick a few games on Middlesboro's schedule and your bound to see it live one of those times.
Epperson was clocked at 84 by the staff at Vanderbilt University while throwing in a bullpen session at one of their skills camps.
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