PLAYOFF TIME

Well the high school playoffs have gotten underway here in the Northeast while I'm sure the kids in the south have finished up their school year. What's great about the high school playoffs is that for a good player on a lousy team, it's usually 1 loss and summer ball begins. For the guys that play for the teams who are in it year in and year out it means a shot at the title and a championship ring. This is really what you hope for as a senior. A title that no one can take away.

Having spent some time the last week watching games it still amazes me how the outcome of playoff games are often decided off the field. What I am saying here is that there are still coaches who think they can hold out their #1 arm for a later date and get by with #2 or #3. Wake up coach. If you don't win today, there is no tomorrow. This book was not written yesterday, it's a fact that some guys just continue to try and disprove all the time. Yes, every now and then it works, but more times then not, coaches look foolish. If your #1 is ready, let him pitch and short count him if you can jump out early on a weaker team. Win to advance. If he's not ready, #2 better be

While teams are getting eliminated everyday, I know I get more excited to get the summer started. Guys that we saw workout during the winter have grown and matured some. It is really great to see the improvement. Letters from colleges arrive daily and relationships with coaches begining. Parents start to get a case of the nerves since they are hoping their son plays well and thus can benefit from the exposure that playing on a quality team can bring.

Playoff time has now ended for the college players and the NCAA selection committee announced the field of 64 yesterday. While there are no regionals up here this year (why the NCAA calls is REGIONAL is beyond me, there is a Northeast, Mid West etc) there will however be plenty of baseball on ESPN networks for high school players to sit in and watch. From our area, St John's, Manhattan College, Sacred Heart, UConn, Maine, Central CT are all in the tournament and have plenty of players from the area representing us. There are also guys from the area playing on UNC, Virginia, Vanderbilt, Clemson that will be on TV. Make it a point to watch and learn. It's great to see players on TV that are giving 110% every play.