Nor Cal Gold Teams 08-09

[maxedout007]

my pick this coming up season

1 Lady Magic-best pitching staff in nor cal...maybe cal? great hitting and defense as well. Their just flat out the best up here and their national title proves it!
2 Sorcerers-pitchings pretty strong with moore; hittings always great. I love how great of places PM is getting these girls committed to it shows a very strong side to Nor Cal!
3 Sting?-IDK how good theyll be this year; pitchings there but they defineatly wont be as strong as last year i can tell you that much for pitching defense offense and coaching...pretty much everything lol
4 All American-always pretty good hitters and defense; pitching may be a problem
5...i have no idea...who else is out there?!
thats all i can think of that are even considered to be strong nor cal teams that can compete with the nation :/

[DHBHitting]

1 Lady Magic-best pitching staff in nor cal...maybe cal? great hitting and defense as well. Their just flat out the best up here and their national title proves it!

Response: #1, Are you serious? You must be a lady magic parent and that is cool, nice to see you have such spirit for your club. However, this club is completely unproven at the Gold level and this fall will not prove anything either. The summer is when we play for real in Gold, now having said that, they can play, but having watched them up close for a while they will struggle to qualify in the summer. Best pitching staff in nor cal, maybe cal? That is way, way, way to strong of a statement and just flat out not cool, this is not 16U and to say the strongest in CA is just flat silly and ignorant when I know for a fact that Tony, Gary, and the likes will be coming for blood this summer and I think they will all have very formidable pitching staffs, I'm guessing... Furthermore from what I seen this weekend if that is the strongest pitching staff in Nor Cal or Ca then we will get our heads kicked in at Gold nationals this year, believe that. Easy on all the self promotion until they have actually done something at the Gold level, lets see how they do in Lancaster in June, then talk to me.

2 Sorcerers-pitching's pretty strong with moore; hittings always great. I love how great of places PM is getting these girls committed to it shows a very strong side to Nor Cal!

Response: Pretty strong with Moore huh? Yeah, I guess she is "pretty" strong and will only get stronger, she is certainly the class of Nor Cal from 43ft, she showed it last Summer, needs to work on her control gets herself in trouble with walks, but having said that Jess Moore is flat out the top pitcher in Nor Cal hands down in my opinion when she is on, just nasty stuff with legit 65+ velocity. Sorcerers will be very good this summer they basically have their whole team in tact from last summer coming back for this summer. Offense will not be an issue, they will score runs, the key will be pitching and defense for Sorcerer, Moore can not go every game down in Oklahoma, they will need another pitcher to step up big time and prove they can get the top teams/hitters in the nation out, if this happens, along with them cleaning up some issues on that infield then Sorcerer will be playing on the weekend down in Oklahoma in 09.

3 Sting?-IDK how good theyll be this year; pitching's there but they definitely wont be as strong as last year i can tell you that much for pitching defense offense and coaching...pretty much everything lol

Response: Wont be as strong as last year? Why not? I believe they too are brining back their whole club from last summer and that was a pretty good team. Sting will have just as good a chance as any team in the nation to be playing on the weekend in 09. Pitching is definitely there with the addition of Williams, and their offense is always solid, however I would like to see them drive the ball a bit more. Sting will be one of the teams to beat in Nor Cal and will have a great summer in my opinion, I tell you what I certainly would not want to see them in my bracket come August of 09.

4 All American-always pretty good hitters and defense; pitching may be a problem

Response: Tough to say since they did not really get it done last summer and they are losing a couple of those players for this summer. Will have a chance to qualify but your point is valid pitching will be an issue. As far as offense will have to wait and see what these young players can do, I don't know much about them or I have not been able to see them play yet.

5. Grappettes - Will be strong this summer, they will be just as good as Sorcerer or Sting. They have their whole team coming back for the summer and this is the same team who won a couple of games in bracket play in Oklahoma. Grapes will be tough and right on par with the top teams in the state, will be very tough to beat. They can hit, and will put up some runs this summer, pitching is a bit of a problem but they are adequate and will have a year to get stronger. Again, the same team that was in Oklahoma this past summer will be there again this up and coming summer so look out for the Grapes, they will be very, very good.

[maxedout007]

Spaz-i did not say that they won gold nationals im sorry

Dhb- Lady Magic-I still stand with that they have the best pitching staff in Nor Cal..UCLA and Cal? who else can be as strong as that? Maybe one on one Moore is better but together they are the strongest- but you are right they do have to work much harder to prove they are at 43.
Sorcerers-I know Moore is also great what I meant by "pretty strong" is that yes she is strong but who else do they got to help the girl out? Seriously though does anyone know? Sammy A. still there?
Sting-I don't think they have everyone returning they lost everyone but Ricketts, catcher(name?), Maia aaand thats it im pretty sure.. there hitting hasnt that strong last year from what i saw alot of short game
All American-Barely missed out from nationals last year that lefty from Merced was very good she will be a key loss to their pitching

[DHBHitting]

Dhb- Lady Magic-I still stand with that they have the best pitching staff in Nor Cal..UCLA and Cal? who else can be as strong as that? Maybe one on one Moore is better but together they are the strongest- but you are right they do have to work much harder to prove they are at 43.

Response: Yeah, I don't really look at where kids commit as a indicator as to how strong they will be actually pitching at Gold, simply because they have committed to UCLA and CAL don't mean a whole lot, means they can play, but so can about a 100 other kids, yet to be seen how well they actually do in Gold ball. I know I seen Henderson pitch at the Gold level as a Sophomore when they tried to qualify at Gold and she was competitive, so your assessment could turn out to be accurate. I mean all the top teams have a tandem that is going pretty much to one of the power conferences. I mean if we use that logic then Firecrackers, Batbusters, Angels, Sorcerer, Sting, etc would have the best pitching staffs year after year because they are always sending their kids to major programs as well as power conferences. However that don't always translate to strength, time will tell, it will certainly be fun to watch.

Sorcerers-I know Moore is also great what I meant by "pretty strong" is that yes she is strong but who else do they got to help the girl out? Seriously though does anyone know? Sammy A. still there?

Response: Great point, and one that I mentioned previously, she certainly needs help. I believe they got Molly Medrios from the Sting she has committed to Cal Poly, and yes they still have Sammy A. who will be committed shortly I'm told. Sammy wasn't given much of a chance last summer as Moore, Arioto, and Williams did most of the pitching when it counted. Point well taken, she needs help, and as a group they are indeed unproven.

Sting-I don't think they have everyone returning they lost everyone but Ricketts, catcher(name?), Maia aaand that's it im pretty sure.. there hitting hasn't that strong last year from what i saw alot of short game

Response: True, lots of short game, I hate that too, I wish they would get some girls that could power up as well. But if I'm not mistaken, they bring back that entire team this summer, they will be very difficult to deal with. Ricketts is flat legit and when on can hold you down, with the addition of Williams to their staff which is where I heard she is pitching now they have a very formidable 1-2 punch on the mound. Sting will be good trust me, and will be hard to handle come summer 09.

[jmo]

" I believe they got Molly Medrios from the Sting she has committed to Cal Poly"

Molly Medeiros will be going to LMU.

[maxedout007]

oh i didnt know mederios ended up with sorcerers well i think that she can help moore out a little then
no doubt ricketts can carry this sting team this summer just as she did in stockton qualifier last summer..what was it five straight games in a day? no hitting the corona angels the day before? that takes a competitor no doubt
dhb- yes time will tell no one can tell how much a pitcher will struggle once in college or for the magic girls current situation at 43ft. But having two strong pitchers on the SAME team is going to help them once qualifiers and/or nationals come along so their team will not have to use the same pitching for five straight games like the sting and probably the sorcerers

[homieboy]

The Sting only had six 09's on their top roster last summer and no 10's or 11's. Of those six, only two or three saw much time. They swapped out Medeiros for Williams, which imo is pretty much a wash. They've got the big lefty and thats a great start, but they are gonna have to re-load. On paper and assuming there are no major defections, the Sorcerer are bringing back a much stronger team.

I'm with you on the Magic. I think they have a good chance to qualify, but let's see them do something when it counts at the Gold level before we get too excited about them. To suggest they are the top Gold team in nor-cal right now is ridiculous.

[DHBHitting]

The Sting can bring back all their 08's for this summer if I'm not mistaken, so I don't believe they will have to re-load this summer technically, they will be fine if in fact those kids are all coming back to play. Now I agree 100% for the following summer, the Sting will look totally different at that point and we will have to wait and see.

Sorcerer has a strong roster no doubt and bringing back their three 08's from last year most definitely strengthens that roster big time. But I have to agree with the sentiment that pitching is the key, as well as defense, they need to sure up some issues on that infield and get Moore some help or 13th in the nation will be about the best they can do.

Magic has some talent but we just don't know what they will do when they actually have to play girls who can play them back. Strong pitching is debatable at this point because they have not demonstrated this strength at Gold. Potential, oh most definitely, CAL and UCLA would not have committed them if they where not full of potential but that alone will not get it done at Gold, they have to come with it. And I believe they will, they will be fine, and they should compete well I believe, especially if they learn to move the ball, movement is key.

I'm telling you watch out for the Grapes, I like that roster they are bringing back this summer, they can hit. With Shull coming back to do the pitching, and Rivera, Jennings, and Bott coming back to help with that offense, don't look past the Grapes. In my opinion they are right on par with Sorcerer, Sting, and the likes from Nor Cal and are one of the top 3 clubs with a real chance to win some games down in Oklahoma in 09.

PLEASE NOTE: This is all highly speculative, because all this talk about Oklahoma 09 is very premature especially in September of 08 and I certainly know that. Anyone who has been around knows you have to get their first, and qualifying at Gold is no easy task and is very, very difficult....Good Luck to all.

[Flash]

The RRGold Showcase had a lot of Northern and Southern California teams in the first real weekend of fall completition. Of course these are showcases, free substitution, yadda yadda yadda, but it's all we have now. All of the teams mentioned in this thread, except Sting, were there.
A couple of Nor Cal teams that weren't mentioned, who qualified two years ago, played each other and the Nor Cal Shockers beat Strike Zone, 17-0. I don't know about other Strike Zone scores, but Don may have some work to do in the fall. Shockers hung with the Firecrackers (Tony) but lost 3-1.
I believe Sorcerer swept through most of the competition but lost to the Grapettes, 4-1, and beat AASA, 5-0. Sorcerer can roll out an almost complete "all-verbal" lineup with players headed to Oregon, Northwestern, Arizona, Wisconsin, 4 to Cal, etc. That's without the returning college players. Tremendous speed throughout the lineup.
Didn't hear any of the Lady Magic scores. It looks like they have a small roster right now.

[DHBHitting]

The RRGold Showcase had a lot of Northern and Southern California teams in the first real weekend of fall completition. Of course these are showcases, free substitution, yadda yadda yadda, but it's all we have now. All of the teams mentioned in this thread, except Sting, were there.
A couple of Nor Cal teams that weren't mentioned, who qualified two years ago, played each other and the Nor Cal Shockers beat Strike Zone, 17-0.

Response: I seen that, what in the world has happened to Strike Zone? They are not even being competitive any more.

I don't know about other Strike Zone scores, but Don may have some work to do in the fall.

Response: You think, no disrespect to the Shockers but come on 17-0, as a Gold team that should not happened no matter who you are playing.

Shockers hung with the Firecrackers (Tony) but lost 3-1.

Response: good for them, Shockers can be competitive that is for sure, not sure what they will do this summer but dont count Buccellato out, they will compete. Tony will be tough this summer though, he has got some top notch 08's coming back, basically a who's who of PAC 10 and Big 12 freshman.

I believe Sorcerer swept through most of the competition but lost to the Grapettes, 4-1,

Response: Told you watch out for those Grapes, they got some good young talent and combined with what they have coming back in their 08's, they are gonna be tough.

and beat AASA, 5-0. Sorcerer can roll out an almost complete "all-verbal" lineup with players headed to Oregon, Northwestern, Arizona, Wisconsin, 4 to Cal, etc. That's without the returning college players. Tremendous speed throughout the lineup.

Response: yeah all that is true, now the pressure is on Mumma, high expectations are a mother, and all those high profile verbal's don't mean a darn thing if you cant get it done in Oklahoma, so we will see.

Didn't hear any of the Lady Magic scores. It looks like they have a small roster right now.