06-21-2010

What Championships Are In Store this Summer for the 2010 Mudville Program?

Seattle, WA - On the eve of the club's first national championship attempt this season and the College World Series, we analyze the club's 2010 potential in capturing a title.

As the 2010 version of the 18U Mudville Pinnacle team boards their airplanes to the nation's heartland and America's ‘Greatest Game on Dirt’ and street fair event, it seems only fitting we analyze this year's offering of the program's most talented club.

The past 10 years in youth baseball have seen an explosion of 'national and world championship' opportunities through an assortment of association offerings. These offerings support the explosive registration in youth teams, were association entrepreneurs see fee based opportunities for players and their families who are destined for professional promise.

Although many youth baseball veterans feel this ‘waters down’ the competition and hence the meaning of a national champion, the reality is for any given week of play, a team that captures a title will need to string together a winning run of 6-8 games. The games will need to be played at or near perfection to beat teams of similar talent. This is a difficult task with the modern day ball players, especially a graduating senior in their last summer season of what most will be their last vestige of organized youth ball.

The summer season is often a fleeting moment; here and gone, often on the coat tails of a spring high school baseball season and the graduation for the older players. Often without time to practice in the Spring due to high school baseball commitments, a post-Memorial Day, three-week cacophony of events take place that transitions the summer season into play.

Coaches have often debated what the most important factor to get to a successful season is? How does one get to the final celebratory moment that is cast into the memories of these participants; the harmony of cheers, and/or the ultimate dog pile, the final embraces/handshakes and goodbyes? There is no doubt, that luck plays a large part of these types of championship runs; the bracket seeding, home team, the distance from one’s home, a bounce here, a seeing eye dog there, the questionable call, etc. Combine this with the elements of the recruitment of a modern day 18 year old man and it creates an element of uncertainty that is hard to predict success or not.

The one thing the Mudville program can claim with absolute certainty is the ability to harness these annual events into tangible results; Championship Titles. There are many dictating factors which become the product of what is considered a successful summer season. The successful Mudville coaches of the past; men such as Audycki, Sagmoen, Potoshnik, Leighton, Moyer, Simpson and others all point to four key winning factors; ability, preparation, chemistry and player leadership, with the latter the most important.

The 2010 Mudville Pinnacle edition shows the greatest promise to repeat as Champions. Many experts, (arm chaired or not), considers this year’s team the most talented group of players assembled on one Mudville team. This week they enter the CABA 18U Wood Bat World Series in Lincoln, NB with a 14-6 record. Many believe they have underachieved to this point; playing to mediocrity as compared to their level of talent. An interesting notion for a team that is playing at a .700 pace should be playing 10-20% higher efficiency considering 8 games have been cancelled due to inclement weather, graduation ceremonies and parties since the season began. Yes there have been some tough losses that one would have prognosticated in the win column prior to deciding it on the field. The fact of the matter is the team is beginning to ‘gel’ together playing more efficient ball as they all learn their roles. The secret while they are finding this stability is to keep it fun for all, as some players will ‘further’ their careers in the business of baseball, others hanging up their cleats for good.

It has been a scheduling challenge tracking the lives of 20 young players as the team plans on a daily basis on pitching rotations, lineups, practices and the like. However, one thing is clear at this juncture of the season; what this team make lack in time management coordination, makes up in team chemistry. However, good chemistry can lead to a darker side of complacency, where players don’t challenge or motivate one self. All one has to do is look to past Mr. Mudville Leadership Award Winners such as James King, Dave Courtney, Matt Boyd and Joe Kohan. These young players contributed in their own way a championship spark, an air of confidence and swagger that transcended the parking lot to the dugout, who transformed small cliques to nine hearts, beating as one.

Mudville needs that player who will take that higher road, ruffle a few feathers if things aren’t acceptable, dares to be better from the next game to another! This player is not necessarily a vocal, rah-rah guy but a game-time competitor, whose only mission is to win ball games without forsaking good team sportsmanship, by leaving everything on the very field where the by-product we spoke about earlier, the celebratory actions would take place. This player is able to harness game energy and baseball savvy without entering the ‘what are you doing’ zone. They are able to meld chemistry and friendship of their fellow teammates into championships. What the 2010 Pinnacle coaching staff is waiting for this type of leader to step up and lead by example.

This is a rare individual. This team is waiting for that player to lead it to a potential CABA or Connie Mack National championships never gained by a Mudville team at this level. It is the most critical ingredient missing at this time. There is an old adage one has heard that goes, ‘you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink!’ This week’s event would be that needed stepping stone if this is to take place. How appropriate the search for this young heart would take place in America’s heartland.

2009
AABC Connie Mack Washington State Champions, 18U Mudville Pinnacle Baseball NW
AABC Connie Mack Regional Championships, 4th Place, 18U Mudville Pinnacle Baseball NW
NBC 19U Woodbat World Series, 4th Place, 18U Mudville Pinnacle Baseball NW
2008
Triple Crown 18U Wood Bat World Series Champions, 18U Mudville Pinnacle Baseball Northwest
2007
AABC Mickey Mantle Washington State Champions, 16U Mudville Golden Eagles
2006
AYB Cooperstown Hall of Fame Invitational Finalist, 12U Mudville Pilots
2005
AAU DII 14U National Championship, 9th Place, 14U Mudville Golden Eagles
CABA 13U Western Regional Champions, 13U Mudville Ironmen/IBC
2004
CABA Hawaiian 13U World Series Champions, 13U Mudville Golden Eagles