Coach Killer?
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When was the last time you heard an offensive lineman referred to as a “Coach Killer”? Better yet, have you ever heard of any lineman be referred to in that way?
In most cases, that moniker is reserved for the quarterback because when it comes to the NFL the quarterback is the rock star and most everyone else is just “in the band”.
Now, sometimes your franchise gets lucky and you find an Eddie Vedde leading your squad; others times you get stuck with Scott Stapp.
While I don’t think James Winston has fallen to the dollar bin ranks on the former Creed singer, he’s well on his way.
And as much as he is walking that fine line between being a relevant starting NFL quarterback and a bust, he is also becoming dangerously close to becoming the aforementioned coach killer.
Coach number one was Lovie Smith, who lasted all of one season before being replaced by Dirk Koetter.
Now, I’m not saying Winston was the reason Smith was let go, but I have to imagine he was at least consulted in the decision, especially since it was apparently made due to his relationship with Koetter. I find it hard to believe that if Winston wanted Lovie to be around that a change would’ve been made.
By the time Koetter was let go after last season Winston had long lost any pull he might have had with the organization. But, when you get a coaching gig the way Koetter did, your tenure is pretty much based on the performance of your quarterback.
Which leads us to Bruce Arians, the Buccaneers current coach. Arians is known as a player’s coach and someone who gets the most out of his quarterbacks, hence the reason he’s in Tampa.
No matter what anyone says, or how many years are on his contract, Arians was brought in for one reason; to turn Jameis Winston around and to do it this year.
The likelihood of Tampa having a successful season in spite of Winston is highly unlikely, which would more than likely lead to the Buccaneers parting ways with the former number one overall pick.
If that were to happen Tampa would be starting over again at quarterback. I could see the organization sticking with Arians to mold a new quarterback, but does anyone really see him coaching more than 3-4 years?
If things were to play out that way Tampa would be changing coaches just as their new quarterback would theoretically be entering his prime- not exactly the ideal situation for a franchise to be in.
Wouldn’t it make more sense then to just hire a new head coach from the outset; one who would grow with the new qb, much like the Bucs originally intended with Winston and Smith? (Brining in a new GM probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either, if I’m being honest.)
All this has nothing to do with Arians and his ability to coach, or whether he’s a good fit for Tampa. It’s all about the Buccaneers trying one last ditch effort to get Winston to become the quarterback they’ve always believed he would be. I mean why else bring Arians in and not separate themselves from Winston; there were a myriad of reasons that would’ve justified parting ways with him, both on the field and off it.
So, now Winston’s future (and reputation) rides on the back of Bruce Arians. Here’s hoping his new coach has a little Rick Rubin magic in him.
Camden On The Hunt…Again
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Camden Head Football Coach Bob Sphire enters year three and should start seeing big results from the massive rebuild he started in 2017.
Camden made big strides in year two and have the makings for a fantastic 2019 football season. Look for the Cats to make some noise in Georgia’s highest classification this fall. This is a very good football team folks.
Regular season schedule and my predictions:
08/23 at West Forsyth: Long bus ride for the Cats against a playoff team from last year. Camden won at home last year and they get off to a great start with a 24-17 win over the Wolverines.
08/30 at Wren (Piedmont, SC): Camden plays Wren again in Macon at Mercer University. Camden fell to Wren 25-14 last year, but something tells me that scoreboard will read a little differently this year. The Cats get some redemption by beating Wren 28-17 to go to 2-0 on the season.
09/06 vs Locust Grove: In the home opener for Camden you have Locust Grove rolling in and rolling out with a 35-7 beating. The Cats go to 3-0 on the season.
09/13 vs Richmond Hill: Richmond Hill travels to Chris Gilman Stadium trying to find some offense after losing most of it to graduation. The problem is the offense that graduated only scored 6 on Camden in 2018.
Camden beats down a team that will probably be in their region once the State reclassifies next season. Camden 38-7 to go to 4-0 on the season.
09/20 vs Brunswick: Brunswick High Head Coach, Sean Pender tells me that Camden County is the best team on the Brunswick schedule and that spells trouble for the Pirates. The Cats roll the Pirates 38-20 to go 5-0 on the season.
10/04 at Glynn Academy: The undefeated Cats play the undefeated Terrors at Glynn County Stadium in what should be a great game. Camden will pull out a 24-21 win to go to 6-0 on the season.
10/11 at Colleton County (Walterboro, SC): This one could get ugly in a hurry. Cats win 49-7 to go to 7-0 on the season.
10/18 vs Colquitt County: This will be the biggest home football game in Kingsland in years. The region opener and Colquitt coming in with a new staff, but with top talent.
Could the Cats make a statement here? I think they do and pull out a 24-20 win to go to 8-0 and send a message around the state.
10/25 vs Lowndes: The Vikings roll in for another huge home game for Camden. The Cats go to 2-0 in the region with a hard fought 21-17 win over Lowndes to go to 9-0 and 2-0 in the region.
11/08 at Tift County: The Cats are sky high coming off back to back huge wins at home, and run into a Blue Devil team that has beaten Lowndes and lost to Colquitt in region play.
The Cats fall in a classic 38-34 to go 9-1 and 2-1 in the region. Tift gets great news from Martin Stadium as Lowndes beats Colquitt and Tift wins region championship.
Region 1-AAAAAAA Standings:
Tift: 2-1
Camden: 2-1
Lowndes: 1-2
Colquitt: 1-2
Camden goes 9-1 and finishes with a number #2 playoff seed from region 1.
Opposing Coach View on Camden: “They were down when Bob took that job. Really down. You saw the signs last year that they were starting to get back to being Camden County again.
They have some talent on that football team. Will they get back to what they used to be just a few years ago? I believe they will and are on the right track.
Who will their QB be? They are pretty set everywhere else. I think they have as good of a shot as anyone in their region. They had Lowndes on the ropes at their place last year.
Colquitt has a new coaching staff, and Tift as an at large made it to the third-round last year. They have Colquitt and Lowndes at home. The game at Tift could be for the region championship don’t shake your head because that region is really good and right now with the Colquitt scenario pretty much up for grabs.
Bob is a very good coach and he is in a place where he can win big with the talent pool and resources available.”
Ware Chomping For 2019
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
From 2012-2016, Ware County underwent its best stretch in school history.
During that span, the Gators won four region championships in five seasons and reached a state title game to go along with a semifinal appearance and two trips to the state quarterfinals.
Ware County has remained solid, but the past two years have seen a bit of a tail off. The Gators are hoping that some new coaching blood brings a shot in the arm to the program as Jason Strickland has now set up shop in Waycross.
Strickland’s resume is an impressive one and one that many in South Georgia are already quite familiar with.
Prior to taking the Gators’ head job Strickland notched winning records at Lamar County, Fitzgerald and Pierce County.
He coached four region champions – including at least one at each of his stops – and his next win will be the 100th of his career against just 39 losses to date.
He will inherit a Gator squad that went 8-4 with a second-place finish in Region 2-AAAAA last season.
Ware County took care of everyone it was supposed to, but dropped games to state powers Coffee and Lowndes before falling to Wayne County in the regular season finale to finish second to the Yellow Jackets in region play for a second straight season.
Last year’s Gator squad overachieved with a young roster, meaning that big expectations await this fall.
As far as returning talent goes, Ware County couldn’t ask for more than seeing Thomas Castellanos back in action. Castellanos was a tour de force in his freshman year, winning the starting quarterback job and tossing 11 touchdowns to just five interceptions.
He also led the team with over 800 yards of rushing and even got in on the other end of the passing game, going for 52 yards and a touchdown on his lone reception of the season.
Castellanos will be breaking in a new receiving corps as his top three pass-catchers have departed, but that could be alleviated by an increased emphasis on the ground game. In addition to Castellanos’ ability to run, the Gators return three others who rushed for at least 280 yards in 2018.
Five of the Gators’ top seven tacklers from last year will return to their starting positions and at least one large chunk of the Ware secondary will remain a no-fly zone as Kevin Weatherspoon returns to his safety spot after hauling in five interceptions to go along with six pass deflections and 46 total tackles from a year ago.
Ware County will kick off its season by hosting Rockledge High School out of central Florida. Rematches with larger classification schools Coffee and Lowndes are back on tap and Region 2-AAAAA could easily come down to the final night of the season once again as the Gators play host to Wayne County on Nov. 8.
The Jesup Buzz
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the last two seasons, Wayne County has been the undisputed cream of the Region 2-AAAAA crop.
During that span, the Yellow Jackets have rattled off consecutive region championships with unbeaten marks in region play, as well as a 10-0 regular season campaign last fall and a pair of trips to the second round of the state playoffs.
Some tough losses to graduation and a quartet of region rivals that all appear to be on the upswing will make a region three-peat a tall order, but there’s every reason to count Wayne County as a favorite yet again until another school can prove otherwise.
At the helm for each of the last two seasons has been Ken Cribb, who has done an outstanding job of building the Jackets into a region power when things could have easily gone in a different direction.
The Yellow Jackets reached the state semifinals in 2013 and won a region title in 2014 under Jody Grooms, but the program was thrown into flux when Grooms was charged with theft in 2016. After a year under an interim coach, Cribb took over and immediately found success.
Cribb now faces the challenge of replacing many of the players who have paved the way to success recently. Six starters depart from a defense that was mostly good in 2018, but gave up its share of points.
They’ll be tested early and often as tough non-region games against Richmond Hill and Glynn Academy pop up in the first month.
Offensively, the Jackets can rest a bit easier as dual-threat quarterback Shamar Taylor returns for his senior season. Taylor threw for 1,689 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall while rushing for 247 yards and three more touchdowns.
However, Taylor will have to once again be a star as there is plenty of production left to fill in around him.
Running back and 1,000-yard rusher M.J. Fuller is gone from 2018 and Kaliz Hadley is the only Jacket other than Taylor with more than 200 rushing yards back on the roster in 2019.
Primary receiving target Ashby Cribb (60 catches, 748 yards, 5 TD last season) is also gone, leaving Hadley and Trevin Wallace as the only returners to put up considerable receiving numbers last year.
It will be hard for the Yellow Jackets to duplicate the 32.7 points per game that they averaged during the 2018 regular season, but if new faces are able to step up there should still be plenty of scoring in Jesup.
SEC Heated Seats
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In most years, after a season ends there is some turnover within the coaching fraternity.
I say “most” because after last year’s college football season, for the first time since back when Disney Animation used to turn other people’s stories into movies instead of just “reimagining” their own, the SEC did not have any turnover at the head coaching position.
I know this season hasn’t even started yet, but I feel it’s safe to assume there won’t be a repeat this time around.
Below are all the SEC coaches and the likelihood I think they’ll be coaching somewhere else following this upcoming season.
Commit a felony before they’re fired: Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, Dan Mullen, Jimbo Fisher.
In Saban’s case, I’m not even sure committing a felony would get him fired. In fact, I feel pretty sure if that ever happened at least a dozen Crimson Tide fans would plead guilty to whatever the charge was, and then probably be given a key to the city.
As for the other three, they’re not going anywhere, and nor should they be.
The car has a heated seat, but it’s summer time, so there’s no reason to turn it on: Ed Orgeron, Jeremy Pruitt, Mark Stoops, Joe Moorhead.
Short of some kind of national scandal I don’t think either of these four have much to worry about it.
LSU loves Orgeron, Pruitt is only in his second year, Stoops just lead Kentucky to arguably their most successful season in the program’s history, and Moorhead followed the most successful coach at MSU with a decent season of his own.
I’m not saying it can’t happen to either of these three, it’s just not likely.
Phew, is it normally this hot in November: Will Muschamp, Barry Odom, Matt Luke, Derek Mason.
There always seems to be that one coach that is relieved of his or her job that catches people off guard; all four of these could be that coach this year.
Muschamp and Odom are almost mirror images of each other since taking over USC and Missouri, respectively.
A third-place finish or better for either will save a job; a fourth-place finish or below and the football gods won’t be quite so kind.
Luke has done a good job bringing some semblance of respectability to Ole Miss, but is he the long-term answer? At what point do you make that change?
I think Mason is a good coach, but would you really be surprised if he’s gone after another 6-7 season. At some point Vanderbilt has to get tired of the “good, for Vanderbilt” moniker, right?
Does Two Men And A Truck have any trucks available to rent this Christmas: Chad Morris, Gus Malzahn.
Obviously, the name that stands out is Malzahn. I’m sorry, but unless Auburn were to win the West (I don’t think so) or only lose to Alabama I just don’t see Gus making it to next season. I know people like to say “you get what you pay for”, but ask Auburn how they feel about that right now.
As for Morris, Arkansas is coming off their worst season in program history and this season doesn’t look to be much better. Sometimes you’ve just got to cut your losses.
If last season was a fairytale ending you can expect the end of this season to resemble that of a John Wick movie; there won’t be a lack of carnage.
Arms Race
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For most of 2019 the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen has shouldered most of the criticism for the team.
Braves Country has clamored for relief help for months, decrying that Craig Kimbrel signed elsewhere when the Braves really needed him.
Despite the fact that the Braves have had one of the top bullpens in the National League since June 1st, the idea that the relief corps is struggling has continued, but that notion is starting to shift.
Max Fried hit the 10-day IL with an injury last week and it started off a chain reaction that has exposed the Braves’ actual need: depth of starting pitching.
With prospects coming out of their ears, this might sound crazy, but guys the Braves were counting on to be reliable this season – namely Mike Foltynewicz, Kevin Gausman, and to a lesser extent Sean Newcomb – have been anything but.
Even with the injuries and poor showings by those three, the Braves have roared to the top of the NL East behind a stellar season from Mike Soroka, consistently good outings by Max Fried, a return to form by Julio Teheran, and the recent addition of Dallas Keuchel.
But after Fried went down, the Braves starting plugging holes with pieces that haven’t been up to snuff.
Bryce Wilson and Kyle Wright are talented pitchers and may very well still be huge parts of Atlanta’s future, but they haven’t been able to perform at the level that a first-place team needs them to. Certainly not Wright, who couldn’t make it out of the 3rd inning in his start against the Washington Nationals on Thursday.
And that’s the biggest sign that the Braves don’t have the depth they need in the rotation: Going into a four-game series against the team directly under them in the standings (and a scorching hot team to boot), the Braves pitched an unproven rookie in the first game and turned to Gausman and his 6.21 ERA to prevent a second straight series loss in game four (that previous series loss, to the Brewers, came ominously after Fried hit the IL and was Atlanta’s first series loss since the first week in June).
The Braves have just about a week and a half before the trade deadline (remember: starting this year, July 31st is the ONLY trade deadline). Gausman and Folty might turn things around, but Alex Anthopoulos can’t bet the whole season on that.
Atlanta needs to start wheeling and dealing for rotation help or – even if they manage to hold on to their NL East lead – they’ll get eaten alive in the playoffs, again, probably by the Dodgers, again.
Marcus Stroman, Zack Greinke, Trevor Bauer, Zach Wheeler, Madison Bumgarner; these are all potentially available pitchers that could make a difference in Atlanta’s fortunes.
They don’t need to go out and try to pick up the most dominant ace in the history of the game, but they need reliability on the mound every turn through.
It’s always stress-inducing to give up prospects. No one wants to overpay, but the price for the kind of pitcher the Braves need to succeed in the postseason is going to be steep.
That’s okay. The time of considering the future is in the past. The Braves have a chance to win in the here and now, but only if they act.
The comfortable lead the Braves carved out for themselves is getting less comfortable, especially over the weekend during their series against Washington.
Atlanta needs to arm itself (pun very much intended) in order to keep some distance between themselves and the Nationals (and Phillies, who are still playing above .500 with a dangerous lineup).
Back To Back?
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let me go on record and say I have always respected Frederica Academy Head Football coach Brandon Derrick for his coaching abilities, but I have a new found respect for the man because he is an educator of young people to prepare them for life.
The man teaches 5 classes a day and I’m not talking PE classes, I’m talking college prep World History and Government courses on top of his role as head football coach.
The man’s plate is full and he has a passion for developing young people which is evident when you talk to him.
As for the 2019 football season the defending state champs have some big shoes to fill with departures.
But the coach says “I feel pretty good about the experience we have returning this fall. We played a lot of kids last year and we’ll be solid on the lines of scrimmage, running back and linebacker. We have Denver Anthony, Deke Jernigan, who are really good players coming back and we just need to stay consistent because we know what it takes to win and that is an intangible that mentally we have over other programs”.
Schedule/My Predictions:
08/23 at Charlton County: The Knights let the Indians off the hook on St. Simons last fall. Charlton has a new head coach. I have said all off season that I didn’t think Frederica would go down to Folkston and win. I have changed my mind Frederica beats Charlton 21-20 to go 1-0 on the season.
08/30 at Valwood: Frederica continues the brutal road slate with a trip to Valdosta to play a loaded Valwood team that has stocked the roster with Valdosta and Lowndes players that entered the transfer portal.
I think you get my drift here. This will be a tall task for the Knights and they fall early in the season 34-22 to Valwood to go 1-1 on the season. These teams will probably meet up again in the GISA State Playoffs.
09/06 vs Tiftarea Academy: The Panthers, a final four team in 2018, roll into St. Simons probably ranked in the top 5 in State.
The opening three games are brutal for the Knights. Frederica wins their home opener 28-24 to end this brutal opening stretch 2-1.
09/13 at Bethlehem Christian Academy: The Knights hung 62 on Bethlehem last season and will hang 50 on them in 2019. Knights 52-12 to go to 3-1 on the season.
09/20 vs Augusta Prep Day: Frederica dominates Augusta Prep 49-7 to go to 4-1 on the season.
10/04 vs Pinewood Christian: Will Pinewood be much improved in 2019? Maybe, but not that much improved. Frederica rolls 35-20 to go to 5-1 on the season.
10/11 at Westfield: This trip to Perry worries me for the Knights. Westfield is said to be improved in 2019. Westfield was a playoff team last season. Knights pull out a win late 24-21 to go to 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in the region.
10/18 at Trinity Christian: Trap game in Dublin for the Knights. The Crusaders went 7-5 in 2018. Frederica can’t get caught looking ahead to JMA and Bulloch. Frederica struggles, but wins an ugly 14-7 to go to 7-1 and set up a region title showdown with Bulloch Academy in two weeks.
11/01 at John Milledge Academy: Knights travel for the third straight week to Milledgeville to play the team many are picking to win the State Title in 2019.
The Knights blew out John Milledge for the title in 2018. JMA handles the Knights 28-21. Frederica drops to 7-2 on the season.
11/08 vs Bulloch Academy: Rivalry game. An angry set of Knights coming off a tough loss rebound and handle Bulloch Academy easy 31-10.
Not much love between Frederica and Bulloch Academy. Frederica wins another region championship and finishes 8-2 on the season.
Opposing Team view on Frederica: “I thought the Anthony kid was the best player on the field when we played them last year. They flat out put one on us, and we have them circled this year.
Brandon has done a fantastic job there, but I wonder about their feeder system and how long they can keep that thing going over there.
They won a State Championship last year and you have to think they will take a step back this year. That road schedule is brutal.
They will be battle tested and will be a tough out in the playoffs because of the winning culture they have there. This is one of the better GISA programs in the state. They have tremendous financial support there.”
Barring key injuries this team can make another deep playoff run.
Return To Glory In 2019?
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For a program with one of the most storied traditions in all of Georgia high school football, the last handful of seasons have been some to forget for Statesboro High.
From 1999-2013, the Blue Devils posted a winning mark every year, while racking up six region titles and two of the school’s five state championships. That all came to a drastic halt in 2014, as the team posted consecutive 2-8 seasons before bottoming out during a winless 2016.
Jeff Kaiser took the reins of the program in 2017 and has been slow but steady in the rebuilding project. Last season marked a big milestone for the Devils as – despite a 4-6 record in the regular season – they were able to clinch a spot in the state playoffs for the first time since 2013.
But for a program with awards and banners dominating most of the school’s trophy case, simply being competitive again isn’t good enough. And the 2019 Blue Devils know that there is much more work to be done.
While Statesboro has moved away from its former identity of a wishbone offense that runs 95 percent of the time and tries to overpower each opponent, the ability to move the ball on the ground is still central to the team’s success.
After years of battling turnover and inexperience in the backfield, Statesboro has plenty to feel confident about in its running game this season. Jaylon Roberson emerged as a star running back two seasons ago, but was pressed into emergency quarterback duty for the final half of the season. He resumed his stellar rushing career last year and will be featured heavily in his senior season.
Roberson was the only runner locked into a starting role at the beginning of 2018, but will be joined this season by fellow seniors Devardrion Lipsey and Corey McCullough.
It was Lipsey’s ability to find the corner and McCullough’s bruising inside running that created a more balanced – and more dangerous – SHS rushing attack by the end of 2018.
Calling the shots under center for a second straight year will be Drake Horton, although the senior quarterback will be without his top two wide receivers from last season.
The SHS defense carried the team early on in 2018, but a tough schedule and mounting injuries kept it from being as effective in the second half of the season.
The Devils return the teeth of what was a very good defensive secondary last season. Graduation claimed some of the front seven, but senior defensive linemen Dake Williams and Xavier Lee figure to hold up the front while experience is gained through the rest of the defensive depth chart.
Statesboro once again finds itself in a five-team region, meaning that the last month will consist of all of its region games for an all-out sprint to state playoff eligibility.
Wayne and Ware County once again figure to be the powers in the region, with Statesboro looking to repeat last year’s victories over South Effingham and New Hampstead for a repeat trip to the postseason.
No Time To Be Blue
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Marietta High School is not a traditional football powerhouse. They have one state championship and that is from 1967. Recently they have been in the news for the wrong reasons.
The Blue Devils had a great year in 2017, finishing the regular season 8-2. They were forced to forfeit all of their eight wins after an investigation by the Georgia High School Association determined two of the players were ineligible.
The program also got a $1,500 fine and was placed on “severe warning status” for the 2018 season.
Marietta began the 2018 season ranked in the top 25 nationally of multiple national polls and No. 1 in Georgia’s Class AAAAAAA.
Marietta’s star quarterback and wide receiver were lost to injury late in the season, and two other Division I recruits never took the field, declared ineligible by the GHSA in preseason.
Marietta finished 5-6 and unranked.
“Our season ended in a disappointing way,” Marietta coach Richard Morgan said. “But the way they came back to work, instead of sulking, showed me we’ve got a shot to be really good. Based on the work ethic I’ve seen in the off season and the commitment and dedication; I’ve got real high expectations for this team.”
On paper, this is the most talented team in the state. The 2019 Blue Devils have nine seniors ranked among the top 100 prospects in Georgia. No other Georgia school in the highest classification has more than four.
Tight end Arik Gilbert, who had 88 catches for 1,210 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, is a five-star recruit.
Quarterback Harrison Bailey, defensive end/tackle B.J. Ojulari, tackle Jake Wray and defensive back Rashad Torrence are consensus four-star prospects.
Running back Kimani Vidal, defensive back Dawson Ellington and wide receivers Taji Johnson and Kobi Stewart all have offers from ACC and SEC schools.
How confident are they? On the school’s website they have all playoff dates including the state championship listed on their schedule.
The Blue Devils start the season August 22 on the road at Rome. The Wolves had their 40-game win streak snapped in the 5A semifinals. They are a good team but I expect a talented 7A team like Marietta to win.
St. Joseph’s (PA) comes to town the next week. I don’t know anything about them but I give the edge to Marietta.
The next two weeks are on the road against Gwinnett County teams. They play Collins Hill and Grayson.
Collins Hill struggled last season so this should be an easy win. Grayson on the other hand will be a tough game. The Rams advanced to the state quarterfinals in 2018. Their head coach resigned at the end of the season so having a new coach might put them at a disadvantage.
After a bye week, the last non-region game is against Edgewater (FL). The Eagles were 12-2 last year and advanced to the Class 7A state semifinal. This game could go either way.
The first region game is at North Paulding and this is an easy win.
That is followed by a rivalry game versus McEachern. The Indians are always one of the best teams in Cobb County and anything can happen when rivals play. This is too close to call.
The toughest remaining game is against last season’s region 3-AAAAAAA champion, Hillgrove. The Hawks are playing on the road and Marietta wants revenge. They lost in 2018 48-24. The Blue Devils will get revenge.
Marietta has so much talent that I expect them to advance to the state championship at the very least.
Florida Baseball In October?
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Baseball is a strange and wonderful game. Sometimes incredible things happen; like the Angels throwing a combined no-hitter on the night they honor their fallen teammate Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs passed away a couple of weeks ago.
Sometimes bizarre things happen, like an attack swarm of midges derailing the Yankees’ playoff hopes in Cleveland in 2007.
Sometimes things are both expected and unexpected – like the Tampa Bay Rays finishing the first half of 2019 in 2nd place in the AL East, 6 ½ games behind the New York Yankees and 2 games above the mighty Boston Red Sox.
This is unexpected because the Rays are always overlooked and consistently underfunded. People always seem to forget about Tampa Bay, with their lack of superstars and roster that seems made up of cast offs.
People also always forget that over the past decade or so, the Rays have been pretty good. They’ve been to the playoffs four times since 2008, and made a real run of it just last year and yet I don’t think many expected them to be in this position after the All-Star Break.
But here they are. At one point in May (that’s the second month of the season, mind you) Tampa Bay had the best record in all of baseball.
The Yankees heated up at the opportune time (when the Rays cooled down) and even with two and half months left in the season the Bronx Bombers seem uncatchable, but going into Saturday’s games Tampa is on top of the Wild Card heap by a game over Cleveland and Oakland. If they keep on as they have been, there will be playoff games in Florida for the first time since 2013.
A lot of the winning ways have come from Tampa’s starters, namely Charlie Morton, who brought some Houston Astros winning mojo with him when he signed during the offseason.
He’s leading the American League in ERA with a 2.32 mark and is in the top 5 in strikeouts with 142 whiffs. Assuming more of the same in the 2nd half, the Rays can count on wins every time Morton takes the mound for them.
The offense isn’t leading the pack in the way that Morton is, but they have been consistently average throughout the season so far.
They are a bit of an outlier in 2019, as they are a contending team that doesn’t hit the ball over the fence. The Rays have only 114 runs, outside of the top 10 in the AL.
However, while that’s abnormal for a good team in today’s game, it’s also kind of normal for Tampa Bay to be abnormal. They’ve always found creative ways to win, dating back to when Joe Maddon was at the helm of the team.
Looking ahead, there is a lot for the Rays to look forward to and take advantage of. Specifically, the number of games against the teams looking up at them from below in the AL East.
Tampa plays the Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays a combined 23 times over their last 70 games. These are bad teams and should be easy wins for the Rays.
Which isn’t to say there aren’t challenges. The Rays have a west coast trip ahead, including a showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers, far and away the scariest team in the National League.
There’s also the unfortunate scheduling happenstance that the Rays only play the Yankees six more times before the season ends (again, it’s unlikely that they’ll be making up those 6 ½ games).
That being said, if the Rays can stay the course (or even add a little something before the July 31st trade deadline) they should be in a good position to claim a Wild Card spot come this October.
