[baseballer]

Four of the top 10 teams on recent rankings are rec league “All-Star” teams: East Rowan, South Charlotte, MARA Mud Dawgs, and West Raleigh Blue. West Raleigh Blue won the Eastern North Carolina State Championship and made it to the Southeast Regional Semifinal. South Charlotte won the Western North Carolina State Championship, beat the Virginia State champions in the Southeast Regional, and also made it to the Southeast Regional Semifinal. MARA Mud Dawgs blew out East Rowan 10-0 in the Western NC State tournament, and qualified for the Southeast Regional. East Rowan lost to MARA Mud Dawgs 10-0, and lost to an unranked Alexander County “All-Star” team, and didn’t even make it past pool play in the State tournament. Yet, somehow, they vault to #2 in the rankings? Sure makes one wonder about the criteria . . .

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by baseballer.

[baseballer]

Results from Western NC Ripken tournament which featured East Rowan, Matthews Mud Dawgs, South Charlotte Cardinals and McDowell Titans:

Click to access w08.pdf

[baseballer]

MARA Mud Dawgs just destroyed East Rowan 10-0 tonight. Not even close.

[baseballer]

Point of my last post is that a number of these ranked travel ball teams DO play in these Ripken All-Star tournaments. Four of the top 10 statewide ranked teams played in the Western District tournaments alone, and a number also play in the Eastern District. These teams do play one another in these tournaments (hence the mention of the statewide 10th ranked team beating the 4th ranked team). More of these top-ranked teams will play each other again in the upcoming State tournament. I’m simply saying this site should pay attention when these ranked teams play one another in whatever venue. While these same teams also play in TG and USSSA tournaments, the Ripken tournaments add a different dynamic of faster pitch speed, and inability to use BBCOR bats. While some of the teams in the Ripken tournaments are not very good, there are certainly a number of teams in the traditional travel ball circuit which are not good either. Point is that the Ripken All-Star tournaments aren’s necessarily all rec league ball, particularly when ranked teams play one another.

One could similarly claim it isn’t fair to consider MP and CP teams the same for rankings, but this site does anyway.

[baseballer]

Cal Ripken district baseball tournaments just wrapped up this past weekend. East Rowan won their district. South Charlotte Cardinals beat MARA Mud Dawgs to win their district. McDowell won their district . . . but unsure if that is same team as McDowell Titans. Anyone know?

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