You are right about the Downing kid.I got to watch a couple of the Middie Pride (14 yr.select)games this summer and he pitched, catched and played ss.He hit the ball with good power for a 14 year old.One of the games I saw him hit a ball off the center field fence on the Middies varsity field. It should be fun to watch him for 4 years in high school. I should also say he has very good speed.
Baesball fans, a friend told me about a baseball website that is great. Go to COOPERSTOWNDREAMSPARK.COM and take a look. I didnt know the middie pride select team played there in 2005 and won week 5 championship.Their team picture is there and other info. about the championship game. The team still holds the record for the most bunt hits in one wk.. Austin Downing still holds the records for rbi batted in 1wk., most intentional walks offensively by a player in 1 wk.,most runs scored in 1 wk.and most strike outs by a pitcher in one wk.. If you have the time this is a great website to take a look at. All this info is under 12 yr.olds
Is this Downing kid going to stay in Middletown? What state is their baseball program in?
trust me he'll be staying in middletown.... theres a load of freshman that are amazing there........ kyle schwarber, austin downing, tj yenke(didn't play from middie pride) theres more to name and those three right there will be starting for the football team next year also. austin is one of the best athletes i've ever seen. he's going to be the starting safety in football next year and the kid is amazing in basketball also
o yeah.... tj yenke worked out with pete rose jr. in one on one sessions and went to the pete rose hitting camp and was hitting with the college kids. there's some amazing freshman on that team.
Elder will be the toughest freshman team in my opinion
Elder has alot of talent a couple names would be Ian Korb a catcher and outfielder can hit with power and is pretty fast. Another name is Ben Russell the Elder to Oak Hills to Elder transfer. He hit a 340' grand slam at veterans park this past year.
Also Oak Hills has a few prospects Jay Schunk a ss/c. Braden Alcorn a
P/SS/3B can hit for power and throws close to the 80's and Dylan Simkin a catcher and ss plays for j.b. yeager.
Austen use to be a great player out sized everybody threw harder then anybody, hit farther then anybody. Except for last year last year i noticed kids around him grew and caught up and he wasn't over powering anybody anymore, or hitting bombs anymore. Although he is a good player hes no longer the top player as he use to be.
I like:
Kevin Brinkman ( moeller)
Max Tarhar (Lakota?)
Austen use to be a great player out sized everybody threw harder then anybody, hit farther then anybody. Except for last year last year i noticed kids around him grew and caught up and he wasn't over powering anybody anymore, or hitting bombs anymore. Although he is a good player hes no longer the top player as he use to be.
I like:
Kevin Brinkman ( moeller)
Max Tarhar (Lakota?)
Austen use to be a great player out sized everybody threw harder then anybody, hit farther then anybody. Except for last year last year i noticed kids around him grew and caught up and he wasn't over powering anybody anymore, or hitting bombs anymore. Although he is a good player hes no longer the top player as he use to be.
I like:
Kevin Brinkman ( moeller)
Max Tarhar (Lakota?)
I feel like i should say more than my last post. You should not be slamming a young kid like this. Sounds like his team has beaten your or your sons team and this is your way of striking back. How many games did you see him play last summer? How many games did you see him pitch? Do you know what numbers he put up this past summer? You must know to make these statments. Will be waiting for your answers. Then i have for you.
Last edited by middie fan : 12-11-07 at 01:48 AM.
Reason: left out word
Brandon Bauman from Rittman High School will be a starter on their varsity team this season. He was the starting QB on the varsity football team and is the second guy off the varsity bench on the basketball team
He can play any position, and will primarily belloked at, at C, SS, and P
Downing is an outstanding baseball player. Yes, others have narrowed the gap as they started to catch up physically the last couple of years, but he still remains at or near the top from what I've seen.
Only saw him 1 game last year. He still hit bombs in that one. Still runs well. The fast ball wasn't unhittable at 60.5' but it was still fast. IMO he needs to gain more confidence/reliance in his offspeed pitches. The best 14 year olds were getting around on the fastball pretty easily so you can be sure the varsity players won't have any problem with it, especially if they are waiting for it.
I've got to believe that Downing will start on varsity at Middletown and be one of their key players on offense, defense, and on the mound. He definitely deserves to be mentioned among the top of all the freshman players this year.
Downing is an outstanding baseball player. Yes, others have narrowed the gap as they started to catch up physically the last couple of years, but he still remains at or near the top from what I've seen.
Only saw him 1 game last year. He still hit bombs in that one. Still runs well. The fast ball wasn't unhittable at 60.5' but it was still fast. IMO he needs to gain more confidence/reliance in his offspeed pitches. The best 14 year olds were getting around on the fastball pretty easily so you can be sure the varsity players won't have any problem with it, especially if they are waiting for it.
I've got to believe that Downing will start on varsity at Middletown and be one of their key players on offense, defense, and on the mound. He definitely deserves to be mentioned among the top of all the freshman players this year.
As i stated in a previous post,i only saw him play a couple games last summer.I think your post is right on target.Sounds like you know your baseball.I think if he reads this , he will not forget your post and work on it
I feel like i should say more than my last post. You should not be slamming a young kid like this. Sounds like his team has beaten your or your sons team and this is your way of striking back. How many games did you see him play last summer? How many games did you see him pitch? Do you know what numbers he put up this past summer? You must know to make these statments. Will be waiting for your answers. Then i have for you.
I am not slamming the kid in anyway. I am giving my full opinion, kids have caught up to him. He use to be the top player in the league without a doubt, but kids have just caught up.. It happens in every sport and by no means am i "slamming the kid" he's a great player and a great kid.
and no... it's not a case of sour grapes in anyway..
That was not Ben russell who hit the 340' grand slam over veterans park, that was Braden Alcorn from Oak Hills who hit the grand slam off Ben Cafaro from Elder, i was there and witnessed it.. Also a little FYI, Russell is back at oak hills
Austen use to be a great player out sized everybody threw harder then anybody, hit farther then anybody. Except for last year last year i noticed kids around him grew and caught up and he wasn't over powering anybody anymore, or hitting bombs anymore. Although he is a good player hes no longer the top player as he use to be.
I like:
Kevin Brinkman ( moeller)
Max Tarhar (Lakota?)
kevin brinkman is a good player, he played in a tournament with my team and i think he hit like 2 doubles and a homerun angainst the heat.
There is another kid from Moeller named Kyle robinett, he is not as good as kevin with the bat but he can pitch pretty well. He mixes up his pitches and hits his spots and he has great composure for a young kid.
Elder has alot of talent a couple names would be Ian Korb a catcher and outfielder can hit with power and is pretty fast. Another name is Ben Russell the Elder to Oak Hills to Elder transfer. He hit a 340' grand slam at veterans park this past year.
Also Oak Hills has a few prospects Jay Schunk a ss/c. Braden Alcorn a
P/SS/3B can hit for power and throws close to the 80's and Dylan Simkin a catcher and ss plays for j.b. yeager.
Who do all these kids play for in the summer? They don't all play for J.B. Yeager do they?
As a Freshman, Sawyer went to the Clemson baseball camp and impressed the coaches enough that they said when he graduates, he "will" play for Clemson if he so chooses.
Something that doesn't necessarily translate into a great baseball player, but he won a prestegious homerun derby a few years ago, and he and a few others got to have a nice, long dinner with Jim Thome at some really nice restaraunt. That had to be have been a blast!
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