Third win puts Camden-Rockport 11-12s in catbird seat during Maine tournament

Good Luck Boys! Take it all the way! I'll be rooting for you!

How well do you think C-R will be doing in the regionals?

I think they will win regionals! Their hitting is unbelievable! 5 players on their team have 4 or more homeruns this year, with a few other who can hit them. Not only is their offense potent, their pitch is incredible starting with the super-fast Caleb McFarland, and the accurate and durable Chandler Crans. Alazar Allwine has done a good jobe for them pitching in two appearances as well. They also have two very good pitchers that nobody has even seen yet in Myles Safford and Matt Vitigliano. Everybody thought that Myles' homer in the state tournament was crushed at 242 feet, but then in the championship Caleb hit one over 285 feet!!! I personally thought it was well over 300! Camden-Rockport cna hit for power and runs, pitch dominantly, and have the most sound defensive team I've seen in years. Go C-R!!!!!

LOL...

I hope they're very competitive, and they did well to beat the teams in Maine, but only 1 team has won the region from Maine before and that was an incredibly lucky team in 2005.

We'll See

Hello,

I have followed this Camden-Rockport team all the way through the District Tournament and also the State Tournament.

I have also seen a ton of teams play throughout the year, and there is not a lineup in the state that is nearly as deep. This team really progressed from 2007 as 11 year olds to 2008 as 12 year olds. Last season, Falmouth, Saco, and Eliot Ave.(Lewiston) knocked the snot out of this team in the 11 year olds tournament. This season, they did exactly the same to every team that they faced.

District 2 had very quality pitchers on 3 of the teams, and they beat them to a pulp. In the State tournament, Bangor was not able to throw thier #1 pitcher because he did not have the days rest, but Auburn Suburban threw a very good pitcher (#6 - Don't remember the name) who I saw pitch in the D-5 tournament, who was porbably the #4 Overall in the state tournament. They got to this kid eventually, and then Suburban LL of Cumberland/N. Yarmouth threw probably the 3rd best pitcher in the tournament and he was hit in the 5th inning. Both teams threw gems, Crans went 6 innings on just 68 pitches. Then Saco, who beat CR pretty handily last season, threw the 2nd best pitcher in the tournamet and CR put up 3 runs against him. McFarland had extreme jitter starting the championship game, when Saco put up 4 of its runs.

They should be very comptetive, and will be able to hit with every team in the tournament.

I have watched McFarland play since late June, and I have to say that he is the best hitter that I have ever seen for 12 years old. He will turn a lot of heads during this tournament and he is the Star of the team. But thier leader is Crans, on and off of the field.

Also, the homerun that McFarland hit, it was easily 325, it would have cleared almost 2 fields.

Thanks,
Howard

Howard,

Will you be in Bristol this weekend? I'd love to meet up. I'm a Little League fan from Ny who goes every year.

C-r's first game will be incredibly intense. Every team will be in attendence plus many of their families, plus about 3000 fans from Connecticut all rooting for the CT team.

Shelton National, C-R's opponent, is the defending CT state champs, and they made the regional championship last year. They're loaded with a bonafide ace. If Shelton beats CR up, don't let it iscourage them.

Yes, I will be there all day Friday and Saturday. Planning to watch the games all day on both days.
Got contact information?

Section1Guy wrote:

Howard,
Will you be in Bristol this weekend? I'd love to meet up. I'm a Little League fan from Ny who goes every year.
C-r's first game will be incredibly intense. Every team will be in attendence plus many of their families, plus about 3000 fans from Connecticut all rooting for the CT team.
Shelton National, C-R's opponent, is the defending CT state champs, and they made the regional championship last year. They're loaded with a bonafide ace. If Shelton beats CR up, don't let it iscourage them.

I also think that this Camden team will be able to hit with Shelton, as I stated, they are that good.

The reason why Camden got beat last year was they did not have the bubble kids on the 11 year old team. The 5th year Little league players are the whole team.

Shelton is going to be a tall order for anyone. They have two pitchers who are legitimate Regional quality #1 pitchers, the better of the two who hits mid 70s. They are returning the starting middle infield from last years state championship team, and hit up and down the order, with tremendous power. I think it's highly unlikely that Camden has seen anyone who throws as hard as they will see Friday. I am not saying they won't hit him, I'm just saying it will be a challenge. Taking away the 8 runs they allowed in a meaningless game at the end of section pool play, which they didn't use any of the normal pitchers in they've given up 4 runs in 11 games. Again, not trying to offend anyone or anything, but a 285 foot homerun is not all that uncommon at this level. I think anyone who's been around Bristol the past 5 years or so can say they've seen 25 or so 285 foot plus homeruns over the years. I look forward to seeing McFarland, but I think you guys will see a big step up on level of comepition at least from CT, RI, MA, and NH from what you saw in Maine. Good luck, as I'm always rooting to see 6 solid teams in the New England tourney!

by the way, Shelton has also scored 113 runs in there 12 games.

Again, another team that is there because of 5th year little leaguers. It will be more interesting to see these young adults when they have to go and play against kids their own age on the big diamond. They may look like the second coming of Babe Ruth in Little League but once reality hits them and they have to play in the league they should be in now, they may look back and say why did I waste another year in Little League playing against kids younger than I am?

Actually, Camden has seen pitchers who threw in the mid 70's in the State tournament. They are all 12-13 year old kids who all have long winters and play the same amount of baseball.

I can't say for sure that there aren't kids in Maine throwing mid-70s, but in an average your there are probably (just a guess) 25 kids in the country who throw that hard. And, I have no idea if the returning members (they were 11s last year) got another year or not, it is just as likely that they didn't. You seem a litle bitter about the age change, I think some kids benefit greatly from the extra year and some don't. I really hope Camden is an excellent team, but I certainly would expect an increase in competition level.

Bitter, maybe somewhat.....because of the age change, some kids did get 5 years of Little League which I am just completely against. If you are born between April 1 and July 31, you get a 5th year. In Little League it seems that rules are changing every year to protect kids and ensure safety but now you have extremely big kids playing in their 5th year 45 feet away from hitting a line shot at a pitcher. It is supposed to be all about the kids. Well when a one kid can play 5 years and bump another off an all star team because of it I lose sight of how this is for the kids. The league is called an 11-12 but 13 year olds dominate the league.

Retep,

you have to understand that 95% of Little Leaguers are done playing baseball at the end of the regular season. The age cutoff was moved for them.

Before the age cutoff, you had kids who never got to play one inning on LL as a 12 year old kid. If I was born July 15th and I wasn't one of the best 12 in my league, I'd be down playing as an 11 year old kid before my 12th birthday. That was the reason for the age change.

The size of kids has not changed dramatically whatsoever in these last 2-3 years. It's the same.

I just don't see any benefit to a kid playing 5 years of Little League. Most play their 4 years and some of them play 3 years of all stars because during their 4th year, they are left off of the All star team because a 5th year player prevails. And they should be more advanced, any kid in their 5th year should be very good.

My whole issue is 4 years of Little League is what it should be. I have no problem with an 11 yesr old making a 12 year old team. I am against a 12 year old who is now 13 making the 12 year old team twice.

Little League should simplify the whole thing by using a calendar year like every other sport basically does.

Ohhh...

I figured it out. Someone you know was left off the team. I was a young 12 when I played. I hated that some kids "caught" the birthday when they were born august 2nd. It didn't matter. I won the MVP of my league, led the league in homeruns, and we won the district title and finished farther than any team in our district ever has in the state of NY. An extremely tough state to win.

Little League is great. Being 12 is great. Just work hard and have fun. The oversized kids won't grow anymore and they'll usually not play in high school.

Was there really an MVP award? So when you say they caught the b-day do you mean that a kid born August 2nd missed the July 31st so he then appeared older when he was 12?

Ummm...No I made it up??? wtf??

As for the birthday, that means he got the "extra" year by being born 2 days later. He "caught" it.