Posted on Sunday, 5/31/2009 - 2:28 a.m. PDT — by realistic72
The EBAL is a great league but when it comes to the playofffs they are overated. How can Cal lose there last four games and get a better seed the Ivington and Newark. Irvington beat Monte Viste and Monte Vista is the 2nd seed and Cal loses the last four and they are a bettter seed the Irvington??? It's time people do some work and quit following the hype. Just look at the polls especially Cal-Hi Sports. Freedom wasn't even in their top ten but Cal was even though Freedom beat Cal twice including a no hitter!!! EBAL has quality teams but when it comes to the playoffs they are no better then the other league leaders. Freedom was hands down the best team in the North Coast Section and the paper wants to call beating De La Salle an upset? Yeah you'll say it's because De La Salle was the number one seed but I say it's because you are lazy and don't research but rather just go with the mainstream point of view. De La Salle was not the number one seed and Freedom proved it! De La Salle was an excellent team but Freedom was hands down the best NCS TEAM!!!
Joined: Mar 2007
Current Posts: 446
Don't forget that Freedom also won the BVAL last year, finishing ahead of Clayton Valley and De La Salle in league play. Gary Alexander is finally earning the respect he deserves. And Billy Wardell has gone down in Contra Costa baseball history as one of our legendary players.
Joined: May 2009
Current Posts: 2
Wardell was flat out a warrior last night. Getting a 3 inch gash to the bone over his eye getting bandaged up and then completing a one hitter. If that doesn't up his stock value in the upcoming draft then the MLB scouts are idiots! Freedom is the better team there are no holes in that lineup. MVP of the game the sport trainer!
De La Salle is a very good team but what is with the disrespecting on the umpires? I couldn't believe that umpire behind the plate took so much crap from the players. My take is if it is close enough to call a strike three on you you probably need to be swinging anyway. Prima Donna attitudes. Freedom came to play and were the better team flat out!
I have alot of respect for De La Salles programs but last night's their team didn't help their cause.Good players and I'm sure good people but why they were allowed to disrespect the umpires by the De La Salle coaches and the umpires is beyond me other then give it up to the umpire for being tolerant. I though the officiating was outstanding!
I have alot of respect for
Joined: Mar 2009
Current Posts: 1
Not to take anything away from Freedom, but I don't know if I would call them the best team in NCS. Let's not forget that Freedom may have have won BVAL last year, but Clayton Valley did beat them 3 times last year! A rematch this year would have been fun.
Congratulations on your NCS Championship!
Joined: Sep 2006
Current Posts: 3041
Playoffs can come down to one dominant pitcher, such as Wardell mowing down DLS last night. The only EBAL teams with dominant pitchers, MV and SRV, both had problems scoring runs. Thus, in the playoffs against premier pitching they were both shut down. Cal won 2 NCS games and so did DLS. Both were quality teams, but neither had that one dominant starter though.
How about just giving credit to Freedom and Wardell, who were dominant? Kudos to Clayton Valley and Miramonte, with shutout performances in the finals as well. The quality of baseball in this county is fantastic, and the EBAL top to bottom is as good as any league.
I agree that with Wardell on the mound, it wasn't an upset. But, if Wardell hadn't been able to gut it out and get back out there after that early collision, they might have been in trouble. Just an outstanding effort in the clutch by Wardell!