Team Previews

Heck - Borden aint even the voice of his own house. Trust me I know. But one pass is on the way. Will be waiting for you at the gate. Not @ "will call" but "please call."

This is truly an early season highlight game.

 

R.J. Reynolds

You can get some information about the R.J. Reynolds team at our website: http://www.eteamz.com/rjr-baseball-backers-2005

 

Would you check and see if it's Ok with the coach for us to copy his handout and paste it on here. I know everyone wants to get to know his players more.

We appreciate it!!!!! :xyzthumbs

Just finished looking at it .... that's a great looking team!!!!!!!!!!

 

No coach here, just a parent of a player who graduated last year. East graduated 7 starting position players and top 3 pitchers. I'd call this a rebuilding year.

-jda

 

Here is a link to the West Forsyth team page. It's still a work in progress as the roster doesn't appear to be set (or at least keyed in) yet.

West Forsyth Team Site

 

I checked with Coach Welch and he has no problem with you posting the Reynolds information here. Can you get it directly from the website or do you want me to send it to you as an email attachment? Let me know.

 

2005 RJ Reynolds Varsity Baseball Season Outlook

The 2005 R.J. Reynold’s Varsity baseball players are anxiously awaiting the upcoming season. Seven players return from last year’s squad, including six starters. Pitching will be strong for the Demons in 2005 as the three pitchers who accounted for 17 of last year’s 18 wins will return to the mound. First up is 2004 Co-MVP Jay Laramore with 8 wins. Second is Golden Arm Award winner Hampton Foushee with 7 wins and 2 saves. And third is Coach’s Award winner Torrey Johnson, the closer, with 2 wins, 3 saves and a 1.52 ERA.

Reynold’s finished second in the CPC last year and won all but one of the head-to-head series against conference opponents. This year the team is determined to improve on the 18 wins recorded by both the 2003 and the 2004 teams.

The RJR Varsity squad will open with 14 players (two Freshmen will play both JV and Varsity). This year’s team is low in numbers but high in experience and talent. In order to compete successfully against the likes of West Forsyth, Davie County, North Davidson, South Rowan and North Forsyth, this team will have to use that experience and talent in every game.


The Players

Drew Bostian - (Senior): “Beast” returns to the Varsity for his second year. Drew is a very fundamentally sound outfielder and looks to hold down left or right field. At the plate he had numerous big hits for the Demons in 2004 as a designated hitter and part-time left fielder. Drew must hit consistently this year in order to insure a high number of at-bats. With consistency at the plate Drew will help lead the Demons to their goals of CPC, Forsyth, and State championships.

Jeremy Boykin - (Senior): “Cheeze” will be playing his first year on Varsity this year. He will be competing for an outfield spot as well as the catcher spot. Jeremy has great physical strength that he demonstrated by playing on the offensive line of the RJR football team. His Varsity playing time will be directly related to his ability to hit Varsity pitching. His strength and desire to win will be needed to help the Demons be successful in 2005.

Nick DeRose - (Senior): Nick returns for his third year as a starter on the Varsity squad. In 2004 Nick was the RJR Offensive Player of the Year. Defensively his exceptional hands and quick feet earned him CPC All-Conference honors and the starting shortstop position on the 2004 Region 5 State Games team. Nick really hit the weight room hard this off season and added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame. The added strength will only increase his power at the plate. Nick’s post-graduation plans are set as he has accepted a scholarship to play baseball at Appalachian State University.

Hampton Foushee - (Senior): Hampton will also be a third year starter on the Varsity this year. In both 2003 and 2004 Hampton was named to the CPC All-Conference and NC State Game teams. As RJR’s 2004 Golden Arm Award recipient, Hampton will be handed the ball as many times as possible this year. His very strong left arm, and 12 pounds of muscle added through off-season weight training will help carry the Demons deep into the State Playoffs. After a highly successful high school career, Hampton will attend Harvard University and pitch for the Crimson.

Torrey Johnson - (Senior): Torrey is a four year starter on Varsity at RJR. Another stellar performance is expected of him in 2005. Last year, Torrey was the RJR Coach’s Award winner. He can do it all: pitch, hit, and play any position on the diamond. He is a two time CPC All-Conference winner and won the starting third base position on the 2004 NC State Games team. Torrey will be expected to swing a powerful bat and be the closer for a very good Demon pitching staff this year. His 1.52 ERA in 32 innings last year illustrates his dominance on the mound. He could very well be handed the ball three times a week this year. College baseball is in Torrey’s future, where is the only question.

Jay Laramore - (Senior): Jay is a three year starter for the Varsity Demons. He returns in 2005 with the high hopes of bettering his 2004 season… a tough task considering Jay was named RJR Co-MVP last year and became the winningest single season pitcher in the Coach Welch era with 8 wins in 9 decisions. Laramore not only pitches with surgeon like precision (10 strikeouts for each walk), but has the best hands at first base in the conference, and has thunder in his bat! Jay will be handed the ball often this year in the hopes of repeating his 2004 CPC All-Conference performance. His dominance on the mound and at the plate will directly influence the success of the 2005 Demons in the tough CPC conference and NC State Playoffs. Next year Jay will play baseball for Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, NC.


Francois Byers - (Junior): Francois will join the Varsity team permanently in 2005 after short stints on Varsity in 2004. High hopes follow Francois after his 2004 JV MVP season. He will be counted on to shoulder the catching duties for this very talented pitching staff. Byers has the physical stature to withstand the grind of catching. In addition, his bat is full of “pop”. If the Demons truly plan to make a run at both the CPC and State Titles, Francois must play like a seasoned leader and veteran. Byers may be the most important piece of the 2005 RJR baseball puzzle.

Dustin Johnson – (Junior): Dustin returns for his second year on the RJR Varsity in 2005. Dustin has the potential to be one of the best lead-off hitters and middle infielders in the conference this year. He is a legitimate switch-hitter. He hit .265 in his first year on Varsity and will no doubt improve that average this year. Last year in his last 40 at-bats he had zero strikeouts after being moved to the lead-off position. Dustin’s live arm, quick feet, and versatility allow him to play anywhere… even pitch. If Dustin has the breakout year expected, he will surely help determine the titles this 2005 Demon team can achieve.

Oscar Nunez – (Junior): Oscar is a junior and making his first appearance in an R.J. Reynolds uniform. Playing time for him has yet to be determined, but if he improves with the determination he brings to practice then he has a chance to push the other outfielders for a job. DH is also a possibility for him.

David Orr - (Junior): David begins his second season on Varsity as the starting center fielder. Orr, a speedy and fundamentally sound outfielder looks forward to being the captain in the outfield. David is stronger and faster than last year due to his off-season weight training and playing Fall Varsity football. He has a lot of power in his bat and has improved his arm strength in the field. The success of the 2005 team depends heavily on David’s performance at bat and his savvy defensive skills in the outfield.

Adam Parker - (Junior): Adam will play his first year of Varsity baseball in 2005 as his skills have been polished at the JV level by Coach Broadstreet. Adam will possible see time on the mound if he can harness his control and attack Varsity hitters with his fastball, curve, and change-up. At 6’ 4”, Adam’s natural defensive position is first base. With his long wing span he could help the team considerably at that position. 2005 will be a challenge and an opportunity for Parker. His strong mind and eagerness to learn will be a huge component in the success of this year’s Demon team.


Hunter Boehme – (Sophomore): Hunter will play his first year on Varsity this year with the Demons. Hunter’s dedication to the weight room and subsequent four inches of growth and 20 lbs. of increased weight have enabled him to jump to the Varsity after one year of JV ball. His versatility and skills in the infield and outfield gives him a chance to push for a lot of playing time this year. How he fares against Varsity pitching will inevitably determine his role as a full-time or part-time player. At the very least, Hunter’s strong work ethic is sure to rub off on the rest of the team and will influence the number of wins this Demon baseball team will earn in the 2005 season.


Jacob Martin – (Freshman): Jacob has huge athletic ability and has a chance to play four years of Varsity baseball at RJR. A catcher by nature (needed immensely on the Varsity this year), Jacob can also play infield and outfield. He has good bat speed and will be challenged at the plate. His catching relief and versatility may be exactly the missing piece to insure success for this 2005 Demon baseball team.

Zach Powell – (Freshman): Zach also has a chance to play four years of Varsity baseball during his high school career at RJR. This left-handed pitcher has a natural pitching motion that many will never achieve. Along with his ability to “pick-it” at first base, Zach has a nice smooth swing. Varsity playing time for Zach in 2005 may be limited to pitching, but Varsity experience as a Freshman is invaluable. Powell may be able to eat up some innings and save the arms of the rest of this year’s talented pitching staff, which will prove vital for the team to make a run at the CPC and State Playoff titles.

 

Pass along a thank you from us.... It's a really good way to get to know the players.

 

Myers Park Preview

Okay -- here is my take on the 2005 Mustangs as promised. First, a disclaimer -- the opinions are mine and mine alone and do not reflect the views, in any way whatsoever, of the coaching staff. I could be wrong about a lot of things and usually am :seuss:, but at least this will give you some familiarity with the names, and I had fun doing it. I hope many of the rest of you will post your previews, too. I have divided my previews into two posts because it was too long to fit in one. I'll get all the sandbagging out of the way in the first post.

Coach Les Deming and the 2005 Mustangs will have their work cut out to continue Myers Park’s consecutive state playoff appearance streak. The team graduated ten seniors in 2004, and six of them are now on college rosters.

The 2004 Mustang’s 9-5 SW4A record was good enough to share second place with Providence in the regular season, but the team finished the year a disappointing 10-12 overall. After coming on strong late, the team dropped their last four games, at South, at home against Butler, then losses to Olympic and Alexander Central in the first rounds of the conference and State tourneys.

For the second year in a row the team lost both its regular starting pitchers to graduation. Left-handed starters Jason Kennell (Mars Hill) and Gant Bowman (UNC, not playing) have moved on, as has right-hander Logan Smith (UNCG), the third starter from each of the last two years.

In addition, the Mustangs offense was hit hard by graduation. In addition to Smith (UNCG), the Mustangs lost catchers/DHs JJ Rollins (App. St.) and Tim Kramer (Methodist), and top-hitters Jim Berger (1b) and Wes Flowers (ss). Rollins, Flowers and Berger hit 2-3-4 all year in 2004. Ryan Cook (lf) (Pfeiffer), Andrew Wall (2b) (Wake Forest) and Will Rorie were also lost to graduation.

The Mustangs also lost well-liked and very effective assistant coach Toby Bicknell. Coach B is now an assistant at UNC Pembroke.

All is not lost, however. Coach Deming returns for his sixth season at the helm, and he has produced three consecutive state tourrnament teams. A well-liked “player’s coach,” Coach D has grown in the job and now appears comfortable at the helm. This year he has eight seniors and 11 juniors on his varsity squad.

(Continued)

 

Myers Park (continued)

All-conference returning senior Jeremy Mathis (p,ss) and junior lead-off hitter and center-fielder Jack Myers (cf) lead the 2005 cast of returning lettermen, which also includes end-of-season starters Jack Magee (lf,c) and Cody Drake (rf,1b) and part-time starters/key reserve seniors Scott Brewer (p,of), David Castevens (3b), Scott Fry (2b), Matt Satterfield (c,of), Josh Gresham (2b) and junior Ryan Rockecharlie (p,1b).

Arriving to help from the jv squad are juniors Scott Matthews (ss), Matt Henney (p,1b), Zack Simpson (of), Jordan Harris (of), Billy Zwier (of), Jordan Cudney (p,if), Brown Rogers (1b, p), and Charlie Griffin (1b,p). Also, junior Matt Butler (rhp), who didn’t play last season, has impressed with his velocity on the mound in the pre-season, and rounds out the large junior class.

Still, experienced depth could be an issue for the first time in years for the Mustangs. One thing that is likely, based on the past, is that Coach Deming will give each of these guys an opportunity to show what he can do in the early going.

Look for the Mustangs to compete with Providence, East Meck and Butler for two of the three SW4A playoff spots. South Meck, with future college players at every starting spot and in some reserve roles, will run away and hide from the rest of the SW4A conference.

Here is my unofficial take on the 2005 Mustang squad.

Pitching. While most of the Mustangs’ mound experience was lost to graduation, this year’s staff has logged lots of quality innings both in relief for MP and with their year-round, summer or fall teams. Senior right-handers Mathis and Brewer were the key relievers last year and will likely compete with senior left-hander Drake and junior right-hander Rockecharlie for the 1-2 starter spots.

Mathis has been compared to last year’s East Meck ace, Ben Buchanan, as he is proficient at spotting the ball and changing speeds. Mathis is very effective without overwhelming velocity. His performance this summer for the On Deck O’s in Ft. Myers against the WWBA world champion Houston Heat team (5IP, 1 ER) opened lots of eyes. Roger Clemmons, in Ft. Myers to watch his son Cody play for the Heat, was very complimentary of Mathis after that performance. His fastball will live in the low 80s, but if you just sit on that pitch you’ll be fooled by his best pitches, his change-up and curve.

Brewer throws hard with movement and is tough to hit when he is on, but will once again need to make the transition from basketball quickly, a tough thing particularly for a pitcher. He made it to his first workout today, as the Mustang hoopsters lost last night in the first round of the state tournament. It will likely take several weeks for him to be up to strength on the mound.

Drake appears fully recovered from a serious football injury (broken ankle) and will be the squad’s only left-handed arm. He has been very effective at times but has sometimes been plagued by control problems. He relies on movement and throws under the hands of right-handed hitters as well as any left-hander around. Drake has perhaps the highest “ceiling” of the four and needs only to gain some consistency.

Rockecharlie has picked up some velocity and will get innings either in a starting or relief capacity, but there are several other juniors chasing him for time. Look for Henney to get early opportunities to prove he can fill a spot in the rotation or give some quality relief. Also likely to get a good look are juniors Cudney, Harris, Rodgers and newcomer Butler. Butler will challenge Rockecharlie and Brewer as the hardest thrower on the staff, as all three will occasionally top out in the mid to upper 80s.

Offense. The biggest question mark for the Mustangs is offense, where most of the run production and all of the power were lost to graduation. Myers will continue to get on base in the lead-off spot, but his speed may be a question mark in the early going as he continues to recover from an MCL tear last fall in football. Mathis, Magee, Castevens, Brewer and Drake will have to step up and drive in runs. All have provided key hits in the past, but none of them has yet proven to be a reliable power guy the likes of graduates Rollins, Berger and Flowers. Look for Fry, Satterfield and Rockecharlie to contribute at the plate as well. The Mustang offense may have to play small ball a little more.

Here is a look, position-by-position:

1st Base. Senior Drake and juniors Rockecharlie, Henney, Rogers and Griffin will likely battle for this spot Look for Drake to be slotted into an outfield spot and the one of the others who provides the most offense to win the first base spot. I suspect this battle will rage well into the season, with each candidate getting some early plate appearances.

2nd Base. Seniors Fry and Gresham will compete at second. Again, whichever of them can produce at the plate will have the best shot. Fry, who recently committed to Greensboro College, had the upper hand by season-end last year, but each will get an opportunity, as will junior Matthews, who could also push for playing time at short. Matthews could be the Mustangs’ best defensive alternative in the middle infield, and the fact that he swings the bat from the left side is a plus.

Shortstop. The shortstop spot could be shared by pitchers Mathis and Brewer, as both will be needed offensively when not on the mound, and both have experience at this spot. Coach D could opt for more range with Matthews, so this one will be very interesting. My guess is that Mathis and Matthews will share the spot, with Fry potentially moving over from second to fill in, and that Brewer will be in the outfield when not pitching.

3rd Base. Look for junior Castevens, a quality defensive guy with a good bat and very good speed, to nail down this spot. Castevens has been playing behind Logan Smith and is probably the most underrated of the Mustang seniors. He got some key hits in pinch hitting and spot-starting roles last season, but should be even better as a full-time starter. Mathis could move over here if needed, but if Castevens hits like I think he will, he’ll settle in here full time early on.

Catcher. Seniors Magee and Satterfield can now emerge from the Rollins/Kramer shadow. Look for both of these guys to be in the line-up, one of them in the outfield or at DH. Magee started the second half of 2004 in left field and did a good job in the offensive five hole, and Satterfield, who recently committed to Greensboro College, got several starts in right. The two will probably share the catching duties like Rollins and Kramer did last year, but as long as they hit they’ll both be somewhere in the lineup regularly.

Outfield. Junior center fielder Myers is the one sure-bet position starter, as he should be at full strength by opening day. In fact, he got an earlier start on the diamond this year since his injury kept him off the hardwood. The only thing standing between Myers and a D1 baseball scholarship is his love for four sports – in addition to being a baseball/football/basketball guy, he is also a racquetball star (like his mother, who is a former national champion). Myers has great range in centerfield and can just plain hit the ball. Late-season 2004 outfield starters Magee and Drake could also be in the outfield again if not at catcher and first base. Brewer, who as a sophomore started in right field during the Mustang run to the state championship series, also will be a serious outfield candidate when not pitching, and Satterfield also has some experienced in the outfielder. Juniors Simpson, Harris and Zwier will also get an opportunity to win outfield playing time.

DH. The DH spot is wide open and may not be used at all, as the likely starting pitchers are also needed at the plate. However, Coach D could opt for a defensive specialist at another spot and use one of his catchers or outfielders as the DH.

This Mustang team has nineteen guys who can play, but overall it will be weaker on paper than the Myers Park state tournament teams of the past three years. The Mustangs will have to throw strikes, play solid defense, and bunch hits together on a consistent basis in order to improve on last year’s overall record. Fortunately, after South Meck, the entire conference will also be weaker and this squad should be very competitive with the rest of the SW4A.
:aorangeha