East Paulding, a Class AAAAA semifinal team in 2009, is struggling without ace pitcher Zack Wheeler, the sixth overall pick in the major league draft last June.
But the school’s baseball field is a better place this week because of Wheeler and a new scoreboard that the pitcher donated.
“That’s the least I could do to help out a high school that helped me so much for four years,’’ Wheeler said this week from Augusta, where he pitches for the San Francisco Giants’ Class A team. “Everybody was so nice to me there, and we had a lot of success.’’
East Paulding officials wouldn’t reveal the price tag, but scoreboards like it with line scores typically cost at least $15,000.
East Paulding (10-12 overall, 6-8 in 5-AAAAA) has reached the state playoffs each of the past nine seasons.
Prospect a 'Chipper Jones-type'
If there's a front-runner for state player of the year, it's Kaleb Cowart, a pitcher and switch-hitting shortstop from No. 1-ranked Cook (19-2) of Class AA. Cowart is hitting .714 (45-for-63) with nine home runs and 21 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he's 5-0 with an 0.41 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 34 innings. Cowart has signed with Florida State but is a possible first-round pick in the June draft. "The dilemma is whether to get him as a pitcher or an every-day player,'' said Cook coach Bob Owsley. "A third baseman is what I'd push him at now. He's a Chipper Jones-type player.''
Carver turning around
Carver-Atlanta won two games total from 2002-05, but that was before coach Brent Slade arrived in 2006. Now, the city school is closing in on its first state playoff berth and winning season in more than a decade with an 11-8 overall record, 9-3 in 5-AAA. Roderick Hubbert (3-1, 255 ERA) has allowed 11 hits and struck out 39 in 33 innings. Rhas Williams is hitting .405. Carver has no college signees and still struggles against true state powers -- Dunwoody beat the Panthers 15-1 on Wednesday. But there's a sense of pride that previously did not exist, and it began with investing in young players and establishing a summer program five years ago, Slade said. "Finally, we had structure and high expectations,'' he said. "We had coaches, players and parents that cared about being successful.''
Parkview atop AAAAA
Parkview (19-3, 9-1) is the new No. 1 team in the coaches' poll after winning 11 of 12 and taking a two-game lead in 8-AAAAA. Parkview is hitting .373 as a team with nine batters better than .340. Brandon Kregel leads at .528 (38-for-72) and seven home runs. Austin Wheeler (.410-6-22) and Matt Olson (.370-8-33) also provide power. The top pitchers have been Jesse Foster (6-1, 2.33 ERA), Zack Reinstein (4-0, 2.44) and Jack Esmonde (five saves, 1.09). "It's not that one person carrying us,'' coach Chan Brown said. "We've got a team thing going on.''
Getting late
Roswell (15-6, 8-6), the preseason No. 1 team in Class AAAAA, stands only fifth in 6-AAAAA, the state's most respected region, with four games left and almost certainly must beat Alpharetta (12-10, 9-5) on Monday to get one of the four state playoff berths from the region. Roswell suffered a blow Wednesday when it lost 13-8 to Walton (7-13). Milton, Pope and Lassiter are tied for first with 11-3 records.
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