Just a reminder that Showcase Registration opens on April 1. There is limited space in the showcase and we have had to turn away potential participants every year, so registration forms should be submitted as close to April 1 as possible. Potential participants should read the Showcase Information sheet before completing the registration form. Last year, 80 colleges were represented at the showcase along with scouts from a number of professional teams. The Showcase, of course, is open only to 2011 grads from the WPIAL or Pittsburgh City League who are varsity starters. The information sheet and registration form can be downloaded at the "WBCA All-Stars" section of the website.

The WPIAL Basebal Realignments for the 2011 and 2012 seasons have been announced. I'll take a crack at summarizing the changes.

Class AAAA is going from 27 teams to 28 with Laurel Highlands moving up from Class AAA. Laurel Highlands will move into Section 2 and will replace Kiski in that section. Kiski moves to Section 4 replacing McKeesport who will move to Section 3. Section 1 is unchanged. This leaves each of the 4 sections with 7 teams.

Class AAA is going from 30 teams to 32 teams. Central Valley (jointure of Monaca and Center), Beaver, East Allegheny and Valley move into Class AAA while Laurel Highlands leaves AAA (to join AAAA) and Southmoreland moves down to AA. There will be significant movement among the 4 sections. In Section 1, only Ambridge, Blackhawk and New Castle remain. Beaver, Central Valley, Hopewell, Moon and West Allegheny all join Section 1 while Hampton, Highlands, Knoch and Mars move to what is an entirely reconstructed Section 4. Derry, Greensburg-Salem, Mt Pleasant and Uniontown remain in Section 2. Joining them will be Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Ringgold and Yough (all formerly in Section 4). Chartiers Valley, Keystone Oaks, McGuffey and Montour remain in Section 3. They are joined by South Park, Thomas Jefferson, Trinity and West Mifflin (all formerly in Section 4). The reconstitued Section 4 includes East Allegheny, Hampton, Highlands, Indiana, Kittanning, Knoch, Mars and Valley.

Class AA goes from 42 teams to 39 teams and also reduces the number of sections from six to five. Southmoreland and Jeannette move into AA. Center, Beaver, East Allegheny, Valley and North Catholic all leave AA. Again, there are lots of changes in the sections. Freedom, Quaker Valley and Sto-Rox stay in Section 1 and are joined by Bishop Canevin, Carlynton, Northgate, Seton LaSalle and South Fayette (all from from the disbanded Section 6). Section 2 remains intact, but adds Southmoreland. Section 3 remains intact but adds Summit Academy from Section 5. Section 4 loses East Allegheny and adds Brentwood and Jeannette. Section 5 loses Summit Academy and adds New Brighton and South Side Beaver.

Class A stays at 29 teams but adds North Catholic (from AA) and Elderton (no team last year) and loses Jeannette and Monaca (now part of Central Valley). The number of sections is reduced from five to four. Section 1 adds California (from Section 2) but otherwise stays intact. Section 2 loses California but adds Our Lady of Sacred Heart and Serra Catholic. Section 3 loses Monaca and adds Cornell and Quigley Catholic. Section 4 adds Elderton, Leechburg, North Catholic. St Joseph and Springdale while losing OLSH and Quigley.

Complete section listings are attached.

WPIALrealign.pdf (19.56 kb)

The list of local guys playing college ball (sorted by high school) has been posted on the website. The top high schools by classification are as follows:

Class AAAA    Seneca Valley (26 players), North Allegheny (20), Bethel Park (16), Butler (16), Central Catholic (15)

Class AAA       Blackhawk (17), Chartiers Valley (11), West Allegheny (10), Laurel Highlands (9), Hopewell (8)

Class AA         Center (8), Riverside (8), South Fayette (6), Steel Valley (6), Seton LaSalle (5)

Class A             Geibel (5), Chartiers-Houston (4), Neshannock (4), Rochester (4), Vincentian (4)

Just a heads up that I will be updating the Where Are They Now section of the website tomorrow (March 24). Our annual survey shows that 586 local guys are playing college or junior college baseball. This number is down slightly from last year (possibly due to the economy plus PSU - New Ken disbanding their baseball team).

Now onto the gyros. Just got back from a weekend trip to New York City and had the world's best gyro. If your travels take you to NYC you have to go to the corner of 6th and 53rd and try the gyros. This place always has a line of people. There are other gyro stands a half a block away with no lines, but this place has the best rep in the city. (My wife will, as usual, shake her head over the fact that I am commenting on gyros and not the musicals we saw).

We get plenty of questions about summer baseball camps and showcases. We have links to many camps and showcases on the website under the "Baseball Camp Directory" tab. Here are some local showcases that I am aware of. We are not in the business of endorsing showcases, though, so other than the WPIAL Baseball Coaches/West Penn Baseball Prospects Showcase, I have no direct knowledge about the quality of the events.

June 12 - WBCA/WPBP Showcase for 2011 grads only. Held at Burkett Field in Robinson Township. Cost is $75 if your coach does not belong to the WBCA and $60 if he does.

June 29/30 All Star Baseball Academy Showcase. All high school players. Held at White Township Athletic Complex in Indiana, PA. Cost is $250.

July 27/28 - DeMarini TPX Top 96. All high school players. Held at Trees Field on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Cost is $395.

Please let me know if you are aware of others.

As the snow continues to melt and we have actually seen the sun in Pittsburgh, there are at least two signs that spring is just around the corner. First, March 8 is the first official day of high school baseball practice (don't bother looking in the Post-Gazette or Trib about it). The second sign is that registration information for the 2011 West Penn Baseball Prospects/WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association Showcase is now available on this website under both "WBCA All-Stars" and "Downloadable Forms". Registration does not officially begin until April 1, but you can download the form and information now and be ready to go when registration opens.