A Little Late:15 Tri-State Baseball Teams Who'll Bomb in 2009, Part 1

Writer's Note: This list is based on the 2008 team performance and 2009 training performances and what few games have been played this season. (This is also done knowing that high school sports is not my favorite topic to cover.) Below are my first five picks.

First of three-part series

1. Quincy Notre Dame (Quincy, IL)

Finishing the 2008 campaign at 7-5 (with many game rainouts), head coach Chris Martin (who sounds more like a Coldplay frontman than a baseball coach, pun intended), the 2009 Raiders are currently 2-8 and making matters worse for the parochial school.

2. Griggsville-Perry (Griggsville, IL)

A team formerly of its glory, being featured year after year at the SJ-R Baseball Classic in Springfield, the 2009 campaign looks very grim. Their present 2-10 record ruins any hope for a Pike County Conference win or a playoff berth. Maybe it's time to give Aaron Burd the boot.

3. Central A&M (Moweaqua, IL)

A team who has formerly been a smashmouth football program can't back that reputation in baseball. A 0-12 finish in 2008 proves that A&M and coach Rob Smith can't get anywhere in the IHSA.

4. Nokomis (Nokomis, IL)

I originally posted this as #48 on my Top 50 list, but with the recent 2009 performance early in the season, I had to bump them up for this list. Coach Brian Pesko cannot get into the players' heads to stop making costly errors. To make matters worse, with a recent JV loss to Greenville (IL) 21-9, varsity assistant/JV HC Dan Clavin doesn't help matters much. The 2009 performance of hopefully becoming the "Dream Team", like in 2003 and 2005 is very grim.

5. Knox County (Edina, MO)

A team similar to #2 and #3, their program has been faltering in recent years, except in football. With most of the 2009 schedule re-scheduled or cancelled, the Hawks will not have any action. The 2008 season faced the same circumstances because of the 2008 flooding season. But in 2007, their campaign was horrible, ending with a 7-29 record.

To be continued....