The presence of former Orioles shortstop Mike Bordick as a coach in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference has given it credibility, but he is the first to say that he is not the main reason for the perceived higher level of play in the league.
"Just because I played with the Orioles doesn't mean I would come into the league and re-invent the wheel," said Bordick, who is in his second season as coach at Boys' Latin. "There are some really good players in this league, and it makes for great competition. The coaches are dedicated, too, and as a result, I think the conference is on the rise."
The B Conference has vastly improved over the past couple seasons and has some players who would be standouts in the more esteemed A Conference, in which No. 1 Calvert Hall, No. 2 Archbishop Spalding and No. 4 Mount St. Joseph, among others, play.
Top players in the B Conference include St. Mary's pitcher-infielder Austin Poretz, St. Vincent Pallotti catcher Kieran Flannery and Severn right-handed ace Sander Beck.
"Those three were absolutely outstanding for us and can hold their own against anybody in the metro area," said Dean Albany, an Orioles scout who runs the Oriolelanders fall showcase team. "There is no doubt, they make the B Conference a better league than it has been in a long time. When two of them pitch against each other this spring, it will be like watching a high-level A Conference game."
Bordick said that having players such as those in the league "rubs off on the younger players because they have talent and do things the right way, and that only makes the younger players better."
St. Mary's coach Dave Lanham said the B Conference teams are closing the gap by playing 30-game schedules, attracting "good student-athletes" and getting more serious about coaching.
"Taking trips adds to the overall improvement as well," said Lanham, whose Saints traveled to Las Vegas last season and are flying to Tampa, Fla., this spring.
Lanham, who led St. Mary's to last year's B Conference title over Boys' Latin, said this season's Saints team is the best he has had in his six years at the Annapolis school.
"Our 2004 B Conference champion was nowhere near last year's team, and this is my best team this year," he said.
Bordick said the B Conference doesn't compare to the A from top to bottom.
"While [the B Conference] is good baseball, it doesn't have the depth of the 'A' teams," he said.
Pallotti coach Pat Courtemanche agreed.
"We have 12 teams in the B Conference now and that makes it tough, but a lot of fun," said Courtemanche, whose team is playing top Washington-area schools such as Gonzaga, DeMatha, Paul VI, Georgetown Prep and Bullis this season. "The difference between us and the 'A' is that we might have four really good players in the lineup to their nine.
"The big thing is that we lack depth. If we lose a No. 1 pitcher or catcher or shortstop, we're in trouble. Whereas if a Calvert Hall loses a key player, they usually have someone to replace him. That's the difference."
Lanham had a slightly different take.
"I disagree a little bit because, I feel that our team, Boys' Latin and Pallotti could compete in the 'A,' " he said. "But not year to year. Like we would have a chance this year in the 'A,' but after graduation, not next year."
pat.omalley@baltsun.com
THE POLL
1. Calvert Hall
Last season -- 33-0, ranked No. 1
Outlook -- The Cardinals, ranked No. 2 in the nation in Baseball America's preseason poll, return pitcher-third baseman and Metro Player of the Year Kevin Lingerman and All-Metro shortstop Patrick Blair.
2. Arch. Spalding
Last season -- 27-10, No. 4
Outlook -- A strong nucleus of seniors gets one last chance to unseat Calvert Hall in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference.
3. Centennial
Last season -- 20-5, No. 7
Outlook -- All-Metro left-hander Ben Winter, the Howard County Player of Year in 2007, and right-hander Shane Mattingly give the Eagles a strong 1-2 pitching punch.
4. Mt. St. Joseph
Last season -- 17-15, unranked.
Outlook -- Senior right-hander Ryan Kemp, who was the Baltimore City Player of the Year last season after going 6-3 with a 2.90, is the ace of good staff.
5. C. Milton Wright
Last season -- 21-2, No. 5
Outlook -- Longtime assistant Joe Stetka takes the reins of the Mustangs and looks to continue the team's success of the past few seasons.
6. St. Paul's
Last season -- 19-13, unranked.
Outlook -- Coach Paul Bernstorf feels he has one of his better hitting teams, led by Jack Carey (.445, six HRs, 44 RBIs) and catcher Colby Roane.
7. Arundel
Last season -- 17-5, No. 3
Outlook -- The Wildcats lost their top three pitchers, including All-Metro ace Tyler Hibbs, who is no longer attending the school. However, the Wildcats return a strong nucleus of infielders.
8. Loyola
Last season -- 16-10, unranked.
Outlook -- With ace right-hander Bobby Kirby (5-4, 1.59 ERA) back for his senior year, the Dons are one of the contenders in the MIAA A Conference race.
9. Fallston
Last season -- 16-5, No. 8
Outlook -- With seven returning starters, the Cougars will once again be a contender in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference with C.Milton Wright.
10. Eastern Tech
Last season -- 19-2, No. 2
Outlook -- Graduation hit the defending Class 2A state champion hard, especially with the loss of All-Metro pitcher Ryan Rivers. But the Mavericks return left-hander Dustin Peddicord (3-0, 0.83 ERA).
11. Arch. Curley
Last season -- 11-16, unranked
Outlook -- The Friars have four outstanding seniors in right-hander Sean Thompson, pitcher-shortstop Keith Fritz, left-handed pitcher-first baseman Norm Cushing and third-year catcher Brad Waltman.
12. St. Mary's
Last season -- 18-8, No. 15
Outlook -- Coach Dave Lanham is going out with what he said "is the best team I've had here." Lanham is leaving St. Mary's at the end of the school year after six seasons to take over as athletic director at Meade.
13. Severna Park
Last season -- 10-13, unranked
Outlook -- Coming off the first losing season in coach Jim McCandless' eight years as coach, the Falcons are looking to bounce back.
14. Loch Raven
Last season -- 11-9, unranked
Outlook -- Brad DuVal has moved up from assistant to head coach and his Raiders could be the sleeper in Baltimore County .
15. Card. Gibbons
Last season -- 9-13, unranked
Outlook -- Despite going 8-10 in the MIAA A Conference, the Crusaders made the playoffs with a strong finish and have a solid nucleus.
Others considered -- Boys' Latin (20-3, unranked), Bel Air (13-8, unranked), Hereford (16-6, unranked), North Carroll (14-5, unranked), North County (15-5, No. 14), St. Vincent Pallotti (21-9, unranked).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SANDER BECK
Severn, pitcher -- Beck, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior right-hander who has signed with the University of Maryland, went 6-1 with a 2.00 ERA .
PATRICK BLAIR
Calvert Hall, shortstop -- The All-Metro junior is considered by area pro scouts and college coaches as the best at his position. Blair led the unbeaten Cardinals in batting (.534), slugging percentage (.874), hits (55) and stolen bases (28) and scored a state-record 58 runs.
JACK CAREY
St. Paul's, third base -- One of the top three sophomore hitters in the metro area last spring, the second-team All-Metro pick batted .445 with a .782 slugging percentage, six homers, 15 doubles and 31 runs.
PAUL DEVITO
Archbishop Spalding, pitcher -- Back for his fourth varsity season as a starter, the left-hander went 4-2 last spring with three saves and a 1.91 ERA. An injury to his throwing hand caused him to miss most of the second half of the season.
MIKE DILLON
Calvert Hall, pitcher -- This right-hander was a second-team All-Metro pick as a junior last spring after posting a 2.05 ERA. He has signed with Ohio University. .
KIERAN FLANNERY
St. Vincent Pallotti, catcher-pitcher -- The first Pallotti baseball player to be named to the All-Metro first team, Flannery had a fine fall season with the Oriolelanders showcase team and is headed to Indian River (Fla.) Community College.
ALEX FREDERICK
Dulaney, shortstop-pitcher -- A four-year varsity starter for the Lions, Frederick is a team captain for the second straight year and has signed with UNC-Greensboro.
KEVIN LINGERMAN
Calvert Hall, pitcher-third base -- The returning Metro Player of the Year led the Cardinals to a 33-0 season and third straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title as a junior. Lingerman, who has committed to George Mason, batted .390 with an area-leading 47 RBIs.
AUSTIN PORETZ
St. Mary's, pitcher-infield -- An All-Anne Arundel County pick as a junior last year, Poretz led the Saints to the MIAA B Conference title with his arm and bat.
BEN WINTER
Centennial, pitcher-outfield -- The Howard County Player of the Year and an All-Metro pick last season as a junior, the left-handed Winter was 7-1, with his only loss coming in the Class 3A state final to Westminster.