Baseball: Winter season is about to begin

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On Nov. 15, high school baseball teams in the San Fernando Valley area start their winter league season, and it’s going to be a lot different because for the first time, Southern Section coaches are allowed to coach their teams in winter ball.

We’ll get the first look to see which teams and players have improved. City Section title favorite Chatsworth dominated over the summer and is such an overwhelming favorite to win the City title for Coach Tom Meusborn that the focus will be on which team will finish second.

There’s new coaches set to make their debut, such as Scott Osder of Taft who was plucked out of the Pony ranks. And how will Hart succeed without pitchers Mike Montgomery (Kansas City Royals) and Trevor Bauer (UCLA)?

Defending Southern Section Division III champion Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has a pair of junior pitchers in Eric Walbridge and David Armendariz who are throwing in the high 80s mph and could be standouts over the next two seasons.

For those interested in planning ahead, here’s the Nov. 15 schedule, with games set for 9 a.m. unless schools decide to set their own times:

Santa Barbara at Camarillo, Granada Hills at Newbury Park, Chatsworth at Thousand Oaks, Taft at Royal, El Camino Real at Simi Valley, Kennedy at Oak Park, Burroughs at Westlake, Moorpark at St. Bonaventure, St. Francis at Valencia, Crespi at Canyon, Calabasas at Saugus, Notre Dame at Golden Valley, Alemany at Hart, Cleveland at West Ranch, Harvard-Westlake at West Torrance, Chaminade at Agoura.

-- Eric Sondheimer