City Central League Baseball Preview : Things Are Getting Better for Everybody : Coaches Expect Improvements Will Mean an Unpredictable Year

Coaches in the City Central League keep talking about improvements, but they’re talking about their opponents.

“San Diego (High School) has surfaced as a team to be reckoned with, whereas last year that was not the case,” said Jerry Huson, Christian coach. “Hoover and Lincoln are always tough, while Crawford may be the most improved team in the league.”

“I think everybody’s improved,” said Shan Denniston, Lincoln coach. “San Diego is coming along really well. Hoover and Christian are as good as before. I think the league championship is going to come down to Hoover, Christian and Lincoln.”

The funny thing is that all these coaches may be right. The league promises to be close.

This equity, coupled with the move to a 15-game schedule, has inspired hope among most coaches for an interesting, if not predictable, season.

“I’m looking forward to this season,” said Hal Mitrovich, Hoover coach. “If we don’t win it, whoever does is going to have to beat us up real good. But everybody’s improved. It’s going to be tough.”

Huson likes the switch to a 15-game season.

“With the extra round, you don’t have to worry about having an off-week and being knocked out of it,” he said. “Everyone’s going to be beating up on each other. You can probably go 10-5 and still make the playoffs.

Christian

Last season’s record: 9-1, 14-7

Finish: First

Coach: Jerry Huson

Top returners: Pitcher-shortstop Jon Okken (junior, bats left, throws right), pitcher-shortstop Steve Essick (senior, bats and throws right-handed), catcher Mike Ippolito (junior, bats and throws right-handed), pitcher-first baseman Mike Castle (senior, bats and throws left-handed)

Top newcomers: Third baseman Jeff Waymire (freshman, bats and throws right-handed) center fielder Kevin Pohle (senior, bats and throws left-handed)

Outlook: Said Huson: “We’re stronger. The pitching is improved. These guys are a year stronger and smarter. The City Central League isn’t known for its pitching. They’re all throwing better than they were last year.”

The ace of Huson’s staff is Castle, who won three in the preseason. He is aided by Okken, who is coming off a 7-0 season last year.

“We have not hit the ball as well as I’d like, but we do have the firepower,” Huson said. “We’re not a home-run hitting team anyway. We teach our hitters to hit line drives. We don’t teach the long ball.”

Huson said he is disappointed that his team went 6-4-1 in the preseason and did not win the Lions tournament, losing to Division A champion Escondido in the semifinal.

“Our pitching should take us to the playoffs,” he said. “I won’t predict a first, but I will predict at least a second.”

Hoover

Last season’s record: 7-3, 12-9

Finish: Second

Coach: Hal Mitrovich

Top returners: Pitcher-shortstop Jeff Shepherd (senior, bats and throws right-handed), second baseman Ty Murphy (senior, bats and throws right-handed), third baseman Sal Ceballos (senior, bats and throws right-handed)

Top newcomers: Pitcher-infielder Gus Garcia (sophomore, bats and throws right-handed), left fielder Danny Clifford (senior, bats and throws right-handed)

Outlook: “Hitting and speed are our main strengths--no matter what happens, we’ll be in there hacking,” Mitrovich said. “We don’t take many third strikes and we don’t bunt much.”

Though Hoover may have hit its way into the playoffs last season, many league coaches doubt offense will carry them this year. Mitrovich disagrees.

“There are people saying Hoover isn’t as good as they used to be,” he said. “I wouldn’t worry. We have experienced players. We’ll do OK.”

But the Cardinals did less than OK in the Lions tournament, where their pitchers allowed 23 runs in three games, two of which the team lost.

“Our pitching isn’t really a weakness, it’s just a question mark,” Mitrovich said. “I don’t know, it may end up being a strength. I know our pitchers will usually have a few runs as a commodity to work with.”

Crawford

Last season’s record: 6-4, 10-13

Finish: Third

Coach: Roger Engle

Top returners: Shortstop Troy Coronado (senior, bats and throws right-handed), first baseman Jeff LaRosa (senior, bats and throws left-handed), center fielder John Wilson (senior switch-hitter, throws left-handed)

Top newcomers: Catcher Albie Diaz (junior, bats left-handed, throws right-handed), designated hitter Manny Gagliano (freshman, bats and throws right-handed), second baseman Bob Townsend (senior, bats and throws right-handed)

Outlook: The Colts are a typically offensive-oriented Central team.

“Our hitting and team speed are outstanding,” Engle said. “We’ve been hitting the ball well and scoring a lot of runs.”

However, Crawford’s opponents also have been scoring a lot of runs. After winning four of their first six games, the Colts lost all three in the Lions tournament.

“Our pitching and defense have been very inconsistent,” Engle said. “With all the rain and everything, we ended up playing six or seven games in six days. We’ve also beaten ourselves a few times, that’s what concerns me. But I think we’re going to be there when the chips fall.”

Lincoln

Last season’s record: 5-5, 13-8-1

Finish: Fourth

Coach: Shan Denniston

Top returners: Pitcher-shortstop Anthony Johnson (senior, bats and throws right-handed) Pitcher-second baseman Keith Mitchell (junior, bats and throws right-handed) first baseman Malcolm Glover (throws right-handed, bats left-handed) catcher Keith Hill (junior, bats and throws right-handed)

Top newcomers: Utility player Eddie Wilkinson (sophomore, bats and throws right-handed) pitcher Alonzo Taylor (junior, bats and throws right-handed)

Outlook: The Hornets have been proficient scorers, including 44 runs on eight homers in the Lions tournament.

“Our biggest asset is our hitting power,” Denniston said. “We have quite a few guys who can just blow the ball out of the park.”

Mitchell hit six homers in three days last week. The Hornets (7-4) also have good pitching.

“Our biggest problem this year is just going to be having enough kids to play,” Denniston.

St. Augustine

Last season’s record: 3-7, 3-20-1

Finish: Fifth

Coach: Bill Whittaker Top returners: Pitcher Roberto Lozerno (senior right-hander), left fielder-catcher Mickey Stevens (bats and throws right-handed), pitcher-designated hitter Patrick Hickey (bats and throws right-handed)

Top newcomers: Pitcher Jeff Hayes (bats and throws right-handed) pitcher-catcher Mark Strawbridge (bats and throws right-handed)

Outlook: St. Augustine, with a .195 team batting average this year, is 1-8. But the Saints have held opponents to a .202 cumulative batting average.

“Pitching is our mainstay,” Whittaker said. “If we can just break through and score some runs, we’ll be OK.”

Leading the Saints is Lorzano, who despite his 0-3 record has a 1.13 ERA. So far, however, Stevens has been the only hot hitter, at .600.

“I think the hitting will come around,” he said. “We started to break out in the last couple games of the Lions tournament. The kids are confident. They’re going to improve.”

San Diego

Last season’s record: 0-10, 4-19

Finish: Sixth

Coach: Tom Lopez

Top returners: Pitcher-shortstop Robert Howard (junior switch-hitter, throws right-handed), outfielder Tony Farrell (throws and bats right-handed), outfielder Pedro Guerrero (throws and bats right-handed)

Top newcomers: Pitcher-first baseman Sean Tucker (sophomore switch-hitter, throws left-handed) catcher Jose Espinoza (junior, throws and bats right-handed)

Outlook: Lopez, in his first year, already has done what it took his predecessor all season to do--win four games. And one of those wins came against Christian in the Lions tournament.

“If we can stay in the middle of the pack and near the end of the season make a run for the No. 2 spot, that would be incredible,” Lopez said. “For us to even think about being among the top four teams, we’re going to have to play our absolute best every game. If we have an off day, we’ll get blown out. How we do in league will depend upon our pitching.

“If we can throw strikes, we’re going to be tough. The problem is we’re just walking too many people.”