East Valley League Baseball : Sylmar

COACH: John Klitsner, 6th season

LAST SEASON: 16-9; 12-6 and 2nd in league

THIS SEASON:

All-City Section selection Olonzo Woodfin has been the most imposing pitcher in the 4-A Division the past two years. “If he’s throwing well, he can be the most dominant player in the City,” Klitsner said. “But he has a tendency to get away from his fundamentals.” Last year, despite those lapses, the senior left-hander was 11-4 with 166 strikeouts in 100 innings and had an earned-run average of 1.47. “He can be an overpowering high school pitcher,” Klitsner said. Assuming Woodfin can be overpowering, the key for Sylmar will be the performance of Woodfin’s supporting cast. Woodfin will be joined on the pitching staff by Nino Romo, Chris Romo and junior Tom Ball. “Between the three of them, we should be able to get through the games that Woodfin can’t pitch,” Klitsner said. All-league first baseman Donnie Kelley, who hit .482 with 30 RBIs last season, returns to lead Sylmar offensively. Shortstop Martin Valencia and second baseman Jose Gallegos lead the infield. Brad McGahan, a 5-6 junior who was academically ineligible last year, will start in center field. “He has hit the ball really well,” Klitsner said. “I’d as soon see him up there at the plate as anyone else.”

OUTLOOK:

Sylmar lost to Canoga Park, the eventual City champion, in the semifinals last year and Klitsner said his team is capable of improving. “I think we’re at least one game better than last year,” he said. “This is one of the best clubs I’ve had here. There aren’t any superstars, but we play the game pretty well.” Well, maybe one superstar.

Poly

COACH: Jerry Cord, 13th season

LAST SEASON: 21-5; 16-2 and 1st in league

THIS SEASON:

With pitchers Greg Nealon (10-2, 1.93 ERA) and Nick Lymberopoulos (9-1, 1.64 ERA) returning, Cord is not worried about his team’s pitching. “Pitching has been carrying its own,” he said of the Parrots’ winter season. “We just haven’t been making the plays. There have been too many errors.” Only four position players return from last year’s team that lost to Canoga Park in the City 4-A final. “We’ve got a lot of new faces out there, but hopefully it will settle down before we get hurt in league too much,” Cord said. One of the returnees is Luis Porres, a two-time All-City outfielder who batted .490 with 40 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. “He’s a tough out,” Cord said. “Nobody can make better contact than him if he’s hitting with the right mental attitude.” Also returning is catcher Rodrigo Fuentes (.339 average, 21 RBIs), shortstop Mark David and third baseman Luis Garcia. Poly will get a big boost if the transfer of Juan Doroteo, an all-league shortstop at Grant last year, is approved.

OUTLOOK:

Poly is counting on quantity to prevail over quality. The Parrots know they do not have a pitcher as effective as Sylmar’s Olonzo Woodfin, but they also believe that their staff has more depth with Nealon and Lymberopoulos. “You’ve got to have two pitchers, you can’t win with only one,” Cord said. But Poly’s good pitching could be nullified by poor fielding--of the 22 runs Poly gave up in its preseason scrimmages, 15 were unearned.

North Hollywood

COACH: Brian York, 3rd season

LAST SEASON: 11-8; 11-7 and 3rd in league.

THIS SEASON:

North Hollywood has two starters who have not played organized baseball in two years and five players academically ineligible. “We have a lot of really good kids who are trying to learn as much as they can,” York said. “Our success depends on how much they can learn and how quickly.” Returning from last season are catcher Tom Freas, shortstop-pitcher Chavo Nunez and pitcher Steve Sobisky. Senior infielder Benny Valdez made the varsity last year but was academically ineligible. Much of the Huskies’ success depends on three inexperienced players--junior Russell Greene and sophomores Erik Martinez and Duane Braxton. Greene is a first baseman-right fielder with “tremendous power,” York said. Braxton played on the basketball team and just needs to play a few games, York said, before he will produce. Martinez is a middle infielder who York said possesses all-league potential. “He has a chance to be an outstanding high school player,” York said. “If not this year, I’m sure by next year he’ll be one of the best players in the league.”

OUTLOOK:

The sooner North Hollywood’s younger players mature, the sooner the Huskies will be able to compete with Grant, Fairfax and Verdugo Hills for third place in the league. “It’s going to be pretty difficult, but we’re going to do the best we can,” York said. “Usually, we’re a little weak in the beginning but we tend to improve. I think we will be competitive.”

Grant

COACH: Tom Lucero, 13th season

LAST SEASON: 8-10; 8-10 and 5th in league.

THIS SEASON:

It has been a difficult winter for Grant. In addition to the transfer to Poly of their best player, all-league shortstop-pitcher Juan Doroteo, the Lancers’ top pitcher is out for the season because of elbow surgery. In addition, two players decided not to return. Despite all that, Lucero is optimistic. “We have some athletes and once they realize their own potential, we’ll be a surprise in this league,” Lucero said. Javier Delahoya and Glen Rothstein will take over the pitching duties for Doroteo and David Jelmeland, who had surgery to remove elbow chips earlier this year. Delahoya, a junior third baseman and pitcher who was academically ineligible last season, struck out six consecutive batters in a scrimmage against Westchester. Catcher-first baseman John Kukawski returns after hitting .452 with 22 RBIs last year and will team with center fielder Jim Mattman (.436) in the middle of Grant’s lineup. Lucero also expects contributions from senior shortstop Gus Guerrero and juniors Sean Goldman (outfielder) and Jason Parker (pitcher).

OUTLOOK:

Despite Grant’s problems, Lucero is confident that his team will finish third. “We have good team speed and we’re a team that makes contact,” he said. “We still need to work on pitching and work on defense, but I think our hard work will pay off.” How long will it take? “It may take a while, but it’s a long season,” Lucero said.