SOUTHERN SECTION BASEBALL PREVIEWS : FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Burbank

COACH: Dave Johnson, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 6-13-1; tied for 5th in league, 3-12

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Eleven of Burbank’s 16 players are seniors and the rest are juniors. Jason Chandler, Joon Kwon and Jeff Kadis are all third-year players. Chandler, a left-hander, was 4-5 last year with a 3.13 earned-run average and he pitched in two of Burbank’s three league wins. Kwon, a second baseman, and Kadis, a first baseman, should be the team’s offensive mainstays. Kwon also could pitch and Kadis, who batted .275 and was a catcher last season, occasionally will perform as the designated-hitter. Other returnees include all-league third baseman Ted Gonzales, center fielder Ozzie Areu and shortstop Willie Rivera. Areu hit .417 last year before missing the end of the season because of academic ineligibility. Chandler and Rivera will handle the bulk of the pitching load, but Kwon, who has a sidearm delivery, could see some action. Shad Ortiz, a senior transfer from Montclair Prep, will be a utility infielder and senior Efrain Sandoval will be the catcher.

OUTLOOK: Johnson believes that Burbank is much improved and that pitching and defense are the team’s strong points. “The idea this year is to finish above .500 . . . and make the playoffs,” he said. “We’re going to be competitive in league.”

Burroughs

COACH: Terry Scott, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 4-20, tied for 5th in league, 3-12.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hard-throwing Mike Rossiter heads the pitching staff. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound senior right-hander appeared in 18 games last year, compiling a 2.86 ERA and striking out 81. “He’s been throwing in the 90-m.p.h. range,” Scott said. “Scouts have been asking about him and he is a definite major-league prospect.” Scott’s prospectus for the rest of the team is not as optimistic. “There are some real pluses and some holes to fill,” he said. Scott Minkler, who led the team in hitting with a .418 average, has transferred to Saugus, but catcher Bobby Sherwood, second baseman Frank Medina and shortstop Eddie Gavilan return. Ten players from the junior varsity that finished second in the league last season have been promoted. Jay Martinson will be at third base. Mike Campbell will be the No. 2 pitcher behind Rossiter and also will play first base. Ryan Cates, David Cantella and Hector Perez are the outfielders.

OUTLOOK: “We have good team speed and can make contact,” said Scott, who is projecting an improved league showing. “We should do well. San Gabriel and Hart have experience, but we’re going to be right underneath. I don’t think we’ll be outclassed.”

Hart

COACH: Bud Murray, 5th season

LAST SEASON: 23-3-2; 1st in league, 15-0

PLAYERS TO WATCH: “We’re 100 years behind where we should be,” Murray said. “We got a late start and there are too many things we haven’t worked on.” Keith Halcovich and Marty Downen, the Foothill League co-MVPs in basketball, got a late start because the basketball team advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Halcovich, a senior right-hander, was 5-2 last season with a 1.46 ERA. Downen will start at first base. Other returnees include all-league selections Doug Distaso and R.J. Simone. Distaso, a junior center fielder who batted .363, will move to third base. Simone, a senior, will be in the outfield along with Alan Ray and Damon Mori. Senior Tom Wolff batted .353 last season and returns at catcher. John Aguilar, a junior transfer from Glendale, will start at shortstop. Sophomores Ted Kiester and Aaron Miyata are battling for a place in the outfield.

OUTLOOK: “We don’t have a lot of power,” said Murray, who projects a balance of power in the league. “On certain days anybody is capable of beating anyone. We should be one of the top three or so, but I’m not crying the blues.”