SOUTH BAY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PREVIEW : Banning Is Buzzing Over Busby : Preview: Pilot right-hander will try to end San Fernando Valley’s stranglehold on City 4-A title.

The domination of San Fernando Valley high schools in L.A. City Section baseball is well documented. A Valley team has won the major division title every year since 1973.

That’s an 18-year party Banning would love to crash.

On paper, the Pilots appear capable of posing a legitimate threat to the Valley’s stranglehold on the City 4-A Division title. They return seven starters from last season’s Pacific League championship team, including a pitcher whom many consider the best in the South Bay.

Mike Busby, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander with a blazing fastball, figures to shoulder a good deal of Banning’s responsibilities.

But it’s nothing Busby hasn’t already faced in his personal life. Since last season, the senior has married and become a father. He lives with his wife and daughter at his parents’ home in Wilmington.

“It seems to have settled him down a little bit,” Banning Coach Syl Saavedra said. “Personally, I think he’s become a nicer kid.

“Sometimes you get certain kids who have ability and they get big-headed. A lot of (profes sional) baseball people are interested in Mike and have worked with him. But he’s willing to share what he has learned with other kids. Last year, I don’t think he would have been willing to share.”

Now if Banning can only get the Valley to share the City title.

Following is a rundown of the top 10 teams in the South Bay. Last season’s record is in parentheses:

1. Banning (17-9)--The Pilots were upset in the first round of the 1990 playoffs by Palisades, which scraped together enough runs with the help of Banning errors to overcome a strong pitching effort by Busby. Most of the players from that team return.

Busby was named the league’s most valuable player, All-South Bay and All-City after posting a 9-4 record and 1.45 earned-run average last season. Also back is all-league pitcher Mark Chavez (4-3, 1.88 ERA), a right-hander who is the team’s regular shortstop. “He’s right behind Mike Busby,” Saavedra said.

Other returning starters include all-league second baseman Raul Diaz (.370), all-league center fielder Lamont Dobbins (.311), designated hitter-shortstop Carlos Olea (.400, 24 RBIs) and catcher Jeff Harris. With this much experience, Saavedra’s main worry is complacency. “We can’t live on what we did last year,” he said. “We have to prove it on the field.”

Key stat: Busby led the South Bay with 127 strikeouts in 92 innings pitched last season. He walked only 20 batters.

2. Rolling Hills (13-12)--Last season, a Titan team dominated by juniors snuck up on everybody to finish in a three-way tie for the Bay League title. They won’t have the element of surprise this year. Coaches rate Rolling Hills the team to beat in the Ocean League.

The Titans return five starters, headed by league MVP Kirt Kishita. The versatile senior had a 9-5 pitching record and batted .388, playing second base when not on the mound, on his way to All-CIF honors in 1990. Kishita’s supporting cast includes two all-leaguers--shortstop Tristan Paul and first baseman Stefan Wahlstrom--and sophomore Peter McPhee, a promising left-handed pitcher. The top newcomer is third baseman Dan Manjarrez, a transfer from El Segundo who might bat cleanup.

Garry Poe, The Times’ South Bay Coach of the Year in 1990, says pitching depth could become a strength. “We have four guys that can back up Kirt and get the ball over,” he said. “If we play defense behind them, I think we’ll be very competitive.”

Key stat: Kishita completed 11 of 14 pitching starts last season.

3. Torrance (19-9)--If nothing else, the Tartars boast the best batter in the area. Third baseman Antone Williamson has established himself in that position with two consecutive All-CIF seasons. He batted .500 (43 for 86) with five home runs and 34 RBIs as a junior. “He’s proven what he can do,” Coach Jeff Phillips said. “The numbers tell the story.”

Returning outfielder Eric Gonzalez also rang up some impressive numbers in 1990, batting .488 (.600 in Bay League play) with 41 RBIs to join Williamson on The Times’ All-South Bay first team. Other key players include all-league catcher Jason Kendall and left-handed pitcher Kris Radcliffe (5-3 in ‘91).

Phillips says Torrance’s weaknesses are inexperience at several important positions--most notably shortstop and second base--and a lack of pitching depth. “Defensively we’re filling some holes,” he said. Still, the Tartars appear capable of repeating last season’s successes, which included a share of the Bay League title and a CIF playoff victory.

Key stat: Williamson, with 112 career hits, is 35 shy of the CIF-Southern Section record of 147 set by Redondo’s Scott Davison from 1985-88.

4. St. Bernard (19-7)--Coach Bob Yarnall says the Vikings are not as fast as they’ve been in the past. Other than that, though, they should be improved in every area. “I think we have a better hitting team, we’re better defensively and we have better pitching,” Yarnall said. “The only question mark is how we’re going to do in that new league.”

St. Bernard makes a big step from the CIF 2-A to the 5-A Division, where it will compete in the Mission League. The Vikings will rely on several returning starters--junior shortstop Grant Hohman (.431, 10 home runs), an All-South Bay pick last season; second baseman Sean Dunbar (.410, 32 stolen bases), an all-league selection and outfielder Larry Williams (.375), the team’s designated hitter a year ago.

The pitching staff returns its top starter--right-hander Andy Diver (11-1, 2.36 ERA)--but Yarnall says he might be replaced in the No. 1 spot by junior right-hander Tony Palka, who was 6-1 with a 1.02 ERA last summer.

Key stat: The Vikings have reached at least the CIF quarterfinals in five previous seasons under Yarnall.

5. West Torrance (10-14)--Almost to a man, coaches in the South Bay expect West to make the biggest improvement of any area team in 1991. New Coach Harry Jenkins is a proven winner from his days at Redondo, where his teams won 10 league titles from 1971-88. Another reason for high expectations is West’s pitching staff.

With the transfer of right-hander Brian Fitzgerald, who comes to West from Redondo by way of Palos Verdes, the Warriors have added one of the top pitchers in Southern California. Fitzgerald, whose big pitch is a split-finger fastball, missed most of last season because of injuries. Left-hander Martin Macias is also drawing raves since coming under Jenkins’ guidance.

Add to that an experienced infield headed by all-league first baseman Tom Dallen and shortstop Dana Cowing, who is coming back from a broken jaw, and it’s little wonder why West is considered a contender for the Pioneer League title. Still, Jenkins remains cautious. “I think we’ll struggle early as we figure out what we can do and can’t do,” he said.

Key stat: After returning from arm problems last season, Fitzgerald had 13 strikeouts in a game against Leuzinger and pitched a one-hitter against Mira Costa.

6. El Segundo (27-4)--There was not a more successful prep baseball team in Southern California over the past two seasons than the Eagles. They won two league titles, went 53-9 and twice reached the CIF 2-A Division final, winning the championship in 1989. But all things must pass.

“We’re introducing ourselves to each other,” said Coach John Stevenson, whose team returns only two starters and four varsi-

ty lettermen. El Segundo will rebuild around shortstop Brett Newell, who played third base last year; catcher Jeff Poor, a talented junior who played left field as a sophomore; and left-handed pitcher Brian Wise, the team’s No. 4 pitcher in 1990.

The junior-dominated team includes several players who were part of last season’s 20-4 junior varsity squad, an indication the Eagles will improve as they play more games. El Segundo moves from the 2-A Division Camino Real League to the 3-A San Fernando Valley League.

Key stat: Stevenson has a 659-247 career record, the best in California.

7. Mira Costa (13-14)--The Mustangs left their mark before bowing out last season. Facing top-seeded Westlake in a CIF 5-A playoff opener, the Ocean League runners-up lost an early lead and a chance for a huge upset, 6-5. Back from that team are three starters, including three of the top four pitchers.

Right-handed ace Jason Garner, who also plays shortstop, was 4-7 last year but had an ERA under 3.00 and lost several one-run games, Coach Jim Beaumont said. Other returners include pitcher-first baseman Andy Owens (5-5, .300) and center fielder-pitcher Jeff Diussa. The top newcomer is junior second baseman Jayson Cummings. “I think we’re capable of improving on last year,” Beaumont said. “But we need to play better defense.”

Key stat: Garner, a four-year varsity player, led the Mustangs in RBIs last season.

8. Hawthorne (14-14)--The Cougars return six players who batted at least .320 last season. But what good is it when you score 12 runs and the other team scores 13? Pitching and defense are the keys to Hawthorne’s season as it prepares to make amends for last year’s disappointing sixth-place showing in the Bay League.

“If we can play catch, I think we’ll be in the driver’s seat,” said Greg Goode, the Cougars’ new coach. The outfield of Armando Fernandez in left, Tarrik Brock in center and Anthony Mosby in right returns intact and rates as one of the best, if not the best, in the area. Fernandez, a two-time All-South Bay choice, batted .382 with 24 RBIs last season.

Key stat: The outfield of Fernan dez, Brock and Mosby combined for 53 stolen bases in 58 attempts last season.

9. Miraleste (20-6)--All-South Bay shortstop Mike Ryan heads a nucleus of five returning sta

rters from last season’s team that tied for the Santa Fe League title. Ryan, aside from being a fine defensive player, batted .511 with eight home runs and more than 40 RBIs as a junior. Joining him in the infield are two veterans--all-league second baseman Paul Lemire and third baseman Greg Keese.

Coach Ken Russell also has high expectations for catcher Jason Brown. The area of concern is pitching. Miraleste graduated all of its varsity pitchers from last season. “We’re looking at everybody,” Russell said. Because of the shortage of arms, Ryan will be pressed into pitching duty.

Key stat: Ryan and Lemire, four-year varsity starters, each have career batting averages above .400.

10. Redondo (16-12)--Despite returning only two starters, the Sea Hawks appear capable of improving on last season’s record. “I think we the have best athletes in my three years,” Coach Tim Ammentorp said. One of the best is right-handed pitcher Frank Bignami, a junior who was 4-3 last season with 64 strikeouts in 46 innings. He is a three-year varsity player.

Injuries, most notably to reliever Akash Sehgal (four saves in ‘90), have depleted the pitching staff, but Ammentorp says right-handers Bryon Hammons, Daniel Sanchez and Ted Silva show promise. Catcher John Hattingh is regarded as a fine defensive player and junior first baseman-designated hitter Darryl Heyert can bat with power.

Key stat: Redondo has won the past two Ocean League junior varsity titles.

The best of the rest:

Narbonne (10-12-1) has improved each year under Coach Nick Van Lue, and figures to take another step in 1991. Right-hander Armando Cervantes, a transfer from Bishop Montgomery who was 7-1 two years ago as a sophomore, bolsters a pitching staff that returns all-league lefty Craig Valenzuela.

Palos Verdes (15-11), which had its pitching staff weakened by the transfer of Brian Fitzgerald, will rely on 6-4, 210-pound pitcher-first baseman Pat O’Hara. The left-hander batted .364 with six home runs and 37 RBIs last season to earn All-South Bay honors.

South Torrance (8-15) could challenge Torrance and West in the Pioneer League with a lineup that returns all-league shortstop David Rosato (.400), catcher Greg Paluszek and left-handed pitcher Stu Manthey.

San Pedro (14-10-1) reportedly is down, but the Pirates usually find a way to win. They return all-league outfielder Rex Olmeda (.368).

Chadwick (10-6), considered a contender for the Prep League title, boasts a returning nucleus headed by All-CIF catcher Todd Seneker (.510) and shortstop Chris Gordon.

Mary Star (16-5-1) is rebuilding after tying Miraleste for the Santa Fe League title a year ago. The Stars will count on pitcher-third baseman Mark Ponce de Leon (8-2), younger brother of Coach Frank Ponce de Leon.