HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / City Section Previews : VALLEY PAC-8 CONFERENCE : EAST VALLEY LEAGUE (4-A)

Grant

COACH: Dave O’Ravez, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 17-7; 2nd in league, 13-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Grant and Poly, the teams that dominated the league last season, have their work cut out. Both have a new coach and little returning talent. Grant has only two returning starters: seniors Rusty Howard and Alberto Vazquez. Howard (.302 batting average), who transferred from Van Nuys about a year ago, is expected to be the Lancers’ ace pitcher, hopefully taking up where graduate Tony Kuper (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) left off. Vazquez is the catcher. The rest of the pitching core includes senior right-handers Justin Salazar and Mike Weiss, and senior left-hander Gregg Zutler, an opportunity transfer from Taft, for which he hit .295 and stole a team-high 10 bases. Howard and Zutler will split time at first base. Second baseman Aaron Amitin and third basemen Joe Tintari and Rudy Velazquez are juniors. Sophomore shortstop Dylan Forman “handles himself like a senior,” O’Ravez said. Outfielders vying for starting positions are seniors Jason Missick, Corey Nash, Roy Rodriguez, Aaron Koffman and junior Tommy Smith.

OUTLOOK: Grant’s inexperienced lineup would indicate a rebuilding year, but O’Ravez doesn’t see it that way. “I have a feeling we can do well,” he said. “I look at our guys in the hitting lineup; it looks pretty tough.” Much, however, will depend on how fast the infield develops.

North Hollywood

COACH: Rick Pally, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 2-20; 4th in league, 1-16

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Huskies took their lumps last year, but six starters return. Senior right-hander Rene Avelar is the only returning pitcher, but sophomore left-hander Mike Delano and junior right-hander Patrick Fields are expected to keep the Huskies in more games. Right-handers Kiki Guerrero and Omar Paz will be used for middle and short relief. Four starters return in the infield--junior Juan Zuniga at first, senior Oscar Gonzales at second, senior Eddie Gonzalez at third and senior Ignacio Olmos at shortstop. Gonzales and Gonzalez are three-year starters. Battling at catcher are juniors Carlos Sandoval and Juan Zavala, a transfer from Poly. There are four outfielders to fill three positions--Guerrero, juniors Alex Romos and Rafael Cabrera and senior Eddie Valencia. Bell-Jeff transfer Bobby Talamantes will be challenging Zuniga at first base.

OUTLOOK: With an improved pitching staff, Pally is anticipating a dramatic turnaround. “We’ll be in the thick of things with Sylmar,” Pally said.

Poly

COACH: Chuck Schwal, 1st season

LAST SEASON: 21-5; 1st in league, 15-2

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Former Coach Jerry Cord (17 seasons) retired, leaving Schwal, who coached Kennedy’s junior varsity last year, with few returning players from a team that lost to San Pedro in the City Section 4-A Division final. Seniors Robert Iglesias, the only returning full-time starter, and Danny Martinez are supplemented primarily by players with only junior varsity experience. Most of the positions are still up for grabs. Iglesias, who hit .339 with five doubles and 15 runs batted in, will move from the outfield to first base. Martinez will start in left field and bat leadoff. Senior Yovani Rangel, junior Sam Vizcarra and sophomore Paco Hernandez are battling for the other two outfield positions. Senior Luis Nunez is at second, and sophomore Jaime Cerna is at shortstop. Junior Francisco Dorame, a returning letterman, and sophomore Ray Montenegro are battling for third. Poly’s pitching is an unknown quantity. Senior right-handers Freddy Esqueda and Esquicio Barragan and junior right-hander Javier Sanchez are up from the junior varsity. Junior Luciano Cuevas is the catcher.

OUTLOOK: A first-year coach with minimal returning talent isn’t the best combination for a winning season, but Schwal is optimistic. “This club is capable of anything,” he said.

Sylmar

COACH: Gary Donatella, 5th season

LAST SEASON: 11-14; 3rd in league, 9-8

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Spartans finished below .500 for the first time under Donatella. But, the inexperienced team of a year ago now has six returning starters. Senior right-hander John Bohman (2-5, 3.84 ERA in ‘92) will be the ace. “He should be a force,” Donatella said. Right-hander Carlos Velazco, a junior transfer from Hamilton, is the No. 2 pitcher. Rounding out the staff are right-handers Robert Madrigal and Mario Cervantes, and left-hander Anthony Martinez. Four senior starters return in the infield: catcher Shane Rankin, first baseman Oscar Mendoza, second baseman Jaime Cordero and shortstop Andy Camarillo. Junior third baseman Art Diaz will bat third. Martinez will be in center field when he isn’t pitching. Other outfielders are sophomore Hiram Damwijk and seniors Sergio Alonzo, Joe Anaya, Freddy Gallegos, Ruben Aguilar and Jessie Avila.

OUTLOOK: Because of its returning talent, Sylmar is being touted as the team to beat in the league, which veteran Donatella does not dispute. “We’re going to do it this year,” he said.