HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / SEASON PREVIEW : NORTH VALLEY LEAGUE

Cleveland

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 6-14-1 5-12

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COACH YEAR Steve Landress 3rd

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Eric Elzy Sr. P Anthony Williams Sr. P Junior Brignac So. SS

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Casey Roth So. C Kevin Delgado So. 3B Wesley Bateman Jr. CF/P Michael Schultz Fr. P Johnny Lopez Sr. 2B Shaun Brickhandler So. 1B Greg Walters So. LF

OUTLOOK

Youth will be served at Cleveland--Landress doesn’t have a choice. Fortunately, several of the six sophomores who likely will start are good ones. Roth is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound catcher who played junior varsity last season, and whose strength and talent has impressed Landress. Brignac (6-2, 170) played varsity as a freshman last season. Elzy should be the team’s top pitcher. He will share time on the mound with Williams, and the one who isn’t pitching will play in the outfield. Bateman and Schultz will round out the staff. Delgado also will be a key player.

Granada Hills

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 6-16 4-13

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COACH YEAR Darryl Stroh 25th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Jimmy Landress Jr. CF Josh Goldberg Jr. LHP Mark Mandell Sr. P Brian Weinstein Sr. OF Jim O’Brien Sr. 1B Jordan Fujimoto Sr. 2B

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jarrod Penwarden So. SS Adrian Torres Jr. OF Tom O’Brien Jr. C Jarrett Gold Jr. C Eddie Kinsler Sr. 3B Nick Pikor Jr. 3B

OUTLOOK

The Highlanders are not near the level of consensus conference favorites Chatsworth and El Camino Real, but Stroh hopes to battle Kennedy for the North Valley League title. Granada Hills’ key player is Landress (.348, three home runs, 19 RBIs), a college and professional prospect. The 6-0, 180-pound shortstop is a good hitter, runs well and possesses a fine arm. “He’s got everything it takes to be a fine, fine player,” Stroh said. Penwarden and Torres are two newcomers who should help the team immediately. Goldberg was the team’s top pitcher last year, but is recovering from tendinitis. Mandell could be the staff’s ace.

Kennedy

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 24-3 14-3

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COACH YEAR Manny Alvarado 6th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Kenny Bernas Sr. 2B Devin Connolly Sr. OF Richard Prieto Sr. SS George Kassis Sr. 1B Adrian Guzman Sr. OF Brad Cooperman Sr. RHP Gilbert Echeverria Sr. RHP

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Kevin Serr Jr. C Andy Montez Jr. 3B David Soto So. RHP Billy Paul Sr. OF Terrmel Sledge Jr. OF

OUTLOOK

Kennedy was loaded with offensive talent a year ago, but its big run producers have graduated. Alvarado expects Connolly (.365, 13 RBI), Prieto (.328), Kassis and Serr to fill that gap, but says this year’s team will not feel much pressure. “There’s not a whole lot of high expectations on these guys,” Alvarado said. “Last year’s team felt like they had to win everything.” One reason for the reduced expectations is a pitching staff with no significant varsity experience. Senior pitchers Cooperman and Echeverria were little-used reserves last year. Soto has lots of potential.

San Fernando

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 12-10 9-8

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COACH YEAR Dan Heim 1st

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Tony Cabrera Sr. 3B/P Ray Orozco Sr. 2B/P Jerry Rodriguez Sr. CF Javier Barragan Jr. SS Angel Hernandez Jr. LF Jerry Serratos Sr. RF Rick Anguiano Sr. C

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Daniel Rodriguez Jr. 1B Carlos Jiminez Jr. 1B Ackley Padilla Sr. RHP Armando Avila Sr. RHP Alfonso Gamboa Jr. RHP

OUTLOOK

Heim takes over for Steve Marden, who retired after 17 seasons. He inherits one of the most experienced teams in the conference, with seven of nine starters returning. Cabrera (.381, 12 RBIs) is a spray hitter who will bat in the second or third slot. Heim said that leadoff hitter Rodriguez is the fastest and most talented player on the team. As with many teams, pitching is the Tigers’ major question mark. Padilla and Avila played on the junior varsity last year and Gamboa is a transfer from Sylmar. Heim said that Cabrera, Orozco and Barragan also will pitch.