HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / SEASON PREVIEW : WEST VALLEY LEAGUE

Chatsworth

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 20-7 12-5

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COACH YEAR Tom Meusborn 5th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Bryan LaCour Sr. SS Jim DeBiase Sr. RHP Harry Kenoi Jr. RHP Tony Montiel Sr. 3B-P Brandon Murphy Sr. C Mike Amado Sr. OF Rod Daryabigi Jr. 2B Ray Daryabigi Jr. OF-P

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Danny Martin Sr. DH Danny Phillips So. OF Fred Farzaneh Jr. RHP

OUTLOOK

“I think Chatsworth is without a doubt the best team in the City,” Granada Hills Coach Darryl Stroh said. He won’t get many arguments. The Chancellors lost the City 4-A championship to El Camino Real by one run and return almost their entire starting lineup. “Talent-wise we match up with anyone in the City,” Meusborn said. “Whether or not we have the chemistry, I don’t know.” LaCour (.448, 16 doubles) is one of the top players in the area and has signed with Stanford. DeBiase (12-4, 2.39 ERA) and Kenoi (6-1, 2.36) are two of the City’s top pitchers. Montiel (.369, 30 RBI), Murphy (.333, 27 RBI), Amado and the Daryabigi twins round out an excellent lineup.

El Camino Real

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 21-2 16-1

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COACH YEAR Mike Maio 12th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Randy Wolf Sr. RHP Justin Martin Sr. CF Craig Carlton Sr. 1B Tony Kyber Sr. RHP Joey Maiden Sr. IF Billy Burnette Sr. OF/P Mike Cooper Sr. OF

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Steve Riback Sr. C Shaun Fishman Fr. RHP Clint Marcus Sr. IF Matt Tays Sr. IF

OUTLOOK

If anyone will challenge Chatsworth, it figures to be the defending champion Conquistadores. Their mainstay is Wolf (11-1, 1.05 ERA, 118 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings), the City 4-A player of the year and The Times’ Valley pitcher of the year. But only two other starters from last year’s team return: speedy center fielder Martin and 6-3 lefty Carlton. “We’ve got to find some hitters,” Maio said. “We can’t do it with just those three guys returning.” Where exactly that hitting will come from, Maio is unsure, as he scans the inexperienced roster filled with last season’s junior varsity players. “It’s always a challenge,” he said. “That’s why you play.”

Reseda

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 2-19 0-17

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COACH YEAR Mike Stone 16th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Carlos Nunez Sr. SS-P Jorge Macillas Jr. 1B-P Alonzo Arreola Jr. 3B Alfredo Guerra Sr. OF Ben Nunez Sr. 2B

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Brian Menkin So. C Matt Rutter Jr. OF Bobby Carrera So. OF Matt Cooper Sr. 1B/SS

OUTLOOK

The Regents have won only one conference game in the past two seasons. “We’re in as tough a conference as there is,” Stone said. “We don’t have the depth that a Chatsworth or an El Camino Real does. Hopefully we’ll give everybody a game and maybe win a couple in the process.” The Regents’ best player is Carlos Nunez (.387, 5 HR, 15 RBI), a four-year starter who Stone said has potential to be drafted. He and Macillas will share pitching duties, and Cooper, a transfer from L.A. Baptist, will fill in at their infield positions. Five starters return, including Ben Nunez, Carlos’ brother.

Taft

‘93 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 18-9 8-9

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COACH YEAR Rich McKeon 7th

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TOP RETURNEES YR POS Mike Ferguson Sr. P-SS Dusty Cook Jr. RHP David Helman Sr. OF Mike Andrisano Sr. OF Nick Andrisano Sr. C Brian Dueppan Sr. P

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TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Chad Marriner Sr. 1BC Jacob Young Sr. 1B/P Justin Collins Jr. P-DH Greg Venger Jr. 2B Mike Ross So. 3B/SS

OUTLOOK

The Toreadors lost nine seniors to graduation and return only one full-time starter, Ferguson. He has been moved from center field to shortstop this season and will also see pitching duty. Ferguson was the quarterback of the football team and suffered a dislocated shoulder near the end of that season, but has recovered, McKeon said. Helman is much improved since last year and probably will bat third. Cook, Venger and Collins head a talented group of juniors whom McKeon thinks will really blossom next year. Cook is the team’s No. 1 pitcher, and Collins will likely be one of its top hitters.