Adams reloads at the top
Many felt John Adams was down last year. Then they defied all the critics by reaching the semifinals of the PSAL playoffs for the third time in four years. This year, the same mistakes should not be made. Although they graduated Freddy Parra, their stalwart catcher, and staff ace Danny Lao, the Spartans may be better this spring.
The ever-improving first baseman Emmanuel Liriano, a second-team Collegiate Baseball pre-season All-American, returns. As does staff ace Jesse Cardenas who came alive down the stretch last year, earning a win and a save in the playoffs, and outfielder Nelson Cruz (.310 AVG, 23 RBI) who John Adams Manager Glenn Beyer calls “the most underrated player in the city.”
LIC seniors thinking big
Long Island City has reached the playoffs three years in a row, but has yet to advance past the first round. This season, with their top three starting pitchers - Omar Velazquez, Mario Palma and Matt Pascarelli - all back in the fold, Manager Harley Watstein hopes this can be the year they move on in the post-season. If not, they may not get another chance as good as this, with nine seniors on the roster. “We want to be able to get to the playoffs and win a game. That’s our goal,” Watstein said.
Behind Velazquez (6-0, 1.59 ERA, .511 AVG, 27 RBI), one of the top pitchers and centerfielders in the city who Watstein says is the best player he’s ever coached, that’s a distinct possibility. When Velazquez shut down John Adams, it was the first time the Bulldogs had beaten their division rivals since Watstein took over. After gaining much-needed velocity, Pascarelli, a control specialist, will be a solid No. 2 starter. Palma rounds out the rotation.
Pitchers must carry Newtown
When Newtown Manager Neil Rosenblatt looks around the diamond at his team in the field, he may not recognize many of the new faces. But as soon as he looks to the mound, he feels better. After all, it will be on that pitching rubber that decides how well the Pioneers can do after losing six position players.
Senior ace Andres Caceres, one of the best right-handers in the city, will lead the way, followed by Mario Valdez, Juan Delacruz, Carlito Delgado, Kevin Hernandez, Ramon Jerez, Abel Taveres, and Angel Seda. Rosenblatt isn’t sure who will be in the rotation behind Caceres or will help out in relief just yet, but there is no shortage of arms.
“It’s just a matter of us getting a key hit here or there,” Rosenblatt said.
Batting third, Caceres will carry much of that burden. But the key to the lineup may be sophomore centerfielder and leadoff hitter Wilmer Peralta.
Catcher boosts Lions’ hopes
Like Newtown, Richmond Hill, who snapped Cardozo’s streak of 15 division titles last year, lost six starters. But unlike the Pioneers, the Lions lucked into perhaps one of the best players around in catcher Osiris Mendez, a 6-foot-2, 215 lbs. native of the Dominican Republic, who surprisingly arrived for tryouts this spring. “He’s basically the whole package,” Richmond Hill Coach Greg Reo said. “He can hit for power. He’s got a cannon for an arm.”
While Mendez will help solidify a lineup decimated by graduation, it’s the starting rotation that worries Reo. Gone are two of the top three starters, leaving Edwin Diaz (5-0, 1.70 ERA) as the staff ace. Southpaws Michael Estevez and Ian Toro, a sophomore who’s done well in the pre-season, will follow.
Bayside ready to emerge
Although Bayside hasn’t finished higher than third in the last five years, they’re an optimistic bunch this spring, now that all the freshman have become juniors. The Commodores graduated only starting shortstop John Lee, returning their entire starting rotation, headed up by control specialist Eric Strauss (5-0, 2.53 ERA) and Anthony Velazquez, a power pitcher Bayside Manager Pat Torney is high on, along with senior Mike Perrone.
Sophomore Jorge Noah will slide over from second to shortstop to replace Lee. Torney expects a big year from Manny Guerrero, out all of last season with an ankle injury, and right fielder Sam Koenig and Andrew Kahn, a third baseman.
Cardozo looks to rebound
After their string of 15 consecutive division titles was snapped by Richmond Hill, Cardozo may start a new streak this year. Led by senior right hander Arllen Cruz (5-1, 1.27 ERA), junior shortstop Andrew Ahn, a three-year starter, and infielder Andy Vega (.481 AVG, 24 RBI), the Judges could return to form this spring.
New coach will wait and see
When Grover Cleveland Manager Freddie Garcia was officially announced as the new baseball coach, he started reading up about the game like he was cramming for a test. “I did a lot of studying,” he said. “I was offered the opportunity and I made sure I was prepared.”
Garcia isn’t exactly entering into the easiest situation. In the Queens A-West, his Tigers play in arguably the best division in the city - one loaded with perennial playoff teams like Grand Street Campus, a team many consider to be the PSAL favorite, John Adams, Long Island City and Newtown. Still, he’s optimistic, especially when Michael Goldberg, his senior captain and ace righty, is on the mound.
Behind Goldberg, is shortstop Jose Castillo, Grover Cleveland’s cleanup hitter. Michael Bittner, a lefty with a great curve-ball, will team with Goldberg as the Tigers’ 1-2 punch.
Liederman must lead Patriots
Blessed with a blazing fastball, Ethan Liederman arrived at Francis Lewis as a freshman with a world of expectations. Many compared him to Jonathan Lewis, the ultra-talented former Patriot who starred at Stony Brook. But the strong-armed Liederman had an up-and-down first year, going 4-3 with a 3.85 ERA, and finishing third in the division with 50 strikeouts. This year, if Francis Lewis, with eight new players on the team, is to succeed, Liederman will have to become a major reason why.
The Patriots will also be counting on junior outfielder John Petry, sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman Andres Marrero-Fish, senior catcher Andrew Stamatis, a three-year starter, and Rafael Rosso, a sophomore shortstop up from the jayvee.
