Local Baseball Predictions/Thoughts
Ok, the local baseball season has kicked off with practices and scrimmages already
taking place. This promises to be an interesting year locally as there are some very
talented players and teams in the area. Let’s start with the best teams in the area heading
into the season. I think you would have to put Waterford and St. Bernard as the hands
down two best teams in the area right now. Waterford has 3 very good pitchers in Nolan
Long, who may get drafted this June, Jordan Hamler who throws very well, and the
crafty lefty Dargie. With some quality veteran leadership behind the plate in James
Annello, and some other returning starters Waterford doesn’t figure to lose more than
2-3 games with that pitching staff. Long throws very hard and if he is locating the strike
zone it will be hard to beat him. Hamler threw as well as anybody last summer and
has a big time arm. I don’t see either one of them losing more than once, if at all based
on their schedule. I fully expect Waterford to be in the ECC final, and go a very, very
long way in the Class L state tournament. Regular season prediction, 18-2.
St. Bernard probably has the best team top to bottom in the area, with pitching and
proven quality starters. Obviously I am a little biased toward them because I coached
all these kids, but considering the fact that we won 16 games last year {including the
ECC Small and a trip to the ECC Tournament Finals} playing all underclassmen, you
would have to think it will be hard for somebody to trip up the Saints this year. Leading
the way again for the Saints will be the core group of Sean Hurley, Jon Malchiodi, Avery
Barlow, Izzy Davila, Pete Aldrich, Bryan Harper, Tristan Hurley, and Willie Rios. The
pitching staff of Rios, Aldrich, Davila, Hurley, and others is by far the deepest in Eastern
CT. Rios dominated the likes of Waterford, NFA, and others last year as a freshman and
has gotten better. It is very likely that Rios may only lose one or two games in his high
school career, if that. Aldrich threw a 2 hit shutout against ECC Medium Champ NL in the
ECC Tourney Semi’s, Davila pitched on one leg {had a severely pulled hamstring} in
the ECC Final and left the game in the 6th inning with a 3-1 lead, before we went to a
Senior reserve pitcher and lost the game. Hurley won the quarterfinal game against
Plainfield, frustrating them with an array of off-speed pitches. Regular Season prediction
is the Saints go 18-2, maybe 19-1 and roll to the Class S state championship. The only
team that could beat them is if they run into defending champion East Hampton, and
the state’s top prospect in Marvin Gorgas. As a freshman last season, Gorgas led the
Bellringers to the title on the mound and at SS. He was clocked at the state final last
year at 91 mph.
Other teams that could give the Lancers and Saints a run this season could be East Lyme,
who has won the last two ECC tournament titles so you can’t count them out. They always
field a good team and have the area’s best catcher in Chase Livingston behind the dish,
and one of the best shortstops around in Zach Kane. Jack Biggs always does a good
job with his kids, and they play the right way.
Montville has won two consecutive Class M state championships and return the bulk
of their team, although its hard to gauge how good they are because they play in the
Tech School heavy Class M division of the states, which is generally regarded as the
weakest division in terms of state tournament play. Last year Montville finished 9th
or 10th in the league and didn’t qualify for the ECC Tournament. They do have two
really good pitchers in Tre Gonzalez and Corey Wilcox, so they should be able to waltz
through Class M again this year on their way to a state championship.
One team that could give them trouble is Stonington, and if they see Luke Foster on
the mound. With Foster on the hill, Stonington instantly becomes a dangerous opponent
for anybody. He is capable of beating anybody in the league, and recently accepted a
baseball scholarship to University of New Haven. With veteran starters like Connor Buckley,
who is headed to play for Avery Point, and Paul Hallinan the Bears will be a tough
matchup all season for teams.
Some other teams to watch would be Fitch, who have perhaps the best all around player
in the area in Aaron Hill, Bacon Academy {can you ever count out the living legend
Dave Shea?}, Lyman Memorial has a bunch of good players returning, Griswold has
2 really good pitchers in Tyler Mikula and Adam Davis, New London has the kid
with the best smile and disposition in the league Casanova Crespo, and I like what I’ve
seen so far from Old Lyme in the Shoreline.
Waterford wins the Large, Montville wins the Medium, St. B’s wins the small. There it
is. Love to hear some thoughts from the peanut gallery.
Good preview coach, but until somebody beats the Vikings they are the team to beat in the ecc. Although I’m sure Waterford and Saint Bernards will both be good too.
Jack,
That is very fair to say about East Lyme but this year I just see Waterford having a little bit too much for them in the large.
You may be overhyping Waterford up a little bit, some of their pitching is still unproven. St b’s will be the best team, but I also think Fitch will be good as well.