Post 17 readies for summer schedule

Hit the cutoff man. Back up the play. Sacrafice bunts, suicide squeezes and safety squeezes. Take the pitch, swing away. Hit and run, run and hit.

So far, for the Sidney Post 17 American Legion baseball teams, its just been drill-baby-drill. Fundamentals, proper excecution and more fundamentals. But next week, it’s no longer just the mundane, but necessary routine of daily practice. For on May 22, summer begins. Not the arbitrary summer determined by some tilt of the earth towards its sun. But the real summer. American summer. Opening Day.

American Legion baseball begins its season next Wednesday, with a junior-senior doubleheader at 5 p.m. at Legion Field against Hershey. With the new season comes the arrival of some new faces and the departure of some recognized names.

Senior Team

The first change in the Sidney nine lineup is its new head coach. Tim Herrera moves up from the junior squad to take the reigns of the seniors. As a coach in the Sidney system for five years and a former player Herrera has a long association with Legion baseball.

With a roster of 12, the seniors return a number of players from the 2012 program. Since several of those players have moved up from juniors, exactly how successful this team can be remains to be seen.

As for its strengths, Herrera believes hitting, team speed and pitching will be the teams hallmark. He also likes his defense. Because of his confidence in the speed of his team, Herrera plans to keep his players moving on the basepaths when the situation calls for it. Three players in particular, Barrett Browne, Devon Sullivan and Austin Crane are particularly fast.

“I expect we’re going to have a lot of stealing, hit-and-run and bunting,” Hererra said.

As for the senior-pitching staff there are 10 players who can pitch. Herrera has not made up his mind on the opening-day starter, but it is likely going to be either Tyson Herrera, Sullivan, Lane Harvey or Crane. Sullivan even has a pretty fair knuckle ball according to Herrera.

“But I’ve got five or six pitchers who could start for some other team,” Herrera said. “We’ve also got six pitchers who can hit 80 miles-per-hour or more.”

The senior roster includes nine players who were with Post 17 last season. Lane Harvey, Colton Onstott, Crane, Austin Pile, Lucas Rosenbaum, Herrera, T.J. Garska, Scott Phillips, and Browne.

An added benefit for the seniors is the addition of several players from Oshkosh. Since the Oshkosh team could not field enough numbers for a team of its own, Sidney gained two promising players. Kane McLaughlin, who will start in center field, and Sullivan who will get most of the playing time at second base.

Additionally, Ty Ottoson who graduated from Potter-Dix last year, will start at first base.

Lost from last year are Josh Arellano and Delano Lopez. As a lefty, Arrellano will be particularly missed. The legion team has but one left-handed bat in Onstott though he throws right. Only Crane pitches from the left side.

“We’ve never had the luxury of a lot of lefties, but I don’t see that as a problem,” Herrera said.

Though a batting order is not set, the opening day lineup is expected to include Herrera at third base, Harvey at short, Onstott behind the plate and batting cleanup, Sullivan at second, McLaughlin, Crane and Browne. There will be adjustments based on the pitcher.

Since there has been a lot of lost practice due to inclement weather, Herrera’s only real concern as oppening day approaches is team chemistry.

Post 17 will have a good gauge of where it stands on opening day versus a solid Hershey squad.

Junior Team

Though new at the helm of the junior squad Tommy Arellano is no stranger to Sidney’s Legion baseball program. He played on the team for two years through 2009 and was an assistant to Herrera on the juniors last season.

Arrellano’s ‘09 senior team was the district champion. Since then the juniors have twice been distirct champions in 2011 and 2012. Though defending a district crown this season, there are plenty of questions for the juniors going forward.

The juniors, while returning some veteran players, have lost a part of their core group to the senior team. Returning players include Bradey Holtz, Blake Bayne, Kyle Burton, Alex Maestes, Austin Wilson and Jason Hagerman. Hagerman has been with the program for three years.

New to Post 17 are several players up from Babe Ruth. Hayden Graham, Spencer Ellwanger, Ben Goble and Keaton Wakefield. Other new players are Kordell Maestes and Zack Means who moved to Sidney from Pennsylvania.

“The top half or two thirds of our lineup will be solid,” Arellano said.

Arellano added that this is a young team with the bottom half of his lineup largely made up of former Babe Ruth players. The most productive part of the lineup will likely include Holtz who will play shortstop and Bayne at second base, Burton and Arent. The latter two can pitch or play third while Burton also catches.

“Essentially we’ll be relying on the older kids at least at the start,” Arellano said. “Hopefully by the mid point of the season our younger players will be comfortable with the program.”

Like Herrera, Arellano has not decided on his opening day starter. Among the candidates are Holtz, Bayne and Burton.

For the time being Arellano expects his team to play solid fundamental baseball as it has done for the past four or five years. Coach Arellano also is instilling in his team the concept of family. By having each others back he believes the team can gain consistency and continuity.

“We expect to compete at the start of the season,” Arellano said. “We also expect to every year to win a district title.”