HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PREVIEWS : DEL REY LEAGUE : Alemany Not Falling for Early Season Raves

Alemany High is 6-1, but don’t bring it up around Indian Coach Jim Ozella. If you must, be tactful, and keep in mind it was just a season ago when Alemany started strongly and finished in the Del Rey League’s second division.

It’s not that the Indians were poor last year, far from it. They were 18-9, but 5-7 in league play, which was below their expectations. Their forgettable season was even left out of this year’s Southern Section master schedule guide.

So Alemany gets a clean slate, and--as it was last year--is among the favorites to win the league. But, not so loudly.

“My theory on being highly rated is this,” Ozella said. “Show me how long you can be there. How long can you stay? I don’t really dig the ratings thing, but let’s put it that way. Because when you’re at the top, everybody’s hungry for you. Well, we’ve got to be hungry for them.”

Alemany’s staying power might come from its pitching staff, which sports brothers Brian and Joey Rosselli, Charlie Winner and John Lite.

Brian Rosselli is a senior right-hander, Joey is a left-handed sophomore and Winner a senior right-hander. Lite, a junior knuckleball practitioner who transferred from Providence, will help make Ozella’s bullpen less filling.

Winner and Lite allowed only 6 hits on March 5 in Alemany’s 7-3 win over Chatsworth, the No. 1 ranked team in the Times’ Valley poll at the time.

“I think in the six games we’ve played we’ve gotten pretty good pitching in five of the six,” Ozella said. “It’s been pretty stable.”

Ozella, in the meantime, is making a pitch for humility. He would prefer everyone’s hat size to remain the same.

“I think we’re talented, but we’ve got to go out and play,” he said. “We can’t be bigheaded and think we’re the St. Louis Cardinals or Minnesota Twins.

“We’re good, but we don’t have anybody being recruited by Division I colleges.”

Perhaps there has been an absence of Jugs guns and stop watches at Alemany’s games thus far, but if the Indians keep playing like they have been, who knows?

Ozella will know soon enough. Alemany starts its league schedule Friday against Loyola, and that allows him one more pitch.

“Loyola’s not going to be looking at our record,” he said. “They’ll be looking at nine guys on the field.”

Alemany

COACH: Jim Ozella, 5th season

LAST SEASON: 5th in league at 5-7; 18-9

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Indians won 18 games last season, but only five wins came in Del Rey play, as did seven of their nine losses. However, many key players return for Alemany, including two senior pitchers and eight other varsity performers. Brian Rosselli, a right-hander entering his third varsity season, was 13-8 in his two preceding years. Aptly named Charlie Winner was 3-0 with a 1.56 earned-run average as Alemany’s No. 4 starter as a junior. Left-hander Joey Rosselli, a sophomore, and John Lite, a junior transfer from Providence who relies heavily on his knuckleball, fill out what could be a strong staff. Jon Beauchemin, a third baseman-catcher who batted .300 and had 20 runs batted in as a sophomore last season, shortstop Greg Biley (.321, 5 home runs) and second baseman Mark Scott (.468, 19 RBIs) head the offense. Sean Sosa, a right-handed batter, and Joe Cupo, a left-hander, will platoon at first base and designated-hitter. Last season, Sosa batted .392 and drove in 20 runs and Cupo batted .280 with 17 RBIs and 8 doubles. In the outfield only Bill Horvat, a three-year varsity player, returns. Horvat hit 5 doubles en route to a .338 average.

OUTLOOK: Ozella likes the way his team stacks up in the score book but fell short of any grand predictions. “I think we’re good again, but hey, paper doesn’t do it,” he said. “It’s a tough league. Everybody is well-coached, and everybody plays the game the right way--hard.”

Notre Dame

COACH: Bob Mandeville, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 2nd in league at 7-4-1; 12-8-1

PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Knights have to replace their pitching staff, which last season consisted of Tim DeGrasse, Joey Kane, and more Tim DeGrasse. In 80 innings, DeGrasse had 8 complete games, a 5-4 record and 4 saves. Kane was 5-3 in 41 innings. Mike Peterson is the only returning pitcher with a significant number of innings. He was 1-1. Billy Jay and Rob Kostenbader, among others, also will have their opportunity on the mound. Until the pitching comes around, Jeff Antoon, Chad Ratliffe and Matt McElreath will have to make do with their bats. Antoon, a senior all-league third baseman, hit .441 with 3 triples, 2 home runs and 24 RBIs as a junior. Ratliffe, a junior second baseman, hit .354, and McElreath, a senior center fielder, hit .397 and stole 18 bases.

OUTLOOK: If the pitching comes around, the Knights have the hitting to challenge for a playoff berth.

Crespi

COACH: Scott Muckey, 2nd season

LAST SEASON: 1st in league at 10-1; 21-6

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Muckey is concerned about the Celts’ lack of depth, but where they’re strong, they’re very strong. Pitcher Chad Nichols returns from a sophomore season in which he was 6-1 with a 2.57 ERA. When he’s not on the mound, Nichols will play in the outfield. The staff suffered when senior John Gates, the projected No. 2 starter, dislocated his right shoulder playing football. Muckey does not expect him back until late in the season, if at all. Junior John Dempsey, son of major leaguer Rick Dempsey, is being tried at catcher, outfielder and pitcher. A left-handed batter and right-handed pitcher, Dempsey batted .353 and had 12 RBIs last season as a pinch-hitter. Senior switch-hitter Mark Cavaretta, who hit .296 as a pinch-hitter and designated-hitter will play third base and catcher. Returning shortstop Kenny Franco, the heart of a solid defensive infield, batted .317. Right-handers Dan Carroll, a senior, and Mark Kurtz, a junior, fill out Crespi’s pitching staff. Kurtz pitched for the Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Babe Ruth team that won the Babe Ruth World Series.

OUTLOOK: Muckey said the Celts will be in the playoff hunt despite strong teams at Notre Dame, Alemany and Loyola, but he is uneasy with his team’s lack of depth. “We get some guys hurt and we’re definitely in trouble,” he said.