2017 Baseball Preview
You try to keep a level head when you start off the season with 17 straight wins as the 2016 Central Arizona College Vaqueros did, because it's a very long season, and in the end, what does it mean if you don't win it all? The Vaqueros started on fire and then lost in the Region 1 playoffs with a crushing series loss to Cochise Community College, losing two of three after winning game one.
Central's 2016 final record was a sizzling 45-14 overall with 26 conference wins. Well that's a very nice season by all accounts, but it's not nice enough.
"Improve, graduate, win the national championship."
"You have to win that last game" said head Coach Anthony Gilich, smiling.
Central returns 12 money players from last year's team, then added 19 more. Returning and expected to fill big roles are infielder Roger Varela who will probably be moved to third base from shortstop, pitcher Peyton Remy, who gets all the "go to" talk for the big games, speedy and powerful outfielder Makoa Rosario, and two players just frothing at the mouth for full time this year in Brent Bailey and Brad Morgan. The two hit the baseball hard all year last year in part time roles on a team that hit .354. "Big Game Bails" is one term you hear. Morgan hits triples, there you go.
Pikai bomb (above)
Infielder Pikai Duque-Winchester returns and it just seems that if even he doesn't improve one bit, he'll be talked about for ACCAC player of the year. Pitchers Grant Townsend and Andrew Edwards return and the head coach smiles when he talks of the two, "vast improvement". Outfielder Andrew Chartrand will be in the outfield again with his electric presence at the plate and on the bases. We'll get to see much more of Nate Soriano this year, his name is mentioned in the "speediest players" conversation.
Infielder Justice Nakagawa will be expected to play various positions and he adds the smartness at the plate. He's a "no-see-um" much like Roger Varela in that, after the game, you just seem to talk about them and their pictures appear in the articles, but your eyes just skim over them during the game. "Perfect players to round out a championship team" says Gilich.
Reliever Sati Santa Cruz is back, "you just bring him in and have him throw fireballs", said Gilich.
Sati! (above)
What's new in 2017? Pitching. It's a solid pitching staff with newcomers Nick Trogerlic-Iverson, Will McAffer, Ryley Widell, Jye Deeble, Gio Lopez, Sam Miller and Sam Schroeder. Koa Eastlack, and Luis Tellechea get big eyeballs from the staff. "Big Cat" Bradley Gonzales will also pop a few catcher's gloves.
All of these cats throw 90+, and when you talk "no see-um", think about the Big Cat's 96 and Sati's 95.
"There's not a tougher pitcher out there than Peyton Remy" added Gilich. "Here hit this and good luck. He doesn't care who you are or what you've done."
With the depth these 2017 Vaqueros have, Gilich's problem will yet again be how to get 'em all in. Infielder Devin Ray has "been on fire" all fall, "play 'em all" Nick Dayton is here from Texas. Yet another sparkler in the infield is Alix Garcia, with pop. The exciting Jake Vander Wal will play the outfield, and infielder Matt Kroon joined in late, but the word "drooling" has been passed around. Not sure what that means, but it has to be good.
The heaven's parted and the angels sang when the head coach talked about the catchers, it was an off-season priority, last years team was dealt a big blow when catcher Chris Kobar went out with a broken hand. So you've got a completely intimidating set of arms, all three of them, in Chris Diehl, Ty Johnson, and Isaiah Garcia. Wow. With the Vaquero's speed, it is probable that Central will steal more bases than most of the ACCAC, and not many will even try to swipe off the new catchers. Gilich said that each catcher is completely fundamentally sound.
"We will put the game in motion" says Gilich. "We can all bunt, it will be an event when we are on base."
The Vaqueros welcome new Coach Joe Perez from Grand Canyon University who will work with the infielders and hitters and coach first base, National Championship pitcher Jerry A'hearn is back as pitching coach, and former Los Angeles Angels staff member Joe Dominiak returns in the hitting coach role. "Joe Cool".
The Cowboys are ready to rock. Ask anyone.