City Section Baseball Previews

COACH: Manny Alvarado, 2nd year

LAST SEASON: 22-7; 1st in league at 12-4

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kennedy won its third City Section 4-A Division title of the decade last season behind a group of talented seniors. The band included City MVP Gino Tagliaferri, All-Valley infielder Mike Murray and three-year starter Pat DeBoer. Yet, even with those standouts in the lineup, All-City junior Garret Anderson batted cleanup--and did he mop up statistically. Anderson, who bats left-handed and plays in the outfield, hit .362 with five home runs and 31 runs batted in. He led area juniors in RBIs in City play. Anderson is not the lone threat, however. Catcher Lazaro Campos, who hit .367, is back for his third season of varsity play and will bat cleanup behind Anderson. Troy Bourne, a reserve last year, will start at first. James Bernas, an all-league member of the junior varsity, will start at second. Either Billy Ramirez or Rich Trujillo will fill Tagliaferri's slot at short. Palmer Drain, used as a designated-hitter last year, starts at third. Ben Guzman, Jason Rosen, Mitchell Drain and Birmingham transfer Jack Moussa (.266, nine RBIs) are in a fight for the remaining outfield berths. The pitching corps has been through it all before. Left-hander Denny Sharp (7-2, 3.75 earned-run average, 108 strikeouts in 84 innings) might possess the best curveball in the area. Junior right-hander Cody Beaumaster (4-1, 2.13 ERA) is the No. 2 starter. However, Sharp (67 walks) and Beaumaster (15 walks in 19 2/3 innings) will need better control if the Golden Cougars want to make it two titles in a row.

OUTLOOK: "Last year at this time pitching was our big question mark," Alvarado said. "Now that seems to be one of our strengths." Last year's strength was the infield. That also has changed. "It's one of the strongest outfield teams I've ever been associated with," Alvarado said. "As long as we can catch it and throw it, we'll be in good shape."

San Fernando

COACH: Steve Marden, 14th year

LAST SEASON: 16-7-1; 2nd in league at 10-5-1

PLAYERS TO WATCH: If San Fernando makes a run at Kennedy for the league title, it will be behind the strength of its pitching staff. John Najar, a utility player last season as a junior, has been converted into a pitcher and Marden is pleased with what he sees. "He could be the most dominant pitcher I've seen all winter," Marden said. Hector De La Cruz, a three-year letterman, returns for his senior year. De La Cruz (6-1, 3.42 ERA, 58 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings), a left-hander, included among his victories an upset of Chatsworth on the road. Left-hander Canto Franco, the junior varsity league MVP last year, and sophomore right-hander Rick Savala are also in the running for a place in the rotation. "With a lefty and righty in the starting rotation and a lefty and righty in the bullpen, we look real strong with our pitching," Marden said. Two starting position players return: third baseman Richard (Shorty) Sanchez and outfielder Octavio Serrano. Fernando Ortega and Roy Aguilera, reserves last year, are among a large group fighting for outfield berths. Marden's biggest discovery could be shortstop Luis Rodriguez, a switch-hitting sophomore. Rodriguez follows in the footsteps of All-City shortstops Bobby Corrales (1989) and Albert Torrez (1988). "He's going to be better than both of them before he's through," Marden predicted.

OUTLOOK: The 1990 Tigers are similar to their predecessors in almost every respect, Marden said, and status quo is fine with him. "The key for us is to do what we do well--put the ball in play, have solid pitching and play good defense," Marden said. "We play for one run an inning." Where do they rate? "We may not be as strong as some teams we've had in terms of returning starters," he said. "But nobody else does, either, except maybe for El Camino (Real)."

Granada Hills

COACH: Darryl Stroh, 21st year

LAST SEASON: 4-16; 4th in league at 1-15