Team Preview: New Hartford Post 1376

Manager John Randall, Coach Greg Jones, Coach Edmund Timpano.

Losses: Jordan Groah, Steve Guzski, Mike Kennedy, Marc Montesano.
Returning Players: Joe Betar (SS/P), Steve Bieganowski (OF/P), Patrick Calli (OF), Joe Carcone (2B), Joe Desens (IF/OF), Mike Doyle (C), Chandler Evans (P/OF), Alex Giovannone (P/1B), Kris Kallay (P/OF), Mike Matt (OF), Dan Nelson (P/3B), Erik Sheridan (P/OF), Eric Verbickas (1B/P), T.J. Zalocha (IF/OF).
Newcomers: Mike Bower (P), Pat Derrane (P), Tim Whalen (C).

I talked to New Hartford manager John Randall after his team's tryouts last Sunday. Check out some of what he had to say about the upcoming season. For more, click here for the complete audio interview: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio

AD: Losing Guzski and Montesano, your best pitcher and best hitter, and Groah who was the emotional leader, how do you replace that?
JR: We don't. We can't replace those guys. (Montesano) was probably the best hitter that was in this league, (Guzski) was one of the best pitchers and (Groah) was the best defensive third baseman. So we've got to just hope that we've got four or five guys to fill those three spots. But, there isn't one guy that's going to replace any one of those guys. We just don't have it.

AD: Who are you looking for to be leaders this year?
JR: I think Mike Matt's got to be the biggest leader. I think playing the last three years for us, and playing in college, I think he's just ready to take on that role. And, you know (Alex Giovannone), all those college guys...I think Mike Matt will just make sure that everyone's got their head in the game all the time.

AD: Three of those four (college) guys played in college, how much does that help?
JR: I think it helps a ton. With Danny (Nelson) and Giovannone, they didn't get a ton of innings. But, just working out with those two programs all fall, all winter and all spring is definitely going to help them conditioning-wise, strength-wise. I think we've got a ton of games with both Danny and (Giovannone) on the mound. Even Pat (Calli), he kept himself in shape, got stronger. I think all four of those guys will definitely help us out.

AD: What do you like about the team at this point?
JR: Pitching. I think we have a ton of it. We don't have the ace so to speak, but let's say we have a lot of kings. They're all good. I think anybody can win a big game at any time. I think that they're all going to give us a lot of innings.

AD: How much will it help having Eddie (Timpano) coaching?
JR: He's all business...Anytime you can bring a team back from a regional final, state champ, that just goes about doing things the right way when the uniform is on...Anybody that's been around the game like he has is definitely going to help out. Not just the catchers; everybody. He'll be great in the dugout, just all around.

AD: You mentioned the regional and winning the state. How does having a year like last year, a year removed from that - I mean you guys didn't do as well as you hoped to.
JR: I think a lot of these guys now, don't even know about that state title...These guys are kind of their own kind of team now. They're looking to set their own standard; put the bar where they want it. That state team obviously doesn't come around very often. As much as I enjoyed that, I think it's time to get a new identity here with these guys. And I'm not sure what that is. I think that it could be very good; it could be below average.

AD: Obviously playing, I know the goal is always set really high. Like you just said, you don't really know what to expect, so what is the goal?
JR: The goal is still high. If we're not in that winners bracket final or that losers bracket, if we're not one of the last three teams remaining in the counties, then I'll be dissapointed. I'm not going to say that we're going to win the counties or the districts, but I hope that we're one of those final three teams that's still playing on Saturday or Sunday.

On not being able to play games at New Hartford Sr. High School in July due to the construction of the football field:
JR: As much as you don't like it, it's definitely the right decision to do. Even though it doesn't involve the field, there's just way too much traffic for the games that we get down here if you get a big crowd. There's just going to be too much going on. So we're going to play all our (home) games in June and then we'll be out of here at the beginning of July.