Team Preview: Utica Post 229

Manager Greg Gaeta, Coach Frank Parisi, Coach Rob Sisti, Coach Bryan Stamboly.

Losses: Mike Arcuri, Mike Mason, Josh Omes, Steve True, Dan Weber.
Returning Players: T.J. Abounader (P), Ryan Donovan (P/1B), Vin Gaetano (1B/RF/DH), Alex Handzel (P/C/3B), Mike King (P/Util.), Joe Mazzara (OF), Mike Obernesser (C), Joe Perrotta (P/Util.), Mike Scotellaro (P/Util.), Mark Van Dreason (2B), Devin Warmack (P/OF).
Newcomers: Tom DeBernardis (P/1B), Justin Hall (P/2B/SS), Mike Lackey (P/Util.), Gary McConnell (P/3B/OF), Tom Reilly (2B/3B/OF), Wendell Wright (P/OF).

I caught up with UP manager Greg Gaeta at the Proctor baseball Raider Classic. We talked about the upcoming legion season. Read on to see Gaeta's thoughts. For the full audio interview, which includes Gaeta's thoughts on the newcomers and two season-ending injuries, click here: http://www.uticaod.com/sports/legionbaseball/x765550528/Legion-Baseball-Audio

AD: There's a lot of competition on your schedule. How much do you think that helps the kids in the long run?
GG: Ideally when we schedule the non-league games, we try to play teams around here because it's economical and it's easier. But when we go to tournaments, we try to make sure there's some good competition in the tournaments because we want to get better. Especially the young guys, a lot of the young guys will go out there and get thrown out right into the fire against some really good teams and it kind of wakes them up to what legion baseball is.

AD: Looking at the all-star team from last year, you have two all-stars returning in Abounader and VanDreason. How important is it to have them coming back this year?
GG: Well, we lost six guys I think. We lost the bulk of our order, so you need to have some stability coming back and some things you can count on. Even for the young kids, they come up and they weren't here last year, they need to go out there and have the confidence of T.J. pitching and have some guys that have the experience.

AD: Also looking at the all-stars from last year, Omes and Mason are gone. How big of a shot is that?
GG: I mean that's the heart of the order. If I remember correctly, our order was somehow Omes and Mason and Weber and Arcuri. Those are the 2, 3, 4, 5 guys in the line-up and those guys are gone. It happens almost every year. Generally the guys you lose are the better guys.

AD: So who are looking at to be the leaders this year?
GG: Well the natural would be the two college kids, VanDreason and Mazzara. But other guys, I look at this team out here. Perrotta's played, Perrotta's a senior this year. He's played four years now, so he's got enough experience and knows what it takes. So those guys probably. You know, we're young. We have a lot of young guys. The only two kids that graduate are those college kids, Mazzara and VanDreason. So off the team, we'll only lose two players this year.

AD: Will you look at (Perrotta) to be an everyday player this year?
GG: Absolutely, yes.

AD: Do you have a position in mind?
GG: No. We actually have quite a few positions that I'm not sure about. The one thing I like about the team is most of the guys we have are versatile, they can play multiple positions. So getting into that routine of the starting line-up and the rotation of who does what when who pitches and that kind of thing, it's going to take some time this year.

AD: What do you like most about this team?
GG: I like the versatility. We're young. We're only going to lose two players; none of it is pitching. And I think pitching is probably one of our stronger points this year and we're not going to lose any of it.

AD: How about something your team might have to work on?
GG: Offensively, I'm concerned because I'm not sure what kind of line-up we're going to have and how guys are going to adjust. The thing that you have is a lot guys that have experience on the team, but not everyday players...Can they step into the role and produce on a daily basis?

AD: What would you say, at this point, would be an ultimate goal for the team?
GG: We should go out there and compete to win the county every year.

AD: The way you talk about it, you're more concerned with what your guys are doing than with what everybody else is doing. Talk about that a little.
GG: Absolutely. First off, it's too hard to pay attention. Second, that's out of your control. The only thing I can do is get my guys out there and get them better...I need to get my guys to perform and get them to understand how to compete...That's the only thing you can do as a coach. That's the only thing you can do at all.