Gilroy
– The 2006 season was a strange one for the Gilroy High baseball
team. The Mustangs handed Tri-County Athletic League champion San
Benito its only two TCAL losses,
Gilroy – The 2006 season was a strange one for the Gilroy High baseball team.
The Mustangs handed Tri-County Athletic League champion San Benito its only two TCAL losses, and yet didn’t even finish second. And then, defensively solid Gilroy was eliminated from the Central Coast Section playoffs when a dropped fly ball forced extra innings and the Mustangs fell to Archbishop Mitty.
The strengths and weaknesses have been flip-flopped at GHS. There is depth on the pitching staff and coach Clint Wheeler expects the Mustangs to hit better than last year. With the amount of players he has had to move to different positions, Wheeler is a bit uncertain about the defense.
“If we can play defense, we’ll be right there,” said Wheeler, GHS class of 1989, entering his eighth season as head coach. “I think we’ll pitch well this year and be able to hit better than in the past.”
The team is small on numbers – Wheeler said he will carry between 15 and 17 players. And yet the veteran coach feels the Mustangs can better last year’s 16-11 overall mark, 10-6 in league. Salinas is TCAL favorite with San Benito and Palma expected to be in the mix with Gilroy, which is shooting for its first league title since 1991.
There is one thing the Mustangs won’t compromise on as they chase success. Hurlers will be on a strict pitch count — “nobody goes past 80 pitches before Easter, nobody goes past 110 after Easter. There’s a future after baseball, so I’m not going to kill a kid to win a championship.”
On a roster short on numbers, nine of the players are listed as pitchers. The list includes three-year varsity player Michael Stevens, a returning all-league third baseman making the move to short stop. Lefties Jacob Dexter and Adam Martinez, as well as righties Kevin Grove, Tyler Osborne and Danny Contreras all figure to see plenty of action.
Stevens, second baseman Matt Hemeon and outfielder Contreras are all returning .300-plus hitters. Contreras, the fastest player on the team, will probably be the leadoff hitter.
“We’re looking for leadership,” said Wheeler, who has guided the Mustangs to six CCS playoffs in seven seasons. “We’re looking for our guys to do whatever it takes for this team to win.
“We’re a young team with only five seniors. I like this team. We’ve got some talent and a lot of potential. It’s mixing the young and old, and having players step forward as leaders that will determine how well we’ll do.”
The season opener is 3pm at Gilroy against Aragon.
