Coyote Athletics : Baseball : 2004 Outlook

New-look Coyotes ready to play ball

By Nathan Ahle, The Daily Independent

Baseball is back at Cerro Coso Community College, and the Coyotes will have changes abound for the upcoming year. With new coaches, new players and a new wrinkle in the schedule, there's a different feel at the Dawg Yard as the season opens today.

Last season, the Coyotes battled injuries, pitching woes and defensive miscues, but finished third in the tough Foothill Conference with a record of 20-20. 2003 saw the emergence of stars such as Ryan Penn, Kip Keith and Nick Wagner, sophomores who will be counted on to produce this year.

As Head Coach Dick Adams enters his 12th year in the Coyotes' dugout, the skipper is counting on solid pitching and timely hitting in order to compete.

It all starts on the mound

"It always comes down to pitching,"

The Coyotes' major strength this year will be pitching, as the team's rotation and bullpen appear to be solid.

"It always comes down to pitching," said Adams.

The starting staff will be led by Penn, an 11-game winner in 2003. The 6-foot, 170-pound sophomore from Oregon has been named a Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine, and recently signed a Letter of Intent to play next year for the Fresno State Bulldogs. According to Adams, pro scouts have also had their eye on the righthander.

Darren Green, the southpaw from Boron, returns for another season after posting four saves last year as the Cerro Coso closer. However, Green will begin the season as a starter, as Adams hopes Green's experience will be beneficial.

"He has good command of his pitches and a very nice breaking ball," Adams said of Green.

Caleb Gallagher, a freshman from California City who played at Mojave High School in 2003 and participated in the Desert Dawg program in Ridgecrest during the summer, is projected to be the No. 3 starter.

"Caleb throws hard, and he has a good breaking ball," Adams said. "He has a lot of poise - there's an inner fire burning there."

Penn and Gallagher are also potent weapons with the bat, and are expected to be the third and fifth-place hitters in the lineup, respectively.

Ryan Hayden, a sophomore transfer from Linn-Benton Community College, will also figure in the mix. Adams describes Hayden as a "crafty" lefthander with good command of his pitches.

In the bullpen, Hugh "Junior" Dawkins, who was used in spot appearances last season, returns this year and is expected to make a big contribution.

"Junior threw the ball very well this fall," Adams said. "He has some great movement on his breaking ball."

Two new faces in Coso's pen are Burroughs product Cory Rickets and Urbano Sanchez. Both players are familiar with Adams and his system, having been redshirt players in 2003.

"Rickets is a sidearmer," said Adams. "He's really got the feel for it; he had a good fall."

"Urbano has good stuff, and is working on gaining command and keeping the ball down in the zone," the coach added.

Canadian players are nothing new to Cerro Coso. This year, Ben Douglas joins the team as a freshman out of Ontario. Adams describes him as a "hard thrower" who has a solid breaking ball and good work habits.

Chad and Cory Sherwood, a pair of brothers from Anchorage, Alaska, will also see action out of the Coyote pen. Cory, a lefthander, has just joined the team this month and has impressed in early workouts, while Chad, a righthander, is an early candidate for the closer job.

"Chad throws it," said Adams. "He has to 'pitch' instead of 'throw,' but he's very competitive and has the look of a closer."

Around the horn. In the infield, the key is defense.

"We had infielders that were more offensively-minded last year," Adams said.

At first base, Nick Gitthens and Beau Walker return after platooning last year. Gitthens, a 5'10", 220-pound left-handed hitter, had five pinch-hits last year, including a game-winning home run in non-conference play.

"He has a little pop in his bat," said Adams.

Walker, a Reno native, has improved his defense according to Adams, and should provide needed experience in the infield.

Penn and Jeremy Etchemendy, a redshirt player last year, will also see action at first and third base.

"The young man who has the best swing in practice will get the Thursday start, and then whoever has the best game will get the Saturday start," Adams commented of his first basemen.

Up the middle, the Coyotes will lose the offense of second-baseman Casey Groves and shortstop Jon Foisy, but Adams feels that the players coming in this year will provide a nice mix of offense and defense.

When not pitching, Gallagher will play some shortstop and some third base, in an effort to keep his potent bat in the lineup.

Rodney Black was a redshirt player last season, but will see time in the double-play combination.

"Rodney has very quick hands," Adams said. "He knows the game as well - he's a team leader on defense."

Norm Love, a new Canadian player, has played well in intersquad games this winter according to the coach, and will earn playing time in the infield.

Behind the dish: A strength of the team

Last season, Chad McKellar caught all of the Foothill Conference schedule and most of the non-conference games for the Coyotes, but this year, Adams has two solid catchers that can step in and fill the role McKellar left behind.

Adam Auer, a 5'10", 195-pound catcher who also plays third base, comes to the Coyotes from Team Ontario. He has thrown out runners almost at will during the fall, with a 1.9-second throw to second base.

"Catching is one of the strengths of our club."

"Adam Auer has a cannon," said Adams. "He throws the ball very well, and he has a good bat. It's a quick bat, with some power."

Tony Teixeira is the other new catcher, a Carson City, Nev., product who will play first base as well. His release time is almost as impressive as Auer's - 2.0 seconds.

"He's got a real good knack for throwing out guys," Adams said. "He throws from a lot of angles, and his offense has really come on."

"He got better as the fall progressed," Adams added.

"Both catchers run the game very well," the coach said of Teixeira and Auer's ability to handle pitchers.

"Catching is one of the strengths of our club."

Outfielders: Speed, Defense are key

The outfield will suffer from the loss of the bat and experience of Justin Shiverdecker (.404), the team's starting right-fielder in 2003.

However, Adams is confident that the Coyotes will be able to field a strong outfield.

Kip Keith, a Canadian player who impressed last season, will leadoff and be the team's starting right-fielder. Adams describes Keith as a "good base-stealer."

Nick Wagner also played solid baseball in 2003, and will bat second and start in center field. Wagner had the most at-bats of any Coso player last year.

"He's very, very fast, and handles the bat well," said Adams of Wagner. "These guys (Keith and Wagner) are needed to set the tone for our offense."

Antoine McLeod, who saw duty as a spot starter last year, will start in left field and bat in the ninth spot in the batting order. Adams said that McLeod has improved his strength dramatically during the fall.

Charles Walters, an Immanuel Christian School graduate in 2003, will be involved as the team's fourth outfielder.

"Charles comes and gets the ball quickly," Adams said.

"He's very, very strong, he's tough, and he works very hard."

New coaches, new schemes

Chris O'Brien replaces John Bradley as the team's assistant coach. O'Brien was a standout catcher at Cerro Coso during the Foothill Conference championship season of 1999 and the University of New Mexico - Highland, where his team earned a Division II playoff berth. O'Brien will work with the team's hitters.

"We want our players to play like it's their last game every time they take the field. Play like Desert Dawgs!"

"Chris has been a winner everywhere he's been," said Adams.

"Our goal on offense is to send nine guys to the plate every inning," Adams said. "This team's worked hard on our short-game - we'll play more 'small ball'."

Adams once again expects the conference to be tough, with perennial powers Chaffey and San Bernardino at or near the top. The coach considers Antelope Valley, College of the Desert, Rio Hondo, and Mt. San Jacinto to be improved as well.

"There are probably seven teams that have a chance to win it," said Adams of the conference.

"We want our players to play like it's their last game every time they take the field. Play like Desert Dawgs!"

January 29, 2004

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