East Hampton Prepares for a New Season

Is it baseball season already?

This past off-season might seem like a blur for the Class S state champion East Hampton baseball team, but what is clear heading into its season opener today at Portland is this might be a different team, but the expectations remain high.

Gone are the days of throwing out the first pitch at a Rock Cats game, riding in a parade, a special dinner, town hall recognition and the endless hugs and high fives that followed a magical season that culminated in a come-from-behind 6-2 victory over East Catholic in the Class S title game.

Gone too are key contributors such as Al Iannone, the Shoreline Conference Pitcher of the Year, Austin Shumbo, Brian Roberson, Austin Wosleger and Ben Fortin.

The cupboard isn’t exactly bare, however.

Spencer Daly, Adam Michaud, Joe Tuxbury, Marvin Gorgas and Nate Heroux are the five returning starters the Bellringers will lean on to get them back into the postseason.

And 2012 has been the focus heading into the season, not reminiscing about 2011.

“What I told them is we need a 2012 identity,” coach Scott Wosleger said. “Let’s see what the 2012 version does. The 2012 version has done nothing yet.”

Wosleger has stressed to his team that whey are going to have to “scratch and claw” and “you’re not going to win games by just showing up.”

He thinks his team has bought in.

“Present moment focus is what it is right now,” Wosleger said. “I want to get Portland out 1-2-3 in the first inning on Wednesday.”

Wosleger and assistant coach Gregg Johnson have spent the weeks leading up to the season opener assessing the talent they have. There are some holes to fill, beginning with two-thirds of the outfield.

The first order of business was moving Tuxbury to center field, leaving the corners open.

“We have four or five guys that we can use in the corners but we are far from figuring out who it is,” Wosleger said. “We’re thinking just do it by committee. It puts a little pressure on guys to do well, but it gives them a little taste.”

The corners of the infield also are in need of a makeover. Michaud will start at third when he isn’t pitching and senior Ryan Massie will take over at first base. The question then becomes, who will play third when Michaud is on the mound?

Wosleger hadn’t made a final decision, though he was leaning toward sophomore Matt Sevigny. Steven Peltier and Vin Langenfeld also are in the conversation.

“Right now Sevigny has the inside track,” Wosleger said. “I like the way he moves around, very high baseball IQ.”

Wosleger said that with so many younger players on the roster, it could be several games for some of the questions to get answered. With the infusion of youth, has come depth, however.

“One thing we’re going to have a little bit more of than last year, we’re going to have probably a couple guys to come off the bench and pinch hit,” he said. “There are several guys who swing it pretty well. I think our depth is going to be pretty good.”

One of the keys to East Hampton’s success last season was pitching. With Iannone and Michaud starting and Gorgas in relief, East Hampton had a combination few teams could match.

With the departure of Iannone, Michaud is the clear number 1 starter. The question then becomes does Gorgas start?

“We’re still trying to evaluate and see if we have a number 2 pitcher,” Wosleger said. “If we can come up with somebody, whether it’s one guy or a couple guys by committee who can be a number 2, then we’ll use Marvin in the same role. If we can’t, he’ll be the number 2.”

Having someone such as Gorgas close games last season was a luxury few if any teams had.

“In the perfect world, we’d like to keep it that way,” Wosleger said. “One thing we won’t do is we won’t lean on those two guys at all costs. I think those younger guys will be OK, which bodes well for the future. The younger guys all have pretty good mechanics. They’ve all had some success at other levels.”

Gorgas is open to filling any role he is asked to.

“Definitely have to think about a new role,” the sophomore said. “Last year I did a lot of closing. This year maybe start a few games, but whatever Coach gives me, I’m down for it.”

Michaud, who emerged as a starter last season, said he could handle any pressure that comes with being the team’s number 1 starter.

“I’m just going to try and do my best to grind through each game to get to Marvin at the end,” the senior righthander said.

Another element to their success was defense. The Bellringers were strong up the middle with Daly behind the plate, a formidable double-play combination in Heroux and Gorgas and Shumbo in center. With Tuxbury, the starting left fielder last season, taking over in center, the Bellringers’ defense should be equally as strong.

The defense, though, begins with pitching.

“I think we could be better defensively than we were last year,” Wosleger said. “We got to make sure these guys are throwing strikes, are ahead in the count, and everything should be OK.”

Wosleger seemed inclined to go with a lineup that had Tuxbury leading off and Heroux batting second before getting to his top hitters, but he wasn’t wed to the idea, even suggesting he might lead off with Gorgas.

As important as Gorgas was in his role as closer last season, his bat was invaluable to the offense. As a sophomore, he thinks he can be even better.

“I feel like I can improve a little bit more, like going for gaps and looking for more base hits instead of trying to go for power,” he said.

Whatever the order, the trio of Gorgas, Michaud and Daly should be the source of many headaches for opposing pitchers.

“I think if we all stick together, we play our defense, we pitch, the hitting is here, everyone can hit out here, it’s just a matter of putting all the little things together and win games,” Michaud said.

And if they do, expect a postseason appearance for East Hampton.

Said Gorgas: “New year. New team. We’re just ready for anything.”

It all starts Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. at Portland High School.