Clawson Baseball Rebuilding Toward Success

The varsity baseball team is slowly trending back toward .500.

After winning the Macomb Area Conference Silver division in 2009, the Trojans went from first to worst. In 2010, they tumbled down the standings, finishing in dead last with a 2-8 record (6-19 overall).

The Trojans weren’t able to get out of the Silver’s cellar in 2011, but finished the season showing signs of life. The team finished the year with an 11-16 overall record.

“We had a pretty good turnaround last year,” Clawson coach Ralph Haney said. “I think we can finish over .500 this season and be very competitive. We’ll be a lot more experienced. We have a lot of guys with 35 games under their belt.”

And a lot of those pieces are key starters.

Junior Billy Feldbush and sophomore David Harlukowicz are back. Haney said both pitchers are at the front end of the Trojans’ rotation.

Haney is penciling in a batting lineup that feels very familiar. Starting shortstop Craig Bynum, second baseman Justin Smith, All-MAC centerfielder Jawaun Harris and first baseman Matt Pick, who led the team in hitting, are all back. Smith and Harris are the only seniors.

The group opens its season with a jam-packed first week.

Clawson’s season opener is on Monday against Warren Fitzgerald at 4:30 p.m. It plays home games on Tuesday against Summit Home School at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday against New Haven at 4:30 p.m. and Friday against Pontiac Academy for Excellence at 4:30 p.m. The Trojans then travel to Frankenmuth on Saturday for a doubleheader.

That’s the kind of schedule Clawson players can expect all season long.

“I scheduled as many games as I could, loaded up with four to six games a week,” Haney said. “I’d really rather play games than practice. To get better you need to play. I also loaded the schedule with games against Class A and Class B schools.”

Even though Class A schools have a lot more students to draw from, Haney believes stronger competition helps his kids get better.

He pointed to a recent exhibition against Berkley, a school that has nearly 70 kids in its program versus the Trojans' 30. Clawson struggled in the game, but taking those lumps now should pay dividends later.

“I’m trying to play Class A schools early to show our kids how to play up to the competition,” Haney says. “It gets us to play harder and tougher.”

Numbers Game

Clawson’s numbers at the varsity level are down slightly from last season. The Trojans had 13 to 14 on varsity in 2011, this year they open the season with 12 players on the roster. 

That number could’ve been bigger, but Haney’s philosophy about playing is the same for the program’s junior varsity squad. He doesn’t want his freshmen and sophomores sitting on the bench waiting for an occasional at-bat when they could be playing a full game.

The program has 16 junior varsity players and Haney has them playing more games than ever.

“I don’t like going down that road,” Haney said. “The more at bats a kid gets, the more beneficial it is for them. I don’t want to bring a freshman or sophomore up if they aren’t going to play.”

With a busy schedule and small varsity roster, one challenge for Clawson’s coaching staff will be juggling the pitching staff.

“We have six guys who can pitch 30 outs a week, so sometimes you have to be creative,” Haney said. “I’ll have to get a guy out of the game maybe a little early in a close game cause you have to use them later in the week.”

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