BASEBALL
Coaches’ predicted finish
1. La Quinta: Perhaps not as good as in recent years, but the league coaches still tabbed the Aztecs to win the league title.
2. Garden Grove: Three all-league returnees make the Argonauts a top contender for the championship.
3. Pacifica: The Mariners are inexperienced but likely to improve as the season progresses.
4. Rancho Alamitos:If the pitching comes through, the Vaqueros could contend for a playoff berth.
5. Santiago: A good corps of returnees could push the Cavaliers into playoff contention.
6. Bolsa Grande: The Matadors missed the playoffs by only two games last season.
7. Los Amigos:The Lobos are looking to improve from a tough 2005.
Important dates
Friday-March 11, Newport Elks Tournament (Bolsa Grande, Garden Grove, La Quinta, Los Amigos, Pacifica, Rancho Alamitos, Santiago); March 14, Orange at La Quinta, March 18, Pacifica vs. Orange Lutheran at Hart Park; March 22, Rancho Alamitos at Pacifica; April 4, La Quinta at Pacifica, Los Amigos at Bolsa Grande; May 3, Garden Grove at Pacifica, Bolsa Grande at Santiago; May 5, Pacifica at Garden Grove; May 8, Garden Grove at La Quinta; May 10, La Quinta at Garden Grove
Players to watch
Anthony Alavez (Santiago, Sr., Inf/P); Tony Arroyo (La Quinta, Jr., OF/1B); Alfie Baca (La Quinta, Sr., SS); Martin Bautista (Santiago, Jr., Inf); Ernest Cabral (Santiago, Jr., C); Nick Capito (La Quinta, Jr., P/OF); Trevor Collier (Rancho Alamitos, So., 3B); James Davis (Garden Grove, Jr., P/SS); Michael Geiger (Garden Grove, Sr., C); Mark Kapano (Pacifica, SR., OF); Mark Marquez (Rancho Alamitos, Sr., C); Jack McBride (Pacifica, Sr., C/3B); Danny Nelson (Los Amigos, So., P/SS); Rusty Nelson (Los Amigos, Sr., P/1B); James Newton (Rancho Alamitos, Sr., Ut.); Brian Nicholson (Pacifica, Jr., Ut.); Richard Orth (Pacifica, Sr., OF); Aaron Pines (Garden Grove, Sr., 2B); Robert Pugh (Pacifica, Sr., P); Carmen Rodriguez (Santiago, Jr., 2B); Ryan Stoopes (Garden Grove, Jr., P/OF); Brett Vertigan (Rancho Al., So., OF/P)
Noteworthy
Last season’s standings: 1. La Quinta (27-5 overall, 11-1 league); 2. Pacifica (16-10-1, 10-2); 3. Garden Grove (14-9-2, 7-5); 4. Rancho Alamitos (13-13, 6-6); 5. Bolsa Grande (11-11-1, 5-7); 6. Santiago (4-21, 2-10); 7. Los Amigos (4-19-1, 1-11). … In the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs, La Quinta was eliminated in the semifinals. Pacifica and Garden Grove lost in the first round. … Last season, only the top three teams in a seven-team league such as the Garden Grove League received guaranteed playoff berths. This season, the top four finishers will go to the playoffs. The Garden Grove League remains in Division III. …
La Quinta lost several top players to graduation, including 2005 Orange County player of the year Brandon Laird. “That key guy that we usually have coming back every year is not coming back this year,”
La Quinta coach Dave Demarest said. Baca is a four-year starter who batted .311 last season. Demarest has 701 career victories, the most in county baseball history. The Aztecs have won 13 consecutive league championships. … Garden Grove has three returning all-leaguers: Geiger, who was All-CIF as a sophomore and a freshman, Davis and Stoopes. Davis and Stoopes combined for 14 victories last season. Garden Grove coach Jim Rawls considers Geiger to be as good as any catcher in the county. … Pacifica has only one returning starter, but he is a good one. Nicholson batted .361 and posted a 1.83 earned-run average. … Santiago’s Cabral batted .342 in ’05.
STEVE FRYER/The Register
