Like every baseball team in Section II, the Shaker Blue Bison are sick and tired of being cooped up inside the gym for practices.
The Blue Bison may get their chance to feel the sun on their faces. A break in the weather pattern could allow them to play their non-league games against Lansingburgh and Christian Brothers Academy this week. Temperatures are supposed to be in the 50s, and there is no precipitation in the National Weather Service forecast until late Friday.
“The kids and the coaches want to get out on the field,” said Shaker coach Steve Frank.
The last time Shaker was on the baseball diamond, it was last year’s Section II Class AA final against Suburban Council North Division rival Shenendehowa — a game the Plainsmen won 3-2.
Frank lost several key players from that group to graduation, but he said he has a good core coming back with Nick Gavin, Tyler Hoffman, Sean Egan and Ben Cassillo.
“I feel real comfortable with what we have one through six (in the lineup),” said Frank. “However, it’s going to be what we can do as a team (that dictates success).”
Gavin and Hoffman — the younger brother of Jeff Hoffman, who is considered a top pitching prospect for the upcoming Major League Baseball amateur draft — anchor Shaker’s pitching rotation. Both of them posted 4-2 records during the 2013 season, in which the Blue Bison finished second to Shen in the North Division standings.
Frank said Hoffman is more dangerous at the plate than he is on the pitcher’s mound. Hoffman cranked out six home runs in 2013, which Frank said could be a school record for a single season.
“Tyler knows pitching isn’t necessarily where he wants to shine, but he’s certainly good enough (on the mound),” said Frank.
Frank said he will be calling upon the rest of Shaker’s pitchers to step up this season, especially if the start of the 2014 campaign is pushed back farther due to sloppy field conditions. The entire Suburban Council season was moved back one week because the prolonged wintry weather kept fields frozen longer and teams inside longer as a consequence.
“The schedule is going to be compressed, so pitching depth will be key,” said Frank.
If Shaker can get in three full outdoor practices, it will face Lansingburgh Thursday and then CBA Friday.
“We haven’t been on any field up here (at the school),” said Frank.
Across town, the Colonie baseball team is in a similar boat. The Garnet Raiders haven’t been outside a lot, which has meant more time in the batting cage.
That may be a good thing for Colonie, though. The Garnet Raiders are looking to improve an offense that was lackluster last season and only returns three regulars — Ben Contento, Jeff Bink and Kyle Ruth — who hit above .300 for a sub-.500 team in 2013.
“They’ve been working hard in the (batting) cage, so I think we’re ready to go,” said Colonie coach Kevin Halburian.
Contento was Colonie’s best double threat last season. At the plate, the first baseman and pitcher hit .375 with a .479 slugging percentage, scored 18 runs and drove in 10 runs. And despite a 1-4 record, Contento had a strong season on the mound with a 3.03 earned run average and 20 strikeouts.
“He had a tough year because he pitched against the other teams’ best pitchers,” said Halburian. “He pitched well enough to win most of those games, but he didn’t get the run support.”
Ruth and Bink return to their middle infield roles. Ruth, a junior second baseman, batted .315 last year with a .418 on base percentage and three doubles, while Bink, a senior shortstop, had a .308 batting average with 12 RBI and 14 runs scored.
But for Colonie to score more runs this season, Halburian said he’ll need more players to contribute at the plate. One such player is new-comer John Baluch, who will play first base and pitch.
“Ben Contento is going to be a good power hitter, and John Baluch … he’s going to be a good hitter for us,” said Halburian.
Catcher Liam Rowland, third baseman Mike Mueller and pitcher/out-fielders Ryan Nicholson and Kevin Ryan are also among the nine returning players for the Garnet Raiders. Nicholson and Ryan join Contento, Baluch and Clayton Leisenfelder to form the core of Colonie’s pitching staff.
“That’s going to be our strength. We’ve got seven or eight guys who can really bring it,” said Halburian. “We match up well with anybody, pitching-wise. If we can get some timely hitting, we should do well.”
Colonie has scheduled three non-league home games to start the season. The Garnet Raiders host CBA Thursday and Albany Friday before meeting Pittsfield Saturday.
The start of the Sub-urban Council season was pushed back to April 9 due to field conditions and lack of outdoor practices for all of the member schools.
