A bundle of nuggets and notes as I ponder what rummage sale or clearance rack Central Catholic A.D. Pete Paladino picked those horrific red-and-white, candy-cane batting helmets off of.
Sorry, Pete, but those things start at tacky and travel the ugly road to atrocious.
One thing that’s not atrocious is the Central Catholic lineup.
Even with the bad news that Andrew Guyer’s back is not right and needs a couple weeks of rest, the Raiders look mighty dangerous, to steal a term from Zak Adamopoulos.
I’m watching Central, on a tough hitter’s day, pound 10 hits off a good-looking Ranger starter in Isaac Rivera, and I’m looking at the bench at a kid like Zack Latrell, who is a blue-chip athlete (all-conference FB/LB, E-T All-Star wrestler) and can’t crack the lineup.
“They’re St. John’s Prep good,” said Methuen coach David Fabrizio, who should know having played both. “Absolutely.”
Don’t look now, folks, but the Billerica Indians, at 3-0, have already matched their win output of a year ago. Can I figure it out? No.
But the win over Haverhill sure throws a wrench into the delusions of immediate grandeur from the folks wearing Brown and gold.
My immediate reaction to that, combined with Tewksbury’s loss to Wilmington, the small school division of the MVC looks like a flat-out 13-game free-for-all.
Let’s forget the results of the early going for a minute and factor in the Haverhill pitching injuries. And let’s forget about Haverhill’s recent success and Tewksbury’s dominance over this thing (9 of the last 11 titles!!!).
On paper, charting returners and their resumes, I’d have to say the small school would have been ranked: 1. Lawrence, 2. Haverhill, 3. Tewksbury, 4. Dracut, 5. Billerica.
When I made me prediction of Tewks, Hav, Lawtown, Dracut, Billy … it had a lot to do with my reverence for the Ronnies … Wallace and Rosario.
Now, I can honestly say I’m mesmerized by the possibilities.
Can Wallace, Lupi and McVey bring along a severely untested young crew?
Can the Hillies get Bretton and T-Rob going?
And can Lawrence hold it together, with possibly the two dominant pitchers in the division in Calzetta and Yunior, and a strong returning group that includes one of the nastiest pure hitters in Jose Sandoval, plus the up the middle trio of Tito, Harvey and D-Mo.
Huge one today with North Andover and Masco hooking up.
Can I explain North Andover whipping Andover one day and falling to North Reading, without Kevin Singer on the hill, the next?
Absolutely not.
I will chalk it up to a bad day for the Knights, whom I expect a lot of.
Outstanding showdown in the CAL Large. Expect Mike Weisman from the Knights. Just not sure what will come out of Masco.
Professional win by Andover yesterday against Chelmsford.
Nice to see Jonathan Levenson bounce back after a tough mound debut for the Warriors and nail down the save for John Farrell.
I’m going to tell you right now. I look at Methuen sophomore Cal Carroll, and I see a little more athletic version of ex-Ranger Jimmy Cote.
Cote, an E-T all-star as a junior, brought the lunch pail to the diamond every day and never, ever quit.
He plays the game the right way, with heart and grit and, well, intestinal fortitude.
It’s going to be fun watching him the next two-plus years.
Central-Andover Thursday, got to love it baby.
And don’t think I’m not eyeing Friday’s Londonderry-Salem matchup.
Are the Lancers as loaded as they look?
And can Salem re-load on the fly. We find out Friday.
No changes to the Fantastic Four yet …
1. Central Catholic (1-1) … Nobody’s buying the “woe is me” lament.
2. Andover (2-1) … Yes, Andover is again Andover.
3. Londonderry … Best non “E-T” website in the business, lancersbaseball.com
4. North Andover (2-1) … We forgive you, that is, if you KO Masco and mike Val today.
Waiting their turn
Haverhill … Two steps forward, almost two steps back.
Lawrence … Where’s the brash attitude? I would have thrown Calzetta at Lowell.
Pinkerton … Can they survive without Stevie D?
Salem … Play ball!!! The varsity field is this way, boys. (You see, Salem has a lot of newcomers, it’s a joke, folks. Stay with me)
North Reading … There’s a book here if Frank Carey ever wants me to write it. The little town and program that could.
