BLOOMFIELD, NJ (updated to include new Pitch Count rules) – The Bloomfield High School varsity baseball team features a strong returning nucleus looking to improve from last year’s 10-17 record.
The Bengals, under 11th-year head coach Mike Policastro, will begin the season Saturday, April 1, against Montclair at Bloomfield Middle School field.
Returning players
- Danny Carter. The senior right fielder is a four-year starter and two-year captain who batted .471 with 40 hits, 33 RBI, and 15 stolen bases last spring.
- Andrew Altiery. The senior third baseman is a two-year starter and captain who batted .368 with 28 hits and 10 RBI in 2016.
- Eddie Abplanalp. The junior center fielder is a three-year starter who batted .250 with 19 hits and 16 RBI and pitched 10 innings a year ago.
- Roger Garcia. The senior catcher is a three-year letterwinner who batted .308 with seven RBI last season.
- Chris Veloz. The senior shortstop is a two-year starter who batted .264 with 14 hits and six RBI last spring.
- Craig Dittrich. The junior catcher is a two-year letterwinner who split time at catcher last year.
- Joe Giliberti, senior outfielder.
In addition, sophomore Kyle Tice, sophomore Robert Reboa, junior Jamir Ramos, senior Victor Vazquez, and junior Manny Corporan each received varsity letters last year.
The returning pitchers are senior right-hander Aldo Maldonado, junior right-hander Manny Corporan (2016: 19 2/3 innings pitched, 19 hits allowed, 11 strikeouts, 2.49 ERA), junior right-hander Dylan Piacenza, junior left-hander Eddie Abplanalp, and sophomore right-hander Kyle Tice.
The newcomers are junior outfielder Elliot Urgent, senior Angel Mercado, freshman shortstop/second baseman Vincent Torrisi, senior right-handed pitcher Anthony Amato, sophomore left-handed pitcher Kyle DiMatteo, and junior right-handed pitcher Christian Lambert.
Starters
Danny Carter, RF
Eddie Abplanalp, CF
Andrew Altiery, 3B
Jamir Ramos, 2B
Roger Garcia/Craig Dittrich, C (still battling)
Manny Corporan/Victor Vazquez, 1B (still battling)
Elliot Urgent/Angel Mercado/Joe Giliberti, LF (still battling)
Kyle Tice/Rob Reboa/LF/1B, non-starters DH (still battling).
Strengths
“We have many of returning players, including three starting pitchers from last year’s rotation,” Policastro said. “We were young last year and competed every game. We are older, more experienced and stronger than last year; that should be a strength for us.
“Our lineup last year had no depth,” continued Policastro. “Four of five guys hit .300 or better and everyone else was under .250. You need to have better balance. I feel like we are more balanced right now. We have a deep pitching staff, which should help with the new pitching rule.
Expectations
“As always we expect to compete for the SEC (Super Essex Conference) title, but our league is so tough, competition-wise, with teams like SHP (Seton Hall Prep), Millburn, Nutley, Montclair, Livingston, Columbia, Verona, and Newark Academy. We don’t have any easy games. It’s a daily battle every game.”
The Bengals hope to get better come tournament time, namely to contend for the Greater Newark Tournament, which considered the Essex County tournament, and the state championship, added Policastro.
The keys to a successful season are “continuing to work hard everyday, to improve on mistakes and to make sure we work as a team to accomplish those goals,” said Policastro.
The coaching staff features Mike Bruno (varsity assistant), Mike Aldiero (JV coach), Sean Downey (JV assistant) and Zac Dearwater (freshman coach).
This is Policastro’s 16th season overall as a head coach.
Among the key players lost to graduation are shortstop Luis Rullan (2016: .402 BA, 33 hits, 26 RBI, now playing at Union County College), left fielder Brian Rennie (2016: .373 BA, 31 hits, 18 stolen bases), center fielder Dionisios Bello (now playing at Bergen Community College), right-hander pitcher Josh Cruz (now playing at Neumann University), and RHP Ray Ramos (now playing at Caldwell University).
“The team has been working extremely hard for the upcoming season,” said Policastro. “Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate this year, so we have been indoors mostly. They have been doing everything we have asked of them. Last weekend (March 18), we were able to get two scrimmages in down the shore against Toms River East and Toms River South.”
The Bengals were scheduled to scrimmage at Kearny on Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25, at Jackson Memorial and Toms River North.
“We will be able to gauge a better understanding of where we are after this weekend and hopefully some of these battles will sort themselves out. If we continue working hard and produce the way we are capable of, we will be right there. Only time will tell…”
Schedule
April 1, Montclair (Home), 11 a.m.
April 3, Millburn (H), 4 p.m.
April 5, Verona (H), 4 p.m.
April 7, Livingston (Away), 4 p.m.
April 8, Bayonne (A), 7 p.m.
April 10, Nutley (A), 4 p.m.
April 13, Seton Hall Prep (A), 4 p.m.
April 15, Glen Ridge (H), 7 p.m.
April 17, Belleville (A), 7 p.m.
April 19, Montclair (A), 4 p.m.
April 20, Newark Academy (A), 4 p.m.
April 22, Lyndhurst (A), 2 p.m.
April 24, Verona (A), 4 p.m.
April 26, Livingston (H), 4 p.m.
April 28, Newark Academy (H), 4 p.m.
April 29, Demarest (H), 7 p.m.
May 1, Nutley (H), 7 p.m.
May 2, Morris Knolls (H), 4 p.m.
May 5, Millburn (A), 4 p.m.
May 8, Seton Hall Prep (H), 4 p.m.
May 12, Wayne Valley (H), 4 p.m.
May 15, Columbia (H), 4 p.m.
May 16, Old Tappan (A), 4 p.m.
May 18, Roxbury (H), 4 p.m.
May 23, Columbia (A), 4 p.m.
Pitch count rule instituted
This season, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association has instituted a pitch count rule. Here are the guidelines:
Varsity Pitch Limit
1-30 pitches, 0 day rest
31-50: 1 day rest
51-70, 2 days rest
71-90, 3 days rest
91-110, 4 days rest
Sub-Varsity Pitch Limit
1-20 pitches: 0 day rest
21-40: 1 day rest
41-60: 2 days rest
61-80: 3 days rest
81-100: 4 days rest
- A pitcher who reaches the max while facing a batter may continue to pitch until the batter reaches base, the batter is put out, or the third out is made to complete the half-inning.
- A pitcher cannot throw 3 calendar days in a row.
- A pitcher cannot throw more than 50 pitches in consecutive calendar games.
- For State Tournament games that may be suspended and resumed at the point of interruption, if a pitcher has thrown 1-50 pitches before the game was suspended, that pitcher’s pitch count shall carry over to the next day.
Bloomfield HS baseball team determined this season added by Joe Ragozzino on
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