Frankford junior first baseman Edgardo Bernard has led the Pioneers to a 3–1 start. TIMES FILE PHOTO
Depending on who you ask, Public League baseball’s top division — Division A — is wide open, chock-full of solid teams all gunning for league supremacy. What makes the division so fascinating to monitor (besides the plethora of talented players within) is its local flavor: six of the 13 teams hail from the Northeast, with another containing some local residents on its roster. While all 13 earn an automatic berth to the postseason (the first round begins on May 11), who will emerge as champions? Here’s a closer look at those squads to date, how they’ve fared so far, where they’re going and what they love about playing in such a strong division, which is as balanced as it is deep (division records through Tuesday, April 14):
CENTRAL
Record: 5–1
Summary: While the Lancers play outside the borders of Northeast Philadelphia, their roster has some local flavor, with senior Tyler Barreto and juniors Justin Kochmer and Kyle Rosenberg hailing from the area. Barreto and Rosenberg are each batting north of .300, while Rosenberg is also a talented pitcher. The team dropped its first division game — a nine-inning, 10–6 loss to Franklin Towne — on Monday, but the Lancers, who last won a league title in 2010, are considered one of the favorites at the top.
Coach Rich Weiss says: “All teams in the division have several very good ballplayers and good pitching, so the playoffs should be exciting. Our program is only going to grow with this quality competition. I think Towne, Frankford, Washington, Esperanza and us are solidly in the mix as of now, and I expect us to be in the final four. We hope to come in the top tier, gain home field advantage and continue to grow and develop as a team.”
FRANKLIN TOWNE CHARTER
Record: 4–0
Summary: After finishing runner-up in each of the last two seasons, all eyes are on the Coyotes to get back to the title game. They have veteran ballplayers with playoff experience, all of whom are hungry to get over the hump. Towne scored a huge extra innings victory over Central on Monday thanks in large part to new sophomore starters Jason Santiago (catcher, tiebreaking RBI double) and Brendan Beltran (third base, grand slam). Not only are the Coyotes loaded with battle-tested players (Steve Callahan, Zack Beltran, Phil Gilchrist, Rob Henry, Fred Courduff, to name a few), but they’re determined, which should make them very dangerous come playoff time.
Coach Chris Lauber says: “I love that we can’t take any games off (in the division). It keeps practices focused because there’s always a big game in the very near future. It’s a great lesson for our players to act with a sense of urgency and not complacency. I always tell my guys they have the potential to be the best in the league if they stay focused and intense.”
FRANKFORD
Record: 3–1
Summary: After their run of three straight league titles ended last season, the Pioneers quietly and intensely honed their skills in the offseason. The players who had no varsity experience last season are another year older and better. First baseman Edgardo Bernard leads the charge, while shortstop/pitcher Xavier Sanchez, third baseman/pitcher Gio Burgos, centerfielder Weslly Delgado and second baseman Manny Ramirez have all looked strong in the season’s early throes. Outside of an early loss to Franklin Towne, the Pioneers have been flawless.
Coach Juan Namnun says: ldquo;This is the way baseball is supposed to be. There’s no having to get pumped up for certain games because they all mean something and you are playing quality opponents every game. Any team can beat anybody and that is an amazing thing. As young as our team still is, I still see us making a championship run. I think we can once again call ourselves contenders; last year, we were not ready to compete at a high level, but now we’re ready to take that next step.”
WASHINGTON
Record: 3–2
Summary: Thanks to the graduation of key seniors, the reigning champions have flown under the radar but seem to be rounding into form. Junior Eddie Tingle looks to be one of the best pitchers in the league, and junior first baseman Ishmael Bracy has shown he has a dynamite arm to go along with his thunderous bat, impressing over six strong innings in the Eagles’ 6–4 win over Lincoln on Friday. Along with seniors Chase Alexander and Joel Goldberg, the Eagles still have a solid nucleus.
Coach Ken Geiser says: “Right now the division is very tight. Frankford, Franklin Towne and Central are all standing out, and we know we must get up for every game because we are the current Public League champs. Teams are aware of this, and they come out to beat us. We need to worry about what we do and not how anyone else in the division is doing. We just need to keep working on fundamentals and work harder than everyone else in the league.”
NORTHEAST
Record: 2–3
Summary: The Vikings were incredibly young last season and limped to a 1–11 record. They’ve already surpassed last year’s win total through five games in 2015 and the youngsters continue to develop. Freshman Jason DeJesus has batted .500 at shortstop, and in his first game on the mound last week, he fanned seven over five innings in an 8–6 win over Edison. Leftfielder Cristian Castro is batting .462, and junior Jorge Reyes has shaken off an injury-plagued sophomore campaign to be the team’s starting catcher.
Coach Joe Fite says: ldquo;Playing quality competition on a day-in, day-out basis can only make you better. There are no easy games in this division; if you win a game, you earned it. My team is still young, and we paid for it last year in wins and losses, but now they have a year under their belts and are making progress. If they continue that, the sky’s the limit.
LINCOLN
Record: 1–3
Summary: The Railsplitters are young but have strong senior leadership in third baseman Danilo Burgos, first baseman Christian Steiner, catcher Matt DePaul and outfielder Justin Frye, who have continued to improve, as has junior pitcher Jason Chattley. Lincoln has the skills, the Railsplitters just need the continued experience and should be a tough out come playoff time.
Coach John Larsen says: ldquo;With how young we are, it’s extremely exciting to play in this division. We are gaining invaluable experience, and have lost our three league games by a combined four runs, and eventually we’ll turn those into close wins, the kind that can propel us to the top tier of the division. Division A is wide open, and we think we’re in the mix with everyone else. We have a ton of work to do, but I’m excited at what I’ve seen so far.”
PHILADELPHIA ACADEMY CHARTER
Record: 0–3
Summary: The Chargers have lost all three games by a combined five runs, so they have played better than their record indicates. Seniors Anthony Pickens, Dylan Prendergast and Tim Zink lead the charge, while Shawn Hayes and Matt Spaeth are other players head coach Jack Smith is excited about.
Coach Jack Smith says: ldquo;The strength of this division helps us out tremendously by forcing us to play at a high level each inning. We’ve already witnessed what happens when you lose focus for a brief period, but hopefully this makes us a better team as the season progresses. We have a good shot to go deep in the playoffs again if we play baseball for seven innings. If you hit your stride when the playoffs come then there are no limits to where we can finish.” ••
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Steve Callahan (right) and Franklin Towne Charter are off to a perfect 4–0 Division A start. TIMES FILE PHOTO
Lincoln head coach John Larsen is excited about junior left-handed pitcher Jason Chattley. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
Armed and ready: Washington junior Eddie Tingle looks like a dominant ace on the mound and hopes to help the Eagles defend their title. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
