by Eric Moskowitz
Harborfields is coming off a rough five-win season in 2015. They are confident, however, that this year will be much different. Our reporter Eric had a chance to speak with Head Coach Casey Sturm, and here’s what he had to say…
How did you feel last year went?
Last year things didn’t go the way we envisioned. We ran into a few injuries and I think inexperience caught up with us a little bit. We finished 5-15 with 8 of those losses being 2 runs or less, including 3 games against Comsewogue who went on to win the League VI crown. Now listen, to me, good teams win close games and we didn’t do that, so we were exactly what our record said we were. With that said, I think that record, and those close losses, have fueled a fire in the program as a whole. You can see the intensity in which the guys are going about their business in preparation for the season. Last year has served, and will continue to serve, as a major source of motivation for us.
Do you feel like you will have a better team this year?
I believe we’re both deeper and more experienced this year. We were very junior heavy last year and have all 3 of our All-League players returning, Alex de Borja, Jesse Lankeaux, and Dillon Schaefer. Last year we were coming off a 2014 League VI title but had graduated our entire pitching rotation as well as six starters and that inexperience had an impact. I think we’ve got a great group of guys this year and they’re focused on proving that they’re better than they were last year. I expect to take a step forward this year and if we take half of those close games that we lost last year, we’re right there in the playoff hunt. Guys are hungry and focused and that’s a good thing.
Who was your biggest loss from last year?
In terms of on-field production, losing Rob Dluginsky will be a challenge. Rob was one of our most consistent hitters last year and was the only healthy returning starter from that 2014 team. We also graduated Kevin O’Connor who was an All-County player in 2014, but missed last season due to injury. Kev served as a role model for a lot of the younger guys last year and I think guys really took note of the way he went about his business and the professionalism he approached the game with. We’ll definitely miss the guys we lost, but I think this team is ready to make their own stamp on the program.
What up-and-coming players are you most excited for?
Aside from our returning All-League players, we’ve got Tim McQuade and Eric Leone who I think are primed for big years. Mike Davis and Nick Amari have worked their tails off to improve after getting valuable experience last year. Brendan Cunneen is looking to replicate last year’s success he had on the mound. In addition, sophomores Gavin Buda, James Cameron, and Jordany Mendez just ooze talent and if they stay focused and work as hard as our seniors have been, the sky is the limit for them. We’ve got a great blend of seniors and younger guys and I think that’ll give some stability to the program moving forward.
Have you named a team captain yet for this season?
We haven’t named a captain yet and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. We have so many different leaders on this team that I’m not sure it’s fair to single just one or two out. These guys have been playing together since they were young kids and I think collectively, they’re ready to take ownership of the team.
What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses of your team this year?
Experience is something I expect to work in our favor this year. With the majority of the team being seniors, I think those guys have a better idea of what they can expect as they go through the season. They know what needs to be done in order to win. I think guys are ready and willing to buy in to the team-first concept this year and that’s a major plus. Our pitching was good last year and if we get the same effort from them this year, I think our defense will step up and really make scoring difficult for opposing teams.
Having a fence at your field now, has that changed how games are played at your home field now?
You know, when the fence went up we were curious to see how our ballpark played. Because of the way other athletic fields at Harborfields are arranged centerfield is actually the shortest part of our park which is backwards from the way most fields are designed. To compensate, we went 18 feet high with our fence and we only saw 2 balls go over last year. We’re actually larger than most fields down the lines so I think the field plays pretty fairly to both pitchers and hitters. I joke with other coaches in the district that if we’re winning games, it won’t be because of the fence, it’ll be because of what’s going on on the infield. Are we bunting successfully? Are we making plays on defense? Are we throwing strikes and keeping the ball down in the zone? If those things happen, the fence will just serve as a proper boundary to our field, but I can’t lie to you, I’d be thrilled to see us hit some balls over that damn thing!
