2010 brings transition to Owls dugout

In his squad’s final year of a Blue Division experiment, Highland Park High School baseball coach Rich McGlynn still has high expectations.

“I’m very optimistic this year,” the fifth-year head coach said. “Like any other year, you look at it as a fresh start. I do like the makeup of the team this season.”

The Owls will return to the Gold Division in 2011—something that McGlynn believes will be beneficial down the line.

“I think it’s only going to help our program,” McGlynn said. “I wish we were in the Gold the last three years. I think we would have been able to compete a bit more.”

The Owls started three freshmen in 2009 and paid for it with a bevy of routine defensive issues en route to a 4-15 record.

 

“They made a lot of mistakes, which I expected they were going to,” McGlynn said. “Now, they have a year under their belt and I expect them to be that much better.”

 

A key to HP’s success in the new decade will be senior first baseman and ace pitcher Mike Ryan. As the veteran member of a team with six seniors, he will be expected to step up.

“We’ll most likely slide [Mike] Ryan back into the two-hole,” McGlynn said. “He’ll lead the rotation and play first base when he doesn’t pitch. He brings a lot of experience to the table and that will be important.”

Seniors Amir Mohammed and Louis Middleton are also expected to earn starting positions—at third base and right field respectively—while additionally contributing to the rotation.

“Amir definitely knows how to play the game and can throw the ball hard with a solid changeup,” McGlynn said. “Louis has the experience factor and is very athletic so we’ll look to those two for more production.”

The trio of 2009 freshmen starters returns as second-year players—utility infielders Jason Potts and Nick Baay along with Patrick Ambrosio, who moves from third base to catcher while hitting cleanup to start the campaign. They’ll get the chance to share experiences with and mentor 2010’s freshman starter—sure-handed shortstop Angelo Odato.

Despite the fact that McGlynn believes his team has talent at every position, he admits that baseball IQ is going to be an important area to improve on during preseason preparation. “The question mark is baseball knowledge,” McGlynn said. “A lot of these guys, they have the ability to play the game but they need to learn to play the game as far as the mental attributes. They have the physical attributes, now they need to put the mental aspects together.”

Outfielders Matt MacKinney and Mohammed Elfaki join designated hitter LaShaun Parkey in rounding out the senior class. McGlynn commended their experience, ability to break on the ball and offensive potential respectively.

McGlynn, who does not coach a winter sport, will be leading a team for the first time since his Owls football program stormed to the Central Jersey Group I title game this fall. He enters the spring season with a few more decisions to make personnel-wise.

“I love baseball for a different reason and it’s a different game,” McGlynn said when asked about this challenge. “I enjoy the mental aspect. Yeah, of course going into the season it’s tough because I’ve had recent success as a football coach. But, I think that drives me because I want us to turn the corner in baseball and bring back our rich tradition.”

With February bringing record snowfall totals to central New Jersey, the HPHS baseball field has taken a beating during the offseason. This facilities deficiency hasn’t affected the Owls, as player turnout was a pleasant surprise.

“They’ve adjusted well,” McGlynn said. I mean, kids love baseball. I like the numbers this year. We’ve got more numbers than we’ve had in a long time. The kids really enjoy being around me, Coach P (Joe Policastro) and Coach (Lou) Borbely, so that’s refreshing.”

For a team that is still “stressing the fundamental aspects” of baseball, the head coach has set the bar high.

“I think a realistic goal would be to win five games in our division this year and try to be .500,” McGlynn said. “If we can win 10 or 11 games, I think that’s a very good accomplishment.”