The 2012 Archbishop McCarthy team may not have the ability to mash the ball out of the park like last year's squad. Don't think that will hinder the Mavericks' chances of winning the Florida state title this year.
Photo courtesy of Mavericks Baseball
In terms of sheer accomplishments, Archbishop McCarthy will be hard pressed to equal the success it achieved during the 2011 season. The Mavericks won district and regional titles en route to a second-consecutive Class 4A Florida state baseball championship.
Several ranking organizations rated the Mavericks as the top team in the nation following the 2011 season. In the
final MaxPreps Xcellent 25 of 2011, Archbishop McCarthy finished at No. 5. That's also where they begin the 2012 season in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Preseason Rankings.
The Mavericks lose a considerable amount of power from their offense this season following the graduation of Jose Brizuela (Florida State), Alexander Fernandez (Miami) and Garrett Kennedy (Miami), all sluggers playing at the collegiate level.
Andre Martinez
Photo courtesy of Mavericks Baseball
Yet Archbishop McCarthy head coach Rich Bielski strongly believes the 2012 version of the Mavericks could be even better than its predecessor.
Why so optimistic? The Mavericks return a deep, experienced pitching staff that can stack up with any team in the nation. Left-handed senior Andre Martinez, the ace of the staff and a FSU signee, was the winning pitcher in last season's state final against Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.). Righthander Nick Travieso, who inked with Miami, played for the Team USA 18U squad during the offseason, and Illinois signee Ryan Castellanos gives the Mavericks three quality starting pitchers.
In the bullpen, 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore left-handed reliever Brian Gonzalez has wowed scouts with his potential, and Jason Morozowski, a former position player who showed enough of an arm in the offseason to earn a scholarship to Florida International without having pitched in a high school game, will step in as the closer.
The offense might not belt as many home runs this year, Bielski admitted, but it could be just as potent with its speed and gap-to-gap potential.
"The last two years, we've been a very powerful team as far as having big bats and changing a game around with one swing," Bielski said. "The complexion of our team offensively is going to be different, but as the season progresses, we could be even better."
