2003 CUNYAC / Burger King Baseball

Preview - March 17th, 2003

Bronx, NY - The CUNY 2003 Baseball season promises to be one comprised of an improving foursome of squads all within striking distance of a CUNY Championship. Defending Champions John Jay College became only the 2nd team in CUNY history to win a championship with a sub .500 season (9-24, 2-4), in 2002. The championship victory was proof that with consistent improvement leading up to the finals, anything is possible, and with all four teams bolstering their rosters, the 2003 season could easily shape into one of the most competitive races for a championship in recent years.

Defending champions John Jay College is the clearest example of the upward rise in CUNY. First-year coach Dan Palumbo turned a 1-22 team in 2001 to a fundamentally strong squad which refused to quit en route to a stunning, 9-8, extra-inning, win over CSI in last year's final. Freshman Miguel Jaquez, who garnered CUNY's top-prize of Most Valuable Player, led the conference in six offensive categories, and will return as the team's most electrifying hitter. Palumbo will also benefit from returning a core of veteran standouts from a championship squad that started to gel late last year. Seniors Paul Torre, and Angel Rivera, juniors Corey Johnson, Moises Walters, Adris Fortunato, Steve Vera, and Steve Ricca, sophomore Mike Ramirez and Jaquez, are all returning for the Bloodhounds. Transfer catcher John Tango will also help in improving the pitching staff. The Bloodhounds will also get a beneficial head start, traveling to Homestead, FL. on a seven-day, seven-game, trip that will put them outdoors while the rest of the northeast contends with difficult playing conditions. The Bloodhounds are proving once again that they will be a contender for a championship, but Coach Palumbo contends it will take the right type of approach to keep the team moving forward. He feels that only through hard work and dedication to the challenges that lie with repeating as champions, will the 2003 Bloodhounds be successful again.

The College of Staten Island Dolphins were the only team to post a winning record in 2002. The team was an astounding 26-10 before a post-season hash of misfortune set in. The team dropped a heart-breaking 3-1 loss to Stevens Tech in the Knickerbocker Final, and with it a chance to move on to the NCAA's. The Dolphins were then blasted in the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Tournament, 18-5, to FDU-Madison, and then dropped the CUNY Final to John Jay, 9-8, just a day later. 2002 CUNY Coach of the Year, Bill Cali, returns for his 9th season with the Dolphins, and hopes that his team's notions of unfinished business will take over as the Dolphins look to return to form. CSI will be returning 15 players this season, including CUNY All-Stars Michael Guarneri (2B/C), Joseph Ruiz (3B), Eric Zinke (CF), Tom Wohlfit (OF/P), and 2002 Pitcher of the Year Nick Secchini. Cali also has the options of a loaded pitching staff as well, with 11 players bargaining for playing time. The added depth and the return of solid foundation have CSI on the fast track to contend for another title. "We're looking to continue the success that we have had," notes Cali. "Hopefully we'll be able to get past the poor weather and start playing competitively within a short time."

Lehman College is another team making strides for the future. Juan "Kiko" Reyes' club finished 9-20 a season ago, making an early exit in the CUNY Semifinals after drawing a 4-2-conference mark. Reyes is however looking forward to the upcoming season, noting that steady improvement will keep the team's motivation high. With underclassmen accounting for more than half of their roster a year ago, Lehman will return hard-hitting CUNY All-Star Joahrry Burgos this season along with juniors Jonathan Duran, Robert Molina, Hector Vallejo, Miguel Osoria, and Chris Salnave. With a year of experience already under their belts, Reyes is betting these players will be an even bigger impact this season. Lehman will also receive a lot of help from its incoming class of players as well. Transfer students Carlos Ramirez, Oscar Lorenzo, Mike Centeno, and Jason Whitfield all are expected to contribute, as will incoming freshmen Antonio Reyes and Adalberto Rodriguez. The added firepower is just the right tool for Reyes' team to return to playing consistent baseball, and Reyes is hoping the payoff will be Lehman's first title since 1995. "We expect to improve our record significantly from last season," the veteran coach said. "We all believe that we going to be more competitive than we were last season."

Improvement will be the biggest goal for this year's Baruch College squad. Head Coach Basil Tarasko's squad posted an 0-21 season a year ago, but the second-year coach is not focused on win-loss totals, but rather on getting his team to play better one game at a time. Baruch will have to do it the hard way this season, returning only five players from a year ago. Among them is CUNY All-Star Paul Alfano, who will team with Thomas Fusaro as the primary pitchers in the Bearcats' rotation. Incoming freshmen Roland Westrick and Tristan Cetto will also toss for Baruch this season; improving on a pitching staff whose team ERA ballooned to 8.35 a season ago. Tarasko hopes his team, which is comprised mainly of freshmen faces will continue to grow and mature leading up to the CUNY Playoffs. "We hope to have a better squad at the end of the season than we will have on opening day," he says. "The CUNY Playoffs are great because every team is in it, and to possibly advance to the Final this season would be a tremendous accomplishment."