Playoff Outlook - Norristown A's remain the hunted in Perky League
July 25, 2006 - 12:00 PM --
By: DENNIS C. WAY, Times Herald Staff
07/24/2006
Finally, there was light where only darkness dwelled.
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Year after year, the villagers had watched helplessly while the Giant ruled ruthlessly over the domain. No one dared challenge, for the Giant was mighty, indeed. In the early years when the Giant first appeared, many gallant warriors tried their hand at defeating the mighty Giant. But each met the worst of fates. Now, it appeared, there was finally a chance, a small chance, to escape his almighty clutches and rule over the village once and for all. It had been whispered in the village that the Giant had been cut and was bleeding. At long last, the Giant, thought to be invincible, seemed vulnerable. But was word of the Giant's wound just a rumor? Was the Giant still mighty? Was He playing possum? Could the defeat of the all-powerful Giant finally be at hand?
Few have ruled the domain known as the Perkiomen Valley Twilight League over the past decade as definitively as the Norristown A's.
The A's have won nine of the last 10 league titles. Those victories, along with tournament titles over the best adult clubs in the east at places like York and Harrisburg, have made them one of the best-known teams of their kind in this part of the country.
Twenty-win seasons are the norm. Victories in league play are a foregone conclusion. The A's, in fact, only make news between May and July when they lose.
This season, however, some believe the tide is beginning the turn. A less-than-awe-inspiring A's regular season (that included an unheard of four losses) along with a dramatic upturn in the league's talent pool have some believing Norristown is not an automatic choice for title No. 10 out of 11.
Pitching-rich Lansdale and returning league finalist Plymouth are both in the championship picture, as are the A's old buddies, Collegeville. Souderton and Trooper are not necessarily championship favorites, but could spring a playoff surprise or two.
As for the A's?
"I feel better about our team than I did at the beginning of the season," said co-player/manager Matt Altieri. "We're hitting the ball much better than we have, we're starting to get key two-out hits and our pitching has been there all year.
"We're not where it used to be, but we're getting better."
Good enough for another notch in the dynasty belt?
As everyone from John McGraw to Charlie Manuel have said, "That's why they play the games."
A capsule look at the Perky playoff teams:
Norristown - The A's have had more dirt thrown on them this year than Haystacks Calhoun's casket. But they sure don't look like a team about to be buried. Their playoff rotation, which will include Mike Zwanch, Bill Zalewski, Brian Stumpf and Rob Kell, is as good as the league has. A bullpen that boasts Eric Fisher, Steve Develin and Paul Spiewak? Sure, Lansdale and Plymouth can pitch, but perhaps not as well as the champs.
As for offense, the A's did struggle over long stretches of the season. But the core of Matt Altieri, Frank Monastero, Matt Sperling, Fisher and Joe D'Orazio have been ripping pitchers for years, and don't appear ready to slow down. As for Mark Brockell, the two-time Triple Crown winner may be enjoying his best season, with RBI totals that would make Tony Perez envious.
Dead and buried? Let's just say it may not be a cakewalk, but the A's are still the favorites. Championship odds: 2 to 1.
Lansdale - The New Kids on the Block are the Tigers, who began the season being admired for their pitching depth and finished the year impressing with their defense, poise and clutch hitting, too.
A rotation of a suddenly revived Steve Cole, Jason Mills and Aaron Markowitz is far better than most, although the bullpen, headed by lefty Joe Sawick and Jon Mueller will miss the presence of fireballer A.J. Battisto.
Andrew Miller, one of the league's young stars, heads up the attack, along with power threat Justin Klinger, speed merchant Jon McGlone, the pesky Chris Dascher and RBI leader Will Eagles.
The Tigers should be in every series, but until they win something, they'll still have a lot to prove. Championship odds: 10 to 1.
Collegeville - The Black Sox have a history of playing better at the end of the year, an enviable trait that always put them in the playoff title mix (the Sox are, after all, the only team other than the A's to win a championship - in 2003 - in the past decade).
And this season C-ville seems to have the right mix of talented kids and experienced, quality veterans to make another run.
The pitching is not overwhelming, although Jared Lenko, Derek Major, Joe Raniszewski and Brian Rorick is not a shabby rotation.
What the Sox will do, though, is get people on base, move baserunners and make a pitcher pitch to beat them. And if the young talent produces, the runs will add up. Frank Nunan, Stan Haraczka and Joe Yeager are fine table setters. And if veterans Bob Wineburg and Ian Hauze and rookies Lenny Del Grippo and Dan Brady can contribute the key hit, Collegeville could climb back on top. Championship odds: 7 to 1.
Plymouth - A lot was expected of last year's finalists, especially when the Pirates added pitching depth. But that was before injuries claimed Dennis Burge and Tom Hayes, among others, and one of the club's top young stars, Tyler Stampone, headed northeast to play in a quality college league.
The Bucs, however, have shown flashes down stretch. Their pitching, especially Andrew Huebner, Sean Kroszner and Ryan Wendler, have been in shutdown mode. And veterans Brandon Bruno and Jeff LaPorta are capable of beating anyone.
If there is question about the Pirates, it's an offense that has been consistently inconsistent for most of the year, The recent return of both Burge and Hayes and the re-emergence of Harry Ley after a slow start bode well for the postseason.
And if the offense can put up five runs per game and the defense can remain solid (the loss of Stampone did a number on what was a good defensive infield) there is enough pitching and experience to put the Pirates back in the finals. But that's a lot of ifs. Championship odds: 12 to 1.
Souderton - Folks who remember the Warriors' run to the finals in 1999 can recall a team with good pitching and OK defense that could outhit an opponent when necessary.
Those swashbuckling days were a distant memory this year as Souderton got better-than-expected pitching from star Jordan Nyce, Jon Squire, Tony DeLude and Jason Leo, but very little offense.
The Warriors needed a late-season surge to crack the .250 mark as a team, and only legitimate star Justin Cooper hit over .300.
Souderton is still dangerous if it can find a way to flip the switch on its long-dormant offense and if DeLude heats up at the plate. Nyce is good for two wins in a five-game series. But without run support, every error or pitcher's mistake is magnified. And that's no way to produce another title run. Championship odds: 30 to 1.
Trooper - Yes, the Trashmen were one of the season's great stories, pushing their win total into double digits and playing tough against the big guys.
Whether that feel-good tale will continue in the playoffs is another question.
Undoubtedly, Trooper's top arms, Zeb Engle, Tom Urban and Joe Harris, and a bullpen of Drew Moyer, Mark Shimrock and Rob Cosgriff, is better than the Trash Crew has had in years. But there is no shutdown starter for a Game Five.
The Trooper offense is young and good, with Ryan McCracken and Drew Hanson setting the table for future star Dan Overcash, Joe Miller, Kevin McCarthy and Adam Bucchi. So the Trashmen should be in most games.
But this looks like a team a year or two away from a serious challenge. Good year, but ... Championship odds: 40 to 1.
Harleysville - Is this the team that upset Norristown this season, or the club that dropped a pair of decisions to Ambler?
Unfortunately for the Storm Hornets, they've been the latter down the stretch.
When the rotation includes Harley Nager, Michael Caron (who beat Norristown), Matthew Powell and Chris Hamilton, Harleysville can play with anyone.
But too often it hasn't, and the Hornets' offense has been inconsistent, at best, for most of the campaign.
With Matt Lafferty, Bill McCann and Joe Lisko in the lineup the Hornets can be tough. But stalwarts Tom Mastromatto and Tim Quigley have struggled at the plate this year, so the pressure falls on the team's top three hitters to manufacture offense.
Unless their fortunes change dramatically, the Hornets seem destined for a first-round exit. Championship odds: 75 to 1.
Nor-Gwyn - It's not likely the Packers will challenge for a first-round playoff win, let alone the league championship. But Nor-Gwyn is still worth watching for a couple of reasons.
One is 40-something Al Warner, who still looks 25, is still a tough out and still won't be late on a fastball. The other is pitching phenom Bo Zeigler who has shut out Collegeville, lost a no-hitter to Plymouth and has not given up an earned run in four appearances this year.
When the Packers are going well, Sam Battavio, Matt Blazynski, John Kalis and Jaime Abercrombie are getting on base and Warner, Paul Ferguson and Gene Kozuch are driving them in.
But as with most clubs with losing records, the pluses happen less frequently than the minuses. And that is unlikely to change in the playoffs. Championship odds: 90 to 1.
©The Times Herald 2006
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