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If the MIAA eventually decides to make the Division 1A tournament a permanent thing of the past, North Andovers Todd Dulin will be the answer to a trivia question: the last coach to win a Div. 1A baseball title.

The sad part of the decision to put the Div. 1A tourney on ice for the time being is that North Andover has the type of team with the potential to do some serious damage in that type of format.

Its disappointing that they arent going to have one, Dulin said. When we had Sebastian Keane (a Red Sox draft pick who is pitching at Northeastern) two years ago, a lot of the younger pitchers on that team looked up to him and now they are the leaders.

The talented pitching staff will be led by Brett Dunham, Brendan Holland and Ryan Griffin. Also returning for the Scarlet Knights are 1B Andrew Perry, 2B Paul Fernandez, C C.J. Carpentier, SS Derek Fin and 3B Trevor Crosby.

While North Andover raced through the Div. 1A tournament in 2019, St. Marys was doing the same in Div. 2. The Spartans defeated Hopkinton to capture the Div. 2 state title and one of the key pitchers, Aivan Cabral, returns to anchor the rotation. Catcher Colby Magliozzi, P/LF Terence Moynihan and OF Andrew Luciano are back.

Beverly will lean on pitchers Eric DiPiero, Brennan Flint and Cooper Gavin as well as OF Austin Bernard. Masconomet joins Beverly in the Northeastern Conference and coach T.J. Baril is looking for big things from P Erik Sibbach, OF Ethan Cote, SS Aaron Zenus and 1B Sean Moynihan. https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?fk=YKI2p6nA&cid=4407&sound=off&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

The Middlesex League always seems to have a say in the Div. 2 North proceedings and this year should be no different. Woburn will be led by a trio of seniors in P Aidan Vining, SS Damon Monks and OF Jon Surrette.

Wakefield will look to SS Zack Kent, P Chris Alden and 1B Dan Hurley. Dan Hirschs Burlington team will be young, but expected to be solid with C Nick Pellegrino as well as pitches Shawn Pinkham and Nick Pye.

Concord-Carlisle could be a factor in the Dual County League. The Patriots return 1B Ryan Grace, OF Nick Coletti and P Roman Ercoli.

In Div. 2 South, defending sectional champion Hopkinton will look to P Josh Fischer, 2B Cam Jerrett, 3B Ron Shamus and OF Conor Kelly to compete in a solid Tri-Valley League. Dighton-Rehoboth returns SS Mason Kulpa. OF Cam Carro and 3B Xavier Botelho, while Bishop Feehan will lean on OF Zach Stephenson, SS Justin Neidel and pitchers Mike Hutchins and Ryan Seaver.

Milton will have two of the better players in the Bay State Conference in P/3B Charles Walker and OF Colin Hoey. Duxbury will rely on P Matt Festa, C Billy Mrowka and SS Ryan Flaherty, while Whitman-Hanson has P/3B Thomas Marshall and SS Danny Kent back.

North Attleboro has ace pitcher Dennis Colleran back as well as outfielder Jared Penta. Canton pitcher Andrew Middleton fired a perfect game in the season-opener and he is joined by SS Steven Burbank and C Sawyer Julier-Albert. Stoughton has pitchers Brady Conlin and Kyle Doolin back along with OF Jake Queeney and C Brandon Mantilla.

With the Div. 1A tournament a memory for now, look for the Catholic Conference to make its presence felt in the Div. 1 South tournament.

BC High possesses high-powered pitching in Shea Sprague and Phil DiBlasi as well as OF Dan Scolaro and C Harry Peters. Catholic Memorial has two pitchers back in Drew DeLucia and Nick DiRito along with SS Chris Bear.

Xaverian is going to be a force in the Catholic Conference race as Gerry Lambert has a lot of talented players back. Ryan Douglas and John Connolly anchor the pitching staff along with 3B Dylan Reilly, C Matt Brinker, SS Liam Foley and 2B Henry Fleckner.

The present and future look very bright in Walpole. The Rebels will look to pitchers Cole Donato, Sam Donovan, Blake Conroy, Matt Bianculli and Alex Hee as well as SS Max Martin, 2B Jake Preto, C Corey Kilroy and OF Jason Finkelstein. Braintree will be very young, but SS Jordan Gorham is one of the tops at his position in the state. Wellesley wont be an easy out as pitchers Matt Lussier and Kyle MacCausland are back with IF Will Glowacky and OF Jackson McChesney.

Franklin will start seven underclassmen and will lean on star catcher/pitcher Jake Fitzgibbbons along with pitchers Jacob Jette and Alfred Mucciarone, 1B Nate Cooke and OF C.J. Jette. Defending Div. 1 state champion Taunton has SS Dan MacDougall back.

Plymouth North has outfielder Nick Durocher and Nate Viscariello, 3B Josh Gomes, 2B Dylan Demotel, SS Joe Morris and P Matt Murphy. Silver Lake will be young, but P/3B Chris Quigley will be one of the top players in the Patriot League.

Norwood should be in the hunt for the Tri-Valley League title as 2B Jason Denehy, SS Rob Wladkowski and P/2B Jake Cropper back.

St. Johns Prep is the favorite in Div. 1 North as pitcher Sam Belliveau, SS D.J. Pacheco and 3B Patrick DAmico are all headed to Div. 1 colleges. Lincoln-Sudbury will rely on 2B Jesse McCullough, SS Connor Peck, P Robbie OConnor and 1B Thomas Rogers return.

Lowell should be one of the top teams in the Merrimack Valley Conference thanks to a deep pitching staff led by Adam Betty, Colin Laliberty, Luke Descheneaux, ONeil Jiminez and Brendan Curran. Andover will be led by C Nolan Schirmer, 1B Anthony Tiberio and 3B Adam Ritter, while Central Catholic will be led by C Matt Maloney and pitchers Kyle Espinola and Ryan Cloutier.

TOP DIVISION 1 NORTH TEAMS TO WATCH

St. Johns Prep

Lowell

Andover

Central Catholic

Lincoln-Sudbury

Lexington

DIVISION 1 NORTH PLAYERS TO WATCH

P: Sam Belliveau, Sr. (St. Johns Prep); Adam Betty, Sr. (Lowell); Hayden Bond, Sr. (Malden Catholic); Ryan Cloutier, Sr., (Central Catholic); Tim Conner, Sr. (Chelmsford); Ross Dyer, Jr. (Malden Catholic); Kyle Elaisen, Sr. (Westford); Kyle Espinola, Sr. (Central Catholic); Zander Gilmartin, Sr. (Newton North); Peyton Heisner, Sr. (Lexington); Aaron Kreithen, Sr. (Westford); Colin Laliberty, Sr. (Lowell); Cole Velis, Sr. (Lexington)

C: Mark Casto, Sr. (Haverhill); Nico Galeazzi, Sr. (Lynn Classical); Matt Maloney, Sr (Central Catholic); John Nickerson, Sr. (Chelmsford); Matt OToole, Sr. (Waltham); Nolan Schirmer, Sr. (Andover)

1B: Elijah Moses, Sr. (Haverhill); John Norman, Sr. (Lexington); Thomas Rogers, Jr. (Lincoln-Sudbury); Anthony Tiberio, Sr. (Andover)

2B: Jesse McCullough, Sr. (Lincoln-Sudbury)

SS: Mariano Jiminez, Sr., (Waltham); Liam Jordan, Sr. (Malden); Shawn Nestor, Sr. (Medford); D.J. Pacheco, Sr. (St. Johns Prep); Connor Peck, Sr. (Lincoln-Sudbury); Jackson Petisce, SS (Methuen)

3B: Shawn Barthomolew, Jr. (Malden); Patrick DAmico, Sr. (St. Johns Prep); Luis Mejia, Sr. (Methuen); Sam Petitpas, Sr. (Boston Latin); Adam Ritter, Sr. (Andover)

OF: Nicholas Favazzo, Sr. (Lexington); Shane Grant, Sr. (Medford); Ryan Knight, Sr. (Peabody); Jackson Linn, Sr. (Cambridge); Colin Ryan, Jr. (Chelmsford)

TOP DIVISION 1 SOUTH TEAMS TO WATCH

BC High

Xaverian

Walpole

Braintree

Franklin

Catholic Memorial

DIVISION 1 SOUTH PLAYERS TO WATCH

P: Chris Carbonara, Jr. (Brockton); Greg Coyle, Sr. (Mansfield); Phil DiBlasi Sr. (BC High); Cole Donato, Jr. (Walpole); Sam Donovan, Sr. (Walpole); Drew DeLucia, Jr. (Catholic Memorial); Nick DiRito, Jr. (Catholic Memorial); Ryan Douglas, Sr. (Xaverian); Austin Hartsell, Jr. (Bridgewater-Raynham); Kyle MacCausland, Sr. (Wellesley); Dillon Murphy, Sr. (Marshfield); Casey Proto, Sr. (Barnstable); Chris Quigley, Jr. (Silver Lake); Shea Sprague, Sr. (BC High); Will Tarpey, Sr. (New Bedford)

C: Matt Brinker, Sr. (Xaverian); Conor Cooke, Sr. (King Philip); Jake Fitzgibbons, Sr. (Franklin); Harry Peters, Sr. (BC High); Collin Reilly, Jr. (Marshfield); Eric Sullivan, Sr. (Mansfield)

1B: Jack Colby, Sr. (Mansfield)

2B: Dylan Demotel, Sr. (Plymouth North); Jason Denehy, Sr. (Norwood); Luke Urban, Sr. (Mansfield)

SS: Chris Bear, Sr. (Catholic Memorial); Jack Doyle, Sr. (Weymouth); Liam Foley, Sr. (Xaverian); Jordan Gorham, Jr. (Braintree); Matt Lussier, Jr. (Wellesley); Dan MacDougall, Sr. (Taunton); Max Martin, Sr. (Walpole); Thomas OKeefe, Sr. (Natick); Patrick Sheehan, Sr. (Marshfield); Rob Wladkowski, Sr. (Norwood)

3B: Josh Gomes, Sr. (Plymouth North)

OF: Carter Doran, Sr. (Natick); Jackson McChesney, Sr. (Wellesley); Dan Scolaro, Sr. (BC High)

TOP DIVISION 2 NORTH TEAMS TO WATCH

North Andover

St. Marys

Beverly

Masconomet

Woburn

Concord-Carlisle

DIVISION 2 NORTH PLAYERS TO WATCH

P: Chris Alden, Sr. (Wakefield); Aivan Cabral, Jr. (St. Marys); Eric DiPiero, Sr. (Beverly); Brett Dunham, Sr. (North Andover); Roman Ercoli, Sr. (Concord-Carlisle); John Festa, Sr. (East Boston); Nick Festa, Sr. (East Boston); Brennan Frost, Sr. (Beverly); Josh Garner, Jr. P (Arlington); Cooper Gavin, Jr., (Woburn); Ryan Griffin, Jr. (North Andover); Brendan Holland, Sr. (North Andover); Bobby Jellison, Sr. (Salem); Chris Kelly, Jr. (Arlington); Vinny LoGuideice, Sr. (Billerica): Jake McDonald, Sr. (Somerville); Kyler McDonald, Jr. (Billerica); Aidan OSullivan, Jr., (Somerville); Michael Overlan, Sr. (Melrose); Nick Pye, Sr. (Burlington); Ryne Rametta, Sr., (Tewksbury); Erik Sibbach, Jr. (Masconomet); Aidan Vining, Sr. (Woburn); Ben Weed, Jr. (Marblehead)

C: Mateus Anell, Jr. (Somerville); Christian Carrieri, Sr. (Melrose); Max Garner, Jr. (Arlington); Colby Magliozzi, Sr. (St. Marys); Nick Marshall, Sr. (Reading); Nick Pellegrino, Sr. (Burlington)

1B: Ryan Grace, Sr. (Concord-Carlisle); Dan Hurley, Sr. (Wakefield); Sean Moynihan, Sr. (Masconomet); Andrew Perry, Jr. (North Andover)

SS: Zack Kent, Jr., (Wakefield); Damon Monks, Sr. (Woburn); Shawn Pinkham, Sr. (Burlington); Aaron Zenus, Sr. (Masconomet)

3B: Trevor Crosby, Jr. (North Andover); Brendan Ryan, Jr. (Arlington); Steven Webb (Reading)

OF: Austin Bernard, Jr., (Woburn); Nick Coletti, Sr., (Concord-Carlisle); Andrew Luciano, Sr. (St. Marys); Terence Moynihan, Sr. (St. Marys); Jon Surrette, Sr, (Woburn)

TOP DIVISION 2 SOUTH TEAMS TO WATCH

Milton

Bishop Feehan

Duxbury

North Attleboro

Dighton-Rehoboth

Whitman-Hanson

DIVISION 2 SOUTH PLAYERS TO WATCH

P: Dennis Colleran, Sr. (North Attleboro); Brady Conlin, Sr. P (Stoughton); Kyle Doolin, Sr. (Stoughton); Matt Festa, So. (Duxbury); Josh Fischer, Sr. (Hopkinton); Nate Fulford, Sr. (Oliver Ames); Mike Hutchins, Sr. (Bishop Feehan); Thomas Jasmin, Sr. (Southeastern); Andrew Middleton, Jr. (Canton); Ryan Seaver, Sr. (Bishop Feehan); Sean Shea, Sr. (Westwood); Kurtis Thomas, Sr. (Nauset); Charles Walker, Jr. (Milton)

C: John Lynch, Jr. (North Quincy); Brandon Mantilla, Sr. (Stoughton); Billy Mrowka, Sr. (Duxbury); Sawyer Julier-Albert, Sr. (Canton)

1B/2B/SS: Steven Burbank, Sr. (Canton); Ryan Flaherty, Jr. (Duxbury); Cam Jerrett, Sr. (Hopkinton); Danny Kent, Sr. (Whitman-Hanson); Mason Kulpa, Jr. (Dighton-Rehoboth); Justin Neidel. Sr. (Bishop Feehan)

3B: Xavier Botelho, Sr. (Dighton-Rehoboth); Mike Giovino, Sr. (Westwood); Thomas Marshall, Sr. (Whitman-Hanson); Ron Shamus, Sr. (Hopkinton)

OF: Cam Carro, Sr. (Dighton-Rehoboth); Liam Hines, Sr. (North Quincy); Chris Hoey, Sr. (Milton); Conor Kelly, Sr. (Hopkinton); Jared Penta, Sr. OF (North Attleboro); Jake Queeney, Sr. (Stoughton); Zach Stephenson, Sr. (Bishop Feehan)

More here:
Division 1-2 baseball preview: North Andover ready for another run - Boston Herald

COLE BERGLUND

Norwell

This 6-foot senior defenseman was co-MVP of the South Shore League. ... Had 7 goals and 9 assists in 12 games. ... Led the Clippers (8-2-2) to the SSL Cup title. ... Four-year starter. ... Three-time all-league selection. ... Captain. ...Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Said coach Jim Casagrande: "Easily the best player in the South Shore League. Heady defensemanwith the abilityto play both ends of the ice.He is like having another coach on the bench." ... Plays golf, lacrosse. ... High-honor-roll student.

BRIAN BULGER

BC High

This senior left wing from Norwell had 4 goals and 4 assists for the Eagles (5-5). ... Scored in a season-opening win over Catholic Memorial. ... Team captain. ... Two-time Catholic Conference All-Star. ... Won Super 8 crowns as a freshman and sophomore; the Eagles beat Pope Francis in the final each time -- in OT in 2018 and in 4 OTs in 2019. ... Said coach John Flaherty: "Fastest guy in our league, if not the state, who could be dangerous every time he touchedthe puck." ... Honor-roll student.

SEAN CONNOLLY

Canton

This 6-4 junior defenseman was the MVP of the Hockomock League's Davenport Division. ... Had 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points for the Bulldogs (11-0-1). ... Said coach Brian Shuman: "After graduating five senior defensemen who backboned our unit for two years, Sean stepped up and assumed the role of our top defender and had a dominant seasonoffensively and defensively this year." ... Favorite athlete is New York Rangers forward Kevin Rooney, a Canton High grad.

EVAN CORBETT

Hingham

This 5-11 senior right wing tied for the team lead in scoring with 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists). ... Had three power-play goals, a shorthanded goal and two game-winners. ... Led Hingham (14-1) to the Patriot Cup crown. ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Plus-14 for career. ... Said coach Tony Messina: "Evan is an extremely reliable player who contributes in all areas of the ice. An excellent penalty killer and forechecker. ... Favorite athlete is Tiger Woods. ... Plans to take a PG year and play hockey.

NATE DelPRETE

Hanover

This 5-3 senior forward was the Patriot League Fisher Division MVP. ... Had 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points for the Hawks (11-2-1), who made it to the Patriot Cup semifinals. ... Career scoring line: 52-48--100. ... Three-time league all-star. ... Led Hanover to a share of the Div. 3 state crown as a junior. ... Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Said coach Jon Abban: "Nate was a force the last four years and gave it all every shift." ... Favorite athlete is Bruins forward Brad Marchand. ... Honor-roll student.

JACK DOYLE

Weymouth

This 6-foot senior forward had 4 goals and 5 assists for the Wildcats (8-4-1). ... Bay State Conference All-Star. ... Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Did not take a penalty since midway through his sophomore season; coach Pat Kennedy called that a "testament to his discipline, leadership and dedication to playing the game the right way." ... Four-year varsity player and senior captain in three sports -- golf, hockey, baseball. ... High-honor-roll student. ... Will play Div. I baseball at Northeastern University.

BOBBY FALVEY

Hingham

This 6-2 junior defenseman had 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points. ... Led the Harbormen (14-1) to the Patriot Cup crown. ... QB on power play which had a 41-percent success rate; stalwart on penalty kill. ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Career scoring line: 6-26--32 in 29 games. ... Said coach Tony Messina: Bobby has really developed into an all-around, impact player. He contributes in all critical situations and has become a solid leader." ... High-honor-roll student. ... Plays baseball.

RYAN FLAHERTY

BC High

This 6-1 sophomore center from Milton led the Eagles (5-5) in scoring with 14 points on 4 goals and 10 assists. ... Scored in a season-opening win over Catholic Memorial. ... Had a dominant game vs. eventual Catholic Conference champ Xaverian. ... League all-star. ... Said coach John Flaherty, his dad: "He made every player around him better with his vision, passing and playing a 200-foot game." ... His favorite athletes are his cousins, Mike and Bill Ryan, who played professionally. ... Honor-roll student.

PAUL FORBES

Hingham

This 6-1 senior center/captainwas thePatriot League Keenan Division MVP. ... Tied for the team lead in scoring with 21 points (8 goals, 13 assists). ... Had three power-play goals, two shorthanded goals and two game-winners. ... Led Hingham (14-1) to the Patriot Cup crown. ... Career scoring line: 25-31--56, plus-26. ...Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Favorite athlete is Michael Jordan. ... Plays soccer and lacrosse. ... Honor-roll student. ... Will take a PG year at Deerfield Academy.

AIDAN HEALEY

Marshfield

This 5-10 senior goaltender had a 1.91 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage and two shutouts. ... Led the Rams (9-4-2) to the Patriot Cup final. ... Made 23 saves to beat Hanover, 2-1, in the semis; made 24 saves against Hingham in a 3-0 loss (with an empty-net goal) in title game. ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Said coach Dan Connolly: "He was the backbone of our team this year." ... Plays lacrosse. ... Likes to ski. ... Will play hockey during a PG year at Vermont Academy.

COLIN HOEY

Milton

This 6-foot senior defenseman had 3 goals and 8 assists in eight games. ... Career stats: 4 goals, 16 assists for 20points in 52 games. ... Scored twice in the season finale vs. Falmouth. ... Said his best on-ice skill is his decision making. ... Said coach Chris Watson: "Heart and soul of the defensive corps for our team. Logged many minutes in all types of situations throughout his career." ... Bay State Conference All-Star in baseball. ... Will play baseball during a PG year at The Winchendon School.

THEO JACOBS

Hingham

This 6-2 senior goaltender posted standout numbers -- 1.27 goals-against average, .920 save percentage, 4 shutouts -- over 11 games. ... Led the Harbormen (14-1) to the Patriot Cup crown. ... Made 26 saves in a 3-0 shutout against Marshfield in the Patriot Cup final; coach Tony Messina called that "perhaps the best game of his career." ...Patriot League All-Star. ... Career numbers: 21-6 record, 1.19 GAA, .923 save percentage, 7 shutouts. ... Likes to play golfand ski. ... Will play junior hockey.

RYAN KANE

Weymouth

This 6-foot sophomore forward led the Wildcats (8-4-1) in goals (9), assists (11) and points (20). ... Bay State Conference All-Star. ... Said coach Pat Kennedy:"Ryan was a dangerous player for us all season with a lethal shot and quick release from anywhere on the ice.He took on a lot of responsibilities as an underclassman playing in all situations, including on the first power-play unit, 6 on 5, and eventually earning his way into a penalty killing role." ... High-honor-roll student. ... Plays baseball.

CONOR KELLY

Archbishop Williams

This 5-11 senior forward from Braintree was the Bishops' leading scorer with 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 15 games. ... Led Williams (12-1-3) to a runner-up finish in the Catholic Central League Cup playoffs. ... Career scoring line: 33-31--64. ... Two-time league all-star. ... Career highlights include a hat trick vs. St. Mary's and scoring his first career goal as an eighth-grader. ...Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Honor-roll student. ... Will play hockey during a PG year at Tilton School in New Hampshire.

EAMON KELLY

Canton

This 5-10 junior forward had 8 goals and 9 assists for a team-high 17 points. ... Helped the Bulldogs (11-0-1) post their second unbeaten season in three years. ... Hockomock League All-Star. ... Said coach Brian Shuman: "Our leadingscorer, Eamon was our most consistent offensive threat this entire season. He scoredbig goals in biggames, stepping up when we needed him to." ... Favorite athlete is NHL star Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. ... Favorite class is science.

CHRISTIAN KOYLION

Archbishop Williams

This 5-9 senior center from Plymouth had 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points. ...Led the Bishops (12-1-3) to a runner-up finish in the Catholic Central League Cup playoffs. ... Scored in the Cup final, a 4-1 loss to St. Mary's (Lynn). ... Played on the Red Line with junior Jackson Sylvester (Carver) and seniorAidan McDonnell (Quincy); said coach Derackk Curtis: "They just work hard. I play Red a lot." ... Plays soccer. ... Enjoys boating, golfing. ... Will play Div.IIIsoccer at Mass. Maritime Academy.

NOLAN LEONARD

Braintree

This 5-8 sophomore forward had 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points while skating on the top line for the Wamps (8-1-2). ... Bay State Conference All-Star. ... Voted co-MVP of Braintree. ... Had a standout freshman season. ... Said coach David Fasano: "Nolan has played lots of big minutes the past two years for us and scored lots of big goals. One of the top players in the area." ... Favorite athlete is Bruins forward Trent Frederic because he admires his work ethic. ... Favorite class is history.

BRADY LESLIE

Braintree

This 5-10 senior center had 5 goals and 5 assists for 10 points for the Wamps (8-1-2). ... Voted team co-MVP. ... Favorite game was a 4-2 win over Weymouth on Senior Night. ... Captain. ... Bay State Conference All-Star. ... Four-year varsity player. ... Said coach DavidFasano: "He played lots of valuable minutes throughout his varsity career, including being on the first line the past two years, scoring lots of big goals." ... Plays baseball and golf. ... Honor-roll student. ... Will study engineering in college.

TYLER LOVENDALE

Carver

This 5-10 senior forward is Carver's all-time leading scorer with 134 career points over five seasons. ... Had 10 goals and 8 assists for 18 points this season in 10 games with the Wareham/Carver co-op program. ... South Coast Conference All-Star. ... League sportsmanship award winner. ... Said coach Rich Valatkevicz: "Hard worker on and off the ice. He would do anything to help his team and teammates." ... Favorite athlete is NHL star Connor McDavid. ... Will attend Merrimack College.

EVAN McBRIEN

Scituate

This 5-10 senior forward led the Sailors in scoring for a third straight season, this time with13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points. ... Led Scituate (11-2) to the Patriot Cup semifinals. ... Favorite moment was scoring to beatMarshfield for the first time in recent memory, 2-0 in Round 2 of the Patriot Cup. ... Two-time league all-star. ... Said coach Brian Hurcombe: "His effort was unmatched and he did all of the little things necessary to help the team succeed." ... Favorite athlete is NHL star Alex Ovechkin.

AIDAN McDONNELL

BC High

This 5-11 junior right wing from Dedham led the Eagles (5-5) in goals with 7 and added 6 assists for 13 points. ... Had the lone BC High goal in a 2-1 loss to Malden Catholic in the Catholic Conference quarterfinals. ... League all-star. ... Says his favorite athlete is Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, noting, "I model my game" on his two-way style.... Plays lacrosse. ... Honor-roll student. ... Favorite class is Algebra 2. ... Volunteer coach for Dedham Youth Lacrosse. ... Wants to play college hockey.

MANNING MORRIS

Hanover

This 6-1 senior forward had 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points for the Hawks. ... Led Hanover(11-2-1) to the Patriot Cup semifinals. ... Had 127 career points. ... Patriot League Fisher Division MVP as a junior. ... Three-time league all-star. ... Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Said coach Jon Abban: "Just a great hockey player and and even better kid. Manning is the most skilled player to come through Hanover High in many years and leaves an impressive mark." ... Plays lacrosse.

WILL NOLAN

Duxbury

This 6-foot senior forward had 22 points for the Green Dragons (6-7-2). ... Patriot League All-Star guided Duxbury to the third round of the Patriot Cup. ... Switched back to defense for a few games when the Dragons were short of players on the blue line. ... Helped Duxbury win a Division 1 state crown in 2019, beating Winchester 3-1 in the final at TD Garden. ... Two-sport captain (hockey, lacrosse). ... Favorite athlete is NHL defenseman P.K. Subban. ... Will play Div. II lacrosse at Bentley University.

KEVIN NORWOOD

Plymouth North

This 5-9 junior forward led the Blue Eagles (8-6-1) in goals (10), assists (15) and points (25). ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Team MVP. ... Career scoring line: 24-33--57 in three seasons. ... As a sophomore led North to its first league title in 35 years with 12 goals and 24 points in 20 games. ... Said coach Tim Drew: "Kevin is a player who plays at a prep school level. He stands out when you watch him on the ice and could play with any team in the Patriot League and above." ... Honor-roll student.

TROY PRATT

Scituate

This 5-10 senior defenseman had 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points....Led Scituate (11-2) to the Patriot Cup semifinals. ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Tim Mahoney Defenseman Award winner. ... Said coach Brian Hurcombe: "Troy was a great leader and used his speed and skating ability to shut other teams' top lines down. He was very physical, and his intensity and grit was the backbone of the defense." ... Favorite class is finance/investing. ... Wants to play junior hockey and then play in college.

CAM QUIGLEY

Quincy

This 5-8 sophomore had 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points in 11 games for the Presidents. ... Patriot League All-Star. ... Captain. ... Said coach Ted Walsh Jr.: "Cam started the season as a forward and was quickly moved back to D to stabilize our D corps. He was projected to be our best forward and was instead our best D by the end of the season. ... His game is special." ... Favorite athlete is Tom Brady. ... Favorite class is math. ... Enjoys street hockey. ... Wants to play college hockey.

NICK RECUPERO

Archbishop Williams

This 6-foot senior defenseman from Avon was the Catholic Central League MVP. ... Had 7 goals, 6 assists for 13 points. ... Led the Bishops (12-1-3) to a runner-up finish in the CCL Cup playoffs. ... QB on the power play and was a top penalty killer. ... Captain. ... Four-year varsity player had 14 career goals. ...Repeat All-Scholastic. ... Said coach Derackk Curtis: "Steady. Can move the puck. Can hit. Smart. Good leader. He's been a rock for us." ... Will play junior hockey. ... Hobbies include golfing, fishing.

ASHER WINES

North Quincy

This 6-1 senior goaltender fashioned a .925 save percentage for the Raiders (5-8-1). ... Starred in a 2-1 win over Silver Lake in Round 1 of the Patriot Cup playoffs. ...Team MVP. ... Captain. ... Two-time Patriot League All-Star. ... Five-year varsity player. ... First four-year starter in coach Matt Gibbons' 12 years behind the bench. ... Said Gibbons: "He has been the backbone for this team since his first start.In my opinion he's one of the best goalies in the league." ... Wants to study business in college.

Continued here:
Unveiling the 2020-2021 Patriot Ledger Boys Hockey All-Scholastic Team - The Patriot Ledger

When the Coventry High baseball team won its first Class S state tournament title since 1984 on June 8, 2019, no one could have predicted that its reign would last until 2021.

But the COVID-19 pandemic forced the CIAC to cancel the 2020 spring sports season before it began, extending the Patriots reign another year.

Mondays home opener against East Granby will be the Patriots first game since winning the state title, a span of 674 days.

Its pretty crazy how long its been, Coventry coach Ryan Giberson said. The older kids are excited to be back and the younger kids are excited too. The turnout we had, we had 32 kids. For us, thats a lot. I think its exciting. Were taking it one day at a time.

The NCCC has returned to its one-division format after being split into two regions based on geography in the fall and winter.

The CCC will use its traditional East, West, North and South divisions after using different regions in the fall and winter. The conference will also allow its member schools to play non-league games.

Traditional state tournaments will be played, something that hasnt happened in any sport since March of 2020. The baseball tournament starts on June 1, with championship games slated for June 11-12.

The regular season begins Saturday. Heres a look at the Journal Inquirers area teams.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Josh Orzolek; Colin Nichols; Juniors: Cal Bulley; Patrick Frommer; Justin Decker; Peter Czepiel; Matt Godek; Thomas Zalewski.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Kaleb Carlson; Sophomores: Ben Post; Jack Werhle; Freshmen: Tiarnan Doyle; Bryan Diehl; Riley Gavin; Ben Roth; Sam Segar; William Heller.

OUTLOOK: Consistent pitching and solid defense will be the keys for a Bolton team returning a solid core of upperclassmen led by Orzolek, Nichols, Bulley, Frommer, Decker, Czepiel, Godek, and Zalewski. Jodoin is excited about the potential of pitchers Doyle and Diehl, who he describes as having live arms.

RETURNEES: Senior: Josh Malcom, c/p; Junior: Matt LaFountaine, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Junior: AJ Rooks, p; Freshmen: Ethan Hunt, p; Evan Menzel, inf.

OUTLOOK: Malcom and LaFountaine are the only starters remaining from Coventrys 2019 Class S state title team. The Patriots are young and inexperienced, particularly on the mound, where they dont have a single pitcher who has thrown an inning in a varsity game. Giberson hopes to build his rotation around Malcom, Rooks, and Hunt.

RETURNEES: Senior: Mike Russotto, c; Junior: Jake Martin, p/if.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Ryan Lee, p, Jordan Agey, p/if;, Curt Zyra, p/if; Eric Wyse, p/if, Nic Saponare, of, Sophomores: Shane Ritchie, p/if; Matt Blachuta, p/of.

OUTLOOK: East Windsor will rely on Russotto, Martin and Lee to lead the inexperienced Panthers to a fourth straight state tournament appearance in 2021 after graduating 22 seniors over the last two years. Martin, the only pitcher with varsity experience on the roster, will anchor the rotation alongside Ritchie, Blachuta, Lee, Zyra and Agey.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jason Leslie, of; Tommy Garrow of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Tyler Sakos, p/of; Jordan Terry, c; Matt Mateya, inf; Ethan Sgarlata, p/inf; Noah Madore, p; Brandon Zanher, inf; Junior: Mike Bontempo, inf; Sophomore: Ryan Delaney.

OUTLOOK: The Knights are ushering in a new era, as Pointek takes over for longtime coach Keith Tautkus, who retired at the end of the 2019 season after 22 seasons at the helm. Leslie, the teams only returning pitcher with varsity experience, will be relied upon to anchor the Knights rotation. Pointek expects defense and leadership to be two of the teams strengths this season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Anthony Mierez, p/of; Joe Kaminski, inf; Juniors: Steven Kozak, of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Matt Walsh, p/of; Zach Clapp, inf; Sam Wheeler, c; Jack Steed, dh; Alex Dionne, p/inf/of; Juniors: DeShaun Perry, p/inf; Matt Ryan, inf; John Ryan, of; Sophomore: Joe Stawski, p/inf.

OUTLOOK: Mierez, who helped lead Rockville to an 18-6 record and an appearance in the Class M tournament semifinals as a sophomore in 2019, will anchor the Rams pitching staff alongside Perry and Stawski. Caron expects Mierez, who hit close to .300 while going 6-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 46 strikeouts as a sophomore, to be one of the top pitchers in the NCCC.

KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Shawn Gentilcore, p; Ethan Haluch util; Juniors: Alex Grenier, c; John Zapolski, inf; Cody Palazzesi, p/inf; Kaede Wood, p/of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Aidan Connors, inf; Sophomores: Thomas Lesco, inf; Colby McCormick, of.

OUTLOOK: Somers returns six starters from its 2019 team and has a solid core of veterans highlighted by Gentilcore, Haluch, Grenier, Zapolski, Palazzesi, and Wood. If the Spartans continue to improve defensively, McCarthy expects his team to compete with the upper echelon in the NCCC.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Nic Houle, p/of; Trent Kology, c/of; Junior: Isaac Minaya, p/inf/of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Ryan Duffy, c/of; Attley Stevens, c/inf/p; Andrew McGann, of/p; Sophomores: Collin Gudeman, inf/p; Sam Formus, p/of.

OUTLOOK: Optimism is abound around the Bulldogs program. Martin says the 2021 Bulldogs have more pitching depth than at any point in his tenure (since 2006) and called Houle one of top overall players in league, and likely one of top pitchers. Martin says the team has enough pitching to contend for a league title if the offense can produce at a high level.

RETURNEES: Vincenzo Marmo, inf; Max Beaudoin, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Mason Ferrari, of; Nicholas Gomes, of/p; Chase Tyburski, p; Sam Beaudoin, p.

OUTLOOK: Suffield boasts a deep pitching staff with six players who can pound the zone and go deep into games, Flynn says. The rotation will be anchored by Beaudoin, Gomes and Tyburski. The Wildcats expect to compete for a conference title and play deep into the post season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Ryan Barthel; Colin Hinckley; MJ Perry; Juniors: Chris Duquette; Michael Jubrey.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomores: Dalton Wright; Allen Hinckley.

OUTLOOK: Precourt calls Barthel and Colin Hinckley the anchors on defense. Hinckley is a strong defensive catcher and Barthel can play multiple positions. The Raiders expect to be a NCCC contender despite having a young, inexperienced squad.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Frankie Mozzicato, p; Ryan Shaw, p; Ryan St. Jean, of/inf; Trevor Juan, of; Abel Collado, of; Hank Penders, c; Michael Wearne, p; Sammy Neves, inf; Alex Irizarry, inf; Ryan Turco p/inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomres: TJ Winn, p; Harry Roy, p; Freshman: Dylan Roy, inf.

OUTLOOK: The Eagles return a talented core highlighted by Mozzicato, a UConn commit, Ryan Shaw, a UMass Boston commit, Ryan St. Jean, a Western New England commit, Trevor Juan, a Roger Williams commit, and Abel Collado, a UConn-Avery Point commit. Fiori calls Mozzicato has arguably one of the best arms around and Irizarry arguably one of the best all around infielders and hitters, according to Fiori. East Catholic, which is ranked third in the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register preseason state poll, expects to be in contention for both the CCC and state titles this season.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jack Falvo, p/inf; Jacob Tipton, c/p/inf; Antonio Ortiz, of; Darrion Williams p/of; Jacob Carrion, p/inf; Juniors: Xavier Quiles, p/inf, Max Banelis, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Freshmen: Kacin Robinson; Cody Seggara; Sam Montovani.

OUTLOOK: East Hartford is going through a rebuild after graduating 13 seniors in the last two years. Quiles, who started at second base as a freshman in 2019, will anchor the Hornets defense. The team has four dependable starters in Falvo, Williams, Carrion, and Tipton.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Alec Bairos, of/inf; Jason Bourcier, p; Mike Nicholetti. util; Juniors Mark Osorio, c; Dylan Jackson, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Juniors: Mason Cycenas-Heimer, p; Ben Cherry, of/p; Nate Heimer, of; Jonah Neilson, of; Brandon Wrona, inf; Tyler Barry, inf/p; Gio Morales, of/p; Cam Forstell, p; Ben Roy, p. Sophomores: Jared Lindstrom, c/inf; Dennis Flores, inf/p; Jack Stokes, inf.

OUTLOOK: The Red Hawks graduated nine seniors but return a talented core of upperclassman highlighted by Bairos, Bourcier, Nicholetti, Osorio, and Jackson. Marineau is excited to see how his players handle a season unlike any other.

RETURNEES: No returning Varsity players

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Will Bonazelli; Brian Allard; Jack Dempsky; Jordan Dill; Robert Godi.

OUTLOOK: South Windsor is entering a rebuilding year after graduating all nine starters from its 2019 team. The Bobcats will need Bonazelli, Allard, Dempsky, Dill and Godi to produce at a high level to keep them competitive in the CCC East.

RETURNEES: No returning Varsity players

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Seniors: Caleb Martinek, inf/p; Justin Chaplin, of/p; Jake Chaplin, p; Max Chipman, inf/c/of; Zander Boyd, p; Brady Rancourt, of/p; Matt Voneisengrein, of; Juniors: Chris Seille, inf; Bryce Dipero, of; Brendan Rowe, of; Tighe Thebedeau. of; Jayden Maynard, p/inf; Tom Kluntz, c/p; Dom Kohler, inf/of; Anthony Noke, p/inf; Sophomore: Cannon Marshall inf/p.

OUTLOOK: Enfield has five capable starting pitchers and four solid arms out of the bullpen. The question mark is the Eagles offense, which will need to manufacture runs for the team to have success.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Matt Milone, p/Inf; Brendan Foley, inf/p; Dan Orzech If/p/of; Ryan Schultz, p/of; Junior: Mike Poncini, p/inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Kevin Braunwart, c/of; Juniors: Chase Melzen, of; Bradley DAmico, inf; Garrett Nichol, of; Pat Miller, inf; Sophomores: Max Nylen, c; Ethan Polochanin, p/inf; Tom Puetzer, p/inf; Chase Massey, p/inf; Aiden Zern, p/inf; Freshman: Sean Connolly, of.

OUTLOOK: The Raptors return five starters from their 2019 team Milone, Foley, Schultz, Orzech, and Poncini. Steiner expects pitching to be an area of strength with Milone, Poncini and Schultz anchoring the rotation. Nylen, Polochanin, Puetzer, Massey, Zern, and Connolly will be relied upon to step into the starting lineup and contribute.

RETURNEES: Senior: Ethan Bonadies, of/p; Junior: Jared Wilhelm, of/p.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Junior: Joey Keane, inf/p; Sophomores: Nate Bowes, c.

OUTLOOK: Dietch takes over a team that went 4-16 in 2019 and returns only one starter. The Eagles will rely on a talented core of upperclassman, led by Bonadies and Wilhelm, for production.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Isaac Rosario, of/inf/p; Julian Rivera, inf; Clark Churchill, p/inf; Jeremy Blackwood, p/inf; Alec Lachniet, p; Juniors: Jonathan Lattimer, c; Mason Glickman, inf/p; Breon Parker, of.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Senior: Christian Hicks, of; Juniors: Ryan Cramer, inf; Brandon Cosgrove, inf; Nason Busca, of; Aiden Serrano, of; Sophomores: Nate Acabchuck, p/inf; Frank Kula, inf; Luis Hiraldo, of/p; Austin Oberle, of/p.

OUTLOOK: The Warriors have quality pitching depth with Blackwood, Churchill, Glickman and Lachniet, along with a few younger arms. Parker and Rivera will be relied upon to set the table at the top of the lineup ahead of power hitters Rosario, Lattimer, Glickman and Blackwood.

RETURNEES: Owen Stephens, p/inf/of; Ben Curcio, c; Sam Benedict, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Grant Powers; Spencer Azarra; Sean Borden; Patrick Flaherty; Colin Thomas; Alex Boucher; Jake Benedict; Nick Verdone; Drew Jean; Mike Herviuex; Dan Cantafi; Dan Beagle; Luke Fahey; Elliott Hamilton.

OUTLOOK: Glastonbury has a solid defense with a balanced line up, but the pitching staff is an area of concern. The Guardians will need arms to step up as the staff battles injuries and inexperience.

RETURNEES: Seniors: Jared Holbrook, p/inf; Isaiah Brothers, p/inf; Shawn Rock, of; Ben Gendreau, of; Junior: Adam Bowman, inf.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS: Sophomores: Dylan Connaughton, p/c; Jack McLellan c; Ben Schaefer, inf; Jacob Perez, inf; Elias Martinez, inf; Freshmen: Rafael Acevedo, of/inf; Branden Robles, of/p.

OUTLOOK: Cheney Techs rotation is anchored by a pair of talented upperclassman in Holbrook and Brothers while the lineup is paced by Rock, Gendreau, and Bowman. The Beavers will need Connaughton, McLellan, Schaefer, Perez, Martinez, Acevedo, and Robles to step up in order to win a second straight CTC Conference championship.

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Coventry eager to get its baseball season going - Journal Inquirer

Happy 2021 opening day in Major League Baseball to you all!

Its time for a full season of MLB action after an abbreviated 2020, and to kick things off, were not doing a traditional power rankings.

Instead, as weve done with the NBA, were asking the question: if you have MLB.TV, which teams would you want to watch the most? Thats right, its another round of watchability rankings, which is a very unscientific combination of star power, the fun youll have watching the team, and maybe some oh boy, is this squad going to be a train wreck?

So away we go:

Im extremely intrigued by third base prospect KeBryan Hayes and for fantasy purposes in deep leagues, Ill take a flier on Colin Moran. But while they start a rebuild, this is the least watchable team in the Majors.

Why arent they in last? For starters, Miguel Cabrera is 134 hits away from 3,000 for his storied career, so well want to tune in for that chase when it heats up.

For another, there are some young arms Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize among them to keep an eye on. But the Tigers are NOT going to be good this year.

I will be very much interested in tuning in to see Trey Mancini mashing again after battling and beating colon cancer. And if you like offense, theres more of that here too with Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander.

Ill call this: Do you like offense? Part II. Theres Joey Gallo either striking out or hitting big bombs. Theres some speed from Leody Taveras. Maybe theres a David Dahl breakout coming after his days in Colorado ended.

But pitching? Itll be a long season from that point of view.

The buzz over hyped prospect Jarred Kelenic has gotten LOUD, so this feels like a good spot for a team that will probably be among the bottom-dwellers, although they do have Ty France (who hit .309 last season), former first-round pick Taylor Trammell and, oh yeah, AL rookie of the year Kyle Lewis. Also: is THIS the year Justus Sheffield starts putting together a breakout?

Hmm. Maybe they should be higher?

Will they be worse than some of the teams lower on this list? Probably not.

But this is a team full of vets thats also trying to look toward the future. So while Ill tune in to see Mike Yastrzemski and Mauricio Dubon mash, Im not exactly getting excited about Evan Longoria, Brandon Crawford and past-his-prime Buster Posey.

A bad team with some fun youngsters > a mediocre older team. Fantasy baseball managers can turn their noses up at Adalberto Mondesi (note: please dont), but dude has stolen 91 bases in his past three seasons. Whit Merrifield continues to be one of the more well-rounded players in the game. Can Jorge Soler get back to his 2019 form when he nearly hit 50 dingers?

Oh and I CANT WAIT for Bobby Witt Jr. to come up.

Underrated, even here. Zac Gallen when hes healthy is one of the best young arms in baseball, Josh Rojas has been hot all spring, Ketel Marte is a season removed from .329-32-92 and 10 swipes, Tim Locastro is speedy Ill tune in!

The pitching stinks, blah blah blah, whatever.

Trevor Story is still there (for now), and hes a superstar. And you know youre going to get all kinds of offensive fireworks in Colorado, so I dont expect anything different given the lineup filled with names like Raimel Tapia, Ryan McMahon, Brendan Rodgers, C.J. Cron (can he hit 40 in the mountain air?) and vet Charlie Blackmon.

(Whispers) I dont think last year was a fluke.

Now, that doesnt mean theyre making the playoffs. All those jokes before the abbreviated 2020 season turned into a reality as the small-sample-size Marlins made the postseason.

What Im saying is: among the young, rebuilding teams, this ones the one I want to tune in for the most (and as a New York Mets fan, Ill see them plenty!). From the promise of Jazz Chisholm to a starting staff that we could be talking about as the best in the game in a few years, Im in.

I am aware Im going to get destroyed by North Siders for this one, but heres the thing: its sort of a known quantity. And while thats not the worst thing, it takes the level of excitement down.

Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo arent in their primes. The pitching staff is good (I love Kyle Hendricks and Zach Davies but theyre not known for their electric stuff. This is a team built for defense). Javier Baez is still so much fun to watch, but Im just not that excited beyond him.

I love Wrigley, though. Does that help?

Another team whose fanbase will no doubt write me angry letters/tweets.

But from a watchability standpoint, I think theres better out there right now. And this is zero offense to Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez (the latter of whom will hopefully get back to hitting .300 and sending baseballs into orbit). Im also hopeful that this is finally the year Franchy Corderos sweet swing makes an impact. The return of Chris Sale is intriguing.

That said, Im more into the teams below.

I want so badly to throw this team higher with a great mix of young pitchers (Luis Castillo in the rotation and Tejay Antone, Amir Garrett) and a group of hitters who play in a park made for dingers. And then theres Joey Votto, who may be older but is still entertaining.

While they might be not that great from a standings point of view, theyll be more entertaining than the teams above.

This is where it gets extremely tough for me. There are an endless amount of storylines here: Ageless Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. Jack Flaherty and Jordan Hicks dazzling on the mound. Is Nolan Arenado going to prove playing outside of Denver will work? Are Dylan Carlson and Tyler ONeill the real deal?

Theres also some real flop potential here and the schadenfreude that comes with it for non-Cards fans. This might be rating them too low.

Three words: Bryce. Harper. Swing.

Thats a good reason to watch this team. So is Aaron Nola pitching but whatever. Star power counts for a lot in these rankings.

With the As, its always a fun, weird ride, a how did they do that?! kind of feeling when you see them contend. And they could do it again this year with Matt Olson, Matt Chapman and two of my favorite young hurlers in Frankie Montas and Jesus Luzardo.

Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes are one of baseballs best young 1-2 punches. Devin Williams and Josh Hader out of the bullpen are a nightmare for opponents. And thats before we get to former MVP Christian Yelich.

Also, Keston Hiura might be a star.

Heres a team with fun but train-wreck potential now that Francisco Lindor is gone Jose Ramirez is still terrific and dont underestimate Eddie Rosario and Franmil Reyes. The bullpen has three amazing arms. Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale are all great. As a Mets fan, I can tell you Andres Gimenez is going to be awesome.

But they might be bad after so many years of contending.

That offense, oh my goodness, THAT OFFENSE! Cavan Biggio, Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr. (maybe THIS is the year he hits a million homers), Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, Rowdy Tellez and new addition George Springer. WHEWWWWWWWWWWW.

The pitching is very iffy. So very watchable up to that point.

I hate myself for putting them this low. Were talking about Mike Trout, who is still the games biggest superstar. Were also talking about the chance to watch Shohei Ohtani become a two-way stud on the mound and at the plate.

But the Angels arent going to be very good. That holds them back.

Juan Soto. Trea Turner. Even if theyre not what they once were, lets add Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg into the mix. A real fun team to follow.

Just a top-to-bottom fun team to watch, as Nelson Cruz continues to crush baseballs at the age of 40, Byron Buxton continues his breakout, Miguel Sano does the same and a staff that now has Kenta Maeda as its ace.

The team you love to hate gets this high ranking for that very reason, although they also happen to be a very, very talented team you love to hate.

Goodness, this team is just so fun. Between Randy Arozarenas breakout last year to Brandon Lowes huge 2020, the possibility of Wander Franco coming up this year and the how the heck do they keep doing this?! feeling I love it all.

Fine. Im biased. Whatever.

But Francisco Lindor is a superstar. Pete Alonso hits baseballs very, very far. Jacob deGrom is the best pitcher in the game. Steve Cohens tweets are amazing. And of course, with this team, theres always the chance it falls apart. Welp.

One of the best young groups of players in the league may be about to explode. Even with Eloy Jimenez out with injury, Andrew Vaughn might be a terrific replacement. Luis Robert, Yoan Moncada, Nick Madrigal, Luis Giolito this team is STACKED.

And I live for Tim Anderson batflips.

The question: how will Tony La Russa manage this team? Ill be watching for that, too.

So much of this ranking is because of Ronald Acuna, but lets give some love to Marcell Ozuna, Freddie Freeman and the rest of this lineup. Their pitching staff is mega-deep and filled with young future stars Max Fried, Mike Soroka and Ian Anderson. Whats not to love?

As usual, the powerhouse to watch with a lineup that can mash 1-through-9. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton hitting balls is a thrill. The pitching is superior. A well-oiled machine. Why arent they higher? Some thoughts below.

Of course. Its like watching an All-Star game every night. Thats it.

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MLB rankings: All 30 teams on Opening Day ranked by watchability - For The Win

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images Bill Polian

The NFL Draft tea leaves are pointing toward one of two things for the New York Giants with the 11th overall pick an impact defender or an offensive lineman.

Hall of Famer Bill Polian, a six-time NFL Executive of the Year, knows which path he would choose.

The key to the Giants is the offensive line. Unless they get that solved the weapons wont mean a thing, Polian said on the Colin Cowherd Podcast. They have got to protect him and theyve got to be able to block for the run. Thats job 1 and I suspect theyll address it in the draft.

The Giants spent three draft picks on the offensive line a season ago left tackle Andrew Thomas (No. 4 overall), Tackle Matt Peart (Round 3/No. 99) and guard Shane Lemieux (Round 5/No. 150).

The line showed some promise, but still finished 21st in Football Outsiders Adjusted Line Yards run-blocking stat and 27th in FOs Adjusted Sack Rate measure. Having lost starting right guard Kevin Zeitler due to salary cap constraints and with Cameron Fleming, last seasons starting right tackle, not having been re-signed, the Giants now have to re-configure that side of their line.

They added wide receivers Kenny Golladay and John Ross, along with veteran tight end Kyle Rudolph in free agency in hopes of boosting last seasons 31st-ranked offense.

They have re-structured the offensive coaching staff to help that young line. Rob Sale is the new offensive line coach. Freddie Kitchens moves from tight ends coach to senior offensive assistant with responsibility for helping Sale. The Giants have also added Pat Flaherty, the teams offensive line coach during the Tom Coughlin years, as a consultant.

Now, they need to find more talent.

Would they use the 11th pick on offensive tackle Penei Sewell if he somehow falls to that spot, which might not be inconceivable if five quarterbacks are taken in the first 10 picks, or Rashawn Slater of Northwestern?

Will they wait until Day 2, where several potential starting guards should be available?

We get our answer in just a few short weeks.

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Bill Polian: Giants have to add to offensive line SB Nation Sports - Reverb MSN Music