Belen Jesuit Returns Bigger, Faster, Stronger
Manager Jerry Albert looks over as his team does push-ups on the football field at Belen Jesuit in Miami.
On a sweltering hot October afternoon on the campus of Belen Jesuit in the Westchester section of Miami, third year Wolverines Manager Jerry Albert has his baseball team working with military-like precision. The upperclassman are confined to the air-conditioned weight room, building muscle under the guidance of a strength coach, the pitchers are working in the bullpen with assistant coach Ivan Montane, and Albert is on the track overseeing the sweat-drenched underclassman as they draw the task of running laps and doing push-ups in the unforgiving heat.
Its all part of his plan to get his players in the best shape possible to prepare for the upcoming season. Albert’s goal is simply to bring the best out of his players, even if it means sweating it out of them in the blazing Miami heat.
“I think we should be pretty good, we’re a little young at some positions, but I like our pitching,” Albert said.”We have a good group of kids, they work very hard and they’re very consistent about being here everyday… I feel real good about them.”
Belen is coming of a season in which they finished 19-9 and made it to the regional quarterfinals. However, for the second straight season the Wolverines fell to Archbishop McCarthy, who went on to win the Class 6A state title for the fourth consecutive season.
Although Belen lost nine seniors and a few transfers, Albert returns a good nucleus of players ready to perform this season.
“We had excellent pitching last year and some key spots were filled by seniors. We just need this year’s group of seniors to step up and fill and leadership role and kind of guide this team along,” Albert said.
The eight seniors include players like shortstop Alex Cabrera, outfielder Ryan Rodriguez-Mena, and catcher David Guevara. Cabrera hit .320 with 13 RBIs last season and put on 10 to 15 pounds in the offseason to improve his game.
Belen Jesuit players have hit the weights in preparation for the 2014 season.
“They told me last year to get bigger, faster, stronger and definitely in the offseason I took that into account and worked on getting better in the physical and mental part of the game,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera and sophomore Christian Del Castillo (.317 B.A., 11 RBI) will lead off in the batting order this season. Albert is still mulling the rest of his batting order behind those two guys. Albert likes how those tow leadoff guys are good about getting on base, and he is next looking for the right guys that can move them over and get them in somehow.
Players like senior pitcher/infielder David Villa, outfielder/pitcher Javier Herrera, and outfielder Ivan Botero will get an opportunity to play key roles this season.
On the mound the Wolverines will have to replace productive pitchers Willie Fabra and HSBN second team All-County performer Danny Parets, both of whom won five games for Belen as seniors. Villa, Herrera, junior Lorenzo Laurita and senior Eric Artigues will pick up the slack this season.
“We have a lot of guys that need to really prove themselves; myself and Eric Artigues, we will try to take the lead, and Jonathan Guttierez should also step up this year,” Villa said. “Getting in better shape has prepared us for the grind of a season.”
The Wolverines remained in District 6A-16 but some opponents were switched out due to district realignment. In addition to rival Mater Academy and Homestead, Belen will compete against Doral Academy, Miami Jackson, and TERRA. With the more competitive teams in the district, the Wolverines feel it will make them a better baseball team. Belen finished 11-2 in district play last season with their only losses coming to district champion Mater Academy.
One of those losses was a tough 1-0 marathon decision in an extra-inning pitcher’s duel. Although Mater ultimately prevailed, games like that have reminded the Wolverines that they can compete against the defending district champions.
“There’s a little more balance and the games should be tighter,” Albert predicted. “Now the district is much more competitive, day in and day out anybody can beat each other.”
The tougher district schedule goes with Albert’s philosophy to compete against the best teams around. The Wolverines played against teams from Tampa, Tennessee, and Colorado in tournaments last year.
Wolverines players workout in the weight room to prepare for their 2014 campaign.
“We like to play a great game everyday. You don’t wanna play teams that you feel you’re gonna go in there and win by 15 runs. That’s waste of time,” Albert said. “It makes you better, by the time you get around to playoffs you’re used to playing a tough game day in and day out.”
The Wolverines will get a good idea of their team as one of the host schools for the HSBN Fall Classic Tournament starting this weekend. If the team can find some answers in the heart of the lineup and on the mound they hope to capture a district, and perhaps even take aim at powerhouse Archbishop McCarthy in the Class 6A playoffs.
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