Miami Beach Emerging As A Contender In 2014

As the Miami Beach Hi-Tides try to build their program back to respectability, they aren’t taking any steps for granted, especially practice. Even the unpredictable weather conditions couldn’t stop Manager Willie Baez and his team from maximizing an opportunity to get better.

On a chilly January afternoon as steady rain poured over the field at Flamingo Park, when most teams would have packed it in, the Hi-Tides held steady, carrying on with practice as if there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Baez and Miami Beach are on a mission to reach the playoffs and they aren’t letting obstacles like mother nature stop them from getting there.

“Right now our simple goal is just to get into the playoffs, That’s all I’ve really preached since day one of practice,” said Baez, who enters his second year as the Hi-Tides Manager. “I’m not preaching states yet, not preaching regionals, just reaching districts right now and taking baby steps to get there.”

The Hi-Tides have taken their share of lumps, winning just 10 games over the past three years. Senior catcher Leoni Lammana has spent the past four years on the varsity as the club endured its share of bumps and bruises.

“Over the past four years I’ve played with a group of seniors that have been through a lot of adversity,” Lammana admitted. “Before Coach came, our program was dying; we had no one to look up to. Losing is frustrating. It can bring the worst out of people and there’s been a lot of in-fighting with the team, but at the end of the day we just stuck together as a family and our coaching staff has been great.”

Baez took over the program right before the start of the 2013 season and has changed the attitude at Miami Beach. He previously served as an assistant at Hialeah Gardens, as well as at Monsignor Pace and St. Thomas University. The Tide’s manager has instilled a culture of discipline to a team that hasn’t had much guidance. After a full offseason to work with his personnel, he believes the team is capable of going toe to toe with any program on their schedule this year.

“The experience is a plus after last year and just competing in games that we could have won but lost because the experience wasn’t there,” Baez said. “We have more expectations this year and I believe we can get in.”

To reach the post season, Miami Beach will have to solve their new look district. Coral Gables, Reagan, and Miami Springs are gone but the Hi-Tides 14-8A opponents include Dr. Krop, Hialeah Gardens, rival Miami High, and Hialeah High. Beach knows making the playoffs will be anything but easy and they look forward to the challenge.

“Right now you have to give respect to the Hialeah program, as well as Hialeah Gardens who beat them for the district title two years ago,” Baez concluded. “Krop is in the mix now with Miami High and us, but our mentality is that anybody right now is beatable.”

Miami Beach’s keys to success will rest on their pitching and defense. Their young staff must be able to throw strikes on the mound and the defense has to make the out when the ball is hit in play.

“First pitch strikes are what I preach, try to get a strike over the plate and go from there,” Baez pointed out. “I don’t care about the strikeouts right now, but if you can force the ground ball I definitely think our defense will hold up and get the out that we need.”

Baez has had his pitchers participate in intra-squad scrimmages to better prepare them for in-game situations. Senior right-handed pitcher Jonathan Gonzalez is the team’s ace, while sophomore right-hander Blake Brattain and junior Jonathan Varela will have plenty of opportunities on the mound.

“Jonathan Gonzalez is a guy that goes after it,” Baez said. “He wants the ball no matter what. If its bases loaded, two outs, and the bottom of the seventh, he wants to get that last out.”

On offense, Miami Beach will focus on timely hitting to produce runs. Their lineup lacks a consistent power hitter so the team has focused putting the ball in play when runners are in scoring position.

“We’re not going to be the team to hit the long ball this year…especially with these new bats since there is not too much pop on them,” said Baez. “But we definitely have to execute on bringing guys in when there’s men in scoring position.”

Baez returns three players who hit at least .350 last season. Lammana (.385 8 RBI), junior infielder Themi Pineda (.439, 9 RBI), and senior first baseman Jonah Demer (.400, 8 2B), and they are expected to deliver most of the run support at Miami Beach. Baez feels comfortable with the strength of the middle of his lineup.

Junior shortstop Trent Bryan has emerged as a starter and is also expected to have a breakout season for the Tides.

“Trent has improved tremendously hitting with a lot of power to the gaps,” said Baez.

With a structure in place to develop their talent, the team is eager to prove that they’re not the same program from years past.

“Outside of our team I don’t think people expect much from us coming off of a less than expected year, but within our family we expect to do pretty well,” Trent Bryan said.

For seniors like Lammana, who sits at the top of his class with a 6.4 grade point average with dreams to attend an Ivy League school, Baez has taken all the right steps to lead the team back into playoff contention. He’s gone above and beyond to earn the team’s trust and now they look to take that next step of winning more baseball games.

“Last year he proved to us that he wanted something that we wanted as well, which is to get to the playoffs,” said Lammana. “That’s what I like about this coach, and I’ll think he’ll be successful anywhere he goes because he has that want, and he coaches with a passion.”

Leave a comment using your facebook account!