The American High baseball team, ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll for Miami-Dade, and moving down to Class 7A while returning eight starting players, should make their goal of returning to the state tournament a little easier, as the Patriots are armed with heavy hitters and penurious pitchers.
Former Boston Red Sox shortstop Ricky Gutierrez is starting his sixth season as American’s head coach and nothing will suit him more than winning the state championship to accompany his World Series championship.
The Patriots advanced to the Class 8A state semifinals game last year but were shut out 6-0 by Plant City Durant.
This season, American’s roster of players, most of them Division I bound, could help the team get over the hump.
The Patriots opened up the regular season on Tuesday against Ronald Reagan High School.
Gutierrez depicted his team as “hungry” for a championship.
“I reminded them how they felt after their last game and they didn’t like the feeling at all,” said Gutierrez. “That’s the fuel to make them get back to the state tournament and win it.”
Junior third baseman and Hurricanes recruit Roman Gonzalez, who recorded a .382 batting average last season, is seeking to continue where he left off, and Kansas State-bound senior outfielder Kevin Williams is looking for a breakout year as well.
Senior shortstop Edison Cabrera and senior second baseman Eric Gonzalez are considered the best outfielders in the county, and senior Ronald Williams leads the Patriots’ pitching staff that gave up few runs during the last regular season.
The rotation includes Mike Rodriguez and Jake Norman, who will also play at first base.
Gutierrez said this year’s team is the best group American has had in a long time.
“We have the pieces and they look good on paper,” he said. “They have to go out there and perform to have a good and successful season.”