Mamaroneck senior Sean Hagan (right in black) will appear on VC Live tonight to talk hockey, but you can log on here and send him your questions. The show begins at 7:30.

If you’re unfamiliar with VC Live, you should check it out. It’s an interactive show where listeners (you) can send in questions to the guest and/or reporter.

It’s a lot more in-depth than the TV show we had last spring and allows viewers to take a much more active role in the program.

We will have something similar once the baseball season gets underway.

Tonight’s show will Hagan and my colleague, Harold Gutmann, will provide some insight into what you can expect going forward.

After watching helplessly as the program at choice No. 1 folded, Lakeland senior Jon Cosenza has found another home. The Hornets’ catcher is headed to the University at Albany.

Albany had been after Cosenza ever since Vermont’s program was dropped last month. Along with Cortland, it was probably his most likely destination. Cosenza decided to commit on Sunday.

I hope to get a hold of him today and will have his thoughts on the decision.

Good news for the baseball team at Mount Vernon. All necessary funding has been raised for the spring season.

After the fall and the winter were taken care of, the spring seemed likely to fall into place. Still, hearing official word removes any doubt.

The Knights begin this season without longtime coach Joe Mazzella, who retired after last season. Mazzella was replaced by assistant Walter Allen, who you may remember from his stint at Horace Greeley. He managed the Quakers to within an out of the 2003 Class A championship.

Allen is one of two new coaches in League 1-A this year alongside Pete Annunziata of New Rochelle. Annunziata was an assistant under Mike Sgobbo.

Looks like the Empire State Games aren’t dead after all. According to Hudson Valley regional coordinator Frank Intervallo, the final verdict is coming Monday.

The state parks department wouldn’t confirm this when I called there yesterday. But, as you can read in today’s story, Intervallo was told the funding is there. The parks dept. now has to determine where the Games can be hosted. Albany and Rochester are the two options.

More than two dozen coaches from the Hudson Valley received an e-mail Monday asking them to plot regional tryouts in case the Games do return. In the message, ESG director Fred Smith said the program’s staff is “optimistic” the event will be held this summer.

Perhaps more importantly for the older blog readers out there, organizers believe the Games will run a full program. The divisions and sports excised from the pared down Games would return.

Here’s the story I wrote about it for today’s paper.

Six local guys were named preseason All-Americans by Louisville Slugger, who compiles its list in accordance with Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

Players are nominated by their high school coaches and are chosen for the teams based on recommendations from other coaches and scouts. Here’s a link to the selections.

For those uninclined to clicking, here are the players who were selected and where they were selected:

First team:
Infield — Anthony Iacomini, Sr., John Jay, pictured above (South Carolina)

Second team:
Pitcher — Steven Roche, Sr., Iona Prep (High Point)
Catcher — Mike Rosenfeld, Jr., Mamaroneck, pictured right (Undecided)
Infield — Mike Mercurio, Sr., Kennedy (High Point)
Outfield — Matt McGovern, Sr., Mamaroneck (Boston College)
Multi-position players — Sean Hagan, Sr., Mamaroneck (St. John’s)

This list has been long-awaited and I’m sure will be maddening for some teams. Before I get started, here’s what swayed me:
— How many starters are back?
— How many pitchers are back?
— How much success did the team have last year?

It sounds like fairly obvious criteria, but here’s what I’ve learned over the years of covering high school baseball…Just because a couple stars are back doesn’t mean the team will be strong no matter what. Baseball is more about the depth of talent than anything. Remember: This isn’t basketball.

How many times have teams returned lineups nearly intact and not had the pitching to live up to preseason expectations? Take Hastings of 2007. After a near perfect season, the Yellow Jackets had all their stars back except for Dan Bohm. But without Bohm closing games and Greg Weidner, who was injured, anchoring the rotation, Hastings never found the same rhythm. It still had a fierce lineup but that wasn’t enough. Only a late run delivered another Class B title.

Anyway, keep those kind of things in mind when you’re considering your own top 10. Here’s mine…

1. MAMARONECK (30-2, won Class AA state championship): Who else besides Mamurderneck? The Tigers enter the season with as high expectations for any team I can remember in a decade. Even the great Ketcham state champ didn’t return this much — eight of nine starters and all of the top four pitchers — but that team is the one Mike Chiapparelli should focus on. Ketcham had all the goods and had won before yet didn’t even reach the championship game in Section 1 the following season. The message: Nothing will be handed to Mamaroneck. … When it comes to talent, however, the Tigers are tops. Sean Hagan (St. John’s) and Matt McGovern (BC) have committed D-I. The Glasers, Luke and Christian, hope to walkon. Mike Rosenfeld, who will replace Chris Dearwester at catcher, is a surefire D-I prospect as a junior. And Gabe Klein, Andrew Benkwitt (both undecided) and Taylor Mondshein (D-III Williams) will all play some sort of college ball. … I’d say their ceiling is 28-0 and another state championship. But in the Section 1 and state playoffs it will only take one bad game. Their offense had none in last year’s postseason. Can it beat a Rob Aviles or a Steve Green in a big late May game?

2. SUFFERN (21-7, lost to Mamaroneck in Class AA final): I just said you can’t base a team’s success on the strength of a couple stars. Suffern is not a two-man team. But when those two men do as much as Robbie Aviles and Jimmy Brennan, your team can’t be dismissed. Ever. Aviles has a chance to be a Sean Giblin-like force as a junior. His fastball already hums in the low 90s, and his desire must burn pretty hot after a remarkable sophomore season was spoiled by last year’s Class AA final thumping at the hands (and bats) of mighty Mamaroneck. But remember this about the Mounties: They won their last 14 games against Section 1 opponents other than two losses to the Tigers. They were the second-hottest team in Class AA by the end. … They will miss Matt Aquilino in the middle of the order and behind the plate and Jared Randazzo, who, along with Brennan, filled in the rotation behind Aviles. As long as the St. John’s-bound Brennan can be the true No. 2 and still maintain his remarkable all-around play, Suffern should be Mamaroneck’s toughest competition.

3. KENNEDY (27-3, won Class B state title): A Class B team so high? Believe it. The Gaels should be very, very good. They are the defending state champ and bring back almost every piece. SS Mike Mercurio (High Point) and C Anthony Corona (C.W. Post) anchor the lineup and provide solid defenders at key positions. RHPs Nick Modico and Richie Lennox provide two of Kennedy’s top three starters. The Gaels will miss Ryan Tatnell, the winningest pitcher in program history, but the rest of the pitching is back. … In addition to Mercurio and Corona, Kennedy returns Brendan Dowd, Joe Rock, Joe Smith, Joe Santangelo and Luis Gonzalez. That’s a lot. Don’t forget Gonzalez, who caught for the injured Corona in the playoffs. His versatility was key. … Overall, this is no regular Class B team. The Gaels have to be the favorite to win another state title — and to finish as one of the best teams in the section.

4. KETCHAM (20-7, lost to Mamaroneck in the Class AA semis): The Indians graduated just six seniors but lost a couple key ones in C Kyle Kalaka and Jeff Freyhagen. The underclassmen were key during their run to the Class AA semis. Masher Mike Orefice, Shane Peterman, Chris Jackson, Matt Peters and Mike Lang all played significant roles. … If I peruse the rosters and stats, I’d pencil this club in as the League 1-C favorite right now. Frankly, however, it could go to anyone yet again.

5. ARLINGTON (16-10, lost to Mamaroneck in Class AA quarters): The Admirals are a very tough team to judge. They graduated their ace (Greg Ackley) and big masher (Joe Gatewood), as well as other key hitters and pitchers. Still, Arlington’s season will be determined by how well new faces fill the holes because there are a number of talented players returning. Nick Camastro, the Manhattan-bound SS, anchors the lineup. Two of the team’s top four pitchers, Dylan Britton (younger brother of blog legend Colin Britton) and Tyler Albrecht, are both back, too.

6. MOUNT ST. MICHAEL (15-13, lost in CHSAA intersectional tournament): There are three reasons I like any CHSAA team as the preseason favorite and the Mountaineers have all three. 1. The respect of fellow coaches. Guys I’ve talked to believe in Mount. 2. Seniors. Mount returns most of its players, including its No. 1 and No. 2 pitchers. 3. Pitching. In the wood-bat league, starters rule. Ace Thomas Cardona and No. 2 Steven Rivera are as good a tandem as you will find in the LoHud, right up there with Hagan and Benkwitt and Aviles and Brennan. That pair — and Mount as a whole — quietly progressed late in the season, highlighted by its series’ win over Iona Prep that qualified it for the city tournament. This year the Mountaineers may take that next step.

7. STEPINAC (19-8, CHSAA final four): This is not an easy team to judge. What would have happened to the Dodgers without Manny? The impact could be similar here. Alex Maruri not only hit in a league where hits go to die, he also affected the game. Teams always had to be aware of him in the on-deck circle or in the hole, and it helped his team offensively, even when Maruri wasn’t at the plate. The onus will now fall on guys like Anthony Muccio and Steven and Eddie Martinez without Maruri, Eric Capowski and Noel Torres around in the middle of the order. Stepinac has a few new young pitchers to bolster a staff that will be led by Ed Byrne. The Crusaders will need them to step up if they want to repeat as Bronx-Westchester champs.

8. JOHN JAY (20-5, lost to Suffern in Class AA semis): The Indians are both trumped and dumped on here quite often. The truth about them probably falls somewhere in between. They did reach the semis last year and they did it without ace Steve Green, who was one of the best pitchers in the section before he went down with a shoulder injury. How many teams could’ve knocked off Clarkstown North and Mahopac in the playoffs without their No. 1? Not many. … John Jay has a lot back. A healthier Green, a hard throwing lefty; SS Anthony Iacomini, the South Carolina signee who is one of the section’s best players; C Alan Filauro; CF Ray Maggi (Monmouth); 2B Kyle Clemenson and 1B/OF/LHP Lou Ricci (Johns Hopkins), among others. The question will be who will fill in behind Green on the pitching staff? John Jay will miss John Swertfager and Chris Eidam. But Ricci and junior Dean Lambert will be the likely guys to step in. If they can backup Green, and if Green can stay healthy, the Indians may be even better. Their lineup with miss two anchors in Ryan Mitchell and J.K. Filauro, but it should be good enough to rank among the section’s best.

9. SOMERS (18-8, Class A champ; lost in state regional semis): This is where I start getting a little skeptical. The Tuskers have perhaps the best two-way player in Section 1 — who other than Dan Zlotnick is one of the ten best hitters and pitchers? — but they lost a lot to graduation. Their pitching staff lost Dan ”$$$” Tracy, Jerry Battipaglia and Ron Stenz, all of who were major contributors. Zlotnick has proven his durability, but he will need Henry Rulhand and others to fill in. The offense has perhaps its two best bats back in Zlotnick and Kyle Woltersdorf, but it will miss Stenz, Willie Sisca, Mike Ausiello, Steve Finella and Vinny Nicolosi. Who will replace that group? The Tuskers have a lot of questions to answer.

10. ???: There are other teams who will claim this spot, but who deserves it? I’m not sure. Lakeland, the No. 1 seed in Class A, lost Section 1’s player of the year. Pelham, the No. 2 in A, lost almost everyone. Carmel and Mahopac were depleted by graduation. Fox Lane will rely on some young pitchers. North Rockland lost several of its top players. Iona Prep? No Alex Adami.

The best bet may be Clarkstown South, which returns several guys, like Alex Lorenc and Ian Baker. But after a 13-12 season that included a seven-game losing streak to finish up, the Vikings — just like everyone else — have to prove they belong.

I’m sure my indecision will aggravate some of you. So…who’s your No. 10?

Sorry folks. I’m at Vassar College where there is no internet connection. I have written up the Top 10 but I won’t be able to post it until late tonight/tomorrow morning.

Sorry for the delay. I guess you’ll have to just keep on guessing…

I am still busy with basketball season but I wanted to get started with the baseball talk. So later on this afternoon…before anything really gets cooking on the baseball front…I wanted to post who I see as the Top 10 teams coming into 2009.

It’s a list that will change between now and April 1, but I think it’s interesting to see where everyone stands heading into the season. There’s always a lot of improvement between June and April. Plus, I find baseball to be the single hardest high school sport to predict because so much changes from year to year. Still, I want to tell you what I think…and then hear where you think the top 10 stands as of right now.

I’ll concede one thing: Mamaroneck, with 9 of its 10 starters back, will be No. 1. But who will follow the defending Class AA state champ?

Check back in around 5 and I’ll have the answer. Come armed with your own Top 10s.

Today was the first official day of practice for all Section 1 spring sports. I did a story on the start of the new season for tomorrow’s paper. Although I had to incorporate lacrosse, tennis, and softball, I did get a chance to stop by John Jay’s gym to watch the baseball team.

The gym was busy but not overcrowded. About sixty kids showed up to try out. It’s a good showing regardless, but a great showing considering the popularity of John Jay’s lacrosse team. As baseball coach Geoff Curtis said, “Baseball is alive and well here.”

Curtis kept them rotating around the gym’s perimeter with corner throwing drills, fielding drills, and batting with wiffle balls. Despite constantly looking for the safest place to stand, I’m proud to say I nearly got beaned with two baseballs and two wiffle balls. In the small gym in back, which Bill Swertfager has converted into a wrestling room for one of the section’s top wrestling teams, pitchers and catchers worked off portable mounds.

All in all it was very organized. The Indians recovered well from the disappointment of being indoors. As I wrote in my Tuesday story, last weekend got everyone’s hopes up for a warm week of practice out on the field. Then today’s cold weather said “no” before the rain said “hell no.” So for them and every other baseball team the next week is about making do with the gym or stealing some turf time from lacrosse.

The weather forecast says the rest of the week will be pretty much the same as today. Wednesday is slightly warmer but rainy. Such is early-season baseball in the northeast.

The reason I went to John Jay specifically was the excitement surrounding this team. The Indians return a lot of talent. Infielders Anthony Iacomini, who’s bound for South Carolina, Lou Ricci, Kyle Clemmenson, and outfielders Mike Filice and Ray Maggi all hit .350 or better. In Stephen Green they have a true ace, a guy who brings nasty stuff every day. He started 6-0 with an ERA under 1.00 and 56 Ks in 29 innings before an injury ended his 2008.

And perhaps took John Jay’s championship hopes with him. In their last two playoff games the Indians allowed 20 runs, surviving Mahopac 12-11 before falling 9-2 to Suffern. Part of that was their bandbox field, but still, Green would have driven those numbers down.

John Jay should join last year’s finalists, Suffern and Mamaroneck, as the elite of Class AA. Nobody is on Mamaroneck’s level, of course, not after they bashed their way to a state championship. But John Jay has the talent to scare the Tigers.

The team’s win total has risen every year since 2003 when Curtis took over. That streak will almost certainly end. Budget cuts forced Section 1 to reduce baseball’s regular season to 20 games. Since the Indians went 20-5, they would have to go 17-3 AND win a sectional title to reach 21 wins.