The high school baseball season will begin in earnest April Fool’s Day, but you can definitely say that the Kearny Kardinals began to prepare for the 2019 season once the final pitch of the 2018 season was thrown last May.
That’s because Kearny’s young and energetic head coach Dave Smart knew that the Kardinals were going to be a much improved team this season.
So when the Kardinals began preparations for the season that begins April 1, Smart already had the pieces for a successful team in place.
“I think we have a bunch of guys who just go about their business and know what they’re doing,” Smart said. “Before I could even bat an eye, these guys are out there getting things ready for the day. They have an idea how to carry themselves.”
Smart believes that the Kardinals just continued things from last season.
“I think there was a positive carryover,” Smart said. “I think they were ready to go after it. I knew that they were going to make a difference this year.”
And that carryover?
“I think we’re going to surprise some people this year,” Smart said. “I think we have the best infielders in the county. I think we have a lot of speed. I think we have arms. We have a team that hustles all the time. They say, ‘Let’s go,’ and we go.”
The Kardinals do indeed have a plethora of capable pitchers, a stable of six reliable hurlers. None are exactly going to blow people away, but they certainly have the ability to get people out.
Junior David Duran is a solid hurler who has been part of the Kardinal baseball program for what seems like decades.
“I said to one of my assistant coaches that it feels like we have been coaching David forever,” Smart said of the multi-talented Duran, a former Observer Athlete of the Week honoree for baseball. “I’ve known him for as long as I’ve known anybody.”
Smart like the diminutive Duran’s approach on the mound.
“He just has a lot of movement on his pitches,” Smart said. “He has that bulldog mentality that you want in an athlete. He’s also very consistent.”
When he’s not pitching, Duran holds down the fort at second base. Duran batted close to .400 last season.
Another quality pitcher is senior C.J. McBride, who is another reliable thrower.
“He uses a fastball, a curveball and a change,” Smart said of McBride.
Sophomore Chris Serrano might be the best overall athlete on the team. Serrano is a standout pitcher and shortstop when he’s not pitching.
“He throws effortlessly,” Smart said. “He looks like he’s going through the motions and the ball seems to slip out of his hands. But he throws the ball hard. He’s also always looking to succeed.”
Senior Joshua Irizarry is another player who doesn’t mind helping out on the mound.
“He says, ‘Just give me the ball,’ and he’ll go,” Smart said of Irizarry. “He has a lot of movement on his pitches. He is more focused on being an infielder.”
Sophomore Jack Cullen has perhaps the most promise. He has good size (6-foot-3) and throws hard.
“He’s just a big, strong kid,” Smart said. “If he can learn to use his body properly, he can be very effective.”
Jason McChesney rounds out the pitching staff. The junior has the most unconventional approach on the mound.
“He has a herky, jerky motion that deceives batters,” Smart said of McChesney. “He’s very hard to hit. Batters usually hit ground balls or pop-ups against him. He makes you hit his pitches. He has a great approach.”
Needless to say, Smart likes his pitching staff.
“They’re smart and scrappy,” Smart said. “As long as we hit our spots, we should be fine.”
The catcher is talented senior Travis Witt, who has remarkably recovered from a horrific injury that he suffered during the football season, requiring major surgery. Witt missed most of the wrestling season after the surgery, but he’s recovered now to retain his position behind the plate.
“Health always comes first,” Smart said. “The fact that he’s healthy and happy is the most important thing. That’s the news I can use every day. The beauty about Travis is that he gets everybody going. He leads by example. I think the other guys understand what Travis has gone through. He’s our guy.”
Sophomore Conor MacConchie is Witt’s backup behind the plate. MacConchie is a solid reserve who will also see time in other positions.
Cullen will share time at first base with junior Jack Michaels, with Duran returning to his position at second base. Junior Vincent Ruccatano fills in at second base when Duran is on the mound.
Serrano is the full-time shortstop, but when he takes the mound, Duran slides over to play short. Duran is the team’s leadoff hitter and offensive igniter.
“Teams hate to play against him,” Smart said of Duran. “We love having him.”
As for Serrano?
“That’s a position that is covered,” Smart said. “I don’t worry about Chris.”
Third base duties are shared by Irizarry and McChesney.
“My infield is set,” Smart said. “We have a very good infield.”
Junior Russell Richards is the team’s starter in left field.
“He played as a freshman,” Smart said of Richards. “But he’s back now and works hard every day. I see good things on the horizon for Russell. I think he can be a player who makes things happen for us.”’
Ruccatano is seeing time in centerfield along with senior Anthony Bianchini. The right field duties are being shared by seniors McBride and Hector Torres and MacConchie.
The Kardinals open their season April 2 against St. Peter’s Prep. Needless to say, Smart is ready for the challenge that begins in a few weeks.
“I think we’re going to be a solid team,” Smart said. “The key will be our pitching. If we’re going to be the team we think we can be, it will be because of our pitching. I’m very confident with our pitchers.”
Credit pitching coach Jeff Caputo with getting the Kardinal hurlers ready. But the rest of the team has to be Kardinal smart like the main Kardinal Smart.
CAPTION
The Kearny pitching staff looks to lead the way for the new season. From left are C.J. McBride, David Duran, Joshua Irizarry, head coach Dave Smart, Greg Drefko, Jack Cullen, Hector Torres and Jason McChesney. Photo by Jim Hague
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”