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2003 PREVIEW BASEBALL: HART TO HAVE NEW STRATEGY, SAME GOAL INDIANS WILL PLAY SMALL BALL IN TRYING TO RULE LEAGUE AGAIN.


Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

NEWHALL - This is a different Hart High baseball team. The Indians INDIANS. The aborigines of this country are so called.
     2. In general, Indians have no political rights in the United States; they cannot vote at the general elections for officers, nor hold office.
 want to make that clear. The style of play is different and so are most of the starters. Also gone is the status of being defending league champion and the favorite to win the season's title.

But as unfamiliar as Hart might appear, don't count on the Indians being too far from their usual spot atop the Foothill League. They will just be taking an alternate route An official alternate route is a bannered highway that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. Originally, the term for these routes was "optional"; but in 1959, the designation became alternate. .

``It's not the way we've usually done it,'' Hart coach Jim Ozella said. ``But there's nothing that says you can't win that way.''

Gone are the power hitters, replaced by players with speed and the ability to play small ball. Good pitching and defense will be counted on to be the foundation.''

All-Southern Section shortstop Chris Valaika and fellow senior Danny Williams Danny Williams may refer to:
  • Danny Williams (politician) (born 1949), current Premier of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador
  • Danny Williams (boxer) (born 1973), British heavyweight professional boxer best-known for his 2004 knockout of Mike Tyson
, a first baseman and pitcher, are the only returning starters.

``Really, other than two guys, everybody did not play much,'' Ozella said. ``We've got a lot of new guys, it looks a lot different.''

Although most of the players are new to the spotlight, they are not youngsters unfamiliar with varsity play or the competitiveness of the league. The majority of the team consists of seniors, many of whom were reserves last year. They have a sense of immediacy im·me·di·a·cy  
n. pl. im·me·di·a·cies
1. The condition or quality of being immediate.

2. Lack of an intervening or mediating agency; directness: the immediacy of live television coverage.
 for success, and seeing Hart's string of four consecutive league titles end last year, when the Indians finished third behind co-leaders Valencia and Canyon, reinforced the notion that winning isn't a given.

Among the seniors stepping in are left-handed left-handed
adj.
Using the left hand more skillfully or easily than the right.
 pitcher/outfielder Kyle <noinclude></noinclude>

''This article or section is being rewritten at

One derivation of the surname is from the Scottish Highland word caol, 'channel', or 'strait'. There are other possible derivations (see below).
 Boggio, outfielder Paxton Howard, pitcher Chad Smith For other persons named Chad Smith, see Chad Smith (disambiguation).

Chad Smith (born 25 October 1961, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.) the drummer of the American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers.
, catcher Ian Feldman and first baseman/designated hitter Keith Guerrero, who missed last season because of knee surgery.

``Those guys, it's their last year,'' Ozella said. ``They've waited and bided their time and now it's their turn. They've got to step up and show what they can do.''

They showed their potential by finishing second in their summer league and by defeating nationally ranked Camarillo Camarillo (kă'mərē`yō), city (1990 pop. 52,303), Ventura co., S Calif.; inc. 1964. It is the center of a fertile farm area where citrus fruits and flowers are grown.  in a scrimmage on Saturday.

A pitching staff anchored by four left-handers is the biggest strength. Even after the recent departure of sophomore ace Won Yoo, who returned to South Korea, Hart has so much depth it hasn't decided who will start and who will relieve beyond Boggio's scheduled start in Friday's opener against Chaminade of West Hills.

The pitchers have the luxury of knowing they have one of the region's best shortstops behind them in UC Santa Barbara-bound Valaika. Valaika also serves as the ultimate clutch hitter n. 1. (Baseball) a batter who hits safely more frequently when men are on base or the team is behind in the score.
Clutching at the phantoms of the stock market.
- Bankroft.
, teaming with Williams to provide one of the few sources of offensive power.

``I think we're going to be competitive,'' Ozella said. ``Even in the league we're in, as tough as it is. They've made a lot of improvements. They've stepped up a lot and worked hard. We need to certainly play well and we need to continue to improve to stay competitive, but they've shown that potential.

``We don't have a lot of big-name players to rely on like we have in the past. They know we're going to have to play the game differently than Hart's played in the past few years since I've been here.''

AT A GLANCE

Team: Hart baseball

Coach: Jim Ozella

2002: 15-11-1, 9-5-1, third place in Foothill League

Key returnees: Chris Valaika, Sr., SS; Danny Williams, Sr., 1B.

Key newcomers: Shane Carlson, So., 2B; Tyler Fick, So., P/OF P/OF Pinhole Occulter Facility ; Keith Guerrero, Sr., DH.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Hart senior pitcher Steve Sanchez is just one of many Indians who will be relied on to change Hart from a power-hitting team to one that's more defense oriented o·ri·ent  
n.
1. Orient The countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia.

2.
a. The luster characteristic of a pearl of high quality.

b. A pearl having exceptional luster.

3.
.

Julio Cortez/Daily News

Box:

AT A GLANCE
COPYRIGHT 2003 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Mar 4, 2003
Words:618
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