Berwick City Cougars playing coach Wayne Porter was satisfied with his club’s season, but knows more pitching depth is vital to its future chances.By Marc McGowan
CALLING all pitchers – the Berwick City Cougars want to hear from you.
Following the completion of their eight-win season – their most successful in Baseball Victoria’s Division Three competition – the Cougars know improving their pitching depth is the key to taking another step forward.
That cause has not been helped by the loss of reliable veteran Jude Power, who manned the mound in most games this summer.
Power is relocating to Nowra, New South Wales, in his role as a pilot in the navy.
Behind him there is a host of talented but raw teenage options, including Matthew and Martin Kennedy, Joel Anderson and Daniel Betreen.
But playing coach Wayne Porter knows it will be a tough ask to rely on his youngsters to pick up Power’s slack.
“After Jude, all the rest of our pitchers are 18 and under and we can’t really lay our hopes on all of them, who are still trying to juggle juniors and seniors,” he said.
“Recruiting a pitcher would be number one for us at the moment. The more throwers we have the better off we will be.
“I’d like to think there was a tree I could go to and pluck one from, but baseball is a bit of a tribal thing where people only leave if they have a reason – you can’t just say, ‘come play here’.”
Power’s presence throughout the season disguised this weakness and put most of the spotlight on Berwick City’s batters, who struggled for extended patches.
There were games in which the Cougars exploded at the plate, but more where they went missing.
Berwick City’s most valuable player and batting average winner Luke Hornstra was one Cougar who was a consistent force.
But Hornstra is weighing up his playing future and may not be back at Cyril Molyneux Reserve next season.
His potential absence, combined with Power’s enforced exit, would be a major blow to Berwick City’s 2008-09 chances.
However, there is still much to like about the Cougars, with rookie of the year Jake McLardy and impressive shortstop Jack Spears sure to be better for their experiences this year.
Porter has also earmarked 14-year-old Victorian representative slugger John King, 13-year-old pitcher/infielder Adam Silva and 14-year-old beanpole Mark Surtees as names to watch.
The Berwick City mentor believes things could get worse before they get better, but has his eyes on making the leap to Division Two in the not-too-distant future.
“There were a few games we probably should have put up a little better show, including three losses to Chelsea, who finished below us,” Porter said.
“We’re starting the journey – we’ve made the first step – and I want everyone to have more pride in where they’re playing.
“We’re not going to be anyone’s whipping boys and we have every reason to be proud.”
