Post 268 players adapting to rigors of summer

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Every time a new group comes together for a particular endeavor, there is a period of adjustment. After a little over a week of the American Legion baseball season, Wheaton Post 268 has found itself in the middle of one. Though Post 268 lost the first six games of its season, there is the belief that as the learning curve accelerates, wining will follow.

‘‘The guys are very young,” Post 268 manager Bob Dorsett said. ‘‘We’re trying to raise their ability to the level that it takes to play American Legion baseball. They are getting better, and they are starting to have a little fun.”

In addition, Dorsett is trying to attract a few more players to the team. Through the first two weeks of the season, Post 268’s turnout for games and practices has fluctuated between nine and 15 players, but with the end of beach week, that number should stabilize at the higher end, as recent high-school graduates return to the field. Post 268 will also try out a few new players in the coming weeks in an attempt to get the roster to 18 players.

In the meantime, the current players have showed some promise. Kevin Jones, an outfielder from Good Counsel, is leading the team with a .460 batting average, followed by Michael Ross, who is hitting .375. Shortstop Gary Stewart, who played for Good Counsel’s junior varsity this spring, has adjusted nicely to the pace of American Legion pitching. Through the first six games, he was hitting .320.

‘‘He’s really made a big step up,” Dorsett said. ‘‘It is a tremendous jump to go from a JV team to American Legion. He is going to be a very good ballplayer.”

That period of acclimatization is what Dorsett is trying to get his players to see. American Legion ball is a different animal from high school, according to Dorsett, and players have to rely on intensity and anticipation to get through the tougher competition.

‘‘They aren’t yet at that level,” Dorsett said. ‘‘They don’t necessarily see the patterns in the game, yet. They don’t have the anticipation. They don’t totally understand the philosophy of hitting. In high school, a team might have one good pitcher, but every American Legion team has at least three. There isn’t any let-up.”

John Bergwall’s intensity of late has made the manager feel as if the team is turning the corner. The Wheaton High product, who is hitting .290, is driving the ball with some power, and many of his outs have been hard-hit balls that have found leather because of strong defensive plays.

Scott Bergwall has also provided some positives from the mound, posting a 2.50 earned-run average through 11 innings. Though Post 268 lost to Gaithersburg Post 295, 8-1, on Thursday, Bergwall kept Wheaton in Friday’s rematch at Wheaton High. The game was suspended because of rain with the score tied, 2-2.

‘‘They are starting to see that they can play good baseball,” Dorsett said. ‘‘They are making contact and moving the ball. We’re looking for the breakout game, and then the wins will come. That’s what the season is about. They are young, and they need to take advantage of their opportunities, but they’re getting closer. They want to compete.”