Coach Kelly McGiffin previews the 2008 So Cal A-1 Bombers

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2007 was a good hard working season for the Bombers and through the off-season there’s been a lot of internet talk about the losses we’ve suffered in terms of roster. I thought as Head Coach, I’d talk a little about that and outline why I believe the 2008 A-1 Bombers will be even stronger going into this season.

There is no doubt that on the surface, losing Evan Potskin, Chad Ghostkeeper, Adam Lalonde, Sean Whitten, Tony Peeples, Darrell Tilley, Marc Santillano, Scrappy Crawford and Geoff Evely appears to be substantial.

However, I just have to look at our additions for 2008 – Chad Boom, Robbie O’Brien, Darrell Sandback, Eduardo Leonardo, Joe Morales, Kris Waverick, Manuel Mata, and Dave Kimura – to know that we’ve been able to make up a lot of ground.

Let me talk about our pitching. Lucas Mata (El Matador) returns to pick up where he left off. At 28 years old this season, he is just starting to reach his prime and his spot on the roster gives us a true number one pitcher, in my opinion, he is the best in the World. I also believe that by adding Rob O’Brien as his counterpart for this season we have complemented Lucas tremendously with a veteran pitcher that hits his spots and gives us a tremendous and legitimate back to back threat.

OB has been a top ten pitcher since leading Canada’s Junior National team to a World Championship over New Zealand in 1993. He’s played with Lucas before on the County teams of a few years back and is a two time All-World pitcher. At 34, he has plenty of life in his arm and knows how to pitch. And the bonus is that he brings one of the games strongest left-handed bats to the Bomber lineup. We believe that our one/two punch of Mata and O’Brien is as good as anyone’s in the game.

Offensively, adding the bats of Boom (former All World player and perhaps the USA’s best hitter), Sandback (Canadian National team player and an All World player for the formidable County team), Leonardo (2 time All World OF), and O’Brien to the already potent line up of Darren Box, Nate Devine, Landy Rodriguez, Jason Porto and Raymundo Parra, gives the Bombers plenty of firepower.

Steve Pinocchio, Mike Butler, Dave Kimura, Leonardo, and the young Manuel Mata (the Argentina National team’s starting SS) provide plenty of speed to set up those big bats and/or offer wheels off the bench at any given time.

Defensively our catchers are solid with Rodriguez and Box returning and the addition of Waverick (whom Doug Chase believes can be outstanding with the right direction). Up the middle, you don’t get better than Butler, Morales and Pinocchio and if the young Mata is as good as billed, we’re very deep defensively. The corners are of course well looked after with combinations of Boom, Sandback, O’Brien, Parra and Rodriguez.

Our OF with Leonoardo in CF is as strong defensively and add in the arms of Porto, Box, and Devine and depth with Kimura and we have no defensive liabilities anywhere. We can truly put out a variety of combinations and utilize defensive strengths as games wear on.

The coaching staff stays in tact with myself and Rob Shick for the bulk of the season – and as he frees up his time, Doug Chase will again join us for key tournaments, including the World’s (where he will be inducted to the ISC Hall of Fame this year).

The key for the 2008 Bombers, is to continue improving by building on last year’s experience. In 2005, the Bombes basically made an appearance at the World’s. In 2006 we ended our season with a top ten finish. And of course in 2007 we made the Championship game.

We did so however without really playing our best ball. After winning at top tournaments like Red Rock, Monkton and Vancouver last year and then getting to that World Championship final, we know we can defeat any team at any time. That confirmation is a big mental lift for our players going into the next season. The Bombers no longer have to prove they are a potent team, we are now one of the team’s to beat, and with that confirmation comes a new confidence in entering a season.

Our core players have been through that grind the last few years and as a result will be better again this year. And I am very confident that the players that the Trejo family have been able to add into the mix for 2008 will push us back into the territory of legitimately competing for that World Championship.

I feel very strongly that while we lost some quality players, we have been fortunate to gain even more and stand to be a stronger team in 2008 than we were in 2007. I look forward to seeing you at the ballpark.

Kelly McGiffin
Head Coach
SoCal A-1 Bombers