After compiling a surprising 17-6 record last year, veteran St. Joseph of the Palisades baseball coach <B>Manny Cardenas</B> didn’t know what to expect for the 2000 baseball campaign.
“Although we lost four senior starters from last year, I still knew we had a good nucleus,” said Cardenas, who began his 17th year as head coach of the Blue Jays. “I thought we would be OK. I knew that we had some good young players, but it all depended on how fast they would come along.”
The Blue Jays’ kiddie corps came through in a huge way right away. Cardenas had no qualms about starting a freshman, <B>Jon-Erik Zayas</B>, at shortstop and sophomores <B>Danny Alonso, Daniel Ramirez and Fernando Padron</B> at second base, third base and left field respectively. Add the youngsters with the players returning from last year’s successful season and you have the perfect blend.
“I think it’s the best mix of young players and senior leadership that I’ve ever had,” Cardenas said.
The elder statesmen among the Blue Jays accepted the newcomers with open arms, while playing far and beyond any expectations the coach could have dreamed.
Senior catcher <B>Manny Minaya</B> has been a one-man wrecking crew, batting .592 with four homers and 33 RBI. In the past week alone, Minaya had 11 hits in 13 at-bats, including three homers. Simply amazing.
Senior first baseman <B>Alex DeRojas</B> has also been mashing the ball, hitting at a .444 clip. Junior pitcher/designated hitter <B>Kenny Casares</B> is hitting .478 with 23 RBI. Senior centerfielder <B>Dale Perez</B> is creating numbers usually associated with kitchen cleaners, batting .409.
You get the picture. The Blue Jays are hitting, so therefore they must be winning. And they are, capturing 13 of their first 15 games of the new season.
Among those 13 wins was a very special victory for Cardenas. He collected the 200th win of his coaching career – a tenure that almost came to an end a few years ago. Frustrated that the Blue Jays were simply not winning and having a tough time remaining even competitive, Cardenas considered walking away.
“My daughter talked me out of quitting,” Cardenas said. “As far as she’s concerned, the baseball players are her brothers. She wouldn’t let me quit. And now, I’m glad she did that.”
Because in his 17th year, Cardenas is having the time of his life. Having a 13-2 record helps, but the kids are making the game fun again.
“This year’s team is so much of a parallel to a great year for us, 1992,” Cardenas said. “That year, we had a great team that won 20 games, went to the semifinals of the HCIAA and went to the sectional semifinals of the state (NJSIAA Parochial B). I always said that with the 1992 team, I could just throw out the bats and balls and they would play on their own. I never thought I’d have another team like it.”
Cardenas added, “But this team is that type of team. They’re young, but they have a good attitude and they want to play. They’re all having so much fun. I don’t think the younger guys realize that they’re supposed to have pressure on them, that they’re playing varsity. But they’ve all come through and it’s been a lot of fun.”
There’s another similarity between the 1992 team and the current variety. Cardenas won his 100th game in 1992 and captured No. 200 this season.
If there is something different, it’s the pitching depth that the Blue Jays possess. The team has three pitchers with four victories – namely Ramirez, the frosh Zayas and Casares. In fact, Casares has a 12-0 record as a varsity pitcher, serving as the team’s good luck charm.
“Actually, we have six pitchers who could pitch, which is the most we’ve ever had,” Cardenas said. “I think having the young pitching come through and give us pitching depth is the biggest reason why we’ve been so successful this year. The pitching depth, and of course, the hitting.”
The Blue Jays have four players batting .400 or better. Freshman Zayas has a gaudy .455 average. Ramirez has a .466 average. Both have four pitching victories. Not a bad combination.
“I keep looking at the numbers and thinking that something has to give,” Cardenas said. “A team can’t go on doing this good for long.”
The coach is sure to find out. Over the next nine days, the Blue Jays are scheduled to face HCIAA powers Memorial, Emerson and Union Hill, as well as solid teams like Bloomfield and Metuchen.
“Then, we’ll know how we really stand with this team,” Cardenas said. “Right now, no one could have ever imagined this team doing so well.”
The Blue Jays have struggled for so long, so the dedicated Cardenas was due for a great season. And he’s getting it.
“And, with the young players we have, we have a good future as well,” Cardenas said.
That only means more positive things for the Blue Jays for the years to come. That means Cardenas’ daughter will have her adopted brothers around for a few more years at least.