Expectations always high for Peabody baseball

PEABODY ? Expectations are always high for the Peabody High baseball team. The Tanners have been to the state tournament 14 straight times, and are coming off another fine season in which they compiled a 15-8 record.Peabody’s 2008 season ended in somewhat disappointing fashion, as it dropped a wild 16-15 game in 12 innings to Newton North in the preliminary round of Division 1 North tournament. It was the first year since 1997 the Tanners did not win a post-season game and an uncharacteristic early exit for a team that had made it to at least the Div. 1 semifinals the three prior seasons.From that team, Peabody has seven seniors returning and adds a good group of underclassmen to fill in the holes created by the departure of almost the entire infield and outfield from last season. Coach Mark Bettencourt is pleased with what he’s seen thus far during pre-season workouts.”So far, so good,” Bettencourt said. “There are a lot of new faces, which is a good thing. Peabody has a great baseball tradition and I think kids like to be a part of that.”As it has been in the past with players like Jeff Allison, Peter Soteropoulos and Mark Shorey, the strength of this Peabody team figures to be its pitching. Marc Linehan, Chris Gaudet and Patrick Dumas all have experience on the mound.They’ll be throwing to catcher Brian Latorella, a senior who has plenty of experience handling a pitching staff and should provide stability at the sport’s second-most important defensive position.Mark Finnochio is another returning senior who will likely start. A second baseman at the start of last season, Finnocchio replaced Northeastern Conference All-Star shortstop Josh Band when Band was hurt, and Finnocchio brings experience and skill to the middle infield.In the outfield, the most experienced returning player is Jared Shields, whose hallmark was versatility last season but figures to see most of his action in centerfield this year. Tom Ciulla, who was the Tanners’ designated hitter in 2008 but could play in leftfield this season. Big things are expected of Ciulla offensively.The rest of the team will be callups from last year’s junior varsity squad. They won’t have much time to learn, since once against Bettencourt has compiled one of the toughest schedules in the state. In addition to the Northeastern Conference slate, the Tanners are taking on the entire Catholic Conference, and open the season at home on Friday, April 3 against Xaverian, All five Catholic Conference teams made the tournament last season, and Boston College High won the Div. 1 state title, defeating North sectional champ Malden Catholic in the state semefinal.Peabody also plays a non-league game against Tewksbury, a Div. 2 North quarterfinalist last year.”I’d rather play a tough schedule and be battle-tested heading into the tournament,” Bettencourt said. “We don’t have a lot of easy games. We found out last year the NEC is for real. We were undefeated our last year the (Greater Boston League) and then we came here and lost four games in the NEC. The league is legit, and we’re excited about being a part of it.”The Tanners open their scrimmage schedule today at Malden, and then play at home against the Golden Tornadoes on Wednesday. Pentucket comes to Peabody on Friday and the Tanners close out the pre-season with a home-and-away set with North Reading next Monday and Tuesday.