By Adam Aucoin
Staff Writer
The Vermont American Legion baseball tournament makes its return to Rutland in late July and the hometown bunch would love to be there.
The Rutland Post 31 team had just its second practice on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, it plays its first game when White River Junction comes to town.
With high school baseball championships just wrapping up on Sunday, the turnaround to Legion ball is quick, so teams across the state will be meshing on the fly.
“It’s a lot of new players for us, but it’s all guys that love to play baseball, which is great,” said Post 31 coach Mike Howe. “Expectations are always to play the last weekend of the season. We’re hosting the finals of the state tournament and we hope to be there.
“It’s going to take us gelling quickly as a team. It’s a short season, but it’s a grind. We’re going to get in as many practices as we can and try to put guys in positions to be successful.”
Being that Tuesday was just the second day of practice, positions aren’t incredibly set for Rutland. There are a bunch of guys who could play all over the field, given the situation.
Howe highlighted the importance of having ample pitching depth in a summer season, where you’re playing lots of games in a week.
Post 31 has a few guys who were aces on their respective high school staffs and many arms to go along with them.
Fraser Pierpont, who was a standout for an Otter Valley club coached by Howe this spring, should be a force on the hill.
Griff Briggs, from Arlington High, was as reliable as they come for Rutland during the Vermont Summer Baseball League (VSBL) season last summer. The VSBL was the substitute for the canceled 2020 American Legion season.
Ethan Blow, Andy McEnerny, Chase de Castro, Jonah Boyea, Matt Greeno, Taylor Therriault, Jordan Beayon, Cameron Rider, Cannon Petry and Tim Blanchard are all guys who could see time on the mound.
“In summer, there’s no such thing as too many pitchers,” Howe said.
Alex Polli will handle the catching duties for Rutland once again.
From there, Post 31 has a lot of guys who could mix into different spots.
Other players on the Rutland roster are Ryan Flanders, Braeden Carleton, Mike Schillinger, Sam Arnold and Brett Woodward.
“A lot of it will be figuring out these next few days to see where guys can really contribute,” Howe said. “We’re just going to end up moving guys around from place to place to see where they best fit. I think there are a lot of guys that are going to be strong contributors for us.”
Post 31 loses a few major contributors from last year’s club in the VSBL, but a pair are coming back to help Howe and assistant coach Jamie Briggs this year.
Nate Hudson and Josh Beayon, who both play at Keene State College, are coming back to help coach.
Josh Beayon, in particular, was helping some of the first baseman with scoops on throws in the dirt at the beginning of Tuesday’s practice.
“That’s going to be a huge asset for us to show these guys the right way to do things,” Howe said. “Especially things (Josh and Nate) learned at the college level. We’re looking forward to them helping us out and contributing to us that way.”
Rutland plays in the Southern Division, along with Bellows Falls, Bennington, Brattleboro, Lakes Region and White River Junction. Manchester joins the fold in the Southern Division this summer as well.
The VSBL was an incredibly successful alternative to American Legion last summer, but there’s nothing that compares to the real thing.
“The whole goal is to have fun. Legion baseball is a lot fun, getting a bunch of different guys together, playing high-quality baseball,” Howe said.
The camaraderie, reciting the American Legion pledge before games and all the pageantry is back. All that’s left to do is to throw the first pitch.
Rutland’s opener against White River Junction Post 84 is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Peter’s Field.
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adam.aucoin @rutlandherald.com
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