Boys baseball
Roebuck has juggling act on his hands at Brownsville Replacing a pitching staff is part of being a high school baseball coach. But Brownsville’s Scooter Roebuck will earn his money with this tricky juggling act:
His new ace, Kevin Garbutt, is the catcher.
Yes, it’s a problem coaches face every so often.
But there’s more. Brownsville’s No. 2 pitcher, Scott Fraley, is the shortstop. Fraley’s also the back-up catcher.
As they say on GladIt’sNotMe Boulevard, good luck with all that coach.
“That’s tough,” said Roebuck. “You have the kids there and you have to try to work around them.”
Has Roebuck experienced a similar juggling act?
“Not that I can think of.”
That a catcher such as Garbutt has the strongest arm on the team is not surprising. But coaches hate to juggle an arm at those two positions.
Pitchers should receive rest after a start, but it’s difficult when they play the most important defensive position in the game.
The next most important position is shortstop. And Fraley’s the No. 2 pitcher. And the back-up catcher.
Yikes.
“What could solve it is if I could have Ron White, our designated hitter and back-up third baseman, catch,” Roebuck said. “If he can do the job when those two are throwing, that would solve the problem. Then, when either of the pitchers isn’t throwing he can play shortstop.
“That’s a shame. I’m an ex-catcher, and I’d rather have the great catcher, and both of those guys are. So if Ronnie or another sophomore could step up, that would solve our problem right there.”
Then again, it might rain until June 15.
Spring jokes aside, Brownsville has high expectations this season. Garbutt throws in the mid-80s and Fraley is an ideal mound complement. He’s smart and has great control.
Brownsville also has its center fielder, Josh Brown, back from last year’s 6-4 squad that battled Washington for the Section 1-AA title.
The two teams moved into Section 2-AA with traditional rivals Waynesburg Central, Charleroi and Beth-Center.
“We’ve been doing pretty well lately so the expectations are always high,” Roebuck said. “I’m looking for no less than a battle for the section.”
Off last year’s team, Brownsville lost second baseman Mike Klamerus and first baseman-pitcher Dom DeCarlo to Bethany University, and right fielder-pitcher Corey Watkins to Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Replacing them will be senior Phil Hough at second base, junior Nick Jellots at first base and senior Mike Anderson in right field.
The remaining starters are third baseman Neil Novak, junior left fielders and pitchers Matt Szuch and Dale Novotny, and senior infielder Dan Guthrie.
Fraley is the athletic leadoff hitter, and will flash his aggressive base running.
The No. 3 hitter is Garbutt, an All-County player who led the team in RBIs last season and hit .345.
White will bat fourth. His home run at Washington last year almost knotted the section standings. He also missed a WPIAL playoff grand slam by a foot or so.
Brown will bat fifth.
The rest of the order will be decided by the weather, but the real juggling act, the one with the pitchers and catchers, will be more difficult.