Fall baseball begins after late start
Matt Wilhalme
Teams in MCC’s fall baseball conference have already played more than 20 games this season, but Head Coach Tony Cirelli is just getting started with his season.”I won’t put a team out there wearing a Mesa uniform that’s not ready, I just won’t do it,” Cirelli said.
Cirelli has kept his team on the practice field, running situational drills and developing his players’ understanding of the intricate strategies and approaches to baseball Cirelli has used with great success over the past 14 years as head coach of the men’s baseball team.
This season’s team has many returning sophomore players serving in leadership roles and helping to coach the young or freshman players.
“The toughest part for a freshman team playing at the junior college level is the speed of the game,” Cirelli said.
They come from teams that use metal bats, and are used to comfortably taking on pitchers that throw around 78 mph, but at the junior college level, they will typically see more pitchers throwing 88 mph.
Taking criticism is a large part of become a better player, Cirelli said. Many freshman players come from schools where they were stars, and did not have to put forth much effort to be successful.
When they come out to bat, they immediately reach for the fences and are often disappointed.
“With a wood bat game there is not a lot of guys in the league hitting homeruns, they have to make adjustments,” Cirelli said, “If we play good defense, run the bases hard, and pitch we have a good chance out there everyday to win.”
One of the most successful coaches in MCC’s history, Cirelli has won more than 500 games in his coaching career at MCC.
His success has come from his dedication to his players and the raw talent of his recruits. Many of his players have gone on to play at the university level and the major leagues.
Cirelli is hosting the second Annual Alumni Baseball game, coinciding with the MCC Hall of Fame induction ceremony during homecoming weeked Nov. 7-9.
