Wright and Adams Hope to Lead JBS To Big Season

Andy Katzman has been around a lot of successful players and teams during his nearly 30 years at John Burroughs, both as a player and coach.

The Bombers won the state title in 2002 and also had several other good post-season runs.

But Katzman feels that the 2011 version of the Bombers has the best middle infield combination of any team he has fielded with senior shortstop Robert Wright and junior second baseman Nathan Adams.

"They are by far the best middle infield combination I have been around," Katzman said. "Robert put together one of the best statistical years that any player I have coached had last year. He is a high school star and Nathan is a Division I player and one of the fastest kids in the St. Louis area."

Wright, who was starting full-time for the first time last year, led the Bombers with a .480 batting average while tying the school record with seven homers. He also had 33 RBI. He was just as impressive defensively, making just two errors all season.

Adams, who hits leadoff for the Bombers, had a .456 batting average and stole 20 bases.

Wright and Adams head up what could be a very potent Bomber batting order this year. Junior outfielder Davey Holmes returns after hitting .373 with 20 RBI. And three-year starter Karlos Bledsoe is also back in the outfield after hitting over .300 last season.

Junior catcher Sam Hefler returns as the starter behind the plate and a pair of freshmen should be immediate contributors on the varsity level. Southpaw Alex Jasek has the potential to be the eventual ace on the mound for the Bombers and will also see time at first base. Jake Wood is the likely starter at third base.

The big question coming into the season is with the pitching. The Bombers had an all-senior rotation last year. Senior Tyler Moon is the only pitcher returning with any experience and his was limited.

"Everybody else who throws a pitch this ear will have thrown their first varsity pitch," Katzman said.

Juniors Amos Shinkle, Nick Buelick and Spencer Beyersdorfer will all get their opportunities on the mound.

"I don't ever remember in my time having such inexperience with the pitching," Katzman said. "Amos and Nick were our top two pitchers on the junior varsity last year but moving up to varsity is like going from Triple A to the major leagues. If these guys had throw strikes I feel we have the capability of having a very good team.

"We are very skilled one through nine in the lineup. Our goals are to show improvement across the board from the start of the season to the finish. This team should win a lot of games."

Burroughs, which finished 15-8 last year and lost in the Class 3 District 5 championship game to Westminster, opens the 2011 season with four games in Florida next week.