The Peninsula's prize catches

It's safe to say that Jack Armstrong was destined to become a catcher. Phill, his dad, played the position as a youth. His older brother Ian was an All-WCAL backstop last year at Serra and is now starting at St. Mary's College.

Call it the family business.

Everyone who steps onto a Little League field gives catching a try, Armstrong says. The first foul tip that rifles back and leaves a mark – black and blue are the team colors in the profession – generally causes a change of heart.

A relative few "fall in love with the grind and process of trying to perfect the concept of catching," said Armstrong, who is currently nursing three bruises – two on the legs and one on the arm.

The bruises – war wounds that are shown off with pride – come with the territory, he says.

"It's not a fun feeling, but as you continue to play, you understand it's part of the job," he said. "You just have to brush it off and get ready for the next pitch."

Not coincidentally, all five of the remaining Peninsula Division I and Division II teams in the CCS tournament feature a strong presence behind the plate.

Serra's Armstrong, along with Jordan Ortiz (Valley Christian), Gino Cappellazzo (Saint Francis), Lucas Zayac (Capuchino) and JT Anderson (Menlo-Atherton) have played significant roles – and underrated ones at that – in getting their respective teams to the CCS semifinal round.

The semifinal round begins today at three venues – Excite Park in San Jose, Santa Clara University and Sollecito Park in Monterey – and all five of those catchers will be at the center of the action.

"It's definitely not a coincidence," Zayac said. "I've seen some of those catchers throughout this year and they are all solid (defensively) and vocal leaders for their teams. They keep the team together with their leadership."

Add to the mix guys like Joey Donati (Terra Nova), AJ Wineinger (St. Ignatius Prep), Chuck Wynn (Menlo School), Cooper Salter (Mitty), Nate Plata (The King's Academy) and Logan Mathias (Sequoia) – all of whom got their teams into the CCS tournament – and you begin to understand how much catching dept there is around here.

"The CCS is well-representing catching-wise," Armstrong said. "The Bay Area, in general, is really solid for catching. ... I feel like so many kids in the Bay enjoy catching so much."

A good catcher is a quarterback and a traffic cop. He's a sniper and a ringleader. No team gets very far without one. He is charged with shutting down the opponent's running game, managing the pitchers and contributing anything he can on offense, too.

"If you look at the recent success of all the teams at the top of the standings, they have been very good behind the plate," said Saint Francis coach Erik Wagle, who calls Cappellazzo, just a junior who has already committed to Santa Clara University, "our rock from multiple angles."

It's a job that consists of constant squatting, the blocking of spiked sinkers and curveballs, and runaway fastballs, while absorbing those ricocheting foul tips. Truth be known, few can handle the punishment that comes with the assignment.

But those who can embrace it. It's not for everyone, but through the grit, grime and pain, the good ones – while not always appreciated as much as they should be – shine brightly.

Here are the five who are still alive in the upper tiers of the CCS tourney.

JT Anderson, senior, Menlo-Atherton

The old baseball adage is team success is predicated on strength up the middle, which – along with a rotation of Wes Peterson and Jack Molise – perfectly explains Menlo-Atherton's run to the CCS-Division II semifinal round.

Merrick Lee is a solid centerfield (and leadoff man), the double play combination of shortstop Will Roberts and Ryder Kelly can make every play defensively. And behind the plate JT Anderson is everything coach Jordan Paroubeck wants in a catcher.

Not only has Anderson shut down the opposition's running game, but also, he has been stellar when it comes to managing Peterson and Molise, Paroubeck said. That's not as simple as it might seem because Peterson, who relies on his fastball to get hitters out, and Molise, a guy who pounds the strike zone, are vastly different types of pitchers.

"With such talented arms on our staff – and with different movement profiles – there's no way we could be as successful without a plus defensive catcher behind the plate," Paroubeck said. "Our pitchers are always confident when throwing to JT."

Whatever he contributes offensively is considered a bonus. The senior has just eight hits, including a home run, but has driven in seven runs for the Bears, who count on him more for other things.

Jack Armstrong, senior, Serra

Any uncertainty about the catching situation at Serra entering the new season was quickly answered when Jack Armstrong showed early on that he was up to the task of taking the reins from his brother.

He brings a different vibe – and more compact body style – than Ian Armstrong, but coach Mat Keplinger couldn't be happier with that he's gotten from the younger Armstrong, who will lug his catcher's gear to the College of San Mateo in the fall.

"A big part of what makes Jack successful is the consistent energy and effort he brings on a daily basis," Keplinger said. "... He has a high baseball IQ, which helps in our game planning and in game adjustment. Most of all, he has fun showing up to the yard and playing game and that rubs off on everyone."

Armstrong said he is a better catcher today than he was at the start of the season and much of that has to do with Keplinger.

"I think my game has improved in my receiving and my IQ," he said. "Having Coach Kep and being able to learn from him over the last two years has been truly amazing. He brings so much ball knowledge to the table.

"Whenever he talks about the game, I'm all ears."

Gino Cappellazzo, junior, Saint Francis

If you only saw Saint Francis' 2-1 CCS-Division I quarterfinal victory over St. Ignatius Prep on Saturday, you'd understand Cappellazzo's importance to everything the Lancers do.

Offensively, the cleanup hitter didn't do much. A walk, a strikeout and a line drive back to the box – maybe the hardest hit ball of the day by the Lancers – that Chase Gordon snagged and threw to second for a double play that ended the sixth inning.

If he were playing, say, left field, he could have taken the frustration of that missed opportunity into the field with him. Catchers don't have that luxury. They need to be in the game every pitch.

"You have to bounce back as a catcher," Cappellazzo said. "If you let it sit with you, you might put yourself and your team in a bad situation."

Cappellazzo didn't make a major offensive contribution in that game, but he helped Nick Chow throw what might have been his biggest win of his life – a six-innings, two-hit, seven-strikeout performance when he allowed just one run on 110 pitches.

"Our pitching staff has complete trust in him to catch any crazy pitch they throw," Wagle said.

Cappellazzo also made perhaps the biggest defensive play of the game. With two out and two on in the bottom of the fourth inning when he threw a seed from his knees just over Chow's shoulder to second baseman Landon King to pick off Beau Schaffer and end the threat.

"I'm super aggressive behind the plate because I find it fun to throw the ball around the field," he said.

If you've got a cannon for an arm, you fire it whenever possible. Cappellazzo also nailed Atticus Gibson trying to steal second base in the third inning.

"Gino's got a laser arm," Chow said. "My job is just to get out of the way of his throws to second."

That will be essential in Wednesday's semifinal round game against top-seeded Serra. The Padres stole a school record 105 bases this season.

"I'm going to have to be on my toes," Cappellazzo said.

Jordan Ortiz, senior, Valley Christian

Quinten Marsh said it at the start of the season. Ortiz is the inspirational leader of this team, the guy who will give the motivational speech or the on-field ass kicking – whichever of the two is most needed.

Yes, he's that guy. A lead-by-example catcher who will say what needs to be said.

The Loyola Marymount signee is also the overseer of the best pitching staff in perhaps all of California. There's some responsibility that comes with that. And he's handled it without incident.

Consider that Valley Christian has played 31 games this year. They've thrown 10 shutouts and held opposing teams to two runs or fewer in 24 of those games.

You can't do that without a solid catcher – one who understands that there are not-so-subtle differences in catching pitches from Marsh, Brock Ketelsen, Rohan Kasanagottu and Kole Laubach.

He quietly goes about his business – often flying under the radar. But his counterparts know how good Ortiz is.

"He's very well-manicured behind the plate," Cappellazzo said. "He's super confident back there. He just looks so comfortable."

He has all the tools – the arm, the footwork and the framing techniques that distinguish as one of the best on the Peninsula. Armstrong watches him closely when Serra plays against Valley.

"One thing I really like about Ortiz's game is how quick he is behind the plate," Armstrong said. "His blocking and footwork are really good and fun for another catcher to watch."

Lucas Zayac, senior, Capuchino

Zayac is a student – and a student of the game, meaning he's always learning from someone, either by listening or watching.

Capuchino played Menlo-Atherton twice and had non-league games against Saint Francis and Serra, so he's got the chance to watch most of this quintet of catchers up close.

"I'm always watching," he said. "I try to compare myself to them. I try to see what they do and incorporate it into my game."

Last summer, he and Armstrong played summer ball together and he gleaned "some tricks from him on stuff he was better than me at."

Zayac said Armstrong was superior at framing his pitches and receiving them. Nearly a year later, the Capuchino senior who will play ball at the University of La Verne in the fall, thinks he's gotten even better.

"I feel like my arm has gotten stronger and I feel like gotten more vocal and am able to control the game better than I have before."

It hasn't gone unnoticed.

"He's our leader on the field," said Capuchino coach Matt Wilson.

Of this group of catchers, Zayac might be the most polished hitter. He posted his second straight season above .400 and has 46 hits going into Wednesday's 7 p.m. CCS-Division II semifinal against Wilcox at Santa Clara University.

Catching the wave

In a season where catchers put together incredible defensive seasons, here are the statistical lines on some more noteworthy Peninsula backstops: