Despite differences, Keys close

by Don Stewart, Reading Eagle

Posted on July 13, 2006

Like many Reading teams, the Gregg Post Keys are a splendid cocktail of backgrounds and races. They're easily the most diverse team in a Berks Legion League filled with suburban, rural and small-town clubs.

Seriously, what other team has the equivalent of a Gonzalez, a Swavely and three Riveras?

Their diversity carries over to language. The team's abundance of Spanish speakers makes for some interesting dugout chatter.

“I think we probably have the most exciting dugout in the county,” lefty Brad Swavely said. “Sometimes, we don't even know what we're saying. But we're all yelling, we're all excited.”

Despite their differences, the Keys are a tight-knit bunch. Actually, they're not all that different from each other, especially when it comes to baseball.

“We talk about baseball on and off the field,” shortstop Jeff Lluberes said.

Behind a chemistry some would consider surprising, the Keys have been surprisingly strong this season. At 18-3, they've already put up the most wins by a Gregg Post team since 1997 while earning a No. 2 seed for the Berks Legion League playoffs, which begin today at four sites.

The Keys open the double-elimination tournament with a 7 p.m. game against Kutztown at George Field. In other games, Muhlenberg travels to Fleetwood (5 p.m.), Boyertown hosts Hamburg (7) and Exeter heads to West Lawn (7).

Especially after knocking off league juggernaut Boyertown Saturday, the Keys are heading into the playoffs with championship confidence.

“We really didn't have many expectations from other people,” Swavely said. “But we knew what we were capable of.”

Gregg Post won 24 of the league's first 25 titles, but has been shut out since 1973. Though none of the current Keys were born before 1987, they're quite aware of their team's history. Assistant coach Rick Denunzio, who was on that 1973 squad, reminds them of it every day.

Denunzio has even brought 33-year-old pictures and newspaper clippings to practice as motivation.

“We want to win this year because we haven't been this good since the 1973 season,” Lluberes said. “We're capable of being just as good as that team.”

Second-year head coach Brad Reinhart feels Gregg Post has had the ability to win big games through the years. Its players have just lacked the confidence to bring it all together.

The psychological tide began to turn last summer, when the Keys lost in 12 innings to Boyertown in the league semifinals.

“They just needed some confidence,” Reinhart said. “There's some good players there. They just needed to believe in what they're doing.”

Twelve players from last year's team returned. The Keys also got two from the defunct Reading White Sox, including Joe Pietrobone. The second baseman is leading the team with a .439 average and 34 RBIs.

Americo O'Valle was another vital addition. The lefty, who sat out last season, has bolstered the depth of the rotation with a 5-0 record and a 1.88 earned-run average.

Pitching and consistently strong fielding have been the keys to the Keys' solid season, along with confidence. And a special amount of chemistry.

“They really do get along,” Reinhart said. “I have never been around a team that loves to play the game as much as these guys.”

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