Baseball: VIBL has begun, and look who's in first place

The Valley Invitational Baseball League, one of the best summer leagues in Southern California, has begun, and players from Chatsworth High are off to a 3-0 start.

The league is a terrific way to see which teams and players might be good in 2013.

Last summer, a young El Camino Real team started playing well, and the Conquistadores went on to win the City Section Division I championship.

West Ranch, Harvard-Westlake, Hart, Crespi and Simi Valley are among the 19 teams entered.

Beware of Crespi senior pitcher Andy Frakes. He's a sidearmer who's already thrown one shutout this summer.

The 16-team South Bay Baseball Summer League begins action next week. Their championship game will be July 30 at Marine Park.

-- Eric Sondheimer