Playoffs no cinch for CdM

John Emme said he’s worried every year as coach of the Corona del Mar High baseball team.

The Sea Kings, early on, have the 11th-year coach more concerned than in seasons past.

They opened the season with a victory, quickly followed up with five straight losses. Things were spiraling out of control before beating Costa Mesa, 5-0, Friday.

Emme expected that with a young team. Gone are shortstop Jake Lemmerman (Duke), outfielder/pitcher Austin Elliott (Orange Coast College), pitcher/center fielder Vinnie St. John (USC) and catcher Michael DiRocco (Cal State Los Angeles).

“We had 12 seniors last year, a lot of experience,” said Emme, whose team posted a 19-9 record, finished second in the Pacific Coast League at 8-4, and advanced to the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs. “We’re young and this bodes well for the future. We basically have three starters coming back.”

One of those players is junior Danny Moskovits, but he’s not returning as the pitching staff’s ace.

The right-hander won’t even pitch because Emme said doctors advised him not to due to shoulder and elbow issues. This has been a big blow. Moskovits last season went 5-3 with a 2.97 earned-run average, led the team in innings pitched (61 1/3 ), starts (11) and complete games (five).

Moskovits will bat and play third base, or wherever Emme needs the first-team all-league player. Emme said the team has committed an array of errors, the kind usually associated with inexperienced teams.

The other two starters back are junior outfielder/pitcher John Doering and junior outfielder fielder Mitch Sands. Other returnees include junior infielder/pitcher Andy Rovzar, senior infielder/designated hitter Kevin Holland and senior pitcher Trevor Jones.

The left-handed Jones is out with shoulder problems and Emme said he expects Jones to return shortly. When he does, Emme said the Sea Kings might feature three left-handed starters. The two other lefties are junior Matt Morris and senior Bret Weinberger.

“I’ve never been close to having three left-handers and it will only help us,” Emme said. “Morris has a phenomenal pickoff move to first base. He’s good for one or two those a game.”

So far, it hasn’t helped Morris much with CdM’s defensive breakdowns and lack of run support. Morris is 0-2 with a 1.40 ERA. He leads the team with a .444 batting average.

Unlike last year, when two Sea Kings hit better than .400 and seven topped the .300 mark, only two other players are carrying .300-or-better averages. CdM already dropped the Battle of the Bay game against rival Newport Harbor, the first time that’s happened since 2004.

This is cause for concern. The Sea Kings’ 10 consecutive postseason appearances under Emme might be in jeopardy if they don’t improve.

“I’m worried every year about making the playoffs,” said Emme, who has won two of the program’s three CIF section championships. “This is nothing new. But I might be more worried.”

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.