Springtime is in the air, and America's favorite pastime is beginning to blossom.

In fact, the seasons of both San Pedro and Port Of Los Angeles High School baseball has already gotten started for 2016 as of this past Friday, and Mary Star High begins next Monday... ironically enough against the Polar Bears.

All 3 teams have talent and promise to have spectacular seasons in their future endeavors.

In the past, San Pedro won the CIF-Los Angeles City Section championship in 1992, and it remains to this day, the only non-San Fernando Valley based City title in the last four decades dating back to 1974. Mary Star reached a CIF-Southern Section final back in 2002, while POLA won their first CIF-LACS crown in 2014, nearly going back-to-back in 2015.

Going into the 2016 campaign for the three schools, San Pedro appears to be the most talented and experienced of the bunch yet again, but don't tell that to the defending Camino Real League champion Stars, who bested the Pirates 5-1 on January 30 in a scrimmage at Fromhold Field, the Stars' spectacular domain hanging atop the rocks at Royal Palms Beach.

Let's see how the 2016 season shapes up and promises to be for all three schools.

SAN PEDRO (19-12 overall in 2015) - Last year was the best thus far for coach Steve Tedesco, who enters his third year as the head coach of the Pirates, after going 10-20 with a young team in 2014. Even though the 2015 season was marred by a publicized brawl at Carson, San Pedro still managed to go 6-4 (probably 7-3 if it weren't for the double forfeit with the Colts) and finish third in a tough Marine League.

The Pirates lost 3-1 to Cleveland of Reseda in the opening round of the CIF-LACS D-1 playoffs last season.

Senior catcher, All-City and All-Marine League first team returnee J.J. Duarte is the best in town handling pitches, and he will be handling a deep and athletic pitching staff which includes All-Marine League junior Mikey Hernandez Jr., who's also a slick fielding second baseman and speed demon (inside-the-park homer in a win over Banning of Wilmington), junior Isaiah Bumgarner, sophomore Ryan Zamudio, senior Austin Cook and junior David Barraza.

Bumgarner, another All-Marine League returning player, is also a solid hitter while playing sharp at third base.

San Pedro will once again challenge traditional rivals Banning of Wilmington and two-time defending Marine League champion Narbonne of Harbor City for league supremacy.

MARY STAR (20-7 in 2015) - Even though Andy Fiamengo left to become an assistant coach at the new Marymount California University baseball program, the Stars bring back an old friend to the party.

Starting his second term as coach is Rick Ibarra, who guided the Stars to a CIF-SS championship game in 2002 and will look to guide a gritty team for starters, to a potential repeat Camino Real League crown and maybe a longer playoff run, considering Mary Star was bounced in the first round of CIF-SS Division 5 by Lompoc.

Mary Star has a great mix of talented youth and experience... and All-Camino Real League senior OF/P Gianfranco Gentile is a dangerous player, with a knack for hitting triples. In fact, Gentile hit six triples last season batting leadoff. Other All-Camino Real League returning players includes senior catcher Nicco Castania, senior outfielder Ozzie Aveiro, senior P/INF Joey Domicoli, senior infielder Tyler Velozzi and senior P/INF Troy Tripp.

Sophomore P/INF's Gabriel Pech and Matthew Marquez looks to play a much larger role in Mary Star's plans to repeat and go deep in 2016. Senior P/OF Ryan Sadler also returns for the Stars.

The Stars will be tested in the Camino Real League by Bishop Montgomery of Torrance and St. Bernard of Playa Del Rey.

POLA (16-11 in 2015) - Just like their run to the CIF-LACS Division 3 championship in 2014... co-coaches Brian and Dennis Emerson lifted the Polar Bears up from another rough start in 2015, winning 13 of their final 18 games after starting the season 3-6, going a perfect 10-0 in the Crosstown-Ocean League, and nearly defending their throne which Los Angeles CES took from them in an 8-4 win in the Division 3 final at RBI Youth Academy in Compton.

Two-time All-City senior lefty pitcher Fernando Rivas is back for one final run at the championship, as is the other remaining holdovers from that historic team, the only male-related City title in the history of POLA High, senior OF/C Kyle Micek, senior OF/P Paul Castaneda, senior 2B/C/P Anthony Raya.

Already this year Rivas struck out 11 while allowing one earned run in just five innings of his first start of 2016 in a 12-7 win over Northridge Academy this past Friday at the East Valley High Falcon Invitational.

Senior infielder Daniel Sanchez is another returning player for POLA with extensive experience.

POLA is favored again in the Crosstown-Ocean League but teams like Animo Venice Charter of Venice, Harbor Teacher Prep of Wilmington and New Designs University Park of Los Angeles will all be gunning for the Polar Bears.

THE 'SENSATIONAL SEVEN' GAMES TO WATCH IN 2016

POLA at Mary Star (February 29 @ Fromhold Field; 3:15 pm)

Mary Star at Mira Costa (March 4; 3:15 pm)

San Pedro at Serra (March 7; 3:15 pm)

Narbonne at San Pedro (April 14; 3:15 pm)

Harbor Teacher Prep at POLA (April 18 @ Harbor City Little League; 3:15 pm)

Banning at San Pedro (April 19; 3:15 pm)

Bishop Montgomery at Mary Star (April 28 @ Fromhold Field; 3:15 pm)