HS BASE: Are you ready for some baseball?

The City Section baseball season starts a week earlier than the Southern Section, and among the intriguing openers is a matchup between Arleta and San Fernando at 7 p.m. Friday at Birmingham High.

San Fernando returns ace pitcher David Lira, who is expected to start. Arleta returns pitchers Javy Lopez and Ivan Ceja, and Ceja probably will get the start, Arleta coach Edgar Maldonado said.

"They're both good, but Ivan beat San Fernando last year," Maldonado, who added that Lira is longtime friends with many of Arleta's top players after playing youth ball together.

Two of Arleta's other top returnees are first baseman Miguel Perez and shortstop Erik Trujillo.

Perez is a 6-3, 290-pounder who had four home runs last year.

"He's a power guy. He would have had four or five more home runs, but we played most of our games in a park with no fences," Maldonado said.