#TheBagsAreBack

GET IT TRENDING!

Yes, I'm alive. I'm sure both of you were worried. Keeping up with the blog became difficult to do and last season, for a number of reasons, was my least engaging year of baseball ever. It was the first time in 20 years I didn't attend a major league game (the weather didn't help) and I old caught a few college contests.

But who cares? I may be back but so are the Dirtbags!

I first tweeted the above hashtag last June, shortly after the Gainesville Regional loss to Charleston. The defeat still stings, but it was a huge moment for the program. After Dirtbag greats like Brennan Metzger and Matt Duffy went their whole careers without a shot at the regionals, the program ended a five-year postseason drought, finished just four wins shy of Omaha (think about that!) and sent the Killer P's (Ino Patron and Richard Prigatano) among other true Dirtbags out on a high note. The Bags are back, and it's only the beginning.

I'm slowly shifting back into baseball mode, so I don't have much analysis to offer on the newcomers, other than their JuCo stats or draft position out of high school. The experts seem to think we're too young and our pitching too unproven, but on paper, hell if it doesn't look like a good squad to me. Garret Hampson looks like the next valedictorian of Shortstop U.; my fellow Cougar Zack Domingues seems primed to be a solid table-setter; the outfield is exceptionally athletic and well suited for big Blair Field; and I've maintained since his freshman year that Eric Hutting would be an All-Big West catcher before he's done. 

The pitching is a bit unproven at the D1 level, but as usual Troy Buckley pretty well raided the JuCo ranks to fill in the holes. It'll be fun to see what Kyle Friedrichs can do in a starting role (is it me or does it seem like he's been with the program for like, 12 years?). I love the addition of pitching coach Mike Steele; allowing Coach Buckley to have a more broad focus should only help (Jesse Zepeda is terrific at developing hitters but I've become infamous for my dislike of our, at times, bunt-heavy offense - good luck this weekend, coach). 

My "coverage" (if you can call it that) will consist mainly of tweets moving forward, which is just as well because it's time for me to shut up and let Buck's boys do their thing.

#TheBagsAreBack



Also, is Ryan Struffing still alive?

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Outfield

Johnny Bekakis – Outfielder; Red Shirt Junior; Bats: Right; .290/.353/.355, 49 (2012 season; academically ineligible in 2013)

I don't pretend to know the details behind Bekakis' lost 2013 season, but one can only hope Johnny B will be playing with something to prove in 2014, and that that attitude will be enough to overcome the fact that he hasn't play in a Division 1 baseball game in 21 months.

Last time we saw Bekakis he was finishing up an All-Big West Honorable Mention 2012 season in which he grabbed the lead-off spot early in the year and never relinquished it, ultimately finishing second on the team in batting and stolen bases (7) as the everyday left fielder. Though his .353 on-base mark was solid, especially for the 2012 Dirtbags, he wasn't the ideal lead-off man, K'ing 38 times with just 11 walks. Still, Bekakis entered his true junior year looking like a key part of the 2013 Dirtbags. Then the bombshell dropped.

Bekakis hasn't totally disappeared from the baseball field during that time, however. He spent this past summer in the Northwoods League, teamed with Jeff Frye and Zack Rivera with the La Crosse Loggers. There he had a solid, though hardly spectacular summer while manning centerfield and primarily batting in the middle of the order. While a .993 fielding percentage in CF would seem encouraging, it's worth noting straightaway center at the Loggers' home ballpark is a paltry 365 feet, a centerfield distance I didn't know existed east of Sam Lynn Ballpark.

At the plate Bekakis put up a slashline of .263/.359/.382, numbers that probably aren't too far off what he should put up for the Dirtbags, save for maybe a better batting average since his BABIP was fairly low playing in such a small ballpark (even if his average goes up, his slugging will probably stay about the same; it's unlikely he'll be able to hit six homers playing in Blair Field – which is how many he hit in the NWL). Bekakis also collected 12 steals on 13 attempts and drew a somewhat encouraging 34 walks and with a somewhat discouraging 64 strikeouts.

Johnny was selected to play in the NWL all-star game, though he went unrecognized on Baseball America and Perfect Game's top prospect lists. He had a heavy workload for the summer, playing 66 games with 251 at bats and after peaking with a .830 OPS in early July he began to struggle in the last half of the season.

Bekakis could be poised to re-claim his spot in left field for the Dirtbags, though he could be pushed for playing time by Loggers teammate Rivera. It'll be interesting to see if Bekakis is ever asked to handle spacious centerfield at Blair, or at least play center during road games, as he poses a bigger threat at the plate than incumbent CF Colby Brenner. Without an ideal alternative for the spot, Bekakis also has a solid chance to reclaim the lead-off role.

Zack Belanger – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .250/.291/.346, 25 games

In his first season playing on Blair Field, Belanger struggled while playing sporadically, though he did show some promise by season's end. The-then redshirt freshman posted a poor K/BB of 20/1 and collected just four hits, all singles, in his first 24 at bats. He began to turn things around in the season's final month, slugging a home run against Cal State Fullerton, one of just 12 blasts the Dirtbags had on the season, before closing out with nine hits in his final 27 at bats (.333). Belanger ended up starting as the Designated Hitter more often than not for the hobbled Dirtbags over the final weeks.

Belanger would end up being the regular first baseman for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters in the Northwoods League; though he continued to strike out with alarming frequency, K'ing nearly as often as he reached base.

Well-recruited out of high school with strong blood lines, Belanger will be interesting to watch as his college career progresses. He could fight for playing time at first base or DH and has enough power potential in his bat to be an impact player in the Dirtbags' lineup. The question is will he be able to plug the hole in his swing.

Colby Brenner – Senior; Bats: Left; .162/.333/.210, 46 games

In the wake of Johnny Bekakis' disappointing academic issues, I think I got a little too optimistic about the 2013 Dirtbags' alternatives at the lead-off spot last winter. Colby Brenner offered the total package in an outfielder playing JuCo ball; a good on-base percentage, excellent speed, and a strong defensive track record. As a result I was one of Brenner's biggest proponents last season and probably had some unfairly high expectations.

After striking out just 11 times in 214 plate appearances in 2012, Brenner opened his Division 1 career with a strike out; after 154 total chances in the field without a single error, Brenner committed an E in his first start of the year; and by the time conference play began he was hitting .077 and had seen his playing time drop exponentially. The one constant for Brenner was getting hit by pitches. The ball-magnet was plunked a team-high 13 times and once was hit in four consecutive games.

Ultimately Brenner's defense would be fine, as he committed just one more error the remainder of the season. With the exception for a great series at Pacific in which he went 4-for-8 with three doubles, Brenner's offense never fully came around. The boney-armed outfielder had just one extra base hit outside he Pacific series (a game winning triple in his last at bat of the year) and struck out 28 times.

Brenner's strong defense, speed, and adequate ability to get on base via walk or HBP still makes him a strong candidate to retain the CF job in 2014, though it's possible Bekakis could be shifted over from left. As a lefty-swinger, Brenner could also be a put in a platoon as well. If Brenner does start he'll probably bat ninth, as the so-called “second lead-off hitter,” until he can work his way higher in the order.

Nolan Meadows – Outfielder; Junior; Bats: Left; .299/.399/.424, 36 games (LA Habor Community College)

Meadows is one of two newcomers to the Dirtbag outfield that will be heavy on left handed hitters in 2014. The junior spent the first two years of his college career enjoying modest success with the LA Habor Seahawks. Meadows apparently can also play some infield, though he seems to have spent virtually his entire collegiate career, both spring and summer, as a corner outfielder.

Meadows ended his junior college career on a roll, finishing with a nine-game hitting-streak that included seven multi-hit games. On top of that he had a respectable K/BB mark of 24/22. However, he followed that up with an unspectacular performance in the Alaska Summer League, posting just a .681 OPS. For what it's worth, he consistently hit near the middle of the lineup for the league-champion Goldpanners. Meadows will likely serve as a bench piece on the 2014 Dirtbags.

Tristan Mercadel – Outfielder; Freshman; Bats: Left

Mercadel joins the Dirtbags as an unpolished prospect coming off a highly successful high school career. A solid overall player, Mercadel has the range to patrol spacious center field at Blair Field, though he'll likely be doing so only as a backup in 2014. Look for the speedy Mercadel to also get some pinch running appearances.

Mercadel has a smooth, easy swing but occasionally has trouble keeping his head down, though coach Buckley says his skills “lend (themselves) to being productive at the plate.” Assuming Mercadel's offensive approach continues to develop he would seem to have the inside track on the center field job heading into 2015.

Richard Prigatano – Junior; Bats: Right; .302/.362/.415, 44 games (though by my count the LBSU website has shorted Prigatano a double. I've tallied his slashline as being .308/.368/.428)

Projected to be picked within the top five rounds of the 2014 MLB draft, Prigatano is almost certainly entering the final year of his Dirtbag career. He career has progressed nicely thus far, although big Blair Field has suppressed his numbers a bit (College Splits calculates his OPS as improving by nearly 70 points when factoring park adjustments). Despite having his sophomore season cut short with a wrist injury, Prigatano managed to garner a All-Big West second team honor for the year.

After a solid freshman campaign and a great summer in the Northwoods League, Prigatano opened the 2013 season on a roll. He collected a double in each of the opening series games at Vanderbilt and by the end of the second weekend had a .323 average and was slugging .452. Prigatano remained consistent for much of the season, only once going so many as three consecutive games without a hit. He reached his peak for the season between March 24 and April 12, when he went on a nine-game hitting streak in which he batted .541. That coincided with the start of a Big West season in which Richard would be the toughest out on the club.

In 17 Big West games Prigatano would hit .362/.439/.431 before a broken hamate bone in early May ended his season, and shortened his time in the Cape Cod League.

When back on the field up at the Cape, he played in just 22 games hitting .204/.434/.278. That middle number is an encouraging sign, as Prigatano had never before showed such strong plate disciple. For the summer he drew 21 walks against 25 strikeouts; that was after receiving just 13 free passes with 33 K's in the spring. He was ranked the 92^nd best prospect in the league by Perfect Game.

Despite his ever growing size (he's added about 25 pounds since arriving on campus), the supremely athletic Prigatano continued to be a strong base runner in 2013. The 6'4”, 220 pound outfielder swiped seven bases in the spring before going a perfect five-for-five in his brief summer season.

Right field and the middle of the order will belong to Prigtano in 2014 (and 2015 if he so chooses). His power should continue to develop, and if he can have the same control of the strike zone he held in the Cape he could turn into one of the most dangerous hitter in the conference.

Zack Rivera – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .283/.353/.407; 42 games

Rivera is still listed as an infielder on the Long Beach State website, despite logging all of his field time last season in the outfield. As a true freshman, Rivera alternated most of the first two months of the year between designated hitter and left field before moreorlesss taking over the 7-position full time in May, after season-ending injuries to Richard Prigatano and Michael Hill thinned out the lineup.

After opening the season with a revolving door of DH's that featured, among others, Ino Patron and Brennan Fulkerson, the Dirtbags quickly began giving many, but sporadic, starts to Rivera. Lacking regular playing time Rivera got off to a slow start, going 7-for-34 (.206) to start the year. It wasn't until the April 12-14 series against UC Davis that Rivera started an entire weekend. He responded with a 3-for-8 series that featured a double and a stolen base.

Finally on April 28, in the middle of a stretch in which Rivera would hit safely in five of six games including three doubles and a triple, Rivera joined the starting lineup for good. Prigatano would suffer a broken wrist and be shut down for the season and as a result Rivera manned left field in every game going forward (except one in which he DH'd).

With the opportunity to start the final 16 games of the season, Rivera didn't disappoint, posting a line of .286/.344/.464 with three steals in four attempts. Rivera came to Long Beach with the expectation of providing the Dirtbags a solid power/speed combo from the second base position, so those numbers are probably a reasonable reflection of his talents, which will hopefully only improve going forward. It remains to be seen if he will indeed end up patrolling second base at some point.

Colton Vaughn returns after inheriting the 4-position last year from another infielder-turned-outfielder, Jeff McNeil, but so does 2012 left fielder Johnny Bekakis leaving Rivera's position entering 2014 uncertain. Regardless, Rivera's bat should play almost anywhere and he's likely to find himself batting near the middle of the lineup on a regular basis this spring.

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Shortstop

Garret Hampson – Freshman; Bats: Right

Hampson is one of the best position player recruits to make it to Blair Field in recent years. He was one of the top high schoolers in the country a year ago, yet may actually be slightly underrated due to a lack of playing time at major showcase events last year.

A smart student-athlete both on and off the field, Hampson has a line-drive swing with solid gap power/average combo in his bat for a middle infielder and adds good range and excellent hands. He best attribute is his base running and blazing speed, which rated a 70 last spring on the 80-20 scouting scale according to Baseball America.

It's not often a true freshman is able to displace an incumbent senior in the lineup, but Hampson's defensive prowess and last year's shortstop Michael Hill's shaky glovework could allow for the freshman to take over the 6-position, likely bumping Hill to third or DH. The rookie looks like the complete package.

The Daily 49er just published their own intriguing read on Hampson as well. Take a look.

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Third Base

Michael Hill – Senior; Bats: Left; .336/.357/.522, 37 games

Michael Hill was one of the biggest surprises of the 2013 Dirtbag season. Despite receiving acclaim from Baseball America's Aaron Fitt during fall ball, Hill was just a .179 hitter entering his junior year and began the spring as the Dirtbags' number-9 hitter. However, Hill quickly arrived on the scene, opening the season with a seven-game hitting-streak and through March held a .372 average.

Early in the season Hill credited his success to a refined approach at the plate, specifically by hitting the ball on the ground more in order to better exploit the spaciousness of Blair Field (it would be intriguing to know how many other Dirtbags are taking in approach in 2014). Additionally, Hill spoke of an improved approach to hitting with a two-strike count. Whatever adjustments Hill made seemed to work. After K'ing 48 times in 145 career at bats entering 2013, Hill fanned just 15 times in 134 ABs last season. However his command of the strike zone could still stand to improve, as he drew just two walks all season.

Hill's Achilles' heel is his defense. Hill went more than three-straight errorless games once all season and he had three two-error games on the year. Despite the occasional highlight-reel play (including a game-ender on February 23 against Valparaiso) Hill finished with just a .913 fielding percentage and average just five chances per game.

By the start of conference play, Hill had been moved up to the 2-hole where he would stay for the rest of his season. He peaked on March 28 against Cal Stat Northridge, when he went 4-for-4 with nine total bases, four runs, and four RBIs. However, on April 23 against UCLA Hill suffered a seemingly minor leg injury and had to be removed from the game. The injury ended up being a season-ending broken ankle. For the year Hill lead the Dirtbags in slugging percentage, homers (3), tied for the lead in triples (5), and is the leading hitter among the returning players.

Hill unquestionably will be playing everyday this spring, and will be batting somewhere in the top five spots of the order. If he can add the element of drawing a walk, Hill could become one of the biggest offensive threats in the conference. If he “only” manages to replicate and build off of his 2013 production, he'd still be one of the biggest contributors to the 2014 lineup.

The only uncertainty is where he'll be in the field. Being a senior, there's probably value in putting the experienced Hill back out at shortstop, but his shaky defense coupled with the arrival of top recruit Garret Hampson makes him a candidate to be shifted to third base, or perhaps even designated hitter. (Since writing this it's been reported Hill will be played left field. Once again, I nailed it.)

Jonathan Serven – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .162/.197/.206, 26 games

One of the seemingly undernoticed newcomers to the program in 2013, Serven quickly found himself playing a significant role for the Dirtbags; filling in for injured starters Juan Avila (third base) and Michael Hill (shortstop). Serven ultimately played 15 games at the hot corner, including starting 11 straight games leading up to conference play and Avila's return. While Avila's defense was always subpar, Serven provided admirable glovework, logging a .950 fielding percentage at third, averaging over three chances per start, and committing just one error in Avila's absence.

His offense, however, left much to be desired. Serven never found a grove at the plate and ended up striking out as often as he reached base (14 K's; 14 hits plus walks plus hit by pitches). The Dirtbags tried to make the best of Serven's light-hitting, and calling upon him to sacrifice a team high eight times.

After Avila's return Serven went nearly a month without seeing any playing time. He found his way back in the lineup after shortstop Michael Hill suffered a season-ending broken ankle on April 23 against UCLA. Serven earned the bulk of playing time at short the rest of the way, at one point starting nine straight games. However, the true freshman's defense at the 6-position struggled. Serven committed six errors in his final nine games and finished with a mediocre .878 fielding percentage and had just 4.8 chances per start.

Serven isn't likely to become much of a threat at the plate, but with no incumbency in third base entering 2014, Serven's experience and strong defensive skills could put him in play for a starting position this season. What remains to be seen is if the coaching staff prefers a better offensive player at the hot corner or if they want to build the lineup with more of a pitching/defense approach. Who ultimately wins the second base and shortstop positions could also affect Serven's bid to start at third. 

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Second Base

Though the fluidity of the Dirtbag lineup leaves multiple positions, such as third base and the outfield, up for grabs, second base appears to be the only spot in the field where there is an open competition for the job. Colton Vaughn, the starter for the latter part of 2013, returns but will have to outplay two talented returning sophomore's in addition to a JuCo transfer with an impressive resume.

Replacing an all-Big West player like Jeff McNei won't be easy, but it's possible the high competition at second could drive the eventual starter (or starters) to play at peak performance.


Alex DeGoti – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .080/.207/.080, 16 games
DeGoti saw the least amount of playing time in 2013 among the returning Dirtbags, logging just 31 plate appearances across 16 games. There's not much to take away from DeGoti's spring performance, though he played solid defense at second base while also moonlighting at shortstop. For what it's worth he also went hitless in his final 16 at bats, spread across ten weeks.

DeGoti finally got a chance to cut his teeth playing summer ball in the West Coast League. Serving as the everyday shortstop for Victoria, DeGoti got off to a hot start at the plate. His season peaked with a ten-game hitting streak in late June and he carried a .400 On-Base Percentage into August before finishing with a .286/.370/.381 slash line. He managed to avoid many of the top pitching prospects in the league, but he did go 1-for-4 against top prospect (according to Perfect Game) Cody Poteet of UCLA and had a multi-hit games against San Diego's CJ Burdick.

In the field DeGoti was among the top shortstops in the league, logging a .965 fielding percentage across 51 games. He would end up being ranked the 37th best prospect in the league by PG and was be one of four Victoria players (along with fellow Dirtbag Ty Provencher) to be selected for the WCL all-star game.

DeGoti has physically grown a little since last spring, but so far there's not much to report as to how it's affected his bat. Had it not been for the unexpected arrival of top prospects Garrett Hampson, DeGoti could've been a candidate to take over shortstop duties this spring. Owning an exceptional arm, DeGoti remains an option at third base, but for now it appears his best chance for playing time will be a second. Regardless of where he plays in the field, how the sophomore's bat is progressing will play a big role in whether he can break into the starting lineup.

DeGoti is will be an interesting name for Dirtbag fans to follow this spring.


Zack Domingues – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .316/.538/.412, 37 games (Cuesta Community College)
A Cuesta alumnus, former SLO Blues player, and he can take a walk? I already like this guy. Originally a Chico State commit, Domingues moved down for San Luis Obispo for his collegiate debut last spring. There he displayed a remarkable batting eye, leading the state (by a considerable margin) in both walks (51) and on-base percentage in 2013, while striking out just 12 times in 174 plate appearances as the Cougars' shortstop.

Domingues then moved over to Sinschimer Stadium for the summer where he had less successful season at the plate, playing for the NBC World Series bound Blues. For the summer Domingues hit just .208 and saw his K-rate spike to 35 in about 170 plate appearances (data incomplete); though he still managed to get on base at a solid .378 clip thanks to another 37 walks.

Much like Alex Bishop at the catcher position, it's hard not to be optimistic about Domingues' talents after such a successful JuCo career. However, also like Bishop, it's difficult to know just how much of an opportunity Domingues will have to showcase his ability while facing such stern competition for playing time. According to the recent LongBeachState.com infield preview, Domingues should also get a long look at third base, much like DeGoti. A Visalia native, the “San Joaquin Valley God of Walks” also boasts the advantage of being just one of two hitting left-handed hitting infielders in the mix (Michael Hill being the other; this of course is ignoring first base) possibly giving him an edge when searching for starts against righties.


Colton Vaughn – Red Shirt Senior; Bats: Right; .263/.311/.293, 35 games
Vaughn's Dirtbag career took agonizingly long to take off, red shirting in 2012, then barely touching the field the first month of 2013. But ultimately Vaughn became as key part of the lineup as a “third year sophomore.” Vaughn's class seems to be in question, as last year he was listed on the roster as a RS sophomore, yet in 2014 is apparently an RS senior. He seemingly made his collegiate debut in 2011 playing JuCo ball, and it appears he graduated high school in 2009, so my best guess is he sat out 2010 and there was either a mistake on last year's roster, or he has since lost that year of eligibility. But back to his on-field results...

Vaughn spent the first five-plus weeks of the season making cameos here and there as a pinch runner, replacement second baseman, and even a center fielder (where he committed an error on his first play of the season). In the wake of Colby Brenner's struggles, however, he slowly moved into the starting second base position, as Jeff McNeil shifted to center field. Vaughn would start the Dirtbags' first four Big West games at the 4-position, yielding modest results at the plate but playing solid defense. After shifting back into a part time role for three weeks, he took over the position April 23 in the Dirtbags' 11-1 buttkicking of the eventual national champion UCLA Bruins, starting every game at second from there on out.

Despite batting second on multiple occasions during the season Vaughn's offensive output remained minimal (although he did manage an eight-game hit streak and another six-game streak during the year). A .344 average in 2011 while playing JuCo ball notwithstanding, Vaughn will likely remain a relatively weak hitter. Much like the light-hitting outfielder Colby Brenner, much of Vaughn's value derives from his speed and defense. After becoming the starting second baseman in April, Vaughn posted a solid .970 fielding percentage while average 5.2 chances per game.

Though Vaughn will likely start the year at second with DeGoti and newcomer Domingues in the fold (not to mention the hard-hitting sophomore Zack Rivera) his standing in the lineup is a precarious one. Being a righty, Vaughn could also be asked to enter a platoon. The obviously platoon-mate would be Domingues, but also keep an eye on Vaughn splitting time with the left-handed Brenner, with Rivera shifting back and forth between second base and the outfield.

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: First Base

Long Beach State has a rare situation on its hands at first base this spring. They enter the spring without last season's starter, Jeff Yamaguchi, yet the position remains arguably the most secure one on the field. While twitter searches for what became of Yamaguchi, the 2014 Dirtbags fill first base with one of its team leader of the last three years and two sophomores with intriguing potential but will find themselves vying for playing time this spring.


Zack Belanger – Red Shirt Sophomore; Bats: Left; .250/.291/.346, 25 games
In his first season playing on Blair Field, Belanger struggled while playing sporadically, though he did show some promise by season's end. The-then redshirt freshman posted a poor K/BB of 20/1 and collected just four hits, all singles, in his first 24 at bats. He began to turn things around in the season's final month, slugging a home run against Cal State Fullerton, one of just 12 blasts the Dirtbags had on the season, before closing out with nine hits in his final 27 at bats (.333). Belanger ended up starting as the Designated Hitter more often than not for the hobbled Dirtbags over the final weeks.

In the summer Belanger would serve as the regular first baseman for the Wisconsin Rapid Rafters in the Northwoods League; though he continued to strike out with alarming frequency, K'ing nearly as often as he reached base. In the dog days of summer he followed a similar hitting pattern to his Dirtbags season, including going through an awful 16-for-107 slump in the middle of the year with just two extra base hits. He eventually rebounded a bit, went on a six-game hitting streak, and closed the summer on a 7-for-12 run.

Well-recruited out of high school with strong blood lines, Belanger will be interesting to watch as his college career progresses. Listed at 6'4”, 195 pounds he could develop some good raw power as he fills out. How that power potential comes along, and how well he manages to plug the hole in his swing, will determine just how much playing time he sees between first, outfield, and DH this season. For now, expect him to play a pinch hitting role, with the occasional start at first.


Ino Patron – Senior; Bats: Left; .301/.359/.435, 55 games
On the final game I attended of the 2011 season, the Dirtbags were in the midst of being no-hit by UC Irvine hurler Matt Summers. With two outs in the 8th inning a scrappy freshman came to the plate and I remember thinking to myself “if this guy can't get a hit, then Summers is gonna do it.” The batter, named Ino Patron, failed to get a base knock, but it was through no fault of his own. He got plunked with the pitch and even stole second for good measure. But that was our last real shot and sure enough the Dirtbags would end up going hitless (I really was at the game, I have an Irvine-superfan autograph in my scorebook to prove it).

All spring long, when the Dirtbags were having a painfully bad year at the plate, I was struck by how the freshman Patron seemed to grind out every at bat. As he enters his senior season as a would-be four year starter, Patron remains the best active embodiment of the Dirtbags name. For those four years he has been Long Beach's toughest out and best pure hitter; scratching a clawing for numbers that don't blow you away but always seem to get the job done (one stat on Patron I really wish I had to share is pitches-per-at-bat).

After two years of splitting time between first base and designated hitter, the loss of Johnny Bekakis forced Patron to add left field to his resume in 2013, playing 18 games there. At the plate he remained steady as always, hitting .316 during a nine-game hitting streak that began the third day of the season. After a brief cold spell in the first week of March, Patron's bat exploded; from March 10 to the 29th, against opponents such as Arizona State, Wichita State, and Cal State Fullerton, he hit .385 while slugging .641. That streak overlapped with a run of 19 consecutive games having reached base, running from March 23 to April 28, which included an OPS of 1.132. The on-base streak was snapped on April 30 against Loyola Marymount, marking the only time in the month of April Patron failed to reach base. Since we're on the subject, Patron will enter the 2014 season ridding a nine-game hitting streak.

In 27 Big West games Patron put up a slashline of .343/.395/.486; in between that he mixed in a 4 RBI game against eventual national champion UCLA, as the Dirtbags handed the Bruins their worst loss of the year, 11-1. Eventually Patron made his way from left field back to first base; playing there in ten of the Dirtbags' final 12 games. With the departure of Yamaguchi and the return of Johnny Bekakis, it's likely Patron will spend most, if not all, of the summer back at first base, with an occasional start at DH.

Patron is pretty much what you see above. He'll remain Long Beach's toughest out in 2014, likely batting third or fourth all season. As he enters his final year at Blair Field I'm reminded of Brennan Metzger's career at Long Beach State. Metzger, another quintessential Dirtbag, was also a four year starter (well, three and a half), and was the offensive leader in his final campaign. Sadly, Metzger saw his run end with a hard fought, yet losing, battle for a regional bid in 2012, thus finishing his career without a postseason appearance. While the 2014 season could present one of the strongest Big West conferences in recent years, with Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara, and Cal Poly all in Top-25 territory, and UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge hoping for a postseason birth, it would be a shame to see Patron and the rest of the senior class also fail to see June baseball in their careers.

It'll take Dirtbags like Ino Patron to make sure that doesn't happen.

2014 Dirtbag Position Preview: Catcher

If Dirtbags fans are looking for reasons for optimism entering 2014, then it's fitting to start with the catcher position. After having to make due with converted-pitcher Royce Murai and defensive stalwart but light hitting Kellen Hoime (with some decent patchwork from utility man Mike Marjama) Long Beach State enters this spring with arguably their best catching depth since 2008; which just so happens to be the last time they made a regional appearance. With no seniors, and three underclassmen, in the mix it's reasonable to hope the backstop remains solid for the 'Bags for the next couple season. The 2014 group includes a returning starter that has the potential to be one of the better catchers in the conference, a JuCo transfer who should have an impact on this year's squad, and a freshman that will likely be groomed to eventually hold the starting position.


Alex Bishop – Junior; Bats: Right; .435/.480/.602, 39 games (College of the Canyons)
After going virtually unrecruited by Division 1 programs out of high school, Bishop comes to Blair Field for his junior year to begin his NCAA career. A star quarterback and catcher in high school, the undersized Bishop would have to go the junior college route before getting people to take notice to his talents (this signalsvc.com story on him paints the picture of a player that was born to be a Dirtbag). After having a modest freshman year playing for Moorepark College, Bishop saw his prospect status take off last year at College of the Canyons.

Bishop would wind up claiming SoCal player of the year honors after leading the state of California in batting, tallying 11 three-hit games, and notching 97 total bases despite hitting just one home run. Though he drew only 14 walks on the season, he amazingly fanned just six times in 182 plate appearances. He was nearly as likely to hit a triple as he was strike out whenever he stepped into the batter's box.

Last season's starter, Eric Hutting, is back for his sophomore year so it'll be interesting to see what role Bishop plays for the Dirtbags in 2014, and how well his amazing 2013 numbers can carry over against D1 pitching. It's possible he'll share playing time behind the plate, having thrown out 23% of base runners last year, though Designated Hitter is also a possibility.


Eric Hutting – Sophomore; Bats: Right; .270/.326/.325, 40 games
In 2013, Hutting provided Long Beach the arguably most production at the plate they've seen from a backstop in six years; though much of that can be attributed to the offensive black hole the catcher position has been for the Dirtbags. Hutting's true freshman season started off strong, singling in his first collegiate at bat against eventual 2nd round draft pick Kevin Ziomek of Vanderbilt for the Dirtbags' first base runner of the season. By the end of the second weekend of the year, Hutting was 6-for-16 and showed his offensive versatility with 3 walks, two doubles, two sac bunts, and a bunt single. However, Hutting's hot start was short lived. He would draw only one walk the entire month of March and at one point was in a 5-for-44 slump.

The start of his defensive career was almost the exact opposite. Through his first eight games (seven starts) Hutting had already tallied five passed balls and by March 22 had 22 steals against. As his hitting slowed, however, his defense picked up. Hutting allowed just one passed ball the rest of the way, at one point going 24 straight games without letting a pitch go to the backstop. He ultimately finished with a respectable 33% caught stealing mark.

He finally got his bat back on track in Stockton, going 5-for-9 against Pacific's weak pitching to open the month of April. That would spark a hot streak he would carry for the rest of the season which included two seven-game hitting streaks. Aside from an 0-for-7 series against Cal Sate Fullerton, he would reach base in every game he played for the rest of the year.

Though Hutting ultimately earned the lion's share of catching duties, he split a considerable amount of time with Zach Miller and Royce Murai. The rookie Hutting would start on consecutive days only three times entering the final weekend of the year. On the final Friday of the season, Hutting, who had actually seen his playing time decrease slightly has the season dragged into it's final month, was brought in in the fourth inning of a blow out game against UC Irvine. Miller had started the game and allowed four steals to the Anteaters. Hutting would go on to finish the game and start the next two, catching the final 24 innings of the year for the Dirtbags.

In the summer, Hutting joined the Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League where he managed to get in another 100 at bats. Playing irregularly, Hutting never found his stride in the summer. His average peaked in the .260 range before fading for a final slash line of .220/.262/.300. Playing over 60 games behind the plate between the two seasons may have caused some fatigue to set in by August.

Hutting figures to be more of a role player in the Dirtbag lineup than a piece to build around, but his ability to bunt and line drive swing make him a versatile option for Coach Zepeda. Hutting figures to bat in the latter half of the lineup for most of the season, but if he can continue to hit at the clip he closed the 2013 Dirtbag season with (23-for-66, .348) he could see time in the top two spots as well.


Daniel “DJ” Jackson – Freshman; Bats: Right
The fact that a solid freshman like Jackson will probably begin his Dirtbag career as a third-string catcher shows just how far this position has come for Long Beach State. The lanky rookie has a line drive swing and could become a “middle of the order hitter” as he gets older, according to coach Buckley; although Jackson could make a push for playing time this year on his arm alone. Jackson has a very good poptime behind the plate (1.89 in 2012, according to Perfect Game), and an arm strong enough to make scouts wonder what kind of pitcher he would make.


Albert Perez – Freshman; Bats: Right
There's little information available on Perez other than what can be found on the Long Beach State website (“three-year letterwinner... hit .485 as a senior”). It's probably safe to assume Perez is a walk-on. With Bishop, Hutting, and Jackson already in the mix it's unlikely Perez will see much playing time behind the plate this season. It's worth mentioning he was also listed as a first baseman and outfielder in high school.

Dirtbags 2014 Out-Of-Conference Preview: part 3

Rounding out the OOC series previews are the road trips for the Dirtbags, which all feature opponents who traveled to Long Beach in 2013.

Wichita State (ISR: 92, RPI: 103) – Last year nearly turned into a nightmare of a season for our (partially) cross-country rival, who started the year dropping three games to Pittsburgh, then losing four games to the snow. However, the Shockers, rebounded to win 39 games and the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.

The Dirtbags have won their last three series against WSU, including a sweep in Blair Field last year, and a near-sweep in their 2012 trip to Eck Stadium. However, the 2014 Shockers could be a dangerous club, as they retain several key players including their top four hitters; 1B Casey Gillaspie (.299/.447/.517), C Tyler Baker (.328/.394/.466), OF Garrett Bayliff (.379/.439/.425), and 2B Tanner Dearman (.301/.404/.335); and their entire weekend rotation; closer-turned-starter RHP Cale Elam (3.17, 75/30, 93.2 IP), RHP A.J. Ladwig (4.54, 68/15, 85.1 IP), and RHP Garrett Brummett (1.16, 24/11, 38.2 IP). This experienced team will be lead by new Head Coach Todd Butler, former assistant and recruiting coordinator for two Omaha-bound Arkansas squads. Add the fact that this is easily the Dirtbags' longest road trip of the regular season, geographically speaking, and this could be another tough test for Troy Buckley's boys.

Arizona (ISR: 34, RPI: 59) – two game mid-week series – Long Beach State split two home mid-week games last season against the then-defending champion Wildcats. That series was the first test of the pitching depth for a team that had no healthy returning starters. Though the 2014 Dirtbags return LHPs Jake Stassi and Ryan Strufing, this two game set in Tucson could serve as a similar measuring stick for the rotation, with returners LHP Nick Sabo and RHP Ryan Millison (the starters from last year's series) and newcomers RHP Christian Belleque and LHP Cameron Pongs potentially getting the nods.

Most of the major players from the Wildcats' Omaha team are gone but they return a large portion of last year's lineup, including dynamic middle infielders 2B Trent Gilbert (.344/.407/.448) and SS Kevin Newman (.336/.398/.392). It will be interesting to see how the Dirtbag lineup, particularly players like Michael Hill and Richard Prigatano, approach hitting in Hi Corbett, where the speed/gap power combo remains U of A's M.O..

Cal State Fullerton (ISR: 2, RPI: 6) – In what is typically the final warmup before conference play, this series could be the Dirtbags' most difficult of the season as Fullerton is likely to be a top five team in the pre-season rankings. Some wins in this series would be a big boost to the RPI and would look great on LBSU's regional bid resume, but I don't really care about that.

After losing 22 of 25 to the Titans (3-15 in the Troy Buckley-era), the six meetings this season have to take on a greater significance. How Long Beach State performs on the road against likely one of the better Fullerton teams in recent years will serve as a strong indicator of the strength of the Dirtbag moniker.

They will be combated with one of the best rotations in the nation, RHP Thomas Eshelman (1.48, 83/3, 115.2 IP), RHP Justin Garza (2.03, 95/17, 115 IP) coming off all-universe freshman seasons, RHP Grahamm Wiest (3.27, 76/13, 104.2 IP), not to mention about 12 other All-Big West arms.

If there's a weakness to be found, it could be Fullerton's comparatively unproven lineup. Gone is a large portion of last year's lineup, including Big West players of the year Michael Lorenzen and Carlos Lopez, though they do retain legitimate conference POY candidates 1B JD Davis (.318/.407/.436) and 3B Matt Chapman (.285/.415/.457). Though the Titans always have a steady pipeline of talent, the 2014 outfield and shortstop positions will have a hard time replicating the production of their predecessors (not that they'd necessarily have to).

LBSU's best chance here is to be able to exploit that new-look lineup behind strong pitching and grind out some low-scoring victories.

It's regional or bust next year for Long Beach State, but while simply earning a bid would seem to make 2014 a successful enough campaign, if the Dirtbags can get through this gauntlet of a schedule there's no telling how they can go. The key, of course, will be surviving the regular season.  

Dirtbags 2014 Out-Of-Conference Preview: part 2

We opened our examination of Long Beach State's 2014 schedule by looking at schools like Vanderbilt, Arizona State, and UC Irvine. If that wasn't enough, we still have two teams left on the home schedule that are only coming off of College World Series qualifying, and College World Series winning, seasons.

Indiana (ISR: 12, RPI: 12) – The Hoosiers only traveled west of Omaha once last year, and that was all the way to Lincoln to take on the Cornhuskers. Yet in 2014 they'll be spending a weekend in Long Beach, their first trip to California since 2012 when they went 3-5 against Cal Sate Northridge, San Diego, and Loyola Marymount. Though they don't go west often, last year's IU team was well traveled, going to Florida four times, twice for tournaments, once to play the Gators (a series they won), and finally to face the Seminoles in the Super Regionals (a series they swept). Despite their somewhat improbable 2013 season, Indiana looks poised for a repeat, returning four of their five biggest workhorses from their pitching staff, including LHP Joey DeNato (2.52, 87/43, 103.2 IP), who tossed a shutout against Louisville in the College World Series.

On the hitting side, the Hoosiers return an experienced and well-balanced lineup, with good speed, solid power, and a strong ability to draw the walk and get on base. They're lead by All-Americans, C Kyle Schwarber (.366/.456/.647) and 3B Dustin DeMuth (.377/.433/.545), among several other returning starters from the 2013 lineup.

Between this, the Vanderbilt series, and the trip to Wichita (more on that later), the Dirtbags are going to have a well geographically-balanced schedule on their hands next spring.

UCLA (2013 ISR: 6; RPI: 9) – For the second consecutive season, the Dirtbags will host a series against the reigning national champions. UCLA small-balled their way to the title last year, hitting zero homers at TD Ameritrade Park, with something like 477 bunts. Such an offensive output could yield similarly successful results in spacious Blair Field, where the Bruins scrapped together a 3-2 mid-week win over the Dirtbags a year ago. Pitching was obviously UCLA's strength in 2013 and despite suffering some major losses to their championship staff, they return a solid crop of arms in 2014. Leading the way will be RHP Cody Poteet (4.84, 56/31, 70.2 IP), top prospect in the West Cost Summer League according to Perfect Game; LHP Grant Watson (3.01, 55/16, 92.2 IP), LHP Hunter Virant, and living legend RHP David Berg (0.92, 78/11, 78 IP, 24 saves).

The Bruins return the majority of its relatively light-hitting lineup, including OF Brian Carroll (32 steals) and it's top four leaders in sacrifice hits, meaning this series could quickly turn into a repeat of last June's Omaha bunt-a-thon. Also back is three-hitter 3B Kevin Kramer (.278/.382/.376), who had a team best four hits against LBSU last season.

In the Dirtbags' corner is that 11-1 victory over the Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium last year against an erratic Poteet; easily the worst loss of the Bruins' championship season.

Up next, we wrap up our look at the out-of-conference slate by looking at the foes Long Beach State will be facing on the road.

Dirtbags 2014 Out-Of-Conference Preview: part 1

We're still waiting on the official announcement on the Long Beach State 2014 schedule, but the out-of-conference slate was recently announced on twitter (one of the two accounts the Dirtbags seem to have) and it's a thing of beauty. Though they're again going a tad heavy on the home games, next season's schedule has the potential to be the strongest in years, which is saying quite a bit. In the first of three posts, we take a look at some of the teams headed to Blair Field this spring...

Vanderbilt (2013 ISR: 4; RPI: 2) – The Commodores cruised to a series win against the Dirtbags to open what would be a historic season for VU. Frankly, in retrospect it's amazing Long Beach State even managed to win one game at the Hawk, given how good the Dores turned out to be. Vandy would go on be win a record 26 SEC games and become a national seed. In that three-game series, Vandy outscoured LBSU 31-19, despite being tied with 30 hits each. The difference would be Vanderbilt's trademark base on balls (18) and fearless baserunning (seven steals, plus more extra bases taken than I care to remember).

Vandy lost half a minor league team-worth of players to the draft, but will nevertheless open 2014 as one of the top teams in the nation. On the hill for Vandy will be Golden Spikes Finalist RHP Tyler Beede (2.32 ERA, 103 K/63 BB, 101 IP) who tossed five solid innings against the Dirtbags last February, albeit while struggling to manage a tight strike zone. Senior RHP TJ Pecoraro (5.97, 15/14, 34.2 IP) also returns but was hit hard in Long Beach State's Sunday win last year and will have to fight his way back into the rotation against RHPs Walker Buehler (3.14, 57/25, 63 IP), Tyler Ferguson (4.21, 21/11, 25.2 IP), and LHP Philip Pfeifer (3.68, 47/30, 63.2 IP). Ferguson and Pfeifer both had mediocre relief appearances against the Dirtbags last season.

SS Vince Conde (.307/.380/.458) is arguably the best of the few returning starters, though a plethora of part-timers from last year seem poised to become impact players. What will be interesting to see is what the Dores offensive approach will look like after losing five players that drew 30+ walks, and four of five players with 15+ steals in 2013, but rest assured the 2014 lineup will present a challenge for Dirtbag pitching it what's likely to be the first series of the season.

“Mini-Tournament” featuring Arizona State, Wright State, and UC Irvine – This series is actually going to include two games at home (versus Arizona State and Wright State) and one on the road (at UC Irvine). This will be the first tournament-style weekend for in Blair Field since the start of the 2010 season, and oddly enough it'll conclude with ASU playing WSU on Sunday, while the Dirtbags are down in Orange County battling the Anteaters. It's confirmed that this will be the second weekend of the season.

Arizona State (ISR: 15, RPI: 20) – Last season's series in Tempe resulted in a three-game sweep for the Sun Devils and one of the most anemic offensive outputs from the Dirtbags all year. LHP Ryan Kellogg (3.15, 54/17, 103 IP) is likely to get the ball for this Friday game. Kellogg tossed seven, two-hit, scoreless frames against LBSU a year ago, leading ASU to its second shutout of the series. Several of ASU's top hitters from last year are gone, but the Sun Devils bring in a strong recruiting class and a solid core of returners lead by SS Drew Stankiewicz (.295/.363/.396) and 1B Dalton DiNatale (.302/.397/.405).

Wright State (ISR: 202, RPI: 219) – Wright State returns to the southland after being swept at UCLA last spring, however the Raiders are an unfamiliar foe to Blair Field. Wright State finished fourth last season in the Horizon League; a conference whose only regional representative, Valparaiso, suffered an early season sweep to the Dirtbags. Wright State will see a lot of lineup turnover in 2014 but returns senior OFs Kieston Greene (.335/.396/.492) and Mark Fowler (.308/.383/.390).

UC Irvine (ISR: 29, RPI: 80) – The Anteaters are coming off a disappointing 2013 and saw further coaching turnover in the summer, resulting in the exit of revered assistant Pat Shine. However they did manage to take two of three against the Dirtbags last season (the first series since 2010 that didn't include a no-hitter!). Irvine enters 2014 with lower expectations and may not quite be the pitching-rich team they've been in recent years, but they return some star-studded hitters like 3B Taylor Sparks (.360/.388/.581), 1B Connor Spencer (.373/.443/.491), and SS Chris Rabago (.269/.325/.356). The Dirtbags will be heading to Irvine for the Sunday-finale of this tournament. The back of the Irvine rotation is currently up in the air but a strong returning candidate for this role is sophomore southpaw Elliot Surrey (3.95, 10/5, 13.2 IP). It's also been announced the Dirtbags' regular season will close with a home conference series against the Anteaters. 

Utah Valley (2013 ISR: 211; RPI: 232) – Utah Valley! It's Utah Valley you guys! A favorite of myself and writers like Eric Sorenson from two years ago make the trip out to Long Beach next season, their first in the re-vamped WAC. These Wolverines, however, are a far cry from the 2012 squad that won 47 games behind a .959 OPS. After seeing their run production drop by over 40% in 2013, the 2014 team will return a somewhat more experienced lineup lead by Sophomore’s 3B Stone Ramsey (.307/.402/.457) and 1B Mark Krueger (.323/.374/.453). On the pitching side Utah Valley also saw a slight regression in 2013, and lose 2012 Great West Pitcher of the Year RHP Adam Gunn, among others. Top returners include likely Friday starter RHP Devin Nelson (3.55 ERA, 61/17 K/BB in 78.2 IP) and reliever RHP Brian Whatcott (1.69, 19/11, 26.2 IP).

The Wolverines will likely be the Dirtbags' weakest weekend opponent next year, and their 2013 stats and RPI weren't that dissimilar from arguably LBSU's weakest foe last season; the Seattle Redhawks. The same Seattle Redhawks that came to Blair Field and won two out of three.

Up next: We round out the home schedule with one-forth of last year's College World Series field.

Reviewing "Baseball in Long Beach"; mainly the Dirtbag parts.

The Summer Leagues have been over for several weeks now, so apart from the occasional scrimmage or two (Dirtbags vs. Trojans on November 23!) we're about to enter the most dead part of the baseball year. Thankfully, Long Beach Register's Bob Keisser's new book Baseball in Long Beach was released just in time to help fend off any offseason withdrawals.

As pretty plainly expressed in the title, the book is an anthology of sorts of baseball in the 562, ranging from biographies of Long Beach-natives that went on to become baseball icons, to the history of college and prep baseball in the city. The book starts out modestly, giving due notice to the reverence the city's baseball community had for Press-Telegram sports editor Frank T. Blair, and the role Blair played in pushing for a ballpark that would serve as the city's baseball epicenter. Keisser quickly shifts gears, however, and covers the lives of favorite sons turned Hall-of-Famers like Bob Lemon and Tony Gwynn.

While these chapters are probably obligatory, many die-hard baseball fans, and certainly Long Beach fans, are already to some degree familiar with several of the stories referenced. The bios, however, serve as nice segues into the stories of lesser-known natives Bobby Grich and Vern Stephens, two should-be Hall-of-Famers who are profiled in the curiously titled chapters “Moneyball” and “Moneyball, Part II”. It's an interesting look if for no other reason than both Grich and Stephens's outstanding big league careers seem to have fallen under the radar as history has passed. Keisser examines how the advancement of sabermetrics have created a swell of Hall-of-Fame support for the previously dormant cases of Grich and Stephens. Though Keisser's use of advanced statistics creates a compelling case for both players, the overabundance of statistics referenced (advanced and traditional) occasionally causes the stories behind the players themselves to get lost.

Eventually, Keisser focuses Baseball in Long Beach on baseball in Long Beach, digging deeply into the the rich history of the area's several high schools. Covering high school baseball history for one specific city might seem like an awfully niche subject, particularly if the reader is a non-Long Beach native like myself, but one can't help but be impressed with the sheer volume of baseball talent that the area has produced, and Keisser allows no one of significance to slip through the cracks. Moreover, the overview Keisser gives serves as a nice foundation and backstory to the real heart of the book (as least as far as I'm concerned), the history of Long Beach State baseball and the rise of the Dirtbags.

In clearly laying out the history of the region's prep and Junior College baseball programs, Keisser sets up the telling of how a hastily assembled group of players on a perennial loser of a school managed to use it's lack of funding and facilities as a motivating force. You know the story of the mud-caked uniforms that became the then-49ers' signature look, but the book also focuses on other Omaha-bound LBSU teams, including the '93 squad which became the first to call Blair Field home, only to struggle out of the gate. One interesting anecdote referenced involved Coach Dave Snow holding “practice” on the track, rather than the baseball field, and running his team (the first ever to officially be known as the Dirtbags) after a disappointing weekend series. As Keisser puts it, in words that seem all too relevant today: “[the message] was clear – you didn't become a Dirtbag just by being on the team, and the coach was willing to do whatever it took to get that point across.”

There's a chapter dedicated to some of Long Beach State's biggest names in the major leagues, though Evan Longoria has noticeably little coverage. The portion on Troy Tulowitzski, inparticular, is intriguing, as it's obvious Tulo's passion for what it means to be a Dirtbag still plays a heavy role it the all-star shortstop's approach to the game.

Keisser's telling is truly comprehensive, as he goes on to cover the stellar career of long time big league scout Harry Minor; the Jeff Buroughs-lead Little League World Series teams of the '90's; several championship clubs from amateur leagues such as PONY and American Legion; and he provides anecdotes about the California Winter League, the old Pacific Coast League, and the multiple failed attempts at an independent league team in Long Beach (no mention of the American West Baseball League's proposed Long Beach Splash, who apparently folded this past summer before games were ever played).

Keisser's book is well worth a read, particularly if you're suffering from the offseason blues, and those with at least a passing familiarity of the region's baseball prowess should appreciate the thoroughness of Keisser's coverage. Bringing this back to the Dirtbags, I'll close with an excerpt on Long Beach State's status in the post-Snow era, as the Dirtbags enter 2014 still trying to find their previous glory:

“What's mostly been lost is that thing Snow always sought – players who buy in 100 percent to the type of play and discipline he wanted. There's been a lot of players excited to be a Dirtbag but very few with the discipline and commitment to play like one.”

Five lukewarm questions for the Dirtbags this summer

The Dirtbags failed to make the regionals once again, yet it's been a busy June for Long Beach State baseball. Shane Carle was just drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Day Two of the MLB Draft (an LBSU pitcher going to the Pirates? Can't help but wonder if ex-Pirate Troy Buckley had some input on that); many Dirtbags have started their summer league seasons; and damn-near a fifth of the 2013 squad just up and left. So before I fully transition into my DC Grays summer league coverage (and find out just when exactly I can go to a game), I wanted to address a few of the questions facing Dirtbag baseball as we look ahead to the 2014 season.

1. How will Johnny Bekakis rebound?

After spending the spring on the couch for academic reasons, Bekakis is back(is) on the playing field, teaming with fellow-Dirtbags Zack Rivera and Josh Frye with the LaCrosse Loggers in the Northwoods League.

Though it’s still early in the summer (so early it’s still spring) Bekakis has gotten off to a decent start in the NWL, tallying seven hits and four steals through the Loggers’ first nine games while manning centerfield for LaCrosse (Bekakis spent his first two seasons for the Dirtbags primarily in left field). Assuming he picks up where he left off in 2012, Bekakis should be back in left for LBSU next season, likely hitting at the top of the lineup.

What will Richard Prigatano prove in the Cape?

Playing in the Cape Cod league usually means more for a player’s draft status than his collegiate production. Nevertheless, Prigatano seems to be gearing up for big 2014 after showing a small but noticeable step forward in 2013. The would-be junior right fielder improved both his slugging and on-base percentages last season, but he still needs to find a way to better utilize his natural power in spacious Blair Field, and his poor strikeout-to-walk ratio (33:13 last season) remains a concern.  How he performs against the nation’s best prospects this summer should give us an idea of what we can expect next spring.

Will Jason Martin, Matt Ball, or Garrett Hampson end up at Blair Field next year?

If you’d asked me yesterday I would’ve said: maybe, yes, no. Now, after two days complete in the MLB draft, I’ll adjust that to: no, probably, and hopefully.

Jason Martin was the first LBSU recruit to go this year, plucked by the Astros in the 8^th round. That high of a selection likely means he’s going to skip school and play semi-pro (because, c’mon, it’s the Astros).

Matt Ball seemed likely to go to Long Beach State from the start, but a little bird told me he’s likely to be drafted in Day Three, so the odds of his going pro just went a little higher. Still, he’s not likely to get a huge signing bonus so I’d say the odds are still in our favor.

Garrett Hampson is the name we’ll be keeping an eye on until the signing deadline in August. Pre-draft reports had Hampson going in the round 2-4 range, but he’s somehow managed to slip outside the top ten rounds. Teams will be a little more bold with their selections early in Day Three, but if Hampson manages to fall outside round 15 that could be an indication that teams have some signability concerns.

If Ball makes it to campus he may fill the void left by the recently departed David Hill, as being the underclassmen with the best chance to start on weekends in 2014. Both Martin and Hampson could provide some much needed speed and athleticism to a Dirtbag lineup that hasn’t been able to produce much in several years. Hampson also fills a void in the Dirtbags’ infield. We’ll try not to get our hopes up, but Martin, Ball, and Hampson could all be key pieces of the 2014 Dirtbags… if they go to school.

4. Will anyone go Matt Anderson on us?

As a reminder, Anderson was the Dirtbag would-be senior righty that went undrafted last year, only to have an insane season in summer ball and sign a pro contract anyway. Bekakis, Frye, and Nick Rosetta are the only would-be seniors playing summer ball this year, and none of them were major parts of the 2013 Dirtbags, so seeing them go pro would be a bit of a stretch. Don’t expect any surprise departures this summer (I mean, besides David Hill going one-and-done).

5. What will be the big question marks entering Fall Ball?

The biggest one will be what is the overall health of the team with Ryan Strufing, Kyle Friedrichs, and Prigatano (and possibly Michael Hill) all coming off injuries? Among the position battles at hand, the Sunday starter gig (Nick Sabo being the early frontrunner) and the left side of the infield (too many candidates to name) will be biggest competitions entering 2014.

Stay tuned for updates on all of these questions in the coming days and weeks...

Going Gray (with some notes on the Tallahassee Regional)

Yes, I'm alive.

There's no sense in going into detail about what's kept me away; it was the usual "real life" crap. You know, boring stuff. Unfortunately those same reasons limited my college baseball attendance to two (TWO!) games all season.... and it was a double-header... and it snowed.... at a baseball game.... what kind of fantasy world of a city am I living in?

But thankfully Dirtbag Blues is back just in time for the Summer Leagues, specifically the DC Grays' second season. The Grays served as my primary baseball surrogate last season and will have to fill that role for me again this year (for the Grays personnel that read this: I was the creepy quiet guy with the big goofy red scorebook... it's kinda my trademark).

To celebrate the return of the one team I'll actually be able to watch on a (semi) consistent basis this year, I've decided to hit the reset button on my blog and turn it into a #GraysArea (this is a thing, apparently). My old posts are still floating around and will probably make a return by next spring, but for now I'm not going to overthink this blogging stuff. Just a nice, boring template for my nice, boring content.

I'll have more on the 2013 Grays in the next few days, but for now you might catch a sneak peak of a few players who will be participating in the Regionals this weekend; specifically the Tallahassee Regional. The Florida State-hosted regional will feature three members of the Grays; Troy infielder Peyton Fuller; and Savannah State right-hander Sherman Graves and outfielder Mendez Elder. Fuller and Graves don't figure to factor into the tournament too much (though Graves could see some action if the Tigers' bullpen gets taxed early), but Elder is worth keeping an eye on. The freshman from Atlanta was a big part of the Savannah State offense this year, posting a .379 on-base percentage with 10 stolen bases.

I've got plenty to say about the 2013 Dirtbags (and the Dodgers... good God...) including some notes about next week's draft, but there will be plenty of time for that. For now, Go Grays!

Series Preview: Dirtbags @ Pacific, 4/5-7

Twelve second scouting report on Pacific.

Overview

It’s been awhile. In my absence the Dirtbags have had their souls crushed by San Diego State, received a kick to the groin from Cal State Fullerton, and played a solid series in their conference opener against Cal State Northridge.

The Pacific Tigers, meanwhile, played poorly to begin the year, poorly against Creighton, and assembled a local little league all-star team to play Fullerton in their stead last weekend. I don’t really hold the contempt for Pacific that my rhetoric may reflect, but as I’ve said on multiple message boards “good luck in the WCC next year, Tigers.” (I frequently follow this up my lamenting about how I wish the Big West could find a tenth school. Apparently, beggars can be choosers)

What's at stake

You’ll notice even before I stopped writing altogether, I stopped mentioning the Dirtbags RPI numbers (currently #138, 36th in SoS, 1-8 record against teams in the top 25, and an overall “RPI record” of 8.3-16). That’s because any hope the Dirtbags had of grabbing an at-large regional bid has long since disappeared. Sure, there’s a chance LBSU could go on a tear and post a record of 27-3 the rest of the way, but in that scenario they’d probably simply win the conference’s automatic bid anyway.

And that’s what’s at stake. The 2-1 Dirtbags will have to win the Big West to be playing June baseball this year, so from this point forward just about every series is a must-win, and this weekend may be a “must-sweep”. Taking only two out of three wouldn’t be crippling to the Dirtbags’ conference hopes, but would likely reflect a talent-gap of a team that simply can’t win a 27-game conference season.

As for Pacific, they’re going to do their best to keep their net runs in the –30 range for the series. I swear to God, if they win this series, there will be bloodshed.

Tale of the Tape

Pitching Match-ups

Friday: RHP Shane Carle (3:35 ERA, 33:12 K:BB, 43 IP)  vs. LHP John Haberman (8.44 ERA, 15:8 K:BB, 21.1 IP)

Carle has been the Dirtbags’ top pitcher all season and should continue to be so. The occasional blow up has kept his ERA in the less-than-outstanding range, but typically he’s been a good bet to get a quality start.

John Haberman has pitched better than his 8.44 ERA indicates but still, his ERA is 8.44. Seriously, guys.

Saturday: LHP Jake Stassi (2.73 ERA, 19:11 K:BB, 29.2 IP) vs. RHP Michael Benson (3.43 ERA, 11:13 K:BB, 42 IP)

Stassi has been one of the surprises of the season for the Dirtbags as he continues to offer consistently solid outings. Since a shaky three-inning start against Arizona State back in early March, Stassi has gone three straight outings of six-plus innings while allowing only one run.

Benson is somewhat of the antonym of Haberman. His performance this year has been slightly less impressive than his decent ERA would imply, though last season he was easily the Tigers best pitcher.

Sunday: RHP David Hill (4.55 ERA, 20:16 K:BB, 31.2 IP) vs. TBA

David Hill has settled into the Sunday role nicely, thus far, pitching two consecutive quality starts against Big West opponents. It’d be unfair to expect much bigger things out of him for this season, but his ceiling is sky-high.

The Sunday starter for the Tigers will likely be either Cory Popham, Michael Hager, or Kyle Crawford. Only one of those options (Crawford) is an unhittable-lefty.

Lineup:

Juan Avila and Ino Patron have returned to the Dirtbag lineup to give the offense a badly needed boost. Avila is back after suffering a hand injury, while Patron returns after letting Royce Murai hit for him the first five weeks of the season. Both Avila and Patron have pushed their on-base percentages over .350 and Patron is slugging .418

In an interesting development, it appears The Colby Brenner Show has gone the way of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Jeff McNeil moved into center field for the entire CSUN series last week. Colton Vaughn has taken over at second base and has some dynamic speed of his own, while currently boasting a .357 on-base mark. Keep an eye on his progress, as the redshirt sophomore could grab a starting role in 2014 if McNeil or Michael Hill depart for the professional ranks this June.

The Tigers typically offer an offense that isn’t horrifyingly awful, though this year they have just a .306 team on-base percentage and a .329 slugging mark. First baseman Erik Lockwood (.333/.418/.449 in 23 games) remains the team’s biggest threat. Catcher Jason Taasaas, with .383 OBP, is having a solid year but aside from that there aren’t many noteworthy performances from the UoP lineup. Senior second baseman Dustin Torchino has been something of a sparkplug for the Tigers for much of his career, but has disappointed thus far with a .645 OPS. Although Pacific will soon be leaving the Big West, it might be worth watching freshman outfielder Gio Brusa. Brusa has gotten off to a slow start (.414 OPS) but has the potential to be one of the better Tiger hitters in recent memory.

Dirty Talk

I’m still working on getting this blog back up to speed, so I wasn’t able to find a Pacific fan for “Dirty Talk” this week. But that’s okay because I have something even better, a chat with ever-present Fullerton fan Dave Wright from two weeks ago that I never posted. Sorry for the delay, Dave.

Dirtbag Blues: Having already climbed into the top 10 in most polls, how do you think this year's team compares to other Titan squads of the past several years? Dave Wright: There is much more cohesiveness with this year's team than there was in 2011, the last year that Serrano was the head coach, or last year in Vanderhook's first season.  There were major internal issues in 2011 and there was a transition period last season that isn't uncommon with a new coaching staff where some players didn't have as big of a role that they thought they would.  It helps that there are more seniors on the team than any other team at Fullerton in recent memory because the leadership from the seniors has been excellent. The one area on the field that this team is much better in than the previous two teams is the ability to hit for power, which they haven't done much at all since the BBCOR bats were introduced other than Nick Ramirez in 2011.  The rest of the team hit 8 HR's that year and Fullerton only hit 10 HR's last season but they have already hit 11 HR's.   DB: What could be the Titans biggest weakness? DW: The team hasn't been stringing together many hits on the weekends, hitting in the .235-.240 range in each of the last four weekend series.  However, they have seen some pretty good pitching in those series against TCU, Oregon and Texas A&M and the best starter they have seen was probably Alex Gonzalez last weekend at Oral Roberts, who is likely to be drafted in the first two rounds. DB: What's Michael Lorenzen's draft stock look like right now? Any other draft-eligible Titans making a name for themselves so far?  DW: Lorenzen has been hitting much better than he did in the last six weeks of 2012 and is driving the ball with more authority.  He will probably be drafted either late in the first round or in the second round.  The player who can be drafted in June who has made the biggest jump from last season is Chad Wallach.  The MLB guys obviously like his bloodlines but he has gone from being a poor defensive catcher, after being converted to the position last year, with a below average bat to a solid defender and one of the better hitters on the team.  There aren't too many juniors on the team so the other players who are going to be drafted are seniors and the one who is standing out is Carlos Lopez, who has gotten himself in much better shape and is having a great season. DB: I'm gonna challenge you here... who's been better, Justin Garza or Thomas Eshelman? When was the last time the Titans had two freshmen arms that were so good, so early? DW: They have been about the same.  Eshelman is a bulldog who doesn't throw as hard as Garza, who has a live arm, but Eshelman is a little more polished.  Fullerton had two solid freshmen in the weekend rotation last season with Kenny Mathews and Grahamm Wiest and had a couple of pretty good freshmen in the rotation in 2009 with Noe Ramirez and Tyler Pill, which is the last time that the Titans went to Omaha. DB: Austin Diemer looks like he's gotten off to a very nice start, any other Titans who have had surprisingly strong/poor seasons? DW: Diemer has very good speed and will be the starting CF in 2014 after Lorenzen has moved on.  He just needed to get some playing time after getting used to hitting against D1 pitchers.  Wallach, whom I already mentioned, is another one who is having a surprisingly good season. DB: We both know the Dirtbags are going to win the conference, but hypothetically speaking... who poses a bigger threat in the Big West to the Titans; UC Irvine or Cal Poly? DW: Interesting question.  Everybody expected Irvine to have a very good pitching staff and those guys have delivered but their offense has been surprisingly good and their defense has been excellent despite losing three senior starters up the middle at 2B, SS and CF.  Cal Poly returned most of their lineup but hasn't been hitting much until recently and the main reason why they got off to such a good start is due to their pitching being excellent.  They look like two pretty evenly matched teams. DB: We've talk a little about this before, but in general what do you think caused such a large regression for the Dirtbags in recent years, and what do you think they need to do to get back on track? DW: Long Beach stopped getting the amount of front line talent that they were getting in Mike Weathers earlier years as recruiting slipped and the talent level has been below average compared to where it was up to 2008 and that is a big reason why the program has regressed.  Troy Buckley has started to get the program solidified since returning as an assistant for the 2010 season but he probably needs one more big recruiting group to get the talent level in the program close to where it was in 2007-2008 when Long Beach hosted regionals in both of those seasons.

I’ll look forward to chatting with Dave again in four weeks, in the mean time you can find him on twitter here, where you can ask him pretty much anything about the Titans.

Dirtbags' Keys to the Series

An absent supporting cast

Though Avila and Patron have rebounded, Jeff Yamaguchi and the trio of freshman Eric Hutting, Zach Rivera, and Jonathan Serven have regressed, leaving the LBSU lineup awfully top-heavy. Some more support from the 5 through 9 hitters are badly needed for this light-hitting offense.

The Stassi/Hill weekend combo

The Dirtbags may have finally solidified the back end of their rotation and if Stassi/Hill are able to keep the Tigers offense at bay it’s hard to image the Dirtbags could lose this series, or even fail to sweep.

Don’t screw it up

It still seems like the Dirtbags haven’t been able to get running on all cylinders this year, and the team’s imbalanced output has been even more glaring in the last couple weeks. Rookie righty David Hill tosses a strong game against Fullerton…. Michael Hill’s inexplicably called out at third base to end the game; the Dirtbags manage to get seven hits against Northridge’s Jerry Keel… Shane Carle somehow gets lit up by a poor CSUN lineup.

The Tigers may end up being the worst opponent the Dirtbags face all season, if there’s going to be a series where everything should go right for Long Beach, this would be it.

Up Next: For the Dirtbags; San Diego State and UC David; for me, probably writing a remorse-filled letter begging Pacific to stay in the conference.