It’s Time to Play Ball : Among the Leaders, La Quinta’s Paulsen Is the One to Watch

So often in high school baseball, the team leader is the pitcher, catcher or shortstop.

He’s usually the team’s best athlete, and he tends to put in more practice time than most of his teammates because he has more at stake, such as the opportunity for a college scholarship or a professional contract.

And he almost always is a good contact hitter, spraying singles against the fastball pitchers that other teammates might swing and miss against.

If you’re keeping score, mark Troy Paulsen 3 for 3 in these categories in your La Quinta High School baseball program.

Paulsen, a senior shortstop for the Aztecs, is emerging as the player to watch this season not only in the Garden Grove League, but throughout Orange County.

With Paulsen, a 6-foot 180-pounder, it isn’t so much the .413 batting average from last season, the good glove and the strong arm that is impressive, but rather his character.

“He is a good one, and with the good ones, you never seem to have to get after them, even when they make a mistake,” Demerest said. “He just loves the game and that makes him so easy to coach. He’s willing to work for his success.”

From Vern Nelson, Bolsa Grande coach: “Paulsen’s probably as good a player as we’ve had around here in some time. He’s the kind of player you build your program around.

“If you’re a college coach or scout, he’s a kid you’d want to look at. He’s a good offensive player--he’s hurt us, that’s for sure.”

Paulsen had 4 triples, 6 doubles, 16 walks and 21 runs batted in last season.

Such past success could satisfy some, but not Paulsen. He wants his senior season to be spectacular by his estimation.

“I think I can compete with anybody when I’m playing well--it’s just a matter of doing your best and not worrying about the crowd or your stats or whatever,” Paulsen said. “Just the score. And I’m playing confident right now.”

Paulsen is looking to the future these days, considering a contract or scholarship is on the horizon, but regardless of what happens in his career, he already has some baseball stories to tell.

Ask him about the time he had to face Sunny Hills fastballer Paul Abbott last season, and he says: “We played them the first game of the year and at that time nobody had really heard of Abbott.

“We saw how hard he was throwing in warmups and we all said, ‘Wow, what did we do to deserve this guy?’ We beat him, though.”

Or when he suffered a broken bone in his foot as a sophomore, and the treatment he used in recuperation: “I just ran in the pool every day. That’s right--ran. Just put on some old tennis shoes and hopped in and trotted around. Kept my legs strong and the foot healed right up.”

Paulsen, who is healthy today, hopes the work will pay off this spring.

“There’s been a lot of anticipation for this (senior year),” Paulsen said. “I’ve been waiting for it and waiting for it.”

And now that it’s here, Paulsen is nonetheless wary of his biggest enemy, and it’s not a hanging curveball or fielding a short hopper with two men on base.

Rather, it’s in trying too hard.

Or, to use Paulsen’s word, to exercise discipline .

Paulsen spits out that word in much the same manner that some of his peers might say homework , but if Paulsen shows good discipline this season, the future, in the form of a college or pro offer, should be his.

Other county players to watch this season, in alphabetical order:

Phil Chess (Ocean View) 6-2 1/2, 185, right fielder--Chess hit .320 and was second-team, All-Sunset League last year as the Seahawks’ No. 4 hitter. He’ll bat fourth and should provide Ocean View with good power.

Emmitt Cohick (Esperanza) 6-1, 165, left fielder--A .300 hitter who is excellent defensively, Cohick should help the Aztecs become one of the county’s best teams.

Eric Cox (Esperanza) 6-2, 180, catcher--Considered by many scouts as the county’s leading professional catching prospect, Cox hit .395 with 4 home runs last year and threw out 15 of the 20 baserunners who attempted to steal off of him.

Bob Doran (Mission Viejo) 6-1, 175, second baseman--The strong-armed infielder visited Pepperdine, Arizona and Arizona State. He hit .364 last year to help the Diablos advance to the Southern Section 2-A championship game.

Jim Doyle (Fountain Valley) 5-9, 170, third baseman--Doyle hit .400 (40 for 100) last season with only one strikeout. He also made only one error last season. Hawaii, Arizona, and Brigham Young have expressed an interest in Doyle, who has a 3.9 grade-point average.

Richard Faulks (El Toro) 6-2, 185, pitcher--Went 7-4 last season with a 1.67 ERA. Scouts say Faulks, a left-hander, often forces opposing hitters to beat the ball into the ground. Being recruited by Chapman College, UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton and San Diego State.

Todd French (Canyon) 6-2, 180, catcher--A star quarterback, French also is an outstanding catcher. French hit .284 last season and has started this season at .364, including two doubles. French carries a 4.0 grade-point average.

Jeff Haack (Huntington Beach) 6-1, 170, pitcher--A left-hander, Haack has a 2-0 record this season, has pitched 19 innings and allowed only one earned run, and has struck out 27. He has a 3.9 grade-point average. Arizona State, Arizona, Stanford and Cal State Long Beach are interested in him.

Wayne Helm (Laguna Hills) 6-3, 185, pitcher--Helm went 10-3 last season with 87 strikeouts and a 1.88 ERA in 79 innings. This season he is 1-1 with 24 strikeouts in 12 innings. A .370 hitter, Helm has had UCLA, Pepperdine, California, USC, Arizona and Arizona State show an interest.

Scott Holcomb (El Dorado) 6-1, 170, pitcher--The left-hander joined the Golden Hawks for their final eight games last season and went 2-2. He is a finesse pitcher with a good curve but can also throw an effective fastball.

David Holdridge (Ocean View) 6-3, 185, pitcher--The junior right-hander has not allowed a run in 11 innings this season and has struck out 18. He’s also the designated hitter when not pitching.

Carl Holmes (Magnolia), 6-4, 200, center fielder--Holmes hit .410 with three home runs last season and is off to a fine start this year with a .500 average. Magnolia Coach Don Popovich describes Holmes as a great athlete with a strong arm who runs well in the field and on the basepaths.

Robbie Katzaroff (Los Alamitos) 5-9, 165, center fielder--Katzaroff set an Orange County record with 51 hits last season. He was the county’s second-leading hitter with a .516 average and also had 27 stolen bases.

Jeff Kent (Edison) 6-1, 170, shortstop--As a third baseman, this versatile infielder hit .500 with 25 RBIs last year. He is a solid defensive player with an excellent arm, he can hit for power, and is being recruited by Stanford, Cal, Fresno State and Arizona State.

Bill Lasher (Dana Hills) 6-0, 170, third baseman--Lasher was third in the county in home runs with eight last season and was a first-team, All-South Coast League selection.

Keith Laszlo (Marina), 6-1, 185, second baseman--Laszlo is 6 for 15 thus far this season, including a double and a home run with 4 RBIs and 3 runs scored. An outstanding defensive player, Stuart made only four errors last season, finishing with a .944 fielding percentage. Laszlo was also a safety on the Viking football team.

Robert Martinez (Westminster) 6-1, 175, outfielder--Martinez hit .360 and stole 12 bases last year and was a first-team, All-Sunset League selection. He has a strong throwing arm, good speed, and is the No. 5 hitter in the Lions’ powerful lineup.

Brent Mayne (Costa Mesa) 6-1, 170, catcher--The son of Orange Coast College baseball Coach Mike Maye, Brent hit .320 last season and is at .333 this season. Mayne had 5 RBIs in a 16-4 win over Orange earlier this season. Has visited Pepperdine and is planning a trip to California.

Jim Patterson (Loara) 5-11, 160, pitcher--The right-hander was a first-team, All-Empire League selection in 1985 when he went 5-4 with a 1.33 earned run average. He’s a power pitcher with a good slider.

Jeff Petredes (El Dorado) 6-2, 210, pitcher--The right-hander, who went 6-2 with a 0.84 ERA in 1985, has been the Golden Hawks’ ace for two years and a starter for three.

Tom Reddington (Esperanza) 6-1, 175, shortstop--A junior, Reddington is a good defensive player who hit .340 last season. Reddington and Cox help round out what promises to be one of the county’s better infields.

Terry Reichert (Fountain Valley), 5-11, 205, catcher--An excellent defensive catcher, Reichert threw out all seven runners who attempted to steal against him during the playoffs last season. Reichert, who hit .389, has Brigham Young and Arizona interested in him.

Al Rodriques (Westminster) 5-8, 155, shortstop--The speedy junior had 29 hits, batted .410 and made only four errors last year, and was a first-team, All-Sunset League selection. He hit two home runs and had nine RBIs in a game against Miraleste this year.

Andy Ruscitto (Valencia) 6-3, 215, catcher--The senior, who set an Orange County record by hitting 12 home runs last year, has moved from right field to catcher but is still considered the county’s premier power hitter. He drove in 34 runs in 1985.

Mike Sliemers (Canyon)--5-10, 160, shortstop--Sliemers hit .328 last season and is 8-for-15 to begin this one, including a triple and two doubles. Most shortstops tend to be singles hitters, but Sliemers is one who can just as easily reach the fences.

J.T. Snow (Los Alamitos) 6-2, 175 first baseman--A three-sport star (football, basketball and baseball), Snow hit .440 last year as the Griffins’ No. 3 hitter. Considered one of the county’s best all-around athletes, he’ll move from outfield to first base this year.

Rob Stuart (Sonora) 6-0, 180, shortstop--Hit .320 last season and is 10 for 13 this season, including two home runs and four doubles. Largely unheralded, Stuart has been getting his share of attention this season with Arizona State, Cal State LA and Loyola Marymount expressing an interest.

Steve Surico (Tustin) 6-3, 190, pitcher--A hard-throwing left-hander is a three-year starter who went 8-3 with a 1.99 earned run average and struck out 94 last year. He’s already pitched a one-hitter this year and plays first base when he’s not pitching.

David Tellers (Western) 5-10, 160, pitcher--The right-hander went 11-3 with a 1.50 earned run average and struck out 56 last year.