American Legion / Steve Elling : Valencia Well-Positioned to Help Reseda

Mario Valencia has done just fine for a guy who never really made it to first base.

When Cleveland High opened its doors to its first freshman class in 1985--it was previously a three-year school--Valencia was included in the incoming crop, although at 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds he was more akin to a weed. By the end of his freshman season, however, Valencia had played eight positions--everywhere but first base.

“Being 5-6 or 5-7, whatever I was then, it just didn’t work out at first,” Valencia said. “But I kind of filled in wherever they needed me.”

Filled in like cement.

Valencia, who will graduate from Cleveland next week, became the first four-year letterman--indeed, the first four-year starter--in the history of the program. And after two weeks of play for Reseda’s American Legion team, he has once again proved his versatility.

“He basically plays wherever I ask him to,” Reseda Coach Frank Des Enfants said. “Sometimes I don’t even know where I’m going to put him. He never whines, he just goes out there and does his job.”

So far, Valencia has played pitcher, shortstop, left field and catcher for Reseda (5-2 in District 20 play).

A 5-7, 140-pound catcher? Care to try your luck?

Last Saturday, Encino-Crespi baserunners tested Valencia three times in the first two innings. The result was three consecutive 2-to-4 putouts.

“Believe it or not, that’s where I like it best,” Valencia said. “I think I call a pretty good game back there. With a pitcher, it’s not just how hard you throw, but where you put it and what you throw.”

Too bad Valencia can’t call his own game.

Reseda pitchers other than Valencia have allowed four earned runs and compiled an earned-run average of less than 1.00. Valencia, who will start at 5:15 p.m. today against Woodland Hills West at El Camino Real High, has allowed five earned runs in 13 innings and is 0-2.

Offensively, however, Valencia leads the team with a .458 average (11 for 24). He also tops the team in doubles (three), stolen bases (five) and runs batted in (eight).

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays every position before the season’s over,” Des Enfants said. “Not because we’ll intentionally put him everywhere, but because before this is over we’ll probably have a need for him everywhere.”

Gearing up: After three seasons as a starter at Westlake High, Mike Lieberthal is building a head of steam heading into his senior season in 1990.

Lieberthal is 12 for 33 with three doubles, six home runs and 21 RBIs for District 16 entry Westlake-Agoura (6-1-1).

Last season at Westlake High, he hit .408 with four home runs and 16 RBIs.

Habit of winning: For the fourth time in as many games, Sun Valley (6-1 in District 20) won in its last at-bat, continuing its last-minute madness with a doubleheader sweep of Foothill Valley on Sunday.

Last week, Sun Valley eked out one-run decisions against Panorama City and Glendale and twice beat Foothill Valley.

How hot is this team? Sun Valley trailed, 4-3, with two out in the seventh inning in Sunday’s opener against Foothill Valley when right-handed-batting Harold Whiteside singled in two runs to win the game.

What’s more, Whiteside was hitting without a contact lens in his left eye. He lost it while playing in the outfield.

“They could just as easily have been four losses,” Sun Valley Coach Les Riley said of the streak. “We better start waking up on time real soon.”

No kidding. Next week, Sun Valley plays Woodland Hills East, Woodland Hills West and Newhall-Saugus, all among the favorites to win their respective divisional titles.

Welcome back: As a junior, infielder Ricky Banuelos was a reserve on the Canoga Park High team that won the 1987 City Section 4-A baseball title. As a senior, he was a starter. Last season, he did not play college baseball.

After Banuelos’ first week of playing for Woodland Hill West, Coach Gary Gibson must be wondering why.

In his first 10 at-bats, Banuelos had seven hits. After six games, Banuelos is 11 for 19 with a team-high 11 RBIs.

Add Sun Valley: Right-hander Eddie Chavez--who led area City Section relievers with four saves--still knows how to pick his spots.

In two relief appearances totaling four innings Sunday, he picked up two wins.

Picking the wrong spots: It hasn’t all been good news for Sun Valley--the team lost two leadoff hitters last week.

Shad Martinez broke his left wrist playing pick-up basketball Wednesday and John Campbell strained a tendon in his left wrist against Glendale last Saturday. The two had combined to steal nine bases in seven games.

Winning understudy: Newhall-Saugus right-hander Roger Salkeld’s failure to show for his team’s doubleheader with Burbank on Sunday didn’t rattle Glenn Terry.

Terry (6-3, 210 pounds) threw a one-hitter, struck out six and walked one as Newhall-Saugus (4-1) beat Burbank, 1-0. He carried a perfect game into the fifth inning.