BASEBALL PREVIEW : TOP PLAYERS : Baseball ‘93: And Now, a Look at the Names and Numbers

The names, the games and the aims for the 1993 high school baseball season. And remember, without stats, baseball would be like cricket--no American would understand it.

So let’s start with Irvine, then work our way down.

Beat the rush, engrave now, play later: Irvine Coach Bob Flint really won’t have much an excuse if his team doesn’t win the Sea View League. Eight, count ‘em, eight starters are back from a team that was second in the Southern Section 4-A.

Just fill out that lineup card, Bob.

Heck, even Flint knows as much. Under “Outlook” on the team’s questionnaire, he put one word: Bright.

The work won’t come until the Southern Section Division II playoffs, but the Vaqueros will probably do OK there. They did come within three outs of winning the 4-A championship last season.

With so much talent, it’s hard to single out individuals. But there are two worth noting.

Senior outfielder Scott Seal, also a standout running back for the football team, hit .386 with seven home runs and 28 RBIs. Senior pitcher Ryan O’Toole was 8-5 last season and should be even better once he returns from a pulled muscle.

The rich get richer: As if Irvine didn’t have enough, in walks (and hits) Jeff Noisy, a transfer from Santiago. Noisy, a junior outfielder, hit better than .300 for the Cavaliers last season.

Oh yeah, he’s also a running back. He should step into Seal’s shoes nicely next fall.

But enough about Irvine.

He’d be a catch: University’s Stephan Hagins has had scouts and recruiters waiting for a while. Now is their chance: He’s finally a senior.

He’s also a solid defensive catcher and can hit, and hit for power. In fact, Baseball America lists him as the 17th best high school prospect in the nation.

Hagins is a three-year starter. He hit .321 as a freshman, .368 as a sophomore and .468 last season. He also had eight home runs and 28 RBIs in 1992. He had two home runs and eight RBIs in a game against Woodbridge.

“My freshman year I gained poise, my sophomore year I gained experience, and my junior year I gained strength,” Hagins said. “I’m looking to put it all together this year.”

If that happens, they’ll be plenty of folks pitchin’ woo for his services.

Miami advice: Huntington Beach’s Ryan Brannan was 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA last season. Those numbers would have been better, but he had Jon Ward (Cal State Fullerton) and Derek Glascoe (Oklahoma) pitching ahead of him.

But Brannan was impressive enough to earn a scholarship to Miami. Of course, there may be bigger things in store for him.

“He may go to Florida, but it will be in a different guise,” Oiler Coach Mike Dodd said.

Translation: Brannan better decide what color he wants his car to be. The one he can buy with the bonus money.

Punch outs and knock downs: There seems to be no middle ground with Brannan.

He opened the season in fine fashion Friday, striking out nine batters in four innings. Of course, he also hit four batters in four innings.

Remember, his first name is Ryan.

In the third, Brannan hit the first three batters, then struck out two. He proceeded to hit the next guy, forcing in a run.

Of course, Brannan has 19 strikeouts in his first eight innings of work, so what’s a hit batter or four?

To Arms, To Arms: There is an abundance of quality pitchers around this season. Here are a few not to overlook.

--Santa Ana Valley’s Rick Crosby, who was 5-4 with a 2.19 ERA. He was 4-2 in Century League play.

--Laguna Hills’ Brett Nista, who was 7-2 with a 1.73 ERA. A big reason why the Hawks are ranked second in the Division III poll.

--Fountain Valley’s Brian Ponchak, who was 3-1 and has already signed with USC. He allowed only one hit in four innings Friday. He’s not a bad hitter, either, as his two home runs against Cypress on Monday showed.

--Carey Smith, Trabuco Hills, who was 10-1 with a 2.67 ERA. His record is even more impressive considering the Mustangs hit just .270 as a team.

--El Toro’s Marc Ver Wayne, who was 8-4 last season and 9-4 as a sophomore. He may not blow hitters away, but he makes up for it with smarts.

These guys drive you batty: Standing 60 feet 6 inches away are a few pretty fair hitters.

--Outfielder Brian Benner, Capistrano Valley, who hit .465 with 26 RBIs.

--Savanna shortstop Matt Crockwell, who hit .418.

--Catcher Jeff Carr, Mission Viejo, who hit six home runs last season and has nine in his career, both school records.

--Shortstop Roger Sees, Santa Margarita, who hit .460.

--Fullerton third baseman Keith Ginter, who has 13 career home runs.

--Third baseman Jim Sebreros, Garden Grove, who hit .400 last season and got off to a quick start this year with two home runs and eight RBIs in a doubleheader against El Modena Saturday.

Good pitcher, bad joke: Besides being fairly good on the mound, Buena Park’s Alfredo Garcia wins the name game.

He was 6-3 with a 1.68 ERA last season. Similar numbers will have other Freeway League coaches begging (all together now): “Bring me the head of . . . “

Empire builders: As usual, El Dorado, Esperanza and Katella--the Empire League’s constant trio--have more than their share of talent.

--El Dorado, which reached the Division I semifinals a year ago, has first baseman Andy Osborne and shortstop Chris Remala back.

--Esperanza has eight starters back, including shortstop Pancho Ruiz, who hit .409 with 10 doubles and four triples.

--Katella has the deepest pitching staff in the league, led by junior Jaret Wright, the son of former Angel Clyde Wright, and senior George Schalip.

Radar love: Dick Rada, father of Los Alamitos’ pitcher Ben Rada, is his own walking speed trap.

Rada’s wife presented him with a radar gun for his birthday a year ago so he could clock Ben’s pitches, just like the scouts. It also may have kept him from developing an ulcer.

“Dick was a nervous wreck before he got that thing,” Los Alamitos’ Coach Rob Megill said. “You could always tell where he stood. There was a path of dirt worn into the grass where he’d been pacing.”

Rada also uses the gun to scout other teams. Of course, his son will play next year at Stanford, too far off to get a good reading. So that radar gun may become a useless toy.

Then again, Rada could always supplement his income writing speeding tickets.

See ya in the fall, coach: Valencia football coach Mike Marrujo might get a little lonely during spring practice.

Running back/outfielder Chris Draft and quarterback/infielder Rob Petko will be playing under the sun, instead of sweating in the heat.

Guess Marrujo will have to work on defense.

Oh yeah, Mater Dei: Coach Bob Ickes lost five all-league players, including Cale Carter, Angelus League MVP. But the Monarchs, being the Monarchs, seem to have plenty of talent-in-waiting.

Pitcher Mike McDonald and outfielder Brian Barajas were all-league picks a year ago.

Infielder Jeff Frankel is also back. He wasn’t named all-league--after all, there are only so many spots on an all-league team--but he appears a sure bet this year.