Playing It Safe

Joining a gang would be easy for Humberto Ramirez, who has lived in an East Los Angeles housing project for 14 of his 17 years.

Every day, he must make decisions that could compromise his future.

“A lot of my close friends recently got into a gang and they really don’t have a life anymore,” he said.

Ramirez has always chosen baseball over gangs. Since the time his father would take him to a park to hit him ground balls, baseball has been his No. 1 priority.

“I love the game,” he said. “I’ve been doing it almost all my life.”

Ramirez, 5 feet 9 and 160 pounds, is a three-year varsity starter at Alhambra High. His coach, Steve Gewecke, calls him the best fielding third baseman he has worked with in 11 years of coaching.

But pitching is the skill Ramirez has mastered this season. Last week against Montebello Schurr, Ramirez (5-1) struck out 12 in eight innings and dropped his earned-run average to 0.38. He’s walked only three in 37 innings for Alhambra (10-6, 5-2).

Ramirez is one of six children born to Maria and Rafael Ramirez, who immigrated from Mexico when they were in their 20s. Oldest brother Jovan was a three-year varsity starter at Alhambra. Youngest brother Noel, 12, is a shortstop and pitcher who could be the best player in the family.

Gang members know not to bother the Ramirez brothers because they’re into sports.

“I show them the newspapers,” Ramirez said. “They say, ‘Good job, be one of the first ones out of the housing projects.’ ”

But there are temptations and safety issues that Ramirez must deal with daily.

“My mom didn’t want us heading in the wrong direction,” he said. “She had a long talk with me. She told me she had a lot of trust in me to make the right decisions.”

Keeping busy in school, in athletics and on weekends as an Explorer with the Pasadena Fire Department helps Ramirez stay out of trouble.

He spends alternate Saturdays training and learning about the fire department.

“It seems like a good career,” he said.

Ramirez needs to keep improving his grades to have a chance to play baseball in college, but there are lessons he has learned that should allow him to make the right choices.

“About two years ago, one of my closest friends got in [a gang], and he’s not around,” Ramirez said. “I think he’s up north just hiding from stuff. It’s not good. You always have to be worried and I don’t want to deal with that.”

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Conor Jackson, a two-time All-City infielder at Woodland Hills El Camino Real High, has become one of the top hitters in the Pacific 10 Conference in his sophomore season at California.

He’s batting .387 with 11 home runs and 42 runs batted in.

But most intriguing about Jackson is how college life has changed him--something high school athletes should ponder.

Jackson was a good student at El Camino Real, but nothing like the 3.9 grade-point average he compiled last semester at California that put him on the dean’s list.

He used to tease his father, John, who co-stars on the CBS drama, “JAG,” about acting. Jackson rarely watched the series and seemed to have little interest in acting.

His one acting experience came in seventh grade when he was an extra for a commercial about Universal Studios’ Back to the Future ride. He didn’t like the work.

“I rode that ride, I swear, 20 times,” he said.

So his family and friends must have been in shock when Jackson declared his college major this year--theater and performance studies.

Everything changed after Jackson took an acting class.

“I loved it,” he said.

He has even asked his father about suggestions for scenes.

“I wish him all the luck in the world,” John said.

Jackson was a 31st-round draft choice of the Cleveland Indians out of high school, but he couldn’t be happier with his college experience.

It has allowed him to explore interests he might never have discovered.

He still wants to be a major leaguer, but he’ll also be well-trained to star in a shaving commercial.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.