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2010 Baseball Preview: The Boys Are Back in Town
1/31/2010 10:58:12 AM
CARSON, Calif. -- Rivaling even their most successful past seasons, the 2010 Toro squad has its work cut out as CSUDH looks to improve on the successes of the 2009 season. Short of an appearance in the NCAA D-II College World Series, the ‘09 bunch left its mark after action in the NCAA D-II West Region Tournament with six All-Americans, three West Region MVPs, 14 All-West Region, six All-CCAA, the CCAA Player of the Year, three CCAA Players of the Week and three Toros extending their careers in the Major League Baseball farm systems.
Records fell as well as no less than eight individual season, five team season and two individual game records now bear the ‘09 mark.
Stepping up to make their presence known in 2010 will be a mixed squad of 12 returning lettermen and 18 newcomers, twelve of whom have previous experience at the junior college level.
“As successful as we were last year, we still feel that we could have done better overall and throughout the season,” reflects head coach Murphy Su’a. “The fact that we played really well and competed with the best teams in the country is a good thing.”
It’s easy to forget the final four games of the ‘09 season, in which CSUDH dropped two apiece at the CCAA and West Region tournaments all to nationally-ranked opponents, when looking at the accomplishments of the regular season. The Toros grabbed 24 wins on their home grass, with a streak of 15-straight, both new marks in Toro baseball history.
“It really didn’t dawn on me until the season was over. I looked at our record and was very impressed with that,” says Su’a. “We use the slogan, ‘Protect This House’ and that is something we take a lot of pride in, in front of our home fans.”
There will be nothing new this year as foes Sonoma State and UC San Diego will look to continue last year’s work as they dropped CSUDH from the West Region tournament in 10-11 (UCSD) and 6-7 (SSU) final-inning losses.
“I am pleased with how the guys competed last year,” beams Su’a. “I am grateful that we have nationally-ranked teams in our conference and I still believe we have the best conference in the country.
“Going into the CCAA tournament we had the best record head-to-head with our opponents and we proved in regionals that we can play and score runs against anybody. We did that, but we just didn’t finish games.”
The Questions
The key to success in the new year is answering the questions that have kept coach Su’a busy in the fall off-season.
The first, and one of the most important, is where to get a combined 28 home runs that came last year courtesy of All-Americans Jon Alia and Paul-Michael Klingsberg, both enjoying a run towards the ‘Big Show.’
Using the bulk of the 2009 year to recover from an injury, junior outfielder Kevin Pillar will feel the added pressure of becoming a big bat after only one long shot last year. Another outfielder, senior Andrew Baslow is already on his way towards the record books after six home runs as a junior, a number Su’a hopes Baslow will duplicate this spring.
“We are not focusing so much this year on power,” states Su’a. “Although we are going to need guys to step up and give us runs with one swing sometimes, and we have the guys who can do that.”
“We have guys with surprising pop and I will be surprised if we don’t hit as many home runs as last year. Baslow is showing pop and Pillar has matured as a batter, and can drive the ball well.”
A second question springs from the mound after the Toros lost half of their 10-man bullpen from ‘09. Overall, assistant head coach and pitching coordinator Sid Lopez ran his show right, seeing the ‘09 staff fan a total of 350 batters, the highest in the CCAA, en route to a new CSUDH single-season record.
Of the five returning pitchers, four saw a combined 29 starts, earning much-needed experience as they look to lead this year’s squad back to the NCAA postseason.
“The biggest concern I had coming into this year was pitching out of the bullpen,” says Su’a. “I think we have shored up that area quite well, and our support staff coming out of the bullpen is going to do a tremendous job.”
The final question, one that haunted Su’a after last year’s appearance last year, remains how far the Toros have come in the off-season.
Excluding the four season-ending losses of ‘09, CSUDH was 5-3 against ranked opponents in the regular season, carrying them into the West Region Tournament.
“I know that we as a team got better in the off-season,” says Su’a. “But I also know that the conference as a whole got better and my prediction is that we are in it to win it through hard work and practice.”
Infielders
Returning three of the five infield positions, senior catcher Brian Sturgis, junior second baseman Carlos Leyva and senior shortstop Dean Benavidez will call the shots around the horn.
Collectively, the trio made only 31 errors in 807 chances, turning 33 double plays in the process. Not just a threat protecting the base, Leyva stole 30-of-36 bags as a runner and grabbed a new CSUDH single-season record of 241 at-bats en route to being named an NCAA/Daktronics & NCBWA All-American Honorable Mention.
As the field general, Sturgis saw action in 40 games, making 34 starts behind the plate, committing only five errors in 218 chances. Across the field, Benavidez was just as steady, making only 15 errors in 241 chances.
“We are solid up the middle with Benavidez and Leyva,” says Su’a. “Those two guys work together and do it well.”
After the departure of Alia, first base leaves a hole to be filled, most likely by a trio of transfers with seven combined years of collegiate fielding experience in Steve Carrillo, Max Anderson and Cole McCune.
Across the infield, third base is also a question, with three different Toros seeing action at the hot corner last year.
Redshirting the ’09 season, freshman Jose Jauregui will see action at third, sharing time with junior transfer Abel Medina.
Two as of yet unknowns in the '10 season will satisfy the utility position, transfer Jose Serrano has third base experience as well as seeing action at both middle positions in his career. True freshman Jesus Padilla of Lakewood provides the versatility as Padilla will not only see action in the field, but at the dish as well and spend time on the mound.
Aside from Sturgis behind the dish, who made 34 starts in ‘09, senior Derrek Duarte will return as a strong backup after 16 starts in the “2” position. Behind the starting two, transfer Kyle Pond and Brian Gregory provide the luxury of depth at the cather spot.
Outfield
The one known factor for this year’s team is the outfield as Pillar, Baslow, and senior John Skala all return to reclaim their positions.
In the ‘09 season, the trio made just 12 errors in 247 chances to backup their infield counterparts and will use that same defensive acumen to cover the alleys in clutch situations in ‘10.
“The outfield is solid with Baslow, Pillar and Skala,” states Su’a. “Our biggest concern is keeping those three healthy, and if they have even average years, we will be extremely good in the outfield.”
A standout in the field, Baslow was named a 2nd-Team ABCA/Rawlings All-West region selection and CCAA Player of the Week (March 16-22). The Chatsworth native led the team in triples (5) and made only one error in 89 chances. Pillar continued his standout play as the West Hills native tallied a .329 average and was second on the team in stolen bases (18) before being named a 2nd-Team All-CCAA selection.
New additions to the field include a duo of two freshmen, Kevin Logan and Marcus Lefton.
Pitching
Leading the charge from the bump is three-time All-West Region selection and senior Kody Kurowski who, as the only left-handed hurler on the team, will use his 6-4 frame to once again dominate the CCAA.
In ‘09 Kurowski tallied seven wins, 14 starts, 64 Ks and a 3.15 ERA, all CCAA top-ten marks.
“Kurowski stepped up last year and grabbed the No. 1 spot, and that hasn’t changed going into this year,” Su’a says of his star thrower. “He will still be our No. 1 guy leading us into every series. He doesn’t know the meaning of pressure, and he will compete, bottom line.”
Shrugging off his injuries of ‘09, major league prospect in senior Bret Montgomery will look to make a dominant return after grabbing four wins, eight starts, 45 Ks and a 3.30 ERA in ‘09.
“Montgomery is throwing as well as he has ever thrown and he might be one of the best pitchers in the conference this year,” predicts Su’a.
With the loss of two starting pitchers, Su’a will look to change up his ‘pen, moving senior Michael Cruz from the set-up position to a spot in the starting four. Cruz fanned 39 batters in 25 appearances to pick up a 6-2 record in ‘09. Also returning, junior David Fair will step up into a possible spot in the starting rotation after grabbing six starts in 13 games in ’09.
A new addition, transfer junior Shane Youngdale will also compete for a spot in the starting four. As in ’09, closeout duties once again will be relegated to junior Danny Torres, who grabbed 25 appearances last season.
Coach Su’a will look to the addition of two freshmen, described as “quality freshmen pitchers,” to further add depth to the ‘pen in Andrew Klausmeier and Sean Wardour.
A south bay native, junior Alan Gatz from Torrance will provide the versatility in the staff for the Toros. Gatz has the skill to start, relieve and close a game. The Toros add a new closer in junior Johnny Silva, while a converted infielder in junior Bob Stone and sometimes-designated hitter Barrett Ceverha will round out the additions to the staff.
Batting
A key to every offense, the Toros return six of their top ten batters for an offensive jump-start this spring.
Sensational in the lead-off position, Leyva looks to expand on his 30 stolen bases from last season before number two hitter Baslow - who saw 21 starts in the two-hole last year - even has a chance to connect.
Not only exchanging his first base position for his run at the majors within the San Diego Padres system, Alia cemented himself as the cleanup man in ‘09, a spot that will be heavily contested for in ‘10.
“Skala will be a force to deal with at the plate as well as transfer Abel Medina,” says Su’a. “But our biggest hitter this year could be our cather Pond, a lethal switch hitter.”
Closing
Entering his fourth year at the helm, Su’a has a proven formula for success, seeing his past three teams finish at 8th, then 6th and finally at 4th last year in the CCAA.
Picked to finish 5th in conference in the preseason coaches poll, Su’a has a bigger target on his mind.
“As a team we have our ultimate goals and the No. 1 goal is to win a National Championship Title,” Su’a says as a matter-of-fact. “The next goal is a West Region Tournament win and right before that is a CCAA Tournament Title.
“As our every day goal, we want to win every pitch”, concludes Su’a. “If we do well at every pitch then we will be successful.
“I am really excited about this club, and I know that we are going to make a lot of noise.”
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