BACK IN THE SWING KENNEDY'S AVLAS IS A HIT AFTER BEATING RARE SLUMP.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

Through 12 years of baseball, Phil Avlas never knew a slump. That was something that afflicted every one else but not him.

Then came his senior season at Kennedy High of Granada Hills. His coach anointed him The Man, and The Man suffered through his first lengthy hitting woes.

Avlas worked through it and had a stellar enough season to earn selection to the 25th Bernie Milligan Daily News All-Star Baseball Game. But in a season in which he was the go-to player, he discovered being The Man isn't everything he thought.

``I don't want to say I don't want to be a leader. I do,'' Avlas said. ``But I'm used to going out and doing things for the team. I feel more confident going out and playing and not worrying about anything.''

That never was going to happen this season. Kennedy won the City title last season, in part because Avlas had another strong season in a series of strong seasons dating to Mission Hills Little League.

As a junior, Avlas earned co-City Player of the Year honors by hitting .471, handling the catching duties solidly and leading this team to the City championship.

``This kid can do anything,'' Cougars coach Manny Alvarado said. ``He can steal a base, hit a ground ball to the right side, bunt for a hit, hit for power.''

When the time came to defend its crown, it was natural for Alvarado to tell Avlas this would be his team. Avlas took the challenge, knowing he had to spread his focus beyond himself.

The challenge became greater as Kennedy players went down with injuries. Avlas took more responsibility upon himself.

About a month into the season, Avlas noticed something different about his game. The balls weren't falling. He was hitting hard but right at people. He struck out more.

Kennedy was swept by Sylmar in two Valley Mission League games, knocking the Cougars out of first place.

``He felt like he wasn't the man (and) he wasn't carrying the team,'' Alvarado said. ``I laughed at him. 'This is what you have to get used to. You're going to have to learn how to deal with it.' ''

Teammates such as Chad Shaw saw Avlas stay optimistic and calmly say he'd break out soon. Inside Avlas, however, the frustration built. He tried harder, which led to the realization that for the first time in his life, he was pressing. His batting average plummeted more than 145 points, to below .400.

One day in economics class, as Avlas' mind wandered to the baseball field, his teacher asked him to read. Avlas, startled, asked what page they were on. Some classmates laughed.

He spent quiet time in his bedroom, looking at his City-championship ring and two batting-title plaques and wondering what did he have to do?

When Alvarado offered extra batting practice, Avlas accepted and soon noticed his swing had become less compact and his stance had become more open. He had gone from hitting like Todd Zeile to swinging like Dave Kingman.

He tucked in his elbows and shortened his stance. The balls started to fall. Alvarado told him in one game, ``Welcome back to .400.''

Avlas pulled himself out just in time to sweep two games from San Fernando, Kennedy's main challenge to the league title. Avlas didn't look back again and finished third on his team with a .412 average, not enough to win a third batting title but more than respectable.

BERNIE MILLIGAN GAME

Date: June 9

Time: 2 p.m.

Place: Lancaster Municipal Stadium

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Phil Avlas finished third for Kennedy at the plate with a .412 average.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Box: BERNIE MILLIGAN GAME (see text)