CSUN NOTES\Batesole local push is the key.Byline: Kevin Acee Special to the Daily News Mike Batesole appears to have known what he was doing. A look at the Cal State Northridge baseball roster shows 15 players who went to area high schools and/or junior colleges. "Definitely," Batesole, the Matadors' interim coach, said of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. ties being no coincidence. "If we recruit this Valley the way we should, there are enough kids here to win. Instead of having 25 kids from outside the area and four from here, we should have 25 from here and four from everywhere else. "The talent is (in the area). We've just got to get it here." Already at Northridge are catcher Robert Fick Robert Charles Fick (born March 15, 1974 in Torrance, California) is a Major League Baseball player for the Washington Nationals. The left-handed batter, who throws right-handed, attended California State University at Northridge. (Newbury Park High), pitcher Juan Velazquez (Valley College), second baseman second baseman n. Baseball The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base. Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base second sacker Jeff Shapiro (Montclair Prep, Pierce), pitcher Gary Stephenson (Hart, College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. ) and pitcher Bobby Cowan (Saugus, COC See chip on chip. ). But the top returning players are junior outfielder Eric Gillespie and sophomore shortstop Adam Kennedy For other people with the same name, see Adam Kennedy (disambiguation). Adam Thomas Kennedy (born January 10, 1976 in Riverside, California) is a Major League Baseball player. He currently plays second base for the St. Louis Cardinals. Kennedy attended J.W. from Long Beach and Riverside, respectively. Even before Bill Kernen retired in June, Batesole was in charge of recruiting for the Matadors. "My No. 1 priority as a recruiter is to get the best that's here in the Valley," said Batesole, who was hired by Kernen before the 1994 season. "That was my thinking from Day 1." Practice for the upcoming season begins Monday. And while it remains to be seen how the Valley players, including 11 newcomers, do for the Matadors on the field this season, their presence has paid off already. Batesole said the team has had supplies and labor donated from area businesses and tradesmen. A shed was built and the clubhouse - the finest locker room facility on campus - was refurbished. "In the last four or five months the community has been fantastic," he said. "People have been coming out of the woodwork woodwork: see carpentry; furniture; intarsia; marquetry; veneer; wood carving. to help us. That's Valley people jumping on the bandwagon. That's what we need to be successful, is the Valley behind us." Acceptance: One of the referees came by the Northridge bench in the second half of Tuesday's men's basketball loss to the Colorado School of Mines Colorado School of Mines, at Golden; state supported, coeducational; chartered 1874. It was one of the first mineral engineering schools in the United States. and offered some congratulatory words to the Matadors coaches. "I think it's a great idea what you guys are doing - redshirting those guys for the Big Sky Conference," the referee said of Derrick Higgins and Kevin Taylor Kevin Taylor (born August 11, 1974) is an African-American professional skateboarder. He was born in Wildwood, New Jersey, began the sport at age 11, and turned professional at 16. Taylor skates in a regular stance, lives in Philadelphia. sitting out this season. Recalling the incident, assistant coach Mike Johnson facetiously said, "Yeah, we're geniuses." It is certainly no deliberate move that the Matadors' two prized junior college recruits are injured and will miss the rest of the season. "We recruited them for now," said head coach Pete Cassidy, whose team was 3-9 entering Saturday night's game against the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Asked how it felt to look to the end of his bench and see not only Higgins and Taylor but also leading scorer Damion Morbley sitting there much of the season with various personal problems, Cassidy sighed and gave one of his staple pauses before answering. "What's that prayer - Help me with the things I can control?" Cassidy said. |
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