EAST HAS EXCESS OF TALENT COACH SNYDER HOPES TO GIVE ALL HIS STARS A CHANCE TO SHINE.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

Heavily armed with Santa Clarita-area baseball talent, the East team has looked sharp in practices this week in preparation for the 28th annual Daily News Bernie Milligan All-Star Game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa.

``This is a pretty good team. There's a lot of talent,'' said East coach Jared Snyder of Valencia High. ``For me, it's just a neat experience dealing with all these different, talented players. The hard part is going to be having to figure out how to get them all into the game to showcase their talent.''

Five of Snyder's Valencia players - pitcher/outfielders Matt Aidem and Jared Clark, infielders Danny Worth and Patrick O'Sullivan, and catcher Wes Pascolla - are participating, along with Hart of Newhall's Steve Sanchez and Steve Susdorf, Saugus' Ian Bridges and Jason Pfau, and Canyon's Drew Peterson.

Either Clark (8-1, 1.08 ERA) or fellow right-hander Robert Parra of Poly of Sun Valley will be the starting pitcher.

--Been there, done that: Snyder played in the Bernie Milligan event in 1988 at Cal State Northridge after a stellar career at Saugus. He went 1 for 2 in the game.

For Saturday's game, he's expecting Valencia assistants Mitch Graf and Brian Mulligan to join the East staff.

--Their time has come: Saugus representatives Bridges and Pfau haven't received as much publicity as most of the other locals over the past couple of seasons, so they're looking at the Milligan event as a opportunity to make names for themselves.

``This is kind of a good chance for both of us,'' said Bridges, a catcher who has committed to Sonoma State. ``We can go out there and prove Saugus baseball is for real because a lot of times our school kind of gets left in the dark.''

Pfau, a left-handed pitcher who plans to play at College of the Canyons next season, agrees.

``It's always hard to play your last game and end your high school career, but it's kind of an honor to get picked to this team,'' he said.

--Left-hander not left behind: Like Pfau, Hart left-handed pitcher Steve Sanchez also hasn't received much publicity, partly because he missed his junior year while concentrating on academics, then won just three games this season while working in a three-man rotation.

``When I heard about getting a chance to play in this game, I was really excited,'' Sanchez said. ``It's going to be a pleasure and a lot of fun.''

--Drew can do: Peterson, who has committed to San Jose State, was among the players who caught Snyder's eye during the first East practice at Kennedy High in Granada Hills on Monday.

``The Peterson kid is good. He's a very good player,'' Snyder said. ``I was impressed with him all year, but I'm ever more impressed now that I've seen him in practice.''

28TH ANNUAL DAILY NEWS BERNIE MILLIGAN ALL-STAR GAME

When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday.

Where: Birmingham High in Lake Balboa (corner of Balboa and Victory boulevards).

Locals: Matt Aidem, Jared Clark, Wes Pascolla, Danny Worth and Patrick Sullivan from Valencia; Ian Bridges and Jason Pfau from Saugus; Drew Peterson, Canyon; Steve Sanchez and Steve Susdorf from Hart.

East coach: Jared Snyder, Valencia.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Jared Clark, who was 8-1 with a 1.08 ERA for Valencia this season, could be East team's starting pitcher in Saturday's game.

(2) Danny Worth, left, and Patrick O'Sullivan are two of the five Valencia players on the East team for Saturday's all-star game.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

Box:

28TH ANNUAL DAILY NEWS BERNIE MILLIGAN ALL-STAR GAME (see text)