IT'S NO AVERAGE CEREMONY BURBANK HIGH HONORS SANCHEZ.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer

BURBANK - Freddy Sanchez asked for forgiveness in case things didn't go well, noting that if he seemed nervous, he was.

The Pittsburgh Pirates infielder who was so at ease at the plate last season that he became the organization's first player in 23 years to win a batting title, was the uncomfortable center of attention Friday when his former high school, Burbank High, held a ceremony to retire his uniform number.

The No. 21 that Sanchez, a 1996 graduate, wore with the Bulldogs is the first number retired by the school.

``They were talking about playing baseball in front of 50,000 people and hitting that little ball,'' Sanchez said. ``Talking in front of a few hundred people, that's a lot harder for me to do. Bear with me a little bit, please.''

Sanchez's speech went fine, which shouldn't be surprising considering all the things in his life that seemingly weren't supposed to go well, but did -- the things that earned him in that spot on the stage set up in right field.

Sanchez, whose parents initially weren't sure if he'd walk much less be able to play sports, endured surgery and years of treatment as a young child to overcome a club foot.

He was a scrappy, but gifted, three-sport athlete by the time he reached high school, but getting noticed as a baseball player would have to come while playing for a last-place team. Sanchez won Foothill League MVP honors as a senior.

With little interest from the pros, Sanchez spent two seasons at Glendale College and year each at two different NAIA schools, being drafted out of Oklahoma City College in 2000 in the 11th round by the Boston Red Sox.

Sanchez entered the 2006 season with Pittsburgh as a utility infielder without a starting job. He finished as the National League's leading hitter, batting .344. He also made his first All-Star Game appearance and during the offseason was awarded the Tony Conigliaro Award for spirit, determination and overcoming adversity.

``To overcome all that I have makes it that much more gratifying to do what I have,'' Sanchez said. ``All that hard work paid off.''

The work ethic that his Pirates teammates describe as being among the best in the game is part of what kept Sanchez in Burbank baseball lore even though the program has gone through a frequent change of personnel and those who coached Sanchez have long since left the school.

``The thing we talk to our guys about is work ethic and giving your best 100 percent of the time and not ever accepting no as an answer,'' current Burbank baseball coach Bob Hart said. ``Freddy's a living example of that....

``He's the perfect guy to have come back here. He's family driven and has the type of work ethic that's a great example for the kids. He's a hard worker who made himself what he is. That was always his M.O. to outwork people.''

Former Burbank coach Steve Wilson supports that notion, telling of how Sanchez, who lived across the street from the field, was given a key to the field so he could practice whenever he wanted.

Many of those on hand Friday told stories of how they knew Sanchez was destine for success. The most telling was from his current Pirates teammate Jack Wilson, who grew up in Thousand Oaks and played on a summer team with Sanchez during high school. Wilson is the shortstop in Pittsburgh, but he remembers how the first play he saw Sanchez make back then prompted Wilson to instead try out for second base.

``I knew I had no chance,'' Wilson said. `That's the way he was, from the minute you saw him, you knew he could play the game.''

Sanchez maintained that same belief in himself. He doesn't consider last season a surprise.

``The only question or doubt that I had was if I'd get a chance to prove myself out of the utility role,'' Sanchez said. ``I always felt like I had the ability and that I could help the team win. I just stayed confident that if I got that chance, I could get it done.''

He admits he is ``a lot more comfortable'' going into this season, but doesn't consider this offseason any different than his others as far as his training or how others are treating him, citing ``a few appearances and things'' as the only change. Sanchez, who lives in Arizona with his wife and 1-year-old son, says he is seldom recognized outside of Pittsburgh.

There were enough fans, however, at Burbank on Friday to keep Sanchez busy signing autographs and posing for pictures for more than half an hour after the ceremony ended.

``This ranks right up there with everything else from the past year,'' Sanchez said. ``The batting title and the All-Star Game and stuff like that is great, but my family doesn't get to be there for a lot of that, so to have them here makes this really special. All of my greatest childhood memories are here in Burbank.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) National League batting champ Freddy Sanchez speaks to fans at Friday's number retirement at Burbank High.

(2) Pirates infielder Freddy Sanchez stands next to a plaque of the No. 21 he wore at Burbank High.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer