JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: KATA BECOMING A STAR.

Byline: Nick Piecoro Staff Writer

Matt Kata might have found a permanent home at the top of the JetHawks batting order.

Kata has hit leadoff each of the past four games and seems to be more suited to the role than his predecessor, Cedrick Harris, who said he sometimes doesn't feel comfortable at the top of the order.

``Kata has been doing a very good job,'' JetHawks manager Scott Coolbaugh said. ``He works the count, puts the ball in play and he's got some speed.''

Harris was promoted to Double-A El Paso near the end of April but hit only .204 in 49 at-bats before being reassigned to Lancaster last week. Upon Harris' return, Coolbaugh put him in the leadoff spot for two games (in which he went 2 for 11) before moving Kata into the spot.

In the four games since, Kata is 6 for 15, but, more importantly, is doing the little things that leadoff hitters need to do.

On Sunday, for example, Kata faced Bakersfield starter Julio Villalon to start the bottom of the first inning. Patiently, he worked the count and got Villalon to show all three of his pitches, something that is helpful to Kata's teammates.

``Your job is to pretty much sacrifice your at-bat,'' Kata said. ``You get yourself a good idea of what he has and then you come back to the dugout. I try and do that normally, so I don't really change anything.''

Harris, meanwhile, has been hitting in the No. 9 spot with varied success. On Monday, he had an RBI single but also struck out three times. He had five hits over the weekend, including two homers, but has yet to show consistency.

``Once he does things and starts feeling comfortable,'' Coolbaugh said, ``I'll probably end up putting him back up top.''

Harris said that he sometimes prefers to let the game get going before he hits. At home, for instance, he's comfortable leading off, when the home team begins play in the field. On the road is a little different.

``I like to get into the flow of the game'' and you can't do that leading off on the road, he said. ``I'll get used to it as I mature and learn pitchers better.''

--Burns healthy Outfielder Kevan Burns was activated from the disabled list just before Monday's game but did not see any action. Coolbaugh said Burns was limited to pinch-hitting duties, and the manager hoped he would be healthy enough to start as designated hitter tonight against Rancho Cucamonga.

``We want to ease his way back into it,'' Coolbaugh said.

Burns, who said Monday his strained right hamstring is about 80 percent healed, did not look particularly sharp in batting practice that afternoon. Before his injury, Burns was hitting .375 with eight homers and 30 RBI in 120 at-bats.

``I can't just roll out of the cage and hit after not hitting for seven days,'' he said. ``Not everybody is blessed with that ability.''

Regardless, he was just happy to be back at the ballpark.

``It's unbelievable, so nice to be back with the guys,'' he said.

Burns said he was bored when the team was away on road trips, and that he was ``driving my folks nuts'' with phone calls back home to Wisconsin.

--Matchup Monday's 12-4 loss to South Division leading Lake Elsinore put the JetHawks 11 games behind the Storm and dropped them a game below .500 at 25-26. A loss in tonight's 7:15 game against Rancho Cucamonga would drop the JetHawks two games under .500 for the first time this season. Andrew Good (4-3, 4.91 ERA) will try to prevent that. The Quakes had not identified their starter as of press time Tuesday.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

In addition to hitting, Matt Kata is doing the little things to help the JetHawks as the leadoff man.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer