Trapasso's strength is recruiting

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

The timing of Mike Trapasso's announcement as the University of Hawai'i's new baseball coach revealed the program's problems of recent seasons.

New Rainbows baseball coach Mike Trapasso traded caps yesterday, pulling on a UH one while athletic director Hugh Yoshida watches. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

In this week's draft, Georgia Tech, where Trapasso was chief recruiter, had nine players chosen — all within the first 22 rounds. That does not include nine recruits, including a supplemental first-round pick, who also were drafted.

"That's what we're striving for," Trapasso said yesterday. "That's why I'm here. You look at those nine guys at Tech this year, that's two recruiting classes. Our job is to put together two or three recruiting classes in a row to get that kind of talent. That's why I was interested in coming here because everything's in place for us to attract that kind of talent."

He added that the top priority for recruiting will be at home, where he acknowledged the talent based on the number of Hawai'i players drafted the past two days.

"The most important thing from Day 1 is to keep the local kids home," he said.

Trapasso hopes to be completely moved here by July 1, his official starting date. He also hopes to have his staff in place by then. And even then he doesn't plan to be around much. He said he will scout players at high school tournaments on the West Coast. It is at these showcases where Hawai'i's recent high draft picks — brothers Dane and Bronson Sardinha, Brandon League and Kahi Kaanoi, to name a few — were recruited by Mainland colleges.

"The type of kids we want are the type of kids we've always recruited," Trapasso said. "We start with athletes. The evaluation of talent is where we have to start. The type of players we want are good citizens, good students. The baseball part obviously takes care of itself."

Still, there is much to be done before he can prepare for a future that the UH administration is hoping will return the program to its heyday, when qualifying for a regional was expected. The Rainbows' last regional appearance was in 1993.

Trapasso met some of UH players yesterday. He wants to meet individually with each or speak to them by telephone if they are out of state over the next few weeks. He does not want to cut any of the remaining players.

"The majority of it is it's up to them.," he said of a player's decision to stay or leave. "I haven't even talked to Hugh (Yoshida, athletic director) about that possibility. I would definitely not want to do that. That's not the way I operate. That will probably be a mutual decision left up to the kids."

Trapasso said he wants to speak with each UH player in person or by phone in the next few weeks. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

He must review the scholarship situation to see how many, if any, he has available. And even if he can offer aid, he knows he is late on recruiting for the upcoming season.

The Rainbows lost first baseman Danny Kimura, third baseman Patrick Scalabrini, utility player Matthew Purtell and pitcher Wakon Childers to graduation. They are likely to lose ace pitcher Jeff Coleman, a junior, who was the only Rainbow drafted. He was a 21st-round selection by Oakland and he said he is likely to sign. Trapasso admits his first season will be rough.

"If we stay where we are now, we'd be behind the 8-ball a little bit because we're lacking in some players just through attrition," he said. "We're going to have to go out and find some players. How we do at this late a date is hard to tell. Nothing's impossible, but I would think our expectations for next year have to be based more on playing hard, playing fundamental baseball. That's all we can ask of our guys. After that we'll try to see what the talent level will be in years to come."

What Trapasso does promise is his players will play hard and won't embarrass themselves.

"We will play with sound fundamentals," he said.