New faces dot UH baseball team roster
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
If there's a theme for the 2003 University of Hawai'i baseball season it's, "What's new?"
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
There are 22 new players for second-year coach Mike Trapasso.
The 2003 captains for the UH baseball team are Brent Cook, left, and Josh Green. "I didn't really expect it, but it seems fitting for Cook because he's the team leader," Green said.
There is a new hitting coach in Brian Green.
The Rainbows' dugout has moved from the third-base side to first for the first time in the 20-year history of the modern Les Murakami Stadium.
The blue outfield wall is now painted green.
Even the voice at the park has changed. Susan Kondo Leong is the new public address announcer.
OK, so this year's team captains are only half new.
Brent Cook, a newcomer last year after transferring from California, returns as one captain, while junior college transfer Josh Green is the other.
"I didn't really expect it, but it seems fitting for Cook because he's the team leader," Josh Green said. "He's the guy who's going to help us win a championship. It's an honor to be a captain."
Added Cook: "It's definitely an honor. I appreciate it a lot. I'm just out here to do whatever it takes to get this team to win. That's my role."
Now that everyone has been brought up to speed, it's time for opening day with Hawai'i hosting UCLA in a three-game series starting Friday.
• What: Collegiate baseball • Who: UCLA (2-2) vs. Hawai'i (0-0) • When: 6:35 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1:05 p.m. Sunday • Where: Les Murakami Stadium • Parking: $3 • Tickets: $6 Blue and Orange levels; $5 Red level (adults); $4 Red level (65-years-and-older and students K-12, and UH students). • TV: K-5 will broadcast Friday's and Sunday's games live. • Radio: KKEA AM 1420 will broadcast all three games live.
Last year, the Rainbows swept the Bruins; it would be the only series Hawai'i won last season en route to a 16-40 record, the worst in the program's Division I history.
Rainbow Warriors game facts
"We're definitely excited to get started," Trapasso said. "Still, Friday night's just the first of 56 (games). The goal obviously is to get better each game."
For the 10th consecutive year, the Bruins are a part of the Rainbows' schedule. Like the Rainbows, the Bruins had a tough season (26-35, 9-15 in the Pac-10) last year. They are picked by conference coaches to finish sixth this year, while Baseball America predicted a seventh-place finish in the nine-team Pac-10.
Still, the Bruins always bring formidable talent, beginning with All-America candidate Wes Whisler, a sophomore first baseman/pitcher who was named top prospect in the Cape Cod League over the summer.
He batted .328 with 18 home runs with 46 RBIs as a freshman. He also was 5-2 with a 4.06 earned run average, making 13 starts in 18 appearances.
Whisler (0-1, 6.35) pitched the Bruins' season opener, taking the loss in an 8-6 decision to Cal State Northridge last week.
UCLA took 2-of-3 from the Matadors. Whisler, a left-hander, is Friday's starter.
Left-hander Mike Kunes (1-0, 1.80) is slated for Saturday and right-hander Casey Janssen (0-0, 9.64) is pegged for Sunday.
Through yesterday, the only sure spot of the UH rotation was JC transfer Colby Summer for Saturday's game.
Chris George is tentatively set for Friday, but might move to Sunday to give his arm a few more days of rest, Trapasso said. In that case, left-hander Justin Cayetano would pitch the opener.
NOTE: Utility player Jeff Rhode and pitcher Ivan Rodriguez are no longer on the team. Rhode will concentrate on football and Rodriguez is not playing for academic reasons, coach Mike Trapasso said.
