Posted on: Wednesday, May 28, 2003

Trapasso predicts bright future

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Considering where the University of Hawai'i baseball program was a year ago, its 30-26 overall record and fourth-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference this season is considered a success to second-year coach Mike Trapasso.

But more important to Trapasso, the season provided a glimpse into the future of UH baseball, which had not won 30 games since 1999 and has not been to the NCAA regionals since 1993.

"You can't be anything other than pleased with the way we finished in the overall record," said Trapasso, whose team finished 16-40 last year. "Does that mean that you're happy with the 30-win season and fourth-place finish? Well, down the road we wouldn't be. And we won't be. But where we are at this stage of our program's development, we're right on schedule."

With only one true recruiting class in his term, Trapasso said the goal for the season was finishing at .500.

"The 30-win mark is really a significant number in college baseball," he said. "It's 40 wins you try to shoot for; it's the mark of a great year. It's kind of the lock for postseason. Thirty wins is the mark of a very solid year, so we're happy with that. To do it without what we thought were going to be our top two pitchers going into the season, it's more a credit to our kids."

Trapasso was referring to junior college transfers Justin Azze and Colby Summer. Azze, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound left-hander drafted in the 10th-round by Montreal last year, was ineligible because of a transfer issue. Azze is still expected to be picked in next week's major league draft after impressing scouts during private workouts, Trapasso said.

Summer, a 6-foot-8 right-hander drafted by Seattle out of high school in 2000, was out with an elbow injury. He had Tommy John surgery on May 16 by Dr. Lewis Yocum, the Anaheim Angels medical director. Summer is rehabilitating at his home in Portland, Ore.

The recovery and rehabilitation period is about a year, so Summer, who redshirted this past season, could miss next season, too. A tear was discovered a week before the season opener and it was thought eight weeks of rest would have helped him recover, Trapasso said. After a couple weeks of playing catch, a decision was made to have surgery. Scheduling the surgery added to the delay, Trapasso said.

"I told him 2005, he's on the mound opening day," Trapasso said.

Blessing

What the absence of Azze and Summer did was expedite the progress of sophomore right-hander Ricky Bauer and freshman right-hander Keahi Rawlins.

After an inconsistent first half, Bauer (3-5, 3.12 ERA) turned his season around with a brilliant 75-pitch, complete-game outing in beating Western Illinois, 9-1, in the Rainbow Easter tournament. Despite pitching well, he was 1-4 with two no-decisions in his next seven starts, mostly because of a run support average of 2.71 during that span.

Trapasso said because most of Bauer's pitches are in the strike zone — he averaged .75 walks per nine innings — the staff had Bauer change his arm angle so that his pitches stayed low in the zone. Trapasso said that was a key to Bauer's success in the second half. Bauer will spend the summer with the Brewster White Caps of the Cape Cod League, which draws the best collegiate pro prospects.

Rawlins (5-5, 4.27), drafted in the 36th-round by Philadelphia out of Moloka'i High last year, became the team's third starter for the last four series.

Also, freshmen right-handers Rich Olsen (2-2, 3.31) and Guy McDowell (1-0, 3.96) combined for 40 appearances. Olsen logged 49 innings and McDowell 25. Trapasso used both in crucial situations, and they each had two saves.

"The freshmen would not have gotten near anything they got (in innings pitched) and that's going to end up paying off down the road," Trapasso said.

Freshmen also made an impact at the plate. Outfielder/catcher Matt Inouye, second baseman Isaac Omura and designated hitter Rocky Russo each started at least 34 games and were among the team leaders in some batting categories.

"That's the story of the year, the way the freshmen stepped up," Trapasso. "We're pleased with the job that those kids did and it bodes well for the future. If they can improve, get stronger, develop a little more, which they should, then you have something special in the making."

Pitching

With Bauer and Rawlins back, the third spot in the rotation is wide open.

Also expected to return are freshman right-hander Reid Horton (0-1, 2.89) and junior Clary Carlsen (4-3, 2.08), who led the staff with five saves.

Freshman right-hander Mike Peck (1-0, 3.68) was dismissed from the team several weeks ago for a reason Trapasso would not disclose. Trapasso said junior right-hander Nick Ponomarenko (4-2, 4.19) might not return.

Infield

With the exception of senior third baseman Brent Cook, the starting infield is expected back.

Junior first baseman Andrew Sansaver, who began the season projected as a late-inning defensive replacement, ended up providing steady offense (.282, 31 RBIs).

Omura (.301, 28 RBI) started 43 games at second base.

Junior shortstop Brian Finegan (.280, 17 doubles, 32 RBIs) started all 56 games.

Russo (.253, .392 on-base) started 45 games, 22 at third base. He finished the year at DH after Cook moved from left to third when Jaziel Mendoza returned from injuries.

Reserve junior Schafer Magana will return.

Catching

With Brian Bock's four-year tenure over, the position is open.

Inouye (.339, 24 RBIs) made seven starts behind the plate, but started primarily in the outfield. Steve Bell-Irving redshirted while fellow freshman Drew Jackson has decided he will not return, Trapasso said.

Outfield

Juniors Mendoza (left field) and Josh Green (right) are expected to return. Neither will participate in summer leagues as they rest from injuries. Mendoza missed half the season with calf and leg injuries, while Green had a foot problem.

Junior Tim Montgomery (.245) led the team with nine home runs and is expected to be drafted next week. He has not been assigned to a summer team because of the draft. He said he will return if he does not sign.

Freshman Tyler Wightman (.250 in 32 at-bats) will transfer to where he can get more playing time, Trapasso said.

Recruits

Trapasso has secured 14 recruits to fill voids, but is anticipating losing some to the draft.

High school pitchers Jeff Pry (Portland, Ore.), a left-hander, and right-hander Steven Wright (Moreno Valley, Calif.) are getting strong indications they will be picked high.

Junior college players Mark Rodrigues, a left-handed pitcher who was drafted out of Kaua'i High in 2001 and again last year out of Los Medanos College, and outfielder Brandon Bailey (Sacramento City College) were under control of Oakland and Toronto, respectively, until yesterday, so UH has cleared that hurdle, unless they are drafted again and sign.

Junior college left-handed pitcher Evan Maclane had a strong season and has drawn interest from scouts.

Iolani School catcher Kala Ka'aihue also is expected to be drafted. His brother, Kila, signed with Kansas City out of Iolani last year.

Other JC players are left-handed pitcher Stephen Bryant, shortstop Andrew Castillo and outfielder Nate Thurber.

Other high school recruits are left-handed pitcher Matthew Buck, infielder Travis Denker, outfielder Derek Dupree, Roosevelt left-hander Kaimi Mead, and Pearl City right-hander Jonathan Serapion.

'Bows of Summer

Most of the returning players will play in a summer league.

Finegan (Kenai), Rawlins (Fairbanks) and Inouye (Matsu) will play in the Alaska Baseball League.

Russo (Salinas), Sansaver (Salinas) and Omura (Santa Barbara) will join the California Coastal League.

McDowell will pitch for El Dorado in the Jayhawk League in Kansas.

Carlsen and Bell-Irving will play for Seattle in the Pacific International League.

Magana will play in a league in Utah, Trapasso said.

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