Trapasso's contract extended for one year
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Despite falling shy of one of four goals set by the athletic director, the University of Hawai'i extended baseball coach Mike Trapasso's contract for another year.
Trapasso, who just completed his eighth season since taking over for Les Murakami, declined comment when reached yesterday. Earlier, in a statement released by the school, Trapasso said, "I'm excited about the extension and already look forward to the first day of practice next season. We've got a lot of work to do and it begins on the recruiting trail as we prepare for 2010."
According to his contract, Trapasso will be paid $135,000, or the same as this past season.
The Rainbows are coming off a season that started with the promise of postseason because of success against a challenging nonconference schedule. But they hit a tailspin toward the end. Their Ratings Percentage Index — one of the components used to select at-large teams for the 64-team NCAA tournament — dropped out of the "bubble range."
Hawai'i eventually became the second team ousted from the six-team, double-elimination Western Athletic Conference Tournament played at Les Murakami Stadium. The Rainbows finished 32-26, the sixth winning season in Trapasso's eight seasons.
"When you have a new coach coming in, typically, it's because the program has to be turned around," UH athletic director Jim Donovan said. "So we take a look at multi-year contracts because it's going to take time to get the job done.
"Then when a coach has been here for a while, you take a look at the assessment of a program and you can arrange from a single-year extension to a multi-year extension, depending on where you think the program is going and what's happening.
"I thought there was a positive improvement this year, both in revenue and attendance, (improvement) in the preseason schedule and the RPI through the first three-quarters of the season," Donovan added. "Based on that, do you want to keep the coach or not? We want to keep the coach. Is it exactly where we wanted to be? If it was exactly where we wanted to be then potentially we'd be looking at a multi-year contract. But it's definitely an improvement from when I was hired (as athletic director) 14 months ago."
Donovan said he gave Trapasso four goals for this season.
Trapasso will be evaluated again after next season.
"If attendance is up next year, revenue is up another $100,000 and for some reason we don't win the WAC or don't make the NCAAs, that doesn't mean that Mike wouldn't continue to coach here," Donovan said. "I want Mike to be here. I think he showed a lot of effort the last 14 months that I've been here, trying to improve the program. I'm appreciative of that."
Donovan was on the selection committee in 2001 as associate athletics director when UH was searching for Murakami's successor.
Donovan said he could only make an assessment of Trapasso's performance based on his tenure as AD.
"I don't know what (Trapasso's) goals were before I was hired," Donovan said.
Donovan said he is pleased that Trapasso will be having more Hawai'i high school players entering the program this coming school year in Breland Almadova ('Iolani), Trent Allianic (Kaua'i) and Pi'ikea Kitamura (Kamehameha). Pearl City's Bryson Namba was initially signed, but has since had his offer revoked because of personal issues.
The Rainbows also have another anticipated competitive schedule with Oregon, Oregon State and Southern California at home and a single game at Long Beach State that leads to a weekend series at Cal State-Fullerton, which is hosting a regional this week. (The other non-conference opponents are The Citadel and Air Force, both at UH.)
NEXT YEAR
If the Major League Baseball draft (June 9 to 11) doesn't result in the signing of any juniors, the Rainbows will return all starting position players except at second base (Ryan Morford) and catcher (Landon Hernandez), as both are done with eligibility.
Kevin Fujii, who will be a senior, filled in admirably for Hernandez (injured wrist) the last two weeks of the season. But the Rainbows are still trying to bolster the position with a JC player. Red-shirt freshman Nick Croce apparently isn't anticipated to be ready for prime time next season.
Second base has candidates on board in reserve Josh Chevalier and Doi. Wong, who has past experience at catcher and second base, also can be considered.
Then there's the chance that juniors Vinnie Catricala (third base) and Kevin Macdonald (first base) turn pro. Chevalier, as well as incoming freshman Kitamura, will have shots. Torigoe and redshirt freshman Dan Howell are potential candidates at first base.
On the mound, starting pitchers Jayson Kramer and Jared Alexander have completed their eligibility.
But most of the pitchers return, including starters Nate Klein and Matt Sisto. Sam Spangler, a draft-eligible sophomore (he red-shirted his freshman year), might get a shot as a starter next season. It wouldn't be the first time the Rainbows converted a closer into a starter; it worked for Kramer and Steven Wright.
Also, UH is anticipating the return of Alex Bates, who sat out the season recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery.
The Rainbows have signed three JC pitchers, but all are potential draft picks.
