Aztecs Set To Endure Year of Adjustments

You might think Coach Jim Dietz is worried this week about how the San Diego State baseball team will replace nine key players after finishing one game short of a trip to the College World Series last spring.

The Aztecs open the season at home at 5 p.m. today against Cal State Los Angeles--without five pitchers who accounted for 37 of SDSU’s 49 victories and nine of 12 saves last season.

But those thoughts were toward the back of Dietz’s mind earlier this week. Of more immediate concern were making sure his two new coaches got their Class 2 driver’s licenses for driving van-loads of 15 or so players on trips, learned their way around campus and learned procedures such as paperwork and NCAA rules.

Because of SDSU’s tight budget, Dietz lost both Gary Kondratek and Gary Brown--each of whom had been coaching with him for nine seasons. This year’s coaches are Matt Haar, who pitched for SDSU from 1984 to 1987, and Jim Warner, a former assistant coach at Southwestern College.

“I have to teach them which way to rake the baselines,” Dietz said. “How to start the tractor, the new flagpole--does the new flag fit the pole?”

What, Dietz worry? This is a guy who sometimes chews his way through as many as two or three packs of Lifesavers in one game. And this year, candy sales may be boosted even more.

“It’s definitely a year of adjustment--no doubt about it,” Dietz said.

The bright spot for SDSU is the infield, where three players return, led by senior preseason All-American second baseman Scott Dennison. He led the team in hitting last year with a .362 average. Also back are first baseman Darin McGhee (.290) and third baseman Steve Boucher (.351), although Jason Ledford (.258) might steal the first base job and Tony Robinson (.394 with the SDSU junior varsity) has looked good at third. SDSU lost shortstop Brian Grebeck, who will be replaced by Steve Dietz, Jim’s son. Young Dietz batted .313 with two triples and 17 RBIs last summer while playing in an Alaskan league.

As for the rest of the team, there are holes. Only two of 17 pitchers on the preseason roster have solid varsity experience--left-hander Rick Navarro (9-3, 2.59 ERA) and right-hander Brian Holliday (2-2, 6.12), who will compose half of the starting rotation. The other two will be Clint Borman, a right-handed transfer from Phoenix Community College, and Rob Callaway, a right-hander who showed promise with the SDSU junior varsity last spring. Several more are positioning themselves as set-up men, short-relievers and possible starters.

“Pitching is the backbone of any team, and anytime you lose enough pitchers, like we did last year, you have to be concerned,” Dietz said. “I really have no idea what to expect. It’s a learning situation. There is some talent there. They’re just going to have to learn how to pitch, how to set up hitters. If they do that, we’ll show remarkable improvement.”

SDSU has five candidates to fill the position vacated by All-American catcher Eric Christopherson. Rick Page (.316 in 33 games last year) is the most experienced.

Also, two starting outfielders are gone. The returning outfielders with the most experience are senior Bill Dunckel (.330, six homers, 47 RBIs) and sophomore Brad Gennaro (.325, four homers, 27 RBIs) in left and sophomore Derek Vinyard (.316) in center.

SDSU has had 15 consecutive winning seasons under Dietz, and last year’s team finished 15th in nation. The Aztecs last year became the first Western Athletic Conference team to win both the regular and post-season championships since the WAC abandoned divisional play in 1988. For now, at least, they certainly won’t be expected to turn that feat again.

“I like this,” Dietz said. “Rather than the high expectations, this team is scared to death. They’re just hoping to get off the ground and get it going. It should be an interesting year, to say the least.”