Prep baseball: Fast company

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - During last year’s 20-8 CIF Southern Section

Division IV championship season, Corona del Mar High baseball coach John

Emme shook hands with home-run hitters rounding third more often than he

delivered the sign to bunt or steal.

But, after hitting 87 combined homers the last two springs, the 2000 Sea

Kings figure to slide into more bases than they’ll trot over.

“We’ll definitely have a new look this year,” Emme said. “We’re going to

be very fast and steal a lot of bases. We’re going to win a lot of games,

but we’ll do it differently. I might have to put a lot more plays on.”

Gone are All-CIF veterans Ty Harper, Mark Hatfield, Eric Wiethorn and

Matt Larson, who combined for 64 homers and 264 RBIs the last three

years. Harper, the CIF Division IV, Sea View League and Newport-Mesa

District Co-Player of the Year in 1999, also combined with Larson to earn

13 pitching victories last spring, including all five in the postseason.

Senior David Beser, who hit .354 with two homers and 21 RBIs as a junior

designated hitter, is not back this season, but there are a handful of

returners and Emme is particularly pleased with his crop of pitchers.

“We should have a staff that can go four, five or six deep,” Emme said.

Expected to lead the hurlers are juniors J.D. Martinez, Cavan Cuyler and

Dave Knecht. Sophomore Billy Eagle, juniors Wes Hockinson and Matt

Marston, as well as freshman Keith Long, are additional mound candidates.

Martinez, whom Emme considers the most polished, struck out 15 in 15 1/3

varsity innings last season. His lone victory came over Santa Margarita

and he finished with a 5.93 ERA.

“He has one of the better change-ups I’ve seen in awhile,” Emme said.

“His fastball is getting stronger and he’s always had a good curveball.

He has command of three pitches.”

Cuyler’s 14 2/3 innings last season included three playoff appearances

and he finished with a 2.39 ERA and a 1-0 record. Emme likes his

competitiveness, but would like to see improved command.

Knecht, the only left-hander, comes up from the junior varsity with

command of three pitches and vast potential. He’ll play first base when

not on the bump.

Emme loves his defense up the middle, with junior Rory McKeever behind

the plate, Long at shortstop, Wes Hockinson, a converted shortstop, at

second, and Eagle, who started much of last year as a freshman, in center

field.

“I think (Eagle) has to be one of the better center fielders in Orange

County,” Emme said. “He has incredible range, a great glove and a great

arm.

“And I have great expectations for Long. He’s a phenomenal athlete.”

Eagle, who started the dramatic five-run rally in the bottom of the

seventh that led to a 9-8 title-game triumph over El Segundo at Edison

Field, hit .211 in 21 at-bats in his varsity debut.

Eagle’s at-bats rank third among returners, none of whom had more than

35. With this lack of experience, it will be tough to match last season’s

average of 7.8 runs per game.

Senior John DiCesare hit .229 in 35 varsity at-bats, with one homer and

seven RBIs, while junior Andrew Johns hit .200 in 25 at-bats with three

RBIs last year.

DiCesare is slated to open in right field, while senior Alex Swanson

(four hits one RBI and two stolen bases last year) is ticketed to start

in left. Swanson has 40-steal potential, according to Emme, who also

lists junior Eric Snell, Johns and Marston in a competitive outfield mix.

“We can literally pick names out of a hat, so I won’t hesitate to make a

change if someone isn’t performing,” Emme said.

Martinez, as well as one of the extra outfielders, will get the chance to

contribute as the DH.

Senior Derek Loe has the early nod at third base, where junior Dustin

Hatfield, whom Emme said hit close to .600 in a third of a JV season

before being sidelined by a snowboarding accident, is another option.

Another change for the Sea Kings is a move to the Pacific Coast League,

where reigning champion University is the consensus favorite.

CdM shared the Sea View title last season, its first league crown since

1982. It’s CIF title was its second, matching the 1981 banner.

“We’ve established some tradition, but I think we’re where we were two

years ago,” Emme said. “We have talent, but our understanding of the game

needs work. The thing I’m excited about is, as young as we are, we’ve got

time to learn on the job.”

The Sea Kings open Friday at 3 p.m. against defending CIF Division V

champion Calvary Chapel at Vanguard University.

Corona del Mar baseball roster

John DiCesare Sr.

Derek Loe Sr.

Alex Swanson Sr.

Wes Hockinson Jr.

Cavan Cuyler Jr.

Andrew Johns Jr.

Dustin Hatfield Jr.

Dave Knecht Jr.

J.D. Martinez Jr.

Matt Marston Jr.

Rory McKeever Jr.

Eric Snell Jr.

Billy Eagle So.

Keith Long Fr.Coach: John Emme