2001 Daily Pilot Youth Baseball Dream Team

Tony Altobelli

So many talented youth baseball players, so little room.

Such is the case when selecting the 2001 Daily Pilot Youth Baseball

Dream Team. With the number of 11- and 12-year-olds playing in this area,

keeping the number to only 12 was no easy task.

With Opening Day just a fading memory, the 2001 youth baseball season

was perhaps the strongest and deepest in the history of this area.

With that in mind, here’s this year’s 2001 Dream Team:

Jarrett Daniel, Dodgers (Newport Harbor Baseball Association) - Daniel

was an instrumental part of Ron D’Cruz champion Dodgers team as a

shortstop and pitcher.

The 5-foot-, 93-pound right-hander compiled a .650 batting average

with two home runs this year.

His best moment was hitting the game-winning home run against Dana

Point and his favorite athlete is Texas Rangers’ standout shortstop Alex

Rodriguez.

Austin Elliott, Diamondbacks (Costa Mesa National Little League) -

Manager Bill Redding summed up Elliott by saying, “He’s the type of

player who wakes up at 6:30 in the morning and puts on his baseball

uniform.”

The pitcher, third baseman and first baseman played a major role in

the success of the Diamondbacks and the CMNLL All-Stars.

He batted .333 in the 2001 Mayor’s Cup and struck out both batters he

faced on six pitches to earn the save in the Nationals’ 4-2 win in the

deciding Game 3.

P.J. Errington, Marlins (Costa Mesa National Little League) -

Errington saved his best game for the end, hitting two home runs and

driving in all four runs as the CMNLL won the Mayor’s Cup, 4-2.

He clubbed four home runs during the season and was a dominant force

behind the plate, picking off numerous baserunners.

The catcher-third baseman’s favorite food are tacos and his favorite

player is Anaheim Angel slugger Troy Glaus.

Jake Lemmerman, Reds (Newport Beach Little League) - Lemmerman showed

why he was selected to this year’s all-star team, going 6 for 7 during

District 55 action.

The pitcher-shortstop’s best baseball moment took place when he came

into pitch with the bases loaded, no outs and struck out the side to end

the inning.

Lemmerman’s favorite athlete is Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar

Garciaparra.

Michael McDaniels, Dodgers (Costa Mesa National Little League) - The

5-7, 115-pound McDaniels showed a glimpse of his baseball potential in

the opening game of the District 62 All-Star Tournament.

In the opener, he hit three home runs and drove in six RBIs in CMNLL’s

first-ever district win, 8-5,

McDaniels, who credits San Francisco Giants slugger J.T. Snow as his

favorite player, batted .565 with nine home runs and as a pitcher, threw

13 strikeouts in one game.

Nick Peterson, Tigers (Costa Mesa American Little League) - Peterson

compiled a .432 batting average this season and a .605 slugging

percentage. He had 35 hits, including nine doubles, a triple, a home run

and 26 RBIs.

As a pitcher, Peterson was just as strong. He compiled a 2.56 earned

run average with 95 strikeouts in 61 innings.

Peterson’s favorite food is pizza and his favorite player is Angels’

outfielder Darin Erstad.

Vinnie St. John, Yankees (Newport Beach Little League) - St. John was

strong as a shortstop, but really made a major impact as a pitcher.

In the Newport Beach Championship series, he tossed a complete-game

shutout as his team won, 4-0. This season, St. John pitched a no-hitter,

a one-hitter and three shutouts and was a member of the Newport Beach

American All-Star Team, coached by Paul Von Berg.

Thomas Southern, Mets (Newport Harbor Baseball Association) - Southern

hit .540 with 10 doubles, five triples and 15 walks this season.

The 5-2, 90-pound catcher noted that his best baseball moment was when

he hit his first-ever home run.

In all-star tournament action, Southern collected six hits, including

a home run and five RBIs. Like Errington, his favorite food are tacos and

his favorite player is Mark McGwire.

Sam Stafford, Cardinals (Newport Beach Little League) - Stafford hit

.341 for the Cardinals with 15 hits, 16 walks and 17 runs scored. His

on-base percentage was a solid .517.

In all-star play, Stafford hit .333 with a double, five runs scored

and two RBIs.

Stafford was just as strong for both the Cardinals and his all-star

team on the mound, leading both teams in ERA. His favorite food are hot

dogs and his favorite player is Andy Sheets.

Ryan Telles, Cardinals (Newport Beach Little League) - Telles hit .471

for the season with 24 hits, six doubles, three triples and a

team-leading 15 RBIs.

As an all-star, Telles continued his hot hitting, compiling a .333

batting average, including two doubles and a home run, his first of the

season.

The 5-0 catcher chose Texas Ranger Alex Rodriguez as his favorite

player and pizza as his favorite food.

Vinnie Valdez, Marlins (Costa Mesa National Little League) - The only

two-time Dream Teamer on this year’s list, Valdez hit a whopping .546

with five home runs and 40 RBIs during the regular season.

As an all-star, Valdez went 9 for 11 with six RBIs and two home runs.

Valdez was just as tough on the mound, pitching a complete-game gem to

give CMNLL its first ever District 62 Tournament win. He compiled 18

strikeouts in nine all-star innings.

Cody Waldron, Tigers (Costa Mesa American Little League) - Waldron was

a force to be reckoned with all season, hitting .560 with two home runs,

two triples, 12 doubles, 32 hits and 26 stolen bases.

In the Mayor’s Cup, Waldron smacked a game-winning walk-off home run,

giving the CMALL all-stars a 2-1 seven-inning win over the Nationals.

In three Mayor’s Cup games, he went 6 for 10 with two home runs and

three RBIs.