When it comes to San Diego baseball, one thing is certain – Grossmont (El Cajon) has created a dynasty that has been overlooked.
Since 1990, the Foothillers have captured nine section championships, including five in the last six years. Three coaches have shared in leading Grossmont to the winner’s circle over that stretch – Jeff Meredith (two), Rob Phillips (six) and current second-year coach Jim Earley (one). 
Joe Musgrove, Grossmont
File photo by Kirt Winter
"There’s no mystery why the same teams are always playing for the championship at the end," said Earley after his Foothillers riddled Grossmont Hills League rival Helix 8-0 in the CIF-SDS Division II title game. "We’re one of those teams. We teach our players how to win and how to play under pressure."
Earley heaped accolades on Hillers pitching coach Jeff Coon.
"He’s been with us six years and we’ve finished as champions five times," Earley said. "I think that says a lot about him."
Earley went on to point out that the only time Grossmont has failed to wear the crown over the last six years was in 2009 when El Capitan edged the Foothillers 5-2 in nine innings.
"I don’t know if I’d call that a dynasty but it’s got to be close," he said. "We’re proud of our program and so are our kids. Our goal is to always be playing on the final day of the season."
El Capitan unveils hidden weapon to clip Cathedral
The El Capitan Vaqueros of Lakeside entered the CIF-SDS Division III championship game against Cathedral Catholic averaging 9.5 runs per game. Apparently, Cathedral’s Daniel Camarena – who will play in the Aflac All-American Baseball Classic this summer – wasn’t impressed. The Dons’ junior left-hander blanked the Vaqueros over the first five innings before an error opened the door to four runs – three of them unearned – in the sixth.
It had to be a bitter defeat for Camarena, who was tagged with his only loss in nine decisions.
"El Cap is one of the toughest teams I’ve faced," Camarena told The North County Times. "They really made me make pitches. I walked a couple of guys and when I left one up in the zone, they made me pay."
El Capitan’s No. 9 hitter – Josh Tulledge – delivered a two-run single to snap a 2-2 tie, giving the Vaqueros (26-7) their second section title in succession. This was no fluke shot as the junior center fielder is batting at a .462 clip with runners in scoring position.
"There was a little worry after the first five innings," Tulledge admitted to EastCountySports.com. "But I knew we were going to come back."
Actually, Tulledge finished 2 for 3 in the championship contest.
"I’m ecstatic!" he said. "I had a chance to win the game and I came through with what was no doubt the biggest hit of my career."
Williams guides Rancho Bernardo to championship
Arizona State-bound Trevor Williams closed out his senior year with a rush. He was 3 for 4 with three runs and five RBI in a CIF-SDS Division I semifinal romp over Bonita Vista, and was the winning pitcher in a 9-5 victory win over Poway in the championship game.
Nicholson front and center in Coronado’s title run
Veteran Coronado coach Sam Ceci knows how to build a lineup. His Nos. 3 and 4 hitters – senior third baseman Jack Nicholson and junior designated hitter Tyler Brownell – drove in three runs apiece as the upstart Islanders rallied from a 6-1 deficit to stun Madison 7-6 in the CIF-SDS Division IV championship game.
Broncos’ first baseman is Berry good
Junior Brandon Berry of Rancho Bernardo was 2 for 3 with three runs and three RBI in a Division I semifinal win over Bonita Vista, and had the distinction of hitting the only home run in four CIF-SDS championship games at San Diego State’s Tony Gwynn Stadium. Berry’s blast traveled an estimated 370 feet.
Other top performances
— Coronado’s 5-foot-6, 140-pound senior right fielder Zack Wheeler was 3 for 4 with three runs scored as the Islanders edged Madison for the Division IV crown.
— Grossmont senior Steven Brault flirted with hitting for the cycle, clubbing a triple, double and a single in four at-bats as the Foothillers won the Division II title.
— Junior Tyler Timmer stroked a two-run single as part of a string of seven consecutive first-inning hits as Grossmont took a 7-0 lead in its Division II title win over Helix.
— Ramona’s Tyler Jordan won the state title in the high jump by clearing 6 feet, 11 inches in a jump-off.
— Torrey Pines junior Alli Billmeyer finished second in the state finals in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4 minutes, 47.79 seconds.
Coming attractions
The San Diego County Junior Showcase will be held Wednesday and Thursday at Poway High School. This competition is for juniors who will graduate in 2011. In addition to the usual drills scouts like to see, the event will feature two games. On Wednesday, the City Conference All-Stars take on the South Bay’s best, while the North County plays East County on Thursday. Both games start at 6 p.m.
Dickens dealings
It’s a shame that those who are not involved in baseball are attempting to dictate policy. In this case, it’s California AB 7, which proposes banning aluminum bats in favor of wood only.
To the eye, balls arguably jump off a metal bat at a more rapid rate of speed than those coming off a wooden bat. Even that is open to debate.
A California high school baseball player was put into a coma this season after being hit in the head by a line-drive coming off a metal bat. While he is recovering favorably from the blow, the state assembly is overreacting. Democratic California Assemblyman Jared Huffman has introduced AB 7, a bill that would impose a moratorium on non-wood bats for one year.
Officials from Little League, Pony League, Colt League and the National Federation of State High School Associations, as well as the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) are opposed to such legislation.
Aside from the cost, which would virtually wipe out the majority of the already-struggling inner-city baseball programs, the use of wooden bats does not guarantee safety.
If players are forced to use wooden bats they could realistically spend approximately $800 per season replacing broken bats. In a time when individual sports budgets are being cut annually, the onus to provide these bats would fall on the players and their families.
Conservative estimates are that the average high school baseball player in California would break six bats a season. Looking at that on a statewide basis, the cost would be between $8-12 million dollars, considering that 40,000 kids play baseball in California.
On the safety issue, use of wooden bats surely is not going to prevent injury. Obviously, they will break more often than an aluminum bat. Splintered wooden bats could obligate a defensive player to focus on trying to catch a line drive while dodging sharp wooden shards flying all over the place.
Proof of that can be seen on any given night at the major league level where wooden bats are routinely shattered.
Keep in mind that wood bats cost anywhere from $60 to $80. A metal bat can run anywhere from $149 to as high as $500. Then there are the graphite composite bats that some believe would appease all parties. These are not cheap wands either, running from $150 to $300.
One major sporting goods manufacturer who preferred to remain anonymous claims there is scientific evidence that there is no significant difference between wood and non-wood bats in terms of ball speed when it is hit by a batter. That is a debate that will continue forever.
So the question is, will the use of wooden bats improve the game in all aspects? Not likely. Players are always going to get injured for one reason or another. That’s the nature of the game.
Definitely those outside of the white lines wishing to make mandates should focus on something they know more about. Right now the reaction is little more than a knee-jerk.
