PREP BASEBALL 1992: EMPIRE LEAGUE

Los Alamitos

1990 RECORDS: OVERALL: 6-20 LEAGUE: 3-12

COACH: RECORD AT SCHOOL Rob Megill: 6-20

RETURNING STARTERS YR. POS. B-T Mike Hook Sr. P R-R Ben Rada Jr. P R-R George Sagen Jr. SS R-R Alex Lin Sr. C R-R John Daugherty Sr. OF R-R

OTHER TOP RETURNERS YR. POS. B-T Greg Anson Sr. 1B R-R Matt Jessner Sr. 3B R-R Steve Leitner Sr. 2B R-R

TOP NEWCOMERS YR. POS. B-T Jason Wucetich Jr. OF R-R Neil Risler Jr. 2B R-R Vance Cunningham Jr. P L-L

OUTLOOK

Los Alamitos struggled to a fifth-place finish in Megill’s first season as Griffin coach. There is hope for the future, however. Mostly it comes from other sports. Sagen and Lin were members of the Griffins’ Southern Section Division III championship football team, and Daugherty played on the league co-championship basketball team. The three were the Griffins’ top hitters last season. Daugherty hit .379, Lin .375 and Sagen .333. Hook and Rada had similar pitching stats last season. Hook was 2-3 with a 4.35 earned-run average and Rada was 3-3 with a 4.10 ERA. Beyond those five players, there isn’t much varsity experience and that troubles Megill. A lack of power is another weakness the Griffins must overcome in order to challenge for a playoff berth. There is speed, and Megill likes the way the Griffins have improved on the basics since last season. It might not be enough to move the them into the top three, however. The league is simply too tough. Megill picks El Dorado as the league favorite with Esperanza leading the rest of the pack.