Velazco is the Prototypical Dirtbag
by Sarah Jo Arellano, LBState.com
March 18, 2004 Steve Velazco, junior outfielder for The Long Beach State's baseball team can be respectably defined in four notable words—hard nose baseball player. Throughout his career at The Beach, Steve has proved he is a determined, passionate, proto-call Dirtbag.
Velazco had an impressive four- year career at La Jolla High School as an infielder where he was a three-time golden glove winner, and embraced the Rookie of The Year honor in 1998.
He joined LBSU in 2001, switching over to the outfield. In his first season as a Dirtbag, Velazco batted .292 over 22 games and four starts. In the same season he had seven runs and three doubles.
But Steve is much more than a seasonal batting average or the number of RBIs per game, Steve Velasco is a player that the game of baseball couldn't do with out.
Why is this so? Each time Velazco steps foot unto the diamond, he plays nothing short of what he is capable.
"If you give me an opportunity, I'll get it done." Velazco commented.
"They call me mouse because I'm scrappy—like a rat." Being honored the nickname "mouse" however, didn't come easy for Velazco who has fought resolutely for all the he has achieved. Steve is often found diving for what seems to be the impossible catch or sacrificially throwing his body into the wall in hopes to retire the inning. Leaving the game with a clean Dirtbag jersey is not the likely.
Teammate Bobby Pierce describes how "Velazco has the ability to get things started; we can always count on him to get on base." Getting the inning started for the Dirtbag's lineup however isn't the only thing Steve does.
Steve Velasco performs his signature dance "shake" for his teammates before infield every game. "This shake he does says Velazco all over it," expressed Pierce while chuckling.
Passion is Velazco's fuel that allows him to give 110% on and off the field. "This has been my dream since I was a kid, playing Divison-I baseball." He mentioned. "I am always setting goals for myself to achieve."
This past summer, Steve played for the Wilson Tabs in the 2003 Coastal Plains Summer League, where he batted .229 over 26 games. He scored 10 runs, 8 RBIs, and compiled four doubles, one triple, and a homerun.
This season the Dirtbags' unsung hero was batting .258, scoring six times. Steve Velazco has aided LBSU defensively as they jump off to a 13-5 winning record.
"This season," explains Velazco, "I want to stay consistent in my game, and travel to Omaha to play in the World Series." |
