Great Expectations
by Doug Krikorian, Long Beach Press Telegram
April 1, 2004
A loyal follower of the Long Beach State baseball program, which is billed on stage, screen, television and radio as the Dirtbags, recently quizzed the team's redoubtable field commander, Mr. Mike Weathers, on a most painful subject.
"The guy wanted to know why we lost a game,' relates Weathers, whose seventh-ranked troops are 18-7 this season. "I told him, 'Hey, we'll probably lose another 15 or so games this season. Baseball isn't basketball where the good teams might only lose three or four games the entire season. We might play as many as 56 games this season, and we're going to lose a few.' "But I understand where the guy was coming from. The expectations for our team have become very high. And that's good. Certainly, we wouldn't want it any other way.'
Ah, the sweet price of success.
Actually, in a season in which one of the 49ers' performers, Jered Weaver, is dispensing pitching heroics that defy comprehension, it's understandable that some of the team's patrons find it difficult to accept failure.
Weaver has spoiled everyone with his powerful work in which he has won all eight of his starts and yielded a mere four runs and 22 hits while striking out 89 in 562/3 innings.
"Jered is doing things I've never seen before in college ball, and I've been around a while,' says Weathers, in his 26th season of collegiate coaching. "I've never seen a guy start a game striking out the first 10 batters he faced, as that's what Jered did in a game against USC. For sure, I never thought I'd see it again. And then Jered comes back and does it again against Brigham Young. He's just been phenomenal.'
These are thrilling times for Mike Weathers, whose team has been rolling up the victories despite not being in peak hitting form and whose top pitcher has been inspiring national media attention.
He knows he's overseeing a special commodity in Jered Weaver, a young man drawing comparisons to the former USC star, Mark Prior, a young man who just might become the top selection in the upcoming amateur draft, a young man who's on one of those Orel Hershiser-like rolls, circa 1988.
And Weathers also knows the 49ers have compiled their impressive record despite a .262 team batting average.
"Obviously, pitching and defense have been carrying us,' says Weathers, whose ball club will be on the road this weekend for a three-game set with Cal State Fullerton. "I know we're a better team than we've shown. We have 15 guys on our roster who were on the field when we played Stanford in the NCAA Super Regional last year.
"We definitely have the experience. And what's good about that is that the players can handle the bad times, as well as the good times.'
Weathers' pitchers certainly have experienced mostly good times, as the staff ERA is 1.93, remarkable in a game in which the hitters have the benefit of employing aluminum bats.
A sophomore left-hander from Pico Rivera named Cesar Ramos has been exceptional with his 4-2 record and 1.87 ERA.
"Cesar has been overshadowed by Jered, but he also has been terrific,' says Weathers.
The 49ers' other starter, Jason Vargas, also a left-hander, has had his impressive moments, too, both with his arm and with his bat as the team's designated hitter.
"Jason definitely has the stuff to one day play on the professional level,' says Weathers. "And he also is a good hitter.'
Weathers has his own Eric Gagne out of the bullpen in Neil Jamison, who already has eight saves.
"It's been pretty well lights out when we've handed the ball to Neil,' says Weathers.
Unfortunately, it's also been lights out for the 49er batsmen a lot of the time this spring.
The 49ers have only two players who see extensive action, outfielder Josh Buhagiar and catcher Brad Davis, hitting above .300 and the team has managed only four home runs compared to the nine by opponents.
But Mike Weathers doesn't seem too concerned.
"I know the guys on this team can hit because they have in the past,' he says. "They just have gotten off to a slow start. I look for them to pick it up as the season goes on. I'd rather it be this way than the other. If your hitters are slumping, you always prefer it to happen early in the season.'
The 54-year-old Weathers is savoring every moment of his third year as boss of the 49ers.
Like his predecessor, Dave Snow, he's a quintessential baseball person whose life resolves totally around the sport.
He didn't even take a vacation with his wife Charlotte last summer because he was an assistant with the U.S. National Team that participated in the Pan Am Games and also toured around the country playing exhibition games.
"Terrific experience,' he says.
But he admits it didn't compare to his job with the 49ers.
"What I like most about it is that every day you have the opportunity to motivate these young guys and give them a chance to develop and fulfill their dreams,' says Weathers.
"This job always presents great challenges, and that's an exciting part of it. It's great being a Dirtbag, and playing a role in keeping its tradition strong.' |
