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CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 20072007 SeasonSeason OutlookOutlook Senior Brett Munster is one of the returning starters on the 2007 Golden Bears’ infield. 2006 VOLLEYBALL MEDIA GUIDE2007 California Golden Bears Baseball Media Guide 77 CALIFORNIA Golden Bears 2007 SEASON OUTLOOK BEARS LOOKING TO PROVE THEY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN IN 2007 season directing the Bears. squad will be junior Josh Satin, senior “Overall, last year our pitch- Brett Munster and junior Mike Van Winden. ing was excellent, and the This past summer, Satin was a Cape Cod young pitchers we used sur- League All-Star for the Orleans Cardinals, passed our expectations. They and was named Eastern Division MVP dur- are returning and we will be look- ing the all-star game when he was ing for even more production from 1-for-1 with a two-run homer and them. Offensively, we will be more ath- a sacrifice fly. A Collegiate letic as a team due to some of the new Baseball Freshman All- players we have coming in. Our team speed American in 2005, will be better, and that will allow us to put Satin has a career pressure on people. I really like the make- batting average up of this team. It is as good as any team I of .291 with have ever had.” A perfect example of Cal’s talented youth is 6-5 sophomore right-hander Tyson Ross, who is on the watch list for the Wallace Award as the nation’s top colle- giate baseball player. As a true freshman for the Bears, Ross was selected honor- able mention All-Pac-10 after finishing 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA (seventh in the Pac-10). He also had 85 strikeouts (10th in the Pac- 10) in 84.7 innings, with victories at Stanford and versus Pacific in May. He also picked up wins over Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, Georgetown and Washing- ton. Ross paced Cal with 15 starts and had a career-high nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings versus Long Beach State. Another super sophomore for the Bears will be David Cooper, a transfer from Cal State Fullerton who was a member of Sophomore right-hander the 2006 College World Series All-Tour- Tyson Ross was named nament team. Cooper, a 6-0 left- honorable mention All- hander who played first base for the Pac-10 last season as Titans, but could also play left field for a true freshman. Cal, flirted with a College World Se- ries record when he had seven con- secutive hits in Omaha, tying Terry Francona (1980) and one short of he 2007 California baseball team is Dave Magadan (1983) and Barry Bonds looking to prove it has what it takes (1984). Cooper led all players at the Tto be an NCAA Regional contender. World Series with a .533 average (8- On paper, the Golden Bears appear to be for-15) with five RBI. He went 5-for-5 in a challenging spot, returning only one with a home run and four RBI in a regular Pacific-10 starter on the mound 7-6 Titan win over top-seeded and three regular starters in the field. But, Clemson. For the 2006 cam- what doesn’t show up on paper is a tal- paign, Cooper hit .305 with Sophomore David ented young squad that is positioning it- nine doubles, two home runs Cooper transferred self to be a future force, first in the Pac-10, and 37 RBI, earning All-Big from Cal State Fullerton, and then on the national scene. West Conference honor- where he was a “Our strength this season will be our able mention. member of the 2006 youth and enthusiasm,” said Cal coach Three key returning in- College World Series David Esquer, who is entering his eighth fielders for Esquer’s All-Tournament Team. 8 2007 California Golden Bears Baseball Media Guide CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS CALIFORNIA Golden Bears Junior second baseman Josh Satin doubles, a triple, two was a Freshman All-American and an home runs and 20 RBI in CAL BY POSITIONS All-Pac-10 selection in 2005. 54 games. Junior Taylor Grigsby and sopho- PITCHING more Ryan Hanlon 20 doubles, two triples, seven home both got occa- A question mark for Cal entering last runs and 60 RBI in 106 games sional starting season was its pitching staff, which had for the Bears. As a freshman nods in the out- lost key performers from the fine 2005 second baseman in ’05, he field last sea- squad. What could have been a weakness hit .348 with 15 doubles, a son, while turned out to be a strength as the Bears’ triple, five home runs and sopho- young staff produced a 3.92 team ERA, the 40 RBI. more lowest team ERA since the 1989 season. Munster started 43 Michael Cal was also second in the Pac-10 with a games last season Brady 3.65 team ERA against conference com- as a junior with 33 has petition, trailing only national champion starts at second played well, both in the Oregon State. base, batting infield and outfield, in fall The Bears return several stalwarts from .268 with seven practices. Sophomore last year’s staff, notably sophomore right- doubles, a triple, Michael Capbarat is an- hander Tyson Ross, who started a team- three home runs and 18 RBI. other potential outfielder high 15 games as a true freshman, earn- He starred in the summer for for the Bears after playing ing honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors the Moses Lake Pirates in the well in the fall. after going 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA, striking West Coast Collegiate What could change the out 85 batters in 84.7 innings. Ross is on League, earning all-league dynamics of the Cal base- the 2007 watch list for the Wallace Award honors and a Gold Glove ball program is the influx of as the nation’s top collegiate player. award at shortstop. freshman talent in 2007. Of- Three more potential starting candidates The left-handed fensively, right-handed hitting are sophomore left-handers Chris Petrini hitting Van Jeff Kobernus (6-2, 185) and and Craig Bennigson, and junior Alex Winden has left-handed hitting Brett Jack- Rollin. Petrini showed the ability to be a started the son (6-2, 195) could see imme- regular starter towards the end of last sea- majority of diate action in either the Bears’ in- son, finishing 3-2 with a 4.54 ERA and strik- games at field or outfield. Blake Smith (6-2, 200) ing out 27 in 39.7 innings. He started his first base is another talented left-handed hitting last two outings, including throwing a ca- the last two outfielder who could also be utilized as a reer-high 6.7 innings with eight strikeouts seasons designated hitter or third baseman, while and only two walks at Arizona State. and owns a 6-3, 215-pound catcher Dylan Tonneson Bennigson led the Bears with 15 appear- .271 career average with 21 will provide depth behind the plate. ances against Pac-10 competition and had doubles, three triples, a Junior college transfer Nick Nunez, a 24 strikeouts in 36.3 innings. He was uti- home run and 53 RBI. right-hander from Cosumnes River Col- lized primarily as a middle reliever as a On the mound, right-handed reliever Matt lege, could step in and be a valuable freshman, but also showed the ability to Gorgan and left-hander Chris Petrini both middle reliever or starter for the Bears. be a weekend starter. This past summer showed flashes of brilliance as true fresh- Freshman right-hander Greg Redig (6-4, Bennigson had six saves with a 2.39 ERA men in 2006. Gorgen was one of the Bears’ 190) and freshman left-handers Andy Oros and 23 strikeouts in 26.3 innings for the most highly utilized relievers, finishing sec- (6-3, 215) and Mike Cassady (6-1, 185) Matsu Miners of the Alaska ond on the team with 29 appearances, go- also have the ability to be effective middle League. ing 3-5 with a 2.50 ERA and two saves. relievers early in their college careers. Rollin, who redshirted in Petrini made 16 appearances with two “This year’s team is going to 2004 and had to sit out 2005 starts, going 3-2 with a 4.54 ERA and a have to rely on their make-up,” said with an arm injury, finally was save. Also vying for key spots in Cal’s start- Esquer. “Being so young, they are able to showcase his skills ing pitching rotation will be junior right- going to have to play off their tough- and should get better hander Alex Rollin and sophomore left- ness and ability to be resilient. They are with experience. A hander Craig Bennigson, who both have going to have to be tough-minded, but right-hander who the ability to be weekend starters against we have a lot of confidence in their has excelled in Pac-10 competition. abilities.” summer league Several other returnees will be in con- ball, including tention for playing time. Charlie Cutler is throwing two com- the front-runner to be Cal’s catcher after plete games with a the left-handed hitting sophomore started team-high 76.4 in- 16 games in right field last season, throw- nings for the 2006 Al- ing two runners out at home. Junior Kyle exandria Beetles of Spraker has extensive experience after the Northwoods starting 44 games at shortstop in 2005.