Church Homers off Lefty; The Duffy Scoop

CHURCH BOOMS FIRST HOME RUN

RYAN CHURCH went 3-for-5 Wednesday with his first home run as the Mets slugged the Marlins 13-0. Churchie drove in three runs and is now batting .385 after three games. He also contributed an assist by throwing out Hanley Ramirez at second base.

Understandably, Church’s coaches and the press were abuzz. Here’s what MLB.com reported:

The Mets scored three runs in the second, two on a home run down the right-field line by Church, and produced runs in the third and fifth, but blew the game open with a five-run sixth.

The game allowed Church to show he can hit a left-hander, which was Andrew Miller, the touted acquisition from Detroit in the trade for third baseman Miguel Cabrera. Church realized from watching video that Miller had control issues and made mistakes.

"So I just had to stay with him," Church said.

He hit a hanging slider for the homer. That was a particularly rewarding moment for Mets coach Howard Johnson, who regularly talks with Church between at-bats and has helped him make adjustments to his swing.

"He's good -- much better a hitter than anybody thought, including himself," Johnson said. "He gets it on how to make adjustments."

Church “Gets it.” We could have told you that Hojo.

The Mets take Thursday off then spend the weekend in Atlanta.

-0-

DUFFY TO WAIT FOR IDAHO FALLS

The latest on DANNY DUFFY is this note from his dad (with our emphasis):

You are correct that Danny is in line for extended Spring Training. He is off this week and will return to Surprise for an unknown time period.

It appears that none of the HS pitchers from last years draft will be assigned to a roster anytime soon with the exception of one guy Matt Mitchell out of Barstow High who is going to Burlington Iowa. It appears that the club has plans for the pitchers to throw a prescribed number of innings only slightly above what they threw last year.

Danny threw 57 HS and 37 pro innings total of 94. They will probably look to extend him a little over that this year. Rather than having to shut them down 2/3 of the way through the season, they just put them on rosters a little later in the season. I think that most of the HS drafted arms will be going to Idaho Falls but depending on performances or injuries some of those in extended could be assigned earlier.

It is refreshing for us to know that they have his long term health as a priority. Danny felt good during Spring Training and threw well. In approximately 17 innings of work, intrasquad and minor league games included, he didn't give up a single run earned or unearned.

One of the highlights of his Spring Training was to meet (and get the autograph of) Wayne Gretzky who was a guest of the Royals that day. Gretzky then threw out the first pitch that night at the Royals-Dodgers Spring Training game.

Danny is very eager to play in a GAME but is going to use this extended time to continue to tap into the knowledge of Mark Davis. He was his pitching coach at AZL Rookie ball and has already learned a lot from him.
Dan Duffy

Church Hits Lefty for First RBI; Duffy Still in AZ

Church's First RBI Came off LHP Hendrickson

In Monday's National League opener in Miami the New York Mets erupted for six runs in the fourth inning to coast to a 7-2 victory over the Marlins.

RYAN CHURCH, the new Met about whose supposed inability to hit lefthanders was a big deal in the blogosphere after the trade, collected his first RBI off Marlin starter Mark Hendrickson WHO PITCHES WITH HIS LEFT HAND.

Church singled in the fourth to drive in a run, then scored on a double by David Wright. Churchie went 1-for-4.

-0-

Duffy Not on Burlington Roster

The latest on DANNY DUFFY comes not from Surprise, Arizona, where the Kansas City Royals minor leaguers are preparing, but from Burlington, Iowa.

Burlington, Iowa is the home of the Burlington Bees of the Class A Midwest League which opens its season Thursday opposite Peoria.

The Burlington roster was announced Monday however, and Duffy, widely expected to be on that team, is not on the roster.

The other likely option for the young lefthander, entering his first full season of professional baseball, would be extended spring training in Arizona until the Pioneer League and Appalachian League seasons begin in June.

Smith Scores Big Photo in Pac-10 Tourney

s
College Hoops

Whoops! A few days ago in wrapping up the University of Washington basketball season we sort of forgot a little item called the Pac-10 Tournament.

Well, maybe it didn’t matter. The Huskies were eliminated by Cal 84-81 in the opener yesterday but JOEL SMITH had his best game in several weeks with eight points in 20 minutes. AND he got a big photo in the Los Angeles Times.

-0-



Duffy Appears Iowa-bound

More evidence that DANNY DUFFY will be moved out of Arizona next month---

A quick read of the Kansas City Star archives shows that the early minor league camp which Duffy attended beginning in late February through March 2 was expressly for players expected to go to out-of-town minor league clubs in April.

According to the Star the early camp included “all pitchers likely to be assigned to full-season minor league clubs.”

Pitchers there included Rowdy Hardy, KC’s 2007 minor league pitcher of the year (15-5, 2.48 at Class A Wilmington), Daniel Cortes, Blake Wood, Danny Duffy and Matt Mitchell. “Cortes, Wood, Duffy and Mitchell are all cited by Baseball America as being among the organization’s top 10 prospects.”

The season begins on April 3 for the Burlington Bees of the Midwest League. They host Peoria.

-0-



Church Becomes Dad Today

RYAN CHURCH will become a father today. Mason Church is expected and Ryan will take Thursday and Friday off to help out. Dad went 0-for-2 Wednesday and the BA slipped to the low .200’s but, hey, it’s spring training.

Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News recently asked Church about his so-called weakness against left-handed pitchers.

"Last year I think it was a fluke because I've always been able to hit them," said Church, who batted .229 against southpaws in '07 with the Nationals, after hitting a combined .304 in 79 at-bats the previous two seasons versus lefties.”

Catch that-- .304 in 2005 and 2006.

-0-

AHC Track

JEFF MONTELEONE won both the 800 and 1500 at the Western State Conference meet at Moorpark. He was named Male Athlete of the Week by the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table as a result.

-0-

AHC Women’s tennis

The winless Bulldogs (0-7, 0-5) fell to Sana Barbara Monday 6-3. They dropped two out of three doubles matches. The number one doubles team of ELYSHA McCLAIN and Maty Martinez took their pro set to the limit before falling 8-6. ASHLEY BRADY and Kacie Guggia won number two in a thriller, 8-6.

In singles, McLain won in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.

Corey Dotzler Athlete of the Week

Dotzler Starring at Hancock

With RYAN CHURCH still inactive due to a concussion he suffered Saturday in an outfield collision, the highest ranking Lompocan in baseball right now, at least the one who is playing games where they keep score, is Allan Hancock standout COREY DOTZLER (the baserunner in this photo by his grandfather.)

Dotzler went 2-for-3 with an RBI triple in the Bulldogs’ conference opener last week and followed up in a non-conference game with a 2-for-4 day with four RBIs.

To show he can run the bases, even if he was a catcher at Lompoc High two years ago, he scored four times.

For those performances he was named Male Athlete of the Week by the North County Athletic Round Table at its weekly meeting Monday. Then yesterday he doubled in the go-ahead run in a 4-3 victory over Moorpark.

We caught up with Dotzler today and asked how he liked playing third base instead of catching.

“I like it a lot. I only caught for two years, starting my junior year of high school, but infield I’ve been playing pretty much my whole life.” But he had always played shortstop, not third base, and yet at the beginning of the season it was his glove that won him a spot in the Bulldog starting lineup.

“My hitting wasn’t coming around but I was picking it pretty good at third. When my coach saw I could play there pretty well he just left me there.

Pitchers are tougher at the JC level, Dotzler said.

“You’ve got guys throwing a lot harder and spotting up a lot better. It’s a quicker pace. It’s not so laid back like in high school. It’s a lot better quality of baseball.”

Dotzler was blazing hot when the season began but then slumped.

“The last two weeks were pretty low. I was 0-for-4 one game, 0-for-3. I kind of struggled but my coach had some extra hitting for me. I stayed after practice a couple days and it got so I started hitting the ball again. Things have just been happening.”

They’ve been happening so well that Dotzler is batting in the clean up slot. Bulldog batting averages and RBI statistics are apparently a secret, so closely-guarded by the Dawg coaching staff that even Dotzler himself does not know his numbers. “I hope it’s over .300,” he shrugged.

Dotzler injured his knee in a freak accident in June 2006 so he did not play last season. Instead he spent time in the weight room and gained 15 pounds of muscle.

“After fracturing my kneecap thought maybe I wouldn’t play, but my dad kept pushing me and pushing me.”

Dotzler and the Bulldogs are glad he did.

The Bulldogs play tomorrow at 2 p.m. in a rematch with Moorpark, then visit Ventura Saturday before hosting Ventura on Tuesday.

-0-

Minor league baseball

Chris White heads out

CHRIS WHITE will be heading out Sunday morning for Lakeland, Florida, the minor league camp of the Detroit Tigers. Spring Training starts on Monday. For the past two months Chris has been training at Sacramento City College where he played last spring.

The centerfielder was named Player of the Year by the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Tigers. He hit safely in his final seven GCL games from Aug. 20-27, going 14-for-28 with a double, triple, two home runs, four RBIs and six runs scored.

-0-

Duffy in Arizona

Lefthanded pitcher DANNY DUFFY already departed for Arizona and the Kansas City Royals minor league camp.

Panel Picks Duffy Male Athlete of 2007; CHS Girls Polo, McIntyre, Ur, Carmona Also Named; 'Peoples Choice' Voting Opens

And the winner is....... DANNY DUFFY!!!!!

KATHRYN NELSON, SARAH UR, coach COREY McINTYRE and ASHLEY SMITH display athlete, team and coach of the year certificates which Cabrillo High girls water polo nearly swept in voting by Lompoc Locker Room's Select Panel.

DANNY DUFFY swept easily to victory in Lompoc Locker Room’s Lompoc Male Athlete of the Year poll it was announced this evening.
He was joined on Lompoc Locker Room, the TV Show by Cabrillo High girls water polo coach COREY McINTYRE, named 2007 Coach of the Year, and by ASHLEY SMITH, KATHRYN NELSON and SARAH UR, tri-captains of the CIF champion Cabrillo girls water polo team, which received Team of the Year honors.

Ur also received recognition as female Athlete of the Year though two awards were made in that category when Ur and Lompoc High soccer star JANI CARMONA finished in a tie for the top spot. Carmona, still at college in Hawaii, was not present but she was contacted by phone.

Among 13 writers, sportscasters, and sports officials Duffy, the fireballing lefthander who whiffed 127 batters for Cabrillo High, signed a lucrative third-round contract with the Kansas City Royals, and then encored with a top-of-the-charts performance in the Arizona Rookie League, far outpolled his competitors.

Duffy totaled 40 points with seven first place votes while his closest competitor, El Camino College quarterback BOO JACKSON, finished with 25 and three first place votes.

They were followed by Cabrillo swim star WES HAIN with 19 points, track star DUANE SOLOMON with 16, and a three-way tie for fifth between Cal distance runner MICHAEL COE, major league baseball outfielder RYAN CHURCH (one first place vote) and 82-year old world swim champion FRANK PIEMME (two first place votes) all with 11 points.

“This is crazy. There are some great people on that list,” Duffy said. “What an honor.” Seventeen male athletes had been nominated.

-0-

Ur, Carmona Tie

The female AOY race was the mirror opposite of the guys’ poll—four nominees finished within seven points. Seven of ten nominees received at least one first-place vote.

Ur and Carmona finished deadlocked at 29 points with two first place points apiece. Ur’s teammate KATHRYN NELSON tied with Cal Poly golfer JULIA HEATH at 22, Nelson also attracting two first-place votes. The top five were rounded out by Cabrillo golfer KELLIE GEORGE who drew 18 votes and had the largest number of first place votes with three.
KARISSA ROBERTSON, the Cabrillo and Hawaii-Hilo soccer star, Hancock cross country runner ARIANA FABING, and Hancock tennis placer ELYSHA McLAIN, also received first-place votes.

-0-

Cabrillo Girls Polo Easy Winner

The Cabrillo girls water polo team, and its coach, McIntyre, dominated voting in team and coach categories. The team doubled the vote total of the Lompoc High baseball, Los Padres League champion for the second year, and for youth football’s Lompoc Scorpions, champions of the Central Coast. The only other team to draw a vote was LHS’ girls soccer team led by Carmona. Eleven teams had been nominated.

-0-

McIntyre Doubles the Total of Nearest Competitor

McIntyre’s closest competitor was not another prep coach but boxing trainer ROY BACA who drew three votes to McIntyre’s six. Lompoc High baseball mentor JIM ALLEN drew two votes and PETER ANDERSON, Cabrillo boys cross country, and ADDIE FRANCIS, leader of league champion LHS girls soccer, one each.

-0-

People's Choice Awards; West Late Entry

Voting for four Lompoc Locker Room “People’s Choice Awards” is now open. It will run through Sunday night.

In the nick of time basketball guard GEOFF WEST has been nominated in the Athlete of the Year category. West led the University of Mary Marauders in their upset win Sunday over No. 8-ranked St. Cloud State. West is the No. 2 scorer for U-M and the No. 2 in steals. He has been described by his coach in comments to the Bismarck, North Dakota newspaper as the team leader.

Baseball America: Duffy Tops in AZL; Church Stars

Baseball America, the baseball fan's Bible, has named DANNY DUFFY the top pitcher in the summer's Arizona Rookie League.

Duffy signed with the Kansas City Royals as a third-round draft pick after a phenomenal season at Cabrillo High where he posted a microscopic 0.58 ERA and 127 strikeouts.

Baseball America wrote as follows:

"Danny Duffy had the best pro debut of any young pitcher in the league, striking out 15.2 batters per nine innings and going 37 innings without allowing a home run. He did it mostly by working off his fastball. The Royals precluded Duffy from throwing his two-seam sinker and his slider, preferring for him to focus on improving the command of his four-seamer and curveball and using his changeup.

"The Royals also worked on making Duffy's mechanics more consistent and keeping him from rushing through his delivery. He made progress on all fronts. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph and touches 94, and his curveball at times is a plus pitch.

"'He got better at repeating his mechanics and maintaining his stuff late in games as the year went on,' Royals pitching coach Mark Davis said. 'His fastball was firm and live, and he really located down and away well.'"

Top 10 prospects in the AZL according to the magazine—

1. Angelo Villalona, 3b, Giants
2. Engel Beltre, of, Rangers
3. Nick Noonan, 2b, Giants
4. Danny Duffy, lhp, Royals
5. Wilmer Font, rhp, Rangers
6. Wilbur Bucardo, rhp Giants
7. Drew Cumberland, ss, Padres
8. Danny Carroll, of, Mariners
9. Cristian Santana, c, Rangers
10.Mario Martinez, ss/3b, Mariners
11.Mason Tobin, rhp, Angels
12.Michael Anton, lhp, Angels
13.Matt Mitchell, rhp, Royals
14.Yefri Carvajal, of, Padres
15.Charlie Culberson, 2b/ss, Giants
16.Larry Suarez, rhp, Cubs
17.Clay Fuller, of, Angels
18.Sam Runion, rhp, Royals
19.Ivan Contreras, 2b, Angels

20.Jacob Wild, lhp, Mariners

-0-

In other, earlier but unreported Duffy news, the lefty was named to the High School Baseball Coaches Association third unit All-American Team and to their first string All-District team for the western states. Duffy is now back in Arizona for fall workouts with the Royals.

-0-

In the major leagues RYAN CHURCH made a statement Wednesday night in New York. He went 3-for-5 against the Mets including a home run and his 43rd double of the season, this off closer Billy Wagner. He raised his season’s batting average to .275.

MLB.com reporter Bill Ladson wrote this—
"In his last 18 games, Church is 19-for-45 with four home runs and 18 RBIs. All of this production has come after he lost his left-field job to Pena. Church is now platooning in center field with rookie Justin Maxwell.
"Church, who has been on the trading block for more than a year, is hoping that he's sending a message to the Nationals and other teams around the league that he can still play with the best of them.
"'I hope [I'm sending a message],' Church said. 'I hope they look at it that way. I do.'"
Church’s 19-for-45 translates to a .422 pace.

Duffy's Biggest Thrill; DC Fans Defend Church

DANNY DUFFY’s biggest thrill this summer was pitching head-to-head against major leaguer Kerry Wood of the Cubs.

So said the June Cabrillo graduate, and Kansas City Royals’ third round draft pick, on Lompoc Locker Room, the TV Show airing beginning today on Comcast Channel 25. Days and times are available on the left of your screen.

“His stuff is just filthy,” Duffy exclaimed, before adding that Wood’s young opponent did not give up any runs either.

It took about a week for the Lompoc lefthander to come down from the clouds and begin to feel as if he belonged in the professional ranks in the Arizona Rookie League, he said.

“That was the joke back at the hotel. ‘We have to act like professionals now,’ we kept telling ourselves.” Virtually everybody else was a rookie too, so for all it was a new experience.

Duffy pitched 37 innings giving up just 24 hits and six earned runs. His earned run average was a blue-chip 1.45. His strikeouts totalled 63 contrasted to just 17 bases on balls. His strikeout total ranked No. 6 in the Arizona League, even though many pitchers including all five with higher strikeout totals, pitched many more innings.

Duffy said the biggest difference between the Los Padres League and the Arizona League was that he could no longer simply throw his fastball past hitters. No matter that it is now clocking at 97 mph. “If you throw a fastball up they’re going to hit it. If I can hit my spot down and away I’m OK.”

Royals coaches wanted Duffy to work on his pitching mechanics, especially taking a consistently shorter stride and “stay on top of the ball” with his fastball. On his curve he was encouraged to use the same arm angle, over the top. He was limited to three pitches—fastball, curve, and change up—which meant he had to discard his slider and two-seam fastball.

Without the slider, which had been his out pitch in high school, the change up became his strike three choice.

“I try to throw it with fastball arm speed. My pitching coach at Cabrillo, coach Denny, really got me going on that. That’s part of the reason I’m where I’m at today because I developed that pitch so well.”

More consistent mechanics gave him more control, he said. His base on ball totals declined as the summer progressed. He also learned to “pitch to contact” – or not strike everybody out but to retire hitters on ground balls and flyouts. At the same time Duffy’s pitch count lengthened. He was limited to 30 pitches at the beginning, then 50, then 65-75.

Duffy’s biggest lesson of the summer?

“Don’t worry about what you can’t control.”

-0-

FANS COME TO CHURCH'S DEFENSE

Washington Nationals fans are not stupid. And they are increasingly coming to the defense of the now-benched RYAN CHURCH. Read these notes from fans to Bill Ladson of MLB.com--

"Ryan Church hits right-handed pitching better than Austin Kearns, Wily Mo Pena and Nook Logan. I can't understand why any of those guys ever start ahead of Church. -- Geoff B., Las Vegas"

LADSON--"The Nationals are benching Church because he is not hitting home runs and driving in runs. It has nothing to do with his batting average. I think the expectations have been extremely high for Church. The organization believes he can hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs."

"Your comment about Kearns getting a free pass from the "think tank" is right on. There are several other players who have gotten a free pass, too, this year. Their shortcomings are never mentioned and their every little accomplishment is treated as if they are headed into the Hall of Fame. Yet other players are roundly criticized for every perceived shortfall (for example, Church). Such uneven treatment of players is very troubling to me as a fan. -- Teresa E, Washington, D.C."

And a word from Mr. En Fuego -- To illustrate the point let's compare rightfielder Austin Kearns with Church.

Until August 18 when Church was benched, the two had almost the identical number of at-bats. Now Kearns has 82 more. Still......

In home runs it is Kearns 13, Church 12. Even all-star Dmitri Young has only 12.

In doubles it is Church 38, Kearns 31. Church leads the team.

In RBI -- Church 59, Kearns 58

In slugging percentage-- Church .440, Kearns .405

Their batting averages are identical-- .266

So if the Nationals want power from a corner outfielder, why was Kearns not benched for Wily Mo Pena? Unless it's that Jim Bowden falls in love with his old Cincinnati Reds. For Christmas how about the Nats hiring a real General Manager!!!!!!!

Duffy Impresses Again

DANNY DUFFY posted yet another blue-chip outing Friday night for the Arizona Rookie League Royals – in four shutout innings, he allowed one hit, struck out 5, walked two. Duff’s season stats now include a scintillating ERA of 1.05. He has allowed only 20 hits in 34 innings and his strikeout to walk ratio is 60/16. Duffy appears to be on the fast track to A-ball in 2008. Picture here is by his mom DEANNA DUFFY.

Also at the rookie level CHRIS WHITE went 1-for-4 both Friday and Saturday which means he’s hit safely in 9 of his last 10 games for the Gulf Coast League Tigers. His base knock Friday was a home run, his third roundtripper of the season and second in two days. His average over the last 10 games is a blazing .366 which brings him up to .271 for the season.

-0-

In the major leagues RYAN CHURCH (who was going to be platooned, right?) got his only start of the Rockies’ series today and went 1-for-4 with his 11th home run of the season. Powerful replacement Wily Mo Pena went 0-for-4 both Saturday and Sunday and is stuck at .222. The Nationals lost all four games at Coors Field. Game time at Dodger Stadium Monday night is 7 p.m.

-0-

At the World Track & Field championships in Osaka, Japan DUANE SOLOMON will get his first chance on Thursday when the 800 opening heats take place.

-0-

In local high school football Press Box Productions announced today that its first broadcast of the year will take place Friday night when the Lompoc Braves venture south to tackle CIF titleholder Oaks Christian in the opener for both teams. Listen in on Comcast Channel 25.

Now They Sit Churchie Against a Righty!!

Note the last three posts on RYAN CHURCH, then factor in that Churchie was only used as a pinch hitter tonight against Houston’s Woody Williams, a RIGHT hander. Wily Mo Pena played left field, Nook Logan center. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Ryan took advantage though, he banged a single.

-0-

In the Arizona Rookie League Sunday DANNY DUFFY suffered his toughest outing of the summer. The Lompoc lefty with the Rookie Royals gave up two earned runs in three-plus innings, the first time that has happened all season. The total represents half of his total for the year: 4. He also took the loss, his second of the campaign. On the positive side Duffy struck out seven and walked none, that’s ZERO. So, his numbers are still spectacular—30 innings pitched and he’s allowed only 19 hits. He has fanned 55 and walked just 14. His earned run average is a miniscule 1.19. He should have one more outing before the season ends on Aug. 31.

-0-

In Lakeland, Florida CHRIS WHITE rapped two hits today for the Gulf Coast League Tigers, the third straight day he has done that. This hot streak brings his BA to .257…

Jones Leaves Door Open for 2008

In an interview Friday airing now on Lompoc Locker Room—the TV Sbow, ANDREW JONES said he may return to Bologna of the Italian Football League in 2008 or he may hook on in the United States.

"Right now I’m just concentrating on getting my teaching credential and coaching at Lompoc High," said the onetime LHS, Hancock, and Upper Iowa quarterback. "We’ll just have to see what turns up." A hamstring strain makes a tryout this month for the new All-America Football League doubtful, he added, though a couple arena league teams have expressed interest in him.

The last 12 months for Jones have been a travelogue. After quarterbacking the Lompoc Braves to a CIF title in 2002, and appearing in the state JC championship game with Hancock two years later, he entered his senior year at Upper Iowa in 2006 vying with two competitors for the UI QB job.

Then new Offensive Coordinator Ben Morie entered the picture. "He came from Bemidji State. He brought a spread, wide-open offense. It was a fun offense to be in. He just gave me the marker. ‘If you don’t like the set, get out of it,' he told me. 'Get us in a better situation.’ Right away I got the hang of that and that’s what put me over the top above everybody else.

Jones was so successful he was named National Co-Offensive Player of the Week by D2.com when he threw for 464 yards and three touchdowns in defeating Wisconson-Stout. – "I actually didn’t start the game," Jones remembered. His shoulder had been bothering, but his replacement went down early. "I just went in there and got after it. They were playing man-to-man the whole time and they just never changed anything so I was going to my two main guys. They were just always open. Stout blitzed a lot, like on every other play but our offensive line held strong. Every play I was just going, ‘pass, pass, pass.’ I don’t know the last time I threw 65 passes in a game. I think I had something like 45-for-62 or something like that, more than one year at Lompoc."

For the season Jones connected at a 59% clip throwing for 2,215 yards and 12 touchdowns while rushing for 211 yards and 3 touchdowns. After the season he was named all-Northern Sun Conference Honorable Mention and to the NSAC All-Academic Team. Then came a surprise.

Over the Christmas break coach Morie phoned Jones to tell him about an opportunity in Italy. Soon coach Moe Ankney of the Bologna High-Tech Media Warriors called him. Jones sent film and Ankney handed over the quarterback job without a tryout. "They faxed me the contract, I signed it, I got a passport and I was in Italy March 1. "

Football in Italy is different, Jones found. "Football they don’t take as serious as soccer. You’re only allowed two Americans per team. The two Americans get paid. About 15 guys on the team didn’t get paid or anything. They were there because they love the game."

But they don’t know a whole lot about it, Jones found. "They don’t start playing football until they’re 15 years old so some of the players need help with fundamentals. Some of the guys didn’t know how to get into a stance. For me I also had to coach the offense. So it was quite an experience." Bologna made the playoffs but was eliminated in the first round.

Now an assistant to ROBIN LUKEN at LHS Jones is finding talent in the offensive backfield. "Daryl Aguilar and Richie Hirzel will be quarterbacks, running backs will be Little Alonzo and Masson Blow, Favi Vargas and two Moreharts. I don’t have all the names yet."

-0-

Elsewhere DANNY DUFFY issued yet another stellar performance in the Arizona Rookie League Tuesday. He pitched five innings and allowed one earned run on two hits. He struck out a whopping nine and walked three. The run he gave up, just his second of the summer, came when the leadoff hitter for the AZL Brewers rapped a ground single to center, advanced on a wild pitch, stole third, and came home during a double play. With runners on first and third and no outs Duffy kept his head and induced that double play ball. Heady stuff. His nine K's equalled his best of the season.

It's fair to say that the lefthander's statistical totals have reached the "spectacular" mark. He has an ERA of 0.66. He has struck out 48 and walked 14, nearly a 4-1 ratio where 2-1 is considered good. He has given up just 16 hits in 27 innings where anything below a hit/inning is good. Best of all he has pitched 11 innings in his last two outings. They were his two longest performances of the summer, and, since he is limited to 60 pitches per outing, they indicate increased economy of effort. What more could the Royals want?

-0-

In the major leagues RYAN CHURCH went 2-for-3 against the Phillies Tuesday night but the Nationals' bullpen gave up three runs in the eighth to lose the game. The Nats totalled only six hits and only Churchie had more than one. He is now batting .265.

Piemme, Schmidt Set Five More Records

FRANK PIEMME and JURGEN SCHMIDT, Lompoc's distinguished masters swim duo, combined for five national records in relay events over the weekend at the Southern Pacific Region Long Course Masters Swim meet in Mission Viejo.

In addition Piemme, 82, won seven individual events, all he entered in his 80-4 age group, and Schmidt, 84, won three, in the same age category.

The relay records came in the 80+ age group in the 200 freestyle for men, 400 free for men and the 400 mixed medley, all of which involved both Piemme and Schmidt paired with two other swimmers. In the medley Piemme swam the butterfly, Schmidt the backstroke. The two Lompocans split up by age group for the 800 freestyle mixed event to team with other partners and set two more records. They came in the 70+ age group for Piemme and the 80+ for Schmidt with both Lompocans swimming the backstroke leg.

In individual events Piemme won the 50, 100 and 200 free, the 200 IM, 100 breast, 50 butterfly and 50 backstroke. Schmidt took the 400, 800 and 1500 free and placed second only to Piemme in the 100 and 200 free, and the 200 IM, all in the 80-4 age group.

“As we get older in our age groups our expectations of individual accomplishments diminish,” Piemme said. “But we can still combine to do big things in relays.”

The next big event for Lompoc’s Masters Maestros will be the Huntsman Senior Games in St. George, Utah, October 10-12.

-0-

In golf Locker Room Correspondent GARY PRUCHA reports RICK CHAVEZ, LHS 1996, tied for first place with Bobby Barajas, Santa Maria teenager, in La Purisima Golf Course's 1st Annual Impossible Open. Both scored 78. Barajas won the event with a birdie on the first playoff hole. The golf course for the IO was set up to mimic the Augusta Masters conditions: Played at over 7000 yards with the rough, especially around the greens, allowed to grow to 6 inches or more, and lightning fast greens, the Open tested both the golfer's skill and patience. One hundred forty golfers tested the conditions. PERRY HALLMEYER, LP's Head Professional {competing but not eligible for prizes}, carded a 75 for the best score of the day.

-0-

And more stuff---Monday night in San Francisco while all eyes were on Barry Bonds RYAN CHURCH boomed his first triple of the season. Saturday DANNY DUFFY suffered what by his standards was a rough outing. In 2 2/3 scoreless innings for the Arizona Rookie League Royals he gave up four hits and three bases on balls, though he struck out five of the AZL Padres. His miniscule earned run average shurnk even lower to 0.55. In 16 innings he has now fanned 30… Also Saturday CHRIS WHITE went 4-for-7 in a doubleheader for the Gulf Coast Rookie League Tigers. He rapped a hit in three trips in the first game, then three hits in four at-bats in the nightcap against the GCL Phillies. He also totalled three stolen bases... the Sporting News’ College Football Preview predicts that A. J. Wallace could challenge LYDELL SARGEANT for his starting slot at cornerback at Penn State.

-0-

E-mail us at pressboxprod@verizon.net

Duffy's Pitch Count Limits Innings

If you’re wondering why DANNY DUFFY has accumulated only 13 innings during all of July for the Kansas City Royals Rookie League team in Arizona you’re not alone. The young lefthander reported late in June but after Monday’s outing he had pitched just 13 2/3 innings. His performance was brilliant— only one earned run for an ERA of 0.66, 25 strikeouts [two per inning and three times his eight bases on balls], and only seven hits against him—so why not more innings? He threw 58 in two months at Cabrillo this spring.

His dad, DAN DUFFY, clarified the issue today. “He’s a hard-throwing strikeout pitcher,” the elder Duffy pointed out. “He uses more pitches than some others.” And the Royals are not tabulating innings. They count pitches. Duffy added that there was a two week stretch when Danny was shut down after overall body soreness which came as a result of a swim workout. Duffy hastened to add it was not in any way an arm problem but the Royals wanted to be cautious. “Everything is good,” Duffy said. His son has even been selected to participate in the Royals’ fall instructional league, a strong indication the club continues to think highly of him.

AL HUNT, writing today in the Santa Barbara News-Press, pointed out that Duffy’s four inning performance Monday was his longest of the season. The inquisitive Hunt even got Duffy’s manager, Lloyd Simmons, to comment: “He’s a good prospect,” Hunt reported Simmons saying. “He’s been sharp here.” Simmons told Hunt that Duffy would throw 60 pitches every fourth game all month.

Duffy is expected back in Lompoc for two weeks in September before reporting to the fall instructional league.

Miscellaneous—RYAN CHURCH went 2-for-5 tonight against the Cincinnati Reds and boomed his 33rd double. He banged two hits last night and two on Tuesday for a 6-for-13 (.461) series against the Reds whom the Nationals swept. Church’s 33 doubles rank fourth in the National League. His batting average is now .261… SHELDON CANLEY on Bill Walsh: “Remember, he was a San Jose State Spartan”… former Lompoc High, Hancock, Upper Iowa, and Bologna Italy quarterback ANDREW JONES will be a guest on the next Lompoc Locker Room TV show set to air Aug. 13. He will join Cal miler MICHAEL COE on the show… B.J. LINGLE seems to like the web site: “was just checking out the site, and it is awesome. I have a new place to surf to now. I'll do my best to keep you posted about the Falcon football Lompoc connection”… Lingle will be keeping his eye on DERRICK LUKEN as he debuts with the U.S. Air Force Academy JV team….

PS—If anybody knows how the LGSA girls U-16 all-star team is doing in Salem, Oregon, let us know. Same for the LGSA U-10 girls in Las Cruces, New Mexico….

Grand Opening

Hi,sports fans. More or less as promised Lompoc Locker Room.com is open for business starting right now.

July was interesting in Lompoc sports-- in pro baseball CHRIS WHITE caught fire and raised his batting average 100 points, DANNY DUFFY still has not given up an earned run, and RYAN CHURCH remains in the Top Ten in doubles though I know he'd like his batting average to be higher. On the downside we lost longtime runner and colorful character RAY GIL who passed away during the month.

At the Pan Am Games who was the only American still running after the preliminary rounds in the 800? Not Khadevis Robinson, not Nick Symmonds, but DUANE SOLOMON! He finished fourth in his semifinal heat so did not qualify for the final, but his showing was the best of the three Americans. Updates of these stories and more will be showing up right here in coming days.

Let me know which athletes and which sports interest you the most and we'll try to get on them. Just e-mail at pressboxprod@verizon.net and tell me what you think.

And if you want to call direct I'll be appearing on YNTV Friday at 6 p.m. on TAP-TV (Channel 25). Lompoc Locker Room TV show, the new version, can be seen on Channel 25 on the dates shown at the left.

So let's hear from you!!!!!!!