77. SAN JOSE STATE

2008 RECORD. Overall: 31-25. Conference: 17-14 / 4^th in Western Athletic Conference.

Coach: Sam Piraro (685-520, 22^nd year).

First Game, 2009: Feb. 20 vs St. Joseph ’s.

 

OVERVIEW: The Spartans may be hard-pressed to reach their high-water mark of 2000, when they made their only College World Series appearance, or 2002, when they set a school-record with 45 wins, but this should be one of the program’s better teams. All but two regulars return, including sophomore 1B Danny Stienstra, the team’s top hitter, and junior 3B Kyle Bellows, the team’s best prospect. The pitching staff is even more intact as all three starters are back.

 

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

C: Anthony Aguilera, Sr. (.267-0-19).

1B: Danny Stienstra, So. (.365-1-32).

2B: Karson Klauer, Jr. (.314-3-15).

3B: Kyle Bellows, Jr. (.276-4-42).

SS: Tyler Heil, Sr. (.256-0-5).

LF: Michael Drake, Sr. (.137-0-4).

CF: Jason Martin, So. (.307-3-27).

RF: Alex Sofranac, Sr. (.255-5-22).

DH: Anthony Bona, Fr. (HS—Union City, Calif.) / Corey Valine, Jr. (.288-3-33).

1/Starter: David Berner, Sr. (3-8, 5.96, 83 IP/*67 SO).

2/Starter: Max Peterson, Jr. (*5-6, 5.22, 69 IP/57 SO).

3/Starter: Scott Sobczak, Sr. (4-2, 5.06, *84 IP/51 SO).

Closer: Anthony Vega, Sr. (3-2, *3.57, *3 SV, 45 IP/34 SO).

 

BEST TOOLS

Best Athlete: Craig Hertler.

Best Overall Hitter: Kyle Bellows.

Best Power Hitter: Kyle Bellows.

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Corey Valine.

Fastest Base Runner (60 time): Craig Hertler.

Best Base Runner: Tyler Heil.

Best Defender: Kyle Bellows.

Best Infield Arm: Kyle Bellows.

Best Outfield Arm: Michael Drake.

Best Fastball (velocity): Max Peterson (90 mph)

Best Breaking Ball: David Berner.

Best Changeup: David Berner.

Best Command: David Berner.

 

TOP FRESHMAN PROSPECT: Josh Silver, if. The Spartans don’t have a freshman with impact potential. The switch-hitting Silver provides a bat off the bench and can fill in at third base and shortstop, and second base in a pinch.

TOP SOPHOMORE PROSPECT: Danny Stienstra, 1b. There is little question that Steinstra can handle the bat head. He hit .391 during the summer in the Cal Ripken Sr. League, second-best in the league, and topped the Spartans with a .365 average as a freshman. The question is whether the smooth-swinging righthander will ever hit with enough power to make him a run producer at a corner position, but he’s still scheduled to hit cleanup for the Spartans.

TOP JUNIOR PROSPECT: Kyle Bellows, 3b. Bellows has all the tools to be a high-level prospect. He has good bat speed and power potential; he also is a sound, agile defender at third with a big-league arm. But Bellows has struggled to put together a complete season on both sides of the ball at San Jose State . He hit .343 with six homers in an impressive debut at the plate, but bounced all over the infield in search of a home defensively. A year ago, he settled in nicely at third, but slumped badly at the plate—and his slump carried over into the summer in the Cape Cod League.

TOP SENIOR PROSPECT: David Berner, rhp. After winning 19 games in two years in junior college, Berner struggled in a 3-8 junior season at San Jose State . He’s not overpowering at his best, and struggled with the command of his secondary pitches. But he was much superior locating his stuff in the fall and was rewarded with the Friday role on the Spartans staff this spring.

--ALLAN SIMPSON