Three new commits:

Matteo Blandino - 6'2", 210 - C/1B/3B - Archbishop Mitty HS

Ty Deperno - 6'0", 185 - C/RHP/MIF - West Ranch HS

Grayson Bonanno - 6'3", 195 - RHP/1B/3B - Torrey Pines High School

Grayson Bonanno@GraysonBonanno
·
Jun 21
90 percent pen before my start on Friday in AZ. Fastball 88-90, change up low 80s and slider 79-81.
@coach_oliveira

At this point as a fan I like what I read but know it doesn't mean much. I've learned since the start of the 2016 season that all you can really do is show up not expecting a win and be pleasantly surprised if you do see one. What I really dislike are the games where they dig themselves a big hole early with poor defense and make a late run to bring it really close but lose. They lost a lot of games in 2022 by 1 or 2 runs (generally not low-scoring games).

If Nicholson and his staff can find a way to reduce those early inning collapses they might be able to win significantly more contests. I've never been able to determine why UCD's defense is usually so poor (2022 season not being used as an example) compared to most of their opponents. Being less athletic is one thing-maybe you are a tick too slow to get to a ball in time to make a play, but flubbing the play when you do get to it is quite another thing. Aggie teams have been notorious for turning very close infield plays into huge messes because the fielder (usually the shortstop, but sometimes the third baseman) rushes the throw + it winds up in the dugout. This usually happens at least once per game when I have attended. They need to improve their ability to recognize extremely low percentage plays and not try to make highlight reel throws when these nearly impossible situations present themselves. That's not an athleticism issue. The worst thing that happens if they hold onto the ball is the batter gets a single and maybe a run scores- if there was a runner on third. Big deal. Better a run and a guy at first than a run and a guy at 2nd or 3rd. Quickness can be improved through conditioning but so much of this game is mental. That's why it really stings when these brainy UCD guys fail at it. They're getting outsmarted by teams-they shouldn't be outsmarted by anyone. Outplayed but not outsmarted.

Hopefully Nicholson can use his expertise to fix the infield. Maybe he can evict the ghost who's been haunting third base in the top half of most innings at Dobbins Stadium for years. 2022 I just have to ignore because there were probably some players playing out of position and he didn't have much of a practice season to work with them.

No expert here, but if Kang (2022 recruit) brings great defense and high on base percentage, that one player makes a big impact. HC seems active.

Ags ink fifth player:

Tyler Howard - 5'9", 185, R/R - OF / CF - Cardiff by the Sea / San Dieguito Academy.

2022 MVP
First Team All League

Commits - summary:

Infield

Matteo Blandino - 6'2", 210 - C/1B/3B - Archbishop Mitty HS

Ty Deperno - 6'0", 185 - C/RHP/MIF - West Ranch HS

Pitching

Grayson Bonanno - 6'3", 195 - RHP/1B/3B - Torrey Pines High School

Sam Papp, RHP, from Palo Alto. Palo Alto appears to be a top NorCal program.

Outfield

Tyler Howard - 5'9", 185, R/R - OF / CF - Cardiff by the Sea / San Dieguito Academy.

https://www.perfectgame.org/college/CollegeCommitments.aspx?college=1763