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E-mail StoryBrown delivers for BC
Sophomore right fielder leads 'Gades in 8 hitting categories
| Thursday, May 8 2008 10:57 PM
Last Updated: Friday, May 9 2008 8:18 AM
No one can minimize Casey Brown's value to the Bakersfield College baseball team this season.
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BC's Casey Brown is hitting .437 this season as the Renegades head into the playoffs.
Brown, a sophomore right fielder from Centennial High School, has been the Renegades' everyday right fielder for two seasons and has simply put together a fabulous season.
Brown, 20, batted a team-high .437 this season and also led the Renegades in hits (76, tied with Brandon Boren), RBIs (48), doubles (20), triples (5), total bases (121), slugging percentage (.696) and on-base percentage (.485).
The Renegades went 28-16 to qualify for the 16-team Southern California playoffs that begin today. BC has a best-of-three series at Cerritos College with a single game today and one or two games Saturday.
"He's been a phenomenal player for us," said BC coach Tim Painton. "Last year he had a solid year for us -- certainly not to the level he had this year. He's jumped his average over 100 points and he's a guy who just drives in runs."
Defensively, Brown has only one error in 80 chances, and he's chipped in eight stolen bases in 10 attempts.
"He's really made himself into an exceptional outfielder," Painton said. "He handles the sun well (right field is the sun field at BC), he runs well, he's very aggressive, he plays hard all the time and his throwing arm has really improved."
Brown discussed the team's season and his success this year with The Californian.
You played football and baseball at Centennial. Why did you focus on baseball?
I've been playing it since I was young, like a lot of the guys out here. Baseball doesn't discriminate against size that much (he's 5-foot-9, 185 pounds), so I figured I had a shot to move on if I improved my game.
Did you keep track of your personal statistics this season? I knew I was doing pretty good, but I tried not to worry about that stuff. Because if you worry about that stuff, you get into trouble. You start thinking, 'If I go 2-for-3, maybe I'll hit .400, or .300.' I just worry about playing.
BC was rolling, then lost 6 of 8 around the midway point of the season before rallying to make the playoffs. Any theories on the struggle and recovery?
It had a lot to do with last year. A lot of sophomores start for us right now and last year we went through a slump all year. We were all pumped up, ready to go, and then we had a slump again. We had to sit back, take it one step at a time and tell ourselves, 'Sophomores, this is our last chance if we want to make the playoffs.' We picked it up after that. The pitchers have done their part and the hitters are doing their part, too.
You have not yet committed to a four-year school for next year. What are your plans after this season?
I'm talking to schools every other day, going through that whole process. I'm not sure what I want to do. I might go out of state. I definitely want to take a recruiting trip and check out some schools if I'm not staying in California.
Do you think about pro ball?
Would I love to play pro ball? Yeah, I would. Everyone out here would. Sure I think about it. But my goal now is to play for BC and give everything I've got to this program and then go on to the next level. Hopefully I'll get to do that. And if I take care of that level, maybe I'll get a chance at the next level (pro baseball).
Discuss your BC experience.
The thing that's really good: Everyone has their own coach. I have my own outfield coach, Ronny Machado. The infield has their own infield coach. The pitchers have Coach Painton. The catchers have Kenny Miller. Our hitting instructor, Patrick Cornejo, helps everyone. You get hands-on instruction every day.
Being at this program gets you ready for that next level because this is how it will be at the next level. I wish BC was a four-year program. I'd stay here.
Who's the funniest guy on the team?
I would say we're all funny. We're all goofy. I'm always talking. (Tyler) Garewal -- he's always talking. (Jeff) Burleson. Our bench guys: they all keep it going.
What is your favorite part of playing for this team?
We all go into the clubhouse after the game and we have this thing called Rally Monkey. It's for someone who has the best game. The other award, the Mosquito Award, is sort of like the tank award. It goes to the guy who didn't do that good that game but we won. We have a Sombrero Award, if you have four strikeouts. Just funny stuff like that. That's the highlight right there. Showing up every day and being with them. We're always joking around with each other.
— Jeff Evans