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John Zant: Big Stick from Texas Now a Forester |
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By John Zant
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Saturday, July 07 2007 |
 John Zant
After all, the Foresters won 24 of their 27 games before the arrival of Russell, the Big 12 baseball Player of the Year from Texas. He shattered the Longhorns’ record by belting 28 home runs during the collegiate season.
Russell flew into Santa Barbara on July 3 and was promptly stationed in center field. While his fabled power failed to materialize, Russell had a knack for getting around the basepaths. In his first three games as a Forester, he stole four bases and scored five runs.
The team’s annual Fourth of July game at Pershing Park put Russell on the spot. The Foresters took a 4-3 lead over the Santa Maria Indians into the eighth inning, but the visitors came up with four runs, the first scoring on a triple when Russell tried to make a diving catch. The ball skipped past him to the fence. Russell stuck out in the bottom of the eighth, and the Indians went on to win, 7-5.
After the rare setback, Pintard addressed the team.
“There’s no finger-pointing,” the manager said. “We win as a team, and we lose as a team.”
Pintard moved Russell up to the second spot in the batting order as the designated hitter on Thursday. Although he struck out three times, he also had a double and drew a walk, scoring runs both times in an 8-0 victory over the Palm Springs Power.
The Foresters, 26-4, will play a weekend series against the Monterey Bay Sox (5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday) at UCSB’s Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. They will host the Rawlings California Cup Tournament next Wednesday through Sunday, July 15.
Russell said he was delighted to be part of the semi-pro team that won the 2006 NBC World Series championship. The Texas sophomore played in the Cape Cod League last summer, and after facing the Santa Maria Indians, he declared, “This (the California Collegiate League) is better than the Cape Cod.”
Because he turned 21 last week, Russell was eligible for the major league draft, and the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the fourth round. With the option of returning to Texas for at least another year, he said he will sign a contract only if the money is substantial. The Cards have until Aug. 15 to make a deal.
“I’m still holding out,” Russell said. “In the meantime, I’m not going to sit around and wait. I want to go out and have fun playing baseball.”
Texas coach Augie Garrido steered Russell to Santa Barbara. There were four Longhorns on the Foresters last year – including pitcher Drew Bishop, who’s on the staff again this summer – and Garrido obviously felt they benefited from the experience.
“My coach told me Santa Barbara is the place to come to,” Russell said. “I’m loving it here.” He is looking forward to a visit from his parents, Gerald and Joyce, from Tomball, Texas.
Russell is tall (6-foot-5) and lean (185 pounds). He is a left-hander who resembles Shawn Green at the plate. His nickname at Texas is “Stick.”
Pintard, who has taken the Foresters to the NBC championship game in Wichita three out of the last four years, has already made a positive impression on the slugger.
“He’s got a great personality,” Russell said. “We’re going to be friends for a long time.”
Well on his way to bonding with his new team, Russell has another attachment issue this summer. He is trying to make some firm connections between the wooden bat and the baseball. In the Cape Cod League, he set a dubious record by striking out 64 times in 126 at-bats.
Russell’s tremendous spring at Texas brought his confidence back up. His slow start with the Foresters could be attributed to the month that elapsed since his last game. He takes long, sweeping cuts at the baseball. If he starts connecting – and at Texas, he hit a home run every 7.78 at-bats – the Foresters had better increase their supply of baseballs.
But if he keeps getting singles and doubles and runs home instead of hitting home runs, that will be fine too. |
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