sports/sports_6_5

The LookOut sports

Santa Monica Sports Notes

Playoffs are underway in the Santa Monica Little League. The White Sox and Rockies tied for the Eastern Division title with 11-5 records, both one game ahead of the Indians in the majors. In the West the Cubs were 14-2 and the Cardinals 12-4.

Second baseman Anthony Angel of Loyola Marymount, a former star at St. Monica High, was named to the all-Regional team in the NCAA Tournament. He had 78 RBI this season and is likely to be a high choice in the upcoming baseball draft.

Marissa Irvin of Stanford, a lifelong resident of Santa Monica, reached the finals of the NCAA Tournament as a sophmore but lost. She was ranked the nation's No. 1 woman player most of the season.

Monica Flores, Joanna Villa and Teresa Rodriguez of the St. Monica High girls softball team were named all Camino Real League first team. Making the second team were Bridget Vargas, Sarah Casillas and Danielle Andrews.

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Samohi's Espy Makes Majors As Padres' Hitting Coach

By Mitch Chortkoff

A wonderful thing happened to an outstanding person this week. Duane Espy became a major leaguer.

Espy was the manager at Las Vegas (AAA) in the San Diego Padres' organization. He became the Padres' hitting coach when management decided to replace Ben Oglivie.

After 30 years in baseball Espy now wears a major league uniform for the first time. The joy is shared by Chris Long, my former teammate at The Outlook and now a sportswriter with the Orange County Register.

``Duane and I have been friends since we went to John Adams Jr. High together and then played baseball at Santa Monica High,'' says Long.

``We were together in the Samohi graduating class of 1970. He grew up in Santa Monica.''

Espy was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers but played only in the minors and his career ended at Sacramento. Long thinks its very interesting that Espy stayed in baseball for many years after that but only now has reached the majors.

It's a controversial topic in San Diego why Oglivie was replaced after only two months. It's being said he wasn't outgoing enough and had a tough act to follow. He replaced popular Merv Rettenmund, who went to the Atlanta Braves.

``It's not for me to speculate why the Padres made a change,'' Espy told the San Diego Union-Tribune. ``The way Merv Rettenmund taught was terrific for me because we're similar in styles as far as mechanics.

``I'll be using a lot of his stuff but I'm not Merv Rettenmund.''

Padres manager Bruce Bochy seems similarities in Espy and Rettenmund.

``Both are gregarious and love to talk hitting,'' he said.

The most famous Samohi grad to make the majors is outfielder Rick Monday, who became the No. 1 pick in the baseball draft and had a distinguished career. He is now on the Dodgers' announcing team.

Tim Leary pitched brilliantly for Samohi and the Santa Monica American Legion team that won the national championship. He went on to a major league career and is now pitching coach at UCLA.

Outfielder Tony Tarasco became a major leaguer and was with the Yankees last season. This year he played in Japan in the first season of a big-money contract.

Terry Bevington, another Samohi grad, became manager of the Chicago White Sox. Outfielder Rod Allen, also from Samohi, played for the Seattle Mariners and is now an announcer with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Now we can add Espy's name to the distinguised group of Samohi grads who made it to the major leagues.