If you were Mike Batesole for a day...

How would you pencil in Fresno State's opening day starting lineup? The Diamond 'Dogs take the field against Nebraska at 6:05 p.m. Friday in Game 1 of a four-game series.

Is this the best lineup coach Mike Batesole can run out there? Or would you like to see the order flip-flopped, positions flip-flopped or starters swapped? Here's what we're likely to get Friday night:

1. LF Bobby Coyle, L
2. 3B Garrett Weber, R
3. 2B Danny Muno, S
4. CF Dusty Robinson, R
5. RF Brennan Gowens, L
6. 1B Jordan Ribera, L
7. DH Kenny Wise, L
8. C Trent Garrison, L
9. SS Isaac Vivas, R

Starting pitcher: RHP Derek Benny

Mendonca to be drafted today ... ya think!?

I had already planned to get a little MLB Draft blog goin' today, but when I opened a recent Google Alert email with this story from KMPH I decided to rush it:

Fresno's Mendonca Expected To Be Picked Up In Draft KMPH Fox 26 -
Fresno,CA,USASeveral valley stand-outs are expected to hear their names called
over the three-day draft, including Fresno State third baseman Tommy Mendonca.
...

If that's not the most "duh" headline of all-time, I don't know what is. But I was glad to see that wasn't actually printed atop the story when I clicked and followed the link.

Today's draft is an exciting one for Fresno State fans -- although bittersweet being that we'll close the chapter on The Great Wall of Mendonca at third base. All-time Fresno State home run king. 2008 College World Series MVP. He made defensive plays so good, so consistently, that ESPN put (count 'em) at least three Mendonca fielding highlights in its postseason package that has been playing during every postseason game this year.

Mendonca, a junior, is as good as gone with 7 figures likely awaiting him in a signing bonus. Pitcher Tanner Scheppers, who was lost to injury during the final homestand of 2008 and missed the CWS glee, has rehabilitated his shoulder while making a handful of appearances for the independent St. Paul Saints. Scheppers was drafted by the Pirates last year, but they refused to give him the first-round money he deserved and he didn't sign. This time, expect Scheppers to go as early as the top five picks. Just take this quote from Fresno State coach Mike Batesole in today's Fresno Bee:

"People call me nuts, but I saw Strasburg pitch again for the second time and
there's no doubt: Tanner is the best [pitcher] in the country," Batesole said.
"With all due respect to Strasburg, I'd pick Tanner."

Other 'Dogs to watch for on the draft board are junior first baseman Alan Ahmady, who was suspended at the end of the regular season, junior pitcher Matt Morse and senior pitcher Holden Sprague.

Top 10 ways to look at the bright side with Fresno State baseball

10. The annual Mike Batesole-era regular season Diamond 'Dogs disappointment is over, and the postseason has always been kinder.

9. With WAC hitter of the week Isaac Vivas and senior Gavin Hedstrom finally doing a little something at the plate Baseball America might think twice about saying certain guys shouldn't even be on the field for a program of Fresno State's caliber.

8. Dusty Robinson's one of the best power hitting freshman in Fresno State lore.

7. There's a chance Danny Muno will either walk or get a hit in every single postseason at-bat. Don't laugh.

6. With the Bulldogs not playing anymore home games this year, it'll give the university a chance to come up with a better national championship display at Beiden Field than the tiny sign under all the ads on the scoreboard and the not-so-eye-catching flag that should be 10 times bigger.

5. Hey Boise State, how's your baseball season going?

4. The Diamond 'Dogs have a chance to win their fourth straight WAC tournament championship.

3. With star first baseman Alan Ahmady suspended, superfan Sugar Bear can debut his newest hit chant: "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...that's Jaaake Johnsooonnn!"

2. Tommy Mendonca just might be the best all-around player in Fresno State history. And as long as he's on the field there's a chance.

1. Fresno State is still the reigning national champions, and controls its own destiny from here on out.

Saturday Night Wise

You know how sometimes you just get to thinking about Fresno State, and a plethora of ideas hit you all at once? Well, for me, that's right now.

Read this story from the Visalia Times-Delta. Bryce Harris may very well earn the starting left tackle job this year (although it was interesting Devan Cunningham got work there on Friday). That's not my issue with this story though. The issue is at the very end of the write-up, where the 'Dogs are predicted to go 5-7 in 2009. Maybe...but I'd just like to know what research this writer did to be able to say expect most preseason publications to predict the 'Dogs to finish 1-3 in non-conference and 4-4 in the WAC?

Derek Benny is going to be good. At this point in his career, the freshman pitcher is ahead of recent 'Dogs Tanner Scheppers, Doug Fister and Matt Garza in his development. All he did today was throw a complete-game, two-hit shutout in a 10-0 win over Lipscomb while facing the minimum 27 batters -- the first time that's happened at Fresno State since 1967.

Tommy Mendonca is surely going to break the school's all-time home run record. The most fascinating question now is whether he can top Lance Shebulut's single-season mark of 32 homers? With 10 jacks in 22 games, Mendonca is sure on pace to give it a run.

Today's doubleheader sweep by the Diamond 'Dogs has them two games over .500 at 12-10. But yesterday, sitting at 10-10, the annual Mike Batesole regular-season frustration set in. Why do Batesole's teams always get off to less-than-impressive starts?

And a predition of my own -- Ebahn Feathers will not start at QB. Feathers' lack of throwing ability in spring camp is quickly knocking him out of contention, especially when Derek Carr and Matt Faulkner are looking so good. Not that Faulkner will win it either, but Carr's just too talented to ignore right now and will likely battle Ryan Colburn for the nod. Count on this though, Feathers will have packages that allow him to contribute every game.

They are merely freshmen

That's been quite the theme around Pete Beiden Field lately with the '09 Fresno State baseball team. Heck, it's been the theme all year with the men's basketball team too. The difference, though, is the baseball team is winning -- and winning big -- albeit against weak competition like Buffalo (22-4), Portland (7-0) and Cal State-Bakersfield (16-1).

Let's break down the young 'uns on the Diamond 'Dogs:

• Kenny Wise, can't say enough about the way this kid's been taking at-bats. 2 for 2 with 2 RBIs and a walk yesterday at the DH spot. Now batting .389 on the year, the lefty Wise is making it tough for Jordan Ribera to see the field against right-handed pitching (although Ribs did hit a jack after striking out looking yesterday). For the record, Ribera is now hitting .077 on the young season with 10 strikeouts in 13 at-bats.
• Josh Poytress, the highly-touted Fowler High grad was brilliant in his first start on Monday, shutting down Portland in five innings (they're brininging him along slowly). No complaints about a lefty with a 0.00 ERA in 7 2/3 innings who's throwing 92-93 mph gas.
• Derek Benny, while the 6-foot-5 flamethrower has been touched up sporadically, the potential he offers is exciting fans at Beiden Field. Think Matt Garza/Tanner Scheppers but taller if he develops. He's already better than those two were as freshmen.
• Brennan Gowens, fans have to like his play running down flyballs in center field lately. Plus, his balanced plate approach from the left side allows him to grip and rip. He gets after it hard, the way Mike Batesole loves for his guys to approach the game. A .350 average, 1 HR and 4 RBI -- not too shabby.
• Dusty Robinson, the much ballyhooed high school power phenom unleashed on one and took it over the left field wall and out of the park last night (his first homer since the season opener against Washington). He's batting .333 and seems to be the guy in left field for now.
• Taylor Garrison, the pitcher has turned in 7 1/3 innings of relief and given up just one earned run. It's hard to remember a time when any freshmen have made a big impact on the mound, let alone three of them. Even sophomore Jake Floethe, who's been nothing short of dominant in his three starts, had an 8.64 ERA as a freshman, compared to 0.95 so far this year.

Zero interest in Fresno State baseball?

This from a recent story in the Marin Independent Journal:

Suddenly, Detwiler and pals had the "It" factor. Prior to their NCAA championship run last year, there was little, if any, interest in Bulldogs baseball.
"Zero," Billingsley said.
"People didn't really know any baseball players unless they wore baseball uniforms," Detwiler said.

I can't be the only one who is offended by the comments above. We've all heard a lot of bandwagon fan jokes and remarks since Fresno State pulled off its amazing College World Series title run, but let's not blow it out of proportion. Yes, crowds have been less than ideal in the Mike Batesole era. Regularly packing Beiden Field was something not seen since the late 1980s and early '90s. And, yes, that's going to change on Friday when Fresno State opens the '09 season against Washington.

But trust me, there are lots of Red Wavers who had great interest in Fresno State baseball in all those years in between, a decent number who went to almost every home game last season and many who have had season tickets year after year. (See my comment at the bottom of the story link)

Mr. Billingsley, the GM of the great restaurant Dog House Grill, who was quoted by the Marin paper, does not speak for all of us.

We're the ones who were there to regularly answer Sugar Bear at Beiden Field when he yelled, "Is there a 'Dog in the house!?"

Woof!

Earth-shattering news!!!

Fresno State today signed baseball coach Mike Batesole and women's basketball coach Adrian Wiggins to Letters of Appointment!

Oh my goodness gracious holy cow can you believe it wow!?

Wait...what the heck is a letter of appointment? All this story says is they'll still be the coaches this year, but what does this mean exactly? How long? How much money? What are the terms?

Heart and Soul

We've heard a lot about heart and soul this week in the college baseball world.

For me, it started during the Tony D. show on 1550 AM when guest interview Augie Garrido (the current Texas coach and former CS Fullerton coach) was talking about his life documentary that aired tonight on ESPN2. Garrido, who was a player on Fresno State's 1959 College World Series team, and whose number is retired on the Beiden Field wall, told Tony D. his heart is in Texas but his soul is in Fresno.

Then we heard Diamond 'Dogs coach Mike Batesole talk about Game 1 starter Justin Wilson being all heart on the mound. That heart helped him limit No. 6 Rice to two runs in seven innings in the 'Dogs 17-5 CWS win.

Shoot, the ESPN announcers and all the other media have been talking all week about how these 'Dogs aren't supposed to be here. They're the first No. 4 Regional seed to ever make it this far, their lineup has the lowest team average of any CWS squad, they score the least runs per game and blah blah blah. But they have big hearts everyone keeps saying.

Everyone on planet Earth, meet Fresno State. That's what we've been trying to tell you for years -- decades even. Pat Hill talks about it. The football team talks about. It's what the Red Wave and Fresno State athletics is built upon and generated by. Heart and soul is what puts the chip on our collective shoulder. We know we're capable of beating anyone. We don't take moral victories. We come to win the game.

Our players play harder than yours, our yellers in the stands yell louder in the stands than yours and our coaches coach better than yours. If you try to argue that with us, we'll argue better than you too.

Tell us we're not good enough and it's like putting a baby Gremlin in a pool of water. It makes our heart grow more motivated and our soul more attached to Fresno State. Keep telling us we shouldn't be here, we strike out too much, we don't field clean enough or throw fast enough or run quick enough or hit far enough or have enough players batting .400. Keep talking about your paper advantages. Go ahead. Just be ready to prove it on the field.

IS THERE A 'DOG IN THE HOUSE!?

WOOF!!!

Fresno State Diamond 'Dogs = Regional champs!

2 wins over No. 6 San Diego.
1 Clayton Allison complete-game shutout.
1 win over host No. 11 Long Beach State.
2 dislocated Tommy Mendonca fingers.
1 right field wall body-checked by Steve Detwiler.
2 enormous RBIs by Gavin Hedstrom.
1 Regional championship.
No. 3 Arizona State is next...

Holden Sprague and Brandon Burke pitched like true Bulldogs. Allison and Justin Wilson made it all possible with their mound gems in the days prior. And now it's time to do it all over again.

A College World Series berth would go a long way in restoring fans' confidence in coach Mike Batesole after the team disappointed throughout the regular season. But now we see what the 'Dogs really are capable of, the bats are hot and the arms are firing. Let's hope for a great showing by the Red Wave in Tempe...

Big props to all the 'Dogs fans who traveled to Long Beach, especially on Monday night...and especially to that guy with the giant Fresno State flag and old-school '91 baseball jacket running around the stands!

A Great Day to be a Bulldog

The Diamond 'Dogs may have underachieved during the regular season (so much so that one has to wonder how long Mike Batesole will be allowed to remain coach), but none of that matters now. It's on to the regionals for Fresno State with a third straight WAC tourney championship!

And they made their undefeated run through the tournament without ace Tanner Scheppers (injury). Way to step it up Holden Sprague -- a huge performace today, just three hits in 5.1 innings pitched. So as we wait to hear from the NCAA which regional the 'Dogs will be in (who's up for a road trip?) let's shift some focus to football:

Derek Carr commits to the 'Dogs! That's right, David Carr's little brother, currently a junior in high school, reportedly gave Pat Hill his word that he'll be a 'Dog in '09. He has all the makings of a big-time QB and gives the Bulldogs possibly more depth at the position than ever before. Can you imagine the competition between Ryan Colburn, Matt Faulkner, Ebahn Feathers and Derek Carr? Wow...

Way to paint the Valley Bulldog Red Coach Hill!

Not dazed, but definitely confused...

The good news is if you're a Red Waver, you'll have something to do Thursday evening. The bad news is...you might have too much to do for your own good.

After racking my brain for the past four days, mining for a solution in the depths of my cranium, I came up with -- a big, fat nothing.

I mean, it's March Madness, and the 'Dogs men's b-ball team gets under way against Nevada at 5 p.m. Thursday. It's a game I fully expect the 'Dogs to win (hey, Kevin Bell is a first-team All-WAC point guard) and it's hard to beat a team three times in one year. Heck, I'm ready to turn on the tube and watch this game right now!

But wait, what about the softball game at Bulldog Diamond pitting our 20-somethingth ranked Lady 'Dogs against top 10 Oklahoma? Man, if there's one softball game this year I want to see in person, it's this one. And it's at the same, exact time -- 5 p.m. Shoot, which of these two should I pick!?

Huh? What's that? Baseball is being played that same night too? You have got to be kidding me! It's the PJQC (Pepsi Johnny Quik Classic for those of you not in the know) and the 'Dogs host a familiar PJQC foe in Gonzaga (didn't one of their players get hit by a car in front of Taco Bell several years back?)...

So how do I narrow this down? Basketball is the most high-profile sport and most important in the grand scheme of things...but it's just on TV. Softball is playing in a high-profile matchup of two of the nation's strongest teams. But baseball is more my game (plus Mike Batesole isn't talking about suing the university). Hmm, that said, I've been to three baseball games in the past three days...

You see what I mean? The more I think about this, the more confusing it becomes...