2009 Roster for the “California Athletics”
(Sponsor Taylor Farms)
(pitchers in bold)

Mike Butler
Kevin Castillo
James Close
Nate Devine
Dave Drotzmann
Mike Egerdeen
Pat Fuentes
Dave Kimura
Shawn Mandolesi
Eddie Martin
Steve Pinocchio
Jason Porto
Marcus Tan
Chase Turner
Jeff Twist
Ron Guzman

Editor’s Note: Here is a breakdown of the players’ affiliations from last year:

So Cal Bombers

Mike Butler
Nate Devine (Member, Team USA 2009)
Dave Kimura
Steve Pinocchio (Member, Team USA 2009)

Team Rainey

Jason Porto
Chase Turner (Member, Team USA 2009)

California Lumberkings (ISC II champs)

James Close
Dave Drotzmann (2007 ISC II All Tournament pitcher, 2008 ISC II Most Valuable Pitcher)
Mike Egerdeen
Pat Fuentes
Marcus Tan (2008 ISC II MVP, Member, Team USA 2009)
Jeff Twist (2007 ISC II All Tournament catcher)
Ron Guzman (2008 ISC II All Tournament infielder)
Shawn Mandolesi
Eddie Martin

Santa Barbara Bucks 23-and-under

Kevin Castillo

More Editor’s notes: California has had two strong entrants to the ISC World Tournament the past few years, archrivals Team Rainey and the So Cal Bombers, not to mention a number of very strong ISC II teams, the Lumberkings, A-1 Taylor Farm, the River City Rockers and Rude Pac.

The Bombers added Lucas Mata midway through the 2007 season, and finished strong, winning the Monkton tournament over the Kitchener Hallman Twins, the Vancouver Challenge, with a win over then-number-1-ranked Broken Bow, and finished 2nd in the 2007 ISC World Tournament, the highest finish for a California team since Mark Smith’s Camarillo Kings won it in 1981.

Correction: (cap tip to Herb Dower)

The Kings won it again in 1982 in Kimberly, WI, and placing second was Dave Frye Plastering of Bakersfield. The Lancaster Chameleons won the 1983 tournament held in Bakersfield, CA, and Ed Smith Welding of Bakersfield and the Chameleons finished 1-2 in the 1984 tournament in Decatur. Il. The Chameleons then finished second (behind Pay ‘n Pak of Bellevue, WA) in 1986 in Sioux City, IA.

In 2008, Team Rainey bested the Bombers for the Best of the West title, in a classic pitchers duel between two of Argentina’s top pitchers, Lucas Mata and Sebastian Gervasutti. Rainey went on to finish 2-2 in the 2008 ISC World Tournament, with wins over Kegel ND and the Bahamas, and losses to The Farm and Circle Tap. The Bombers finished the same tournament with a 3-2 record, with wins over Stoneyard, Midland and Townline.

Meanwhile, just down the road in the ISC II division, he Lumberkings won the ISC II Tournament of Champions in 2008 after a runner-up finish in 2007. A-1 Taylor Farms finished 3rd in 2007, with their nucleus moving over to the Lumberkings 2008 championship squad. River City and Rude Pac both qualified for the playoffs in the first ISC II T of C in 2008.

In short, the golden state has been blessed with a good number of top quality teams in the upper levels of the men’s game in recent years. Pitchers including Travis Price, Tony Peeples, Sonny Perkins, Bricklen Anderson, Sebastian Gervasutti, Lucas Mata, Sean Whitten and Ryan Brand. Players including catcher Todd Garcia, Chris Hunt, Rod Rainey, Jesse Duncan, Nate Devine, Mike Butler, and a collection of imported stars from Canada like Darren Box, Evan Potskin, Chad Ghostkeeper, and more. The successes of recent years, harkened back to the 1990’s when the LB Painters challenged the world’s best, and the 1970’s and 1980’s when the LB Nitehawks, Camarillo Kings and Lakewood Jets roamed the ISC World Tournament.

In the expensive world of high powered fastpitch teams, though, it is difficult to keep teams playing year in and year out. At the conclusion of the 2008 season, California fastpitch fans got a triple-whammy, learning that its three top teams were shuttering their operations. No more Rainey, no more Bombers and no more Lumberkings.

But the good news, as we have learned recently, is that from the ashes rises a new team, made up of former members of the three teams, who will compete in the 2009 ISC World Tournament, the California Athletics. The team will be sponsored by Taylor Farms (who fans may remember finished 3rd in that star-studded 2005 ASA “C” National in Stockton), and will be headed up by Ron Guzman, the man behind that team, and who anchored the infield for last year’s ISC II Champs, the Lumberkings, earning All Tournament honors in the process. He says he’s “managing”, but still has a swing that this editor thinks will provide some key hits in 2009.

As you can see from the roster above, the new team will boast some of California’s finest talents, including the Lumberkings’ pitching staff, Dave Drotzmann and Mike Egerdeen. The World Tournament will be a step up for the talented duo, but both have shown they can pitch and compete with World Tournament caliber teams, in matchups in the Rose Cup and AAU tournaments. (Drotzmann and Sean Whitten dueled in the 2007 AAU Tournament, once of the best pitched games in that tournament’s history). As ISC World Tournament teams go, it would not be surprising to see the squad add one more arm for the August classic.

The California Athletics roster also includes a number of Team USA members for the squad that will be in Saskatoon in July Nate Devine, Chase Turner, Steve Pinnochio, and Marcus Tan. Jason Porto and Nate Devine have proven to be among the game’s top power hitters, giving the squad a potent middle of the order, while youngsters Marcus Tan and Chase Turner should provide plenty of RBI opportunities to the team. Veteran Pat Fuentes figures to anchor a solid defense.

Above all, perhaps, the squad is made up of players who have achieved success in their fastpitch careers, and who know what it takes to win at the upper levels. Few ISC II teams to date have accepted the challenge of playing at the next level. 2005 ISC II champion Elmira did it in 2007, and 2007 semi-finalist the Snappers did it in 2008. It is no easy feat to compete the best teams in the world, many of whom as much more heavily financed. But the California Athletics will combine the best of the ISC II division, with a talented group of players who have ISF and ISC World tournament experience. The results, for California fastpitch fans, should prove well worth watching.