Fair Oaks' Eric Brolin takes a swing at an outside pitch during an American Legion game against Post 77 July 6 at Bella Vista High School. Fair Oaks had its problems this season, finishing in sixth place with a 12-15 record in the Legion's American Division. Photo by Joe Blenkle
Post 383 wraps up frustrating season
By Joe Blenkle/Sports Editor
(This article originally appeared in the July 28, 1993 edition of The Orangevale News)
    It was a season that was too good to be true. Back in June, I was excited over the prospect of covering American Legion baseball this year. Over the past several summers, Legion ball has seemed to me like baseball in its truest form. Young men out there in the summer heat, playing the game that made America great just for the fun of it.
    And this year the Fair Oaks Post 383 team looked to be hot. It would feature many of the players that were on Casa Roble Fundamental High School's Section championship team, and a host of fine players from the Bella Vista High School squad.
    There were all league players up and down the lineup. The pitching appeared solid - the hitting would be outstanding. But the writing was already on the wall.
FAIR OAKS 1993 SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Score
Haggin Grant Tournament
5-29 Charles Eggen W, 8-5
5-29 Walnut Creek W, 7-1
5-30 Citrus Heights L, 6-1
5-31 Lafayette RAIN OUT
District 6 League Games
6-6 Haggin Grant W, 10-1
6-6 Haggin Grant L, 4-3
6-12 Roseville W, 10-0
6-13 Roseville L, 11-6
6-13 Roseville L, 4-0
6-14 Post 61 L, 9-8
6-16 Southside W, 5-0
6-19 El Dorado W, 8-0
6-19 El Doeado W, 13-2
6-20 El Dorado W, 5-4
6-23 San Juan W, 7-2
6-26 Auburn L, 13-3
6-26 Auburn L, 8-2
6-27 Auburn L, 5-3
6-30 WintersAuburn L, 5-4
7-3 Charles Eggen L, 9-8
7-3 Charles Eggen W, 7-4
7-4 Charles Eggen L, 14-6
7-6 Yolo L, 4-2
7-7 Ft. Sutter W, 6-4
7-10 Cordova L, 10-5
7-10 Cordova L, 9-7
7-11 cordova W, 9-5
7-13 Haggin Grant W, 4-2
7-14 W. Sacramento W, 6-1
7-17 Citrus Heights W, 6-2
7-17 Citrus Heights L, 12-1
7-18 Citrus Heights L, 12-10
OVERALL: 15-16    LEAGUE: 12-15
    Coach Don Barney's charges got off to a late start due to Casa Roble's involvement in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The team threw together a ragtag squad to compete in a pre-season tournament, compiling a 2-1 record with the final game rained out.
    When regular-season play did commence on June 6, Fair Oaks blasted Haggin Grant 10-1 and fans had reason for optimism. It was too good to be true, however.
    Whether the players were tired from their extended high school season, or whether fate was just against them, Fair Oaks just couldn't seem to get things together.
    After running their early record to 2-4, things seemed to gel for Post 383. Fair Oaks climbed in the standings, winning their next four league games and a non-league contest against San Juan. Then disaster struck.
    Half the team left on their senior trip to Cancun, Mexico. Fair Oaks lost its next five games and nine of its next 11, virtually destroying and hope it had of making the playoffs.
    Despite a late-season four-game win streak, Post 383 never recovered and finished its 27 game season at 12-15, good for sixth place in the eight team American Division.
    "Losing all those players didn't help us any," said Barney, looking back on the season. "That plus our pitching didn't turn out to be as deep as we thought it would. Chris Read and Mike McDowell did an excellent job for us down the stretch, but when you play four or five games a week, you need more than two pitchers."
    Barney says the turning point in Fair Oaks' dismal season was when half the team went to Mexico. "We'd won five straight games and had climbed into third place and then we lost five straight games. That was definitely the turning point in the season. Even when the players got back, they weren't any good to us for another week." Barney says that next year he'll be looking for a better commitment form his players.
    "It's not fair to the team or the other players who stayed and played. We want players who will commit to the whole season and aren't going to miss a week or two weeks. Some of the players that were gone missed a third of the season. You can't win a championship like that."
    Another sore point for Barney this season was the officiating. "We need better quality," said Barney. "As late as the last week of the season, some of the umpires didn't know what rules we were playing by."
    Barney said the officiating was down from last year, and it wasn't just Fair Oaks that wasn't getting the calls. "The other teams I talked to agreed," he said. "They all thought it was below standard. We really need a better quality of umpire for the level of ball that is played here."
    Barney cited the excellent play of outfielder Ryan Brennan, and infielders Brandon Straw, Joe Grawey and Brandon Muskopf as some of the bright spots this season. But it still had to be a bitter pill to swallow as Fair Oaks missed the playoffs for the first time in the last five years. Hopefully next season, Post 383 will get back on track.
    It will be a much different team that will take the field next June, with only four potential returnees from this year's team.
    "Both Bella Vista and Casa Roble had fairly good JV teams this year, said Barney, "so we'll have some talent. But we'll have a very young team."
    But young may not be bad, if the players are hungry enough to want the victories.
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