Publication Date: Wednesday, June 22, 2005
BASEBALL
PA Oaks lose two players
PA Oaks lose two players
(June 22, 2005) Goethals signs with Houston; Gabe Duran suffers freak injury
by Nathan Kurz
Palo Alto Oaks manager Steve Espinoza is still scratching his head after his semi-pro team lost its best two players over the weekend.
Catcher Jimmy Goethals signed a professional contract with the Houston Astros, and pitcher/shortstop Gabe Duran broke his arm pitching in a scouting tryout in Southern California.
Both Duran and Goethals played at Menlo College. They hit third and fourth, respectively, in the Oaks lineup and figured to be the cornerstones of a team poised to repeat its Stan Musial League championship from a year ago.
But an unexpected contract offer and a freak injury have severely derailed those hopes, at least for the time being.
"After the draft had passed, I figured I was in the clear and would have Jimmy for the whole summer," Espinoza said. "But I'm awfully happy (for him). He deserves a shot at pro ball."
Duran is in a cast with four screws in his right arm and will most likely miss the remainder of the summer.
Espinoza said backup Vince Gutierrez will take Duran's place at shortstop, and former Palo Alto Legion player Ryan Baukol will take over at catcher.
Sean Scott and Greg Matson figure to move into the middle of the order, Espinoza said.
The Oaks (4-0, 9-0) picked up two wins on Sunday because their opponent forfeited. They next play a doubleheader this Sunday against Richmond at Palo Alto High, beginning at 11:30 a.m.
For more information on the Oaks, go to www.paoaks.com.
American Legion
Ryan Cavan had three hits, including a triple, and Nathan Adelman added three hits as the Redwood City Post 105 Blues defeated the Menlo Park Bears, 10-3, in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday at Menlo.
Domenic Di Ricco had three hits and pitched a complete game three-hitter as Menlo Park came back to win the nightcap, 4-3.
Redwood City is back in action on Wednesday, meeting Palo Alto Post 375 at 7 p.m. at Baylands. Palo Alto (8-1) will play at Los Altos on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Post 375 defeated Union City on Saturday, 6-2, after knocking off the Menlo Park Bears on Friday, 14-3.
Babe Ruth
While Thomas Transfer held the inside track for the Palo Alto regular-season title, it wasn't going to be easy. Transfer, holding a 1 1-2 game lead over Menlo Park Chevron entering the final three days of the regular season, was scheduled to meet fourth-place Anderson Honda on Monday.
In fact, the top four teams could easily switch places by the time the dust clears on Wednesday, when third-place In2Change meets Anderson Honda at 5:30 p.m. at Gunn High.
Honda is a mere 2 1/2 games behind Thomas Transfer, while In2Change is two games back.
That should make for a competitive City tournament, which begins on Saturday at Baylands at 2 p.m. Games continue Sunday, Tuesday and finish up Wednesday, June 29.
Anderson Honda put a chink into Menlo Park Chevron's title hopes with a 5-4 victory on Saturday night at Baylands Park.
Thomas Transfer defeated Veritas, 7-1, earlier on Saturday and had to win one of its two remaining games - Transfer played Mathews Carlsen on Tuesday - to clinch the regular-season title.
In other games played Saturday, Pillsbury-Winthrop downed Mathews Carlsen, 6-0, Old Pro beat Dexter Company, 8-4, and Alhouse-King Realty topped In2Change, 10-8.
Other games Wednesday include Pillsbury-Winthrop against Alhouse-King Realty at Flood Park at 5 p.m., and Old Pro versus Veritas at Palo Alto High at 5:30 p.m.
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