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 Mustang News |
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Thursday, December 1
Hall of Famer
 | | Mustang Coach Mark Whitburn was inducted into the MCAL Hall of Fame on Oct 29th. |
Sunday, April 4
Aardsma makes Opening Day roster
 |  | | Giants reliever Dave Aardsma pitched for SM in the '98-'99 school year. | |
OAKLAND -- Manager Felipe Alou put his arm around rookie pitcher David Aardsma's shoulder and ushered him into the visiting skipper's office on Sunday afternoon at Network Associates Coliseum.
Oh boy. Aardsma, barely 22, felt his heart thumping and wondered what the career-crossroads verdict would be, down to Triple-A Fresno for more seasoning or -- could it be true, can it really happen? -- joining the Giants after only one professional campaign thanks to a brilliant spring and a sound barrier-breaking 97 mph fastball.
The young right-hander's face said it all. He's a Giant.
"I kept pitching well and must have shown them something they liked," said Aardsma, who last season helped guide Rice to the College World Series before being drafted in the first round by San Francisco. "I don't know how to feel right now. I think I'm going to sit down and soak it in, enjoy it for the time I can -- then get ready for Houston."
Texas. Now that'll be a special treat for the tall, lean pitcher. His parents are there, his girlfriend, too, and when the Giants begin the 2004 campaign in Houston starting Monday, Aardsma will help celebrate his 90-year-old grandmother GiGi's birthday, joining relatives and a multitude of friends.
"I don't know how to feel right now. I think I'm going to sit down and soak it in, enjoy it for the time I can -- then get ready for Houston."
-- David Aardsma
They probably won't mind David crashing the party.
"I can't enjoy it too long because I have to get ready for the Astros," said Aardsma, who had a 2.08 ERA over 8 2/3 innings pitched this spring and showed confidence and a bit of a swagger entering his first Major League camp. "You definitely have to come here and realize you're here for a reason. I knew they would give me a look, so I took it and ran.
"I believed in what I could do -- just go out and pitch and do it, throw strikes and get guys out," said Aardsma, who had a 1-1 record and 1.96 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 18 1/3 innings at Single-A San Jose last season.
While the rookie right-hander looked for refuge to call his parents about the news -- "they'll be jumping and screaming," said the pitcher.
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Mustang Millennium Team
San Marin's all-time Team:
Catchers:
Chris Purdy ('73-'75)
Ted Ronshausen ('77-'79)
Firstbase:
Ryan Hurst ('92-'93)
Secondbase:
Mike Oliva ('81-'82)
Mike Dominguez ('95-'98)
Shortstop:
Marty Larsen ('70-'72)
Bill Parameter ('75-76)
Brett Kim ('88-'89)
Thirdbase:
Barry Leslie ('74-'76)
John Marble ('81-'82)
Outfield:
Jim Thompson ('69-'71)
Tim Wilson ('75-'77)
Jalal Leach ('86-'87)
Jumanae Leach ('89-'91)
Utility:
Ken Ronshausen ('74-'75)
Jay Pecci ('92-'94)
Pitcher:
Dennis Buhler ('69-'70)
Steve Francis ('69-'70)
Dan Church ('77-'79)
Mike Murphy ('81-'82)
Scott Boyle ('90-'91)
Tuesday, September 18
Former Mustang star Leach called up by Giants
|  | | Jalal Leach wears #18 with the San Francisco Giants. | |
On September 3rd, Jalal Leach got the call he'd been waiting for.
The 1987 San Marin graduate had spent 12 years in the minor leagues, playing for 11 teams in five different organizations that spanned over 1300 games.
Originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the seventh round, Leach had appeared in the second-most amount of minor league games without spending any time on a major league roster (of all current minor league players). Stops along the way included affiliates of the Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies as well as the Giants (twice).
Leach was on the verge of a September call up a year ago by the Giants while hitting .379 for (Triple-A) Fresno, but an injury in the last week of the season ended his year prematurely.
In his first major league at-bat, Leach received a standing ovation from the Pac Bell crowd before flying out to rightfield.
At 32, Leach is the model of perseverance. "That's the only reason I've survived this long--I will never take no for an answer."
The entire San Marin Baseball program would like to congratulate Jalal for his years of hard work and addition to the San Francisco Giants roster.
 | | 09/11/01 | |
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