Encinas passes first test in bid for berth on 18U National team

SWORDSMAN BAD "KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME": He put you in position to win. Yes he needed the defense to make routine plays.

WHEN YOU GIVE UP ONE RUN AND LOSE=IT IS THE PITCHER WHO PUT YOU IN POSITION TO WIN IN THOSE TWO AMAT LOSSES. THE REST DID NOT COME THROUGH.
HE ALSO BEAT "NOTHING" LA SALLE 2 TO 1 FOR YOU. TAKE CARE OF HIM, RIDE HIM, BUT COME THROUGH ONCE IN A WHILE IN THE "CLUTCH", NOT JUST WHEN YOU ARE WAY AHEAD OR PLAYING A NOBODY.

CARILLO: YOU ARE AWESOME!!! GOOD LUCK!!!! FRESNO STATE?!!!! DIVISION 1

ANONYMOUS: CORRECTION TO YOU: TWO TALENTS: ENCINAS AND CARILLO. WITHOUT THEM YOU ARE UNDER 500

LOVE THE GAME: You are stupid and don't know the game of baseball. What do you think the rest of the team was doing? They were in support of their pitcher. But i guess if SP Swordsmen loses it's the majority of the teams fault. We didn't back up our one player! The team has many players "fool", to get that one (Encinas) player in position to a possible win.

Agree, Encinas is a top notch player and deserves to beat Amat. Hopefully St.Paul defense can make the routine play, all a great pitcher needs is a solid defense and they will always have a good chance to win. They dont even need to make the spectacular play, but it would be nice to see one every now and then. All they need to do is not make so many routine errors or mental mistakes. If they could do this, with pitching from Encinas,Wilson,Gonzalez, and Medina they will have a great season. This will put less pressure on the offense,thus they will come up to the plate more relaxed. What does this equal? More run production. GOOD LUCK TO ALL HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE UPCOMING SEASON.

WHY PLAY? To be an important part of the team. The player does not need to be unrealistic. Know your role and perform as well as possible. Aggressively. Help your team win. Great practice for future challenges.

Boy there sure are a lot of Burke lovers. I know he is good. LOVE THE GAME: if they are all good name them. You mention the same player that has been on here all spring and part of the summer: Burke!
I agree, we should support all players. But, at this time there are very few like Encinas in the Whittier, La Habra, Santa Fe Springs area. He deserves to beat Amat next year, but he does not have much help on the offensive end. It's tough to have to shut someone out to get a victory.

I am pulling for local players as they move up! Like Soto at Rio. Where is Burke going? 4 year college, community college? There are some great community colleges in the area. He did not get drafted, did he?
I did not see his name in the draft.
Anyone hear about Palacios?

oh yes, love of the game; the area's talent is at ST.Paul! no one wants to go to these local schools.

We should support every kid who plays high school sports.There are some schools with good talent, and other schools with less. All these kids leave it all on the fields, while parents are putting some of these kids down. Encinas, Burke, Zavala, all good kids and good baseball players. There are many more good baseball players in the area. We should feel proud about the local talent, instead we put kids and programs down. I for one cheer for every kid. Who is the best player? ...... ALL OF THEM, IF EACH OF THESE KIDS DID NOT BELIEVE THEY WERE THE BEST, WHY PLAY?

touchy touchy. Hit a nerve when St. Paul gets bad mouthed. How bout calling it right down the middle. Stick to Whittier sports. Who cares about Santa Fe Springs sports? Might as well start covering Amat as well. They are the real powerhouse in the area

Thanks for clearing that "National Team" up Roger. Great athletes are hard to come by and it is best if the information in situations like this is VALID.

Relax Anonymous. Zavala's a good player, but not in this league!! At least, yet. Now if he hits 400 with 10 or more home runs and 35ish RBI's then he may have a shot to be in this league. YOUR BLOG IS FAR FROM TRUTH.

what the heck you fools trying to compare zavala to our boy, thank you murray for the true story. and burke has on talent, that why he lost against us early in the season. whittier stop the lying fools!!!!!!!!!

Yo, Anonymous: Not sure which of the three Anons who post on this blog you might be, but as usual, accuracy is not a priority for you.
"The U.S. team had a large contingent from Southern California, including Whittier's Zavala."
Wrong.
Whittier's fine catcher, Stephen Zavala WAS NOT on the US. team that defeated Canada to win the gold in the Maccabiah Games in Israel.

I believe Zavala is on a USA team but not the same team as Encinas.
Zavala has to pay 4400 dollars to go. Does Encinas have to pay? I do not think so! I do not think Zavala is on a "National Team".

TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. I will have to hear a lot more about Zavala before he can make that National team.

Did Zavala have to "make the team" through cuts, etc? I do not think so! His deal is not so competitive and run through the "Baseball USA" service.

I hear Zavala is a real good player, but lets not put him in the "league" of Encinas just yet. The kid throws 90 plus.

I said I think! Roger could you let me know if I am wrong about Zavala not being on the "National Team" (Encinas's team)

The honor is having to opportunity to make this team! Whether Gabe makes it or not, he is a good pitcher and a nice kid who I hope has a good career. Burke will have a good career as well wherever he chooses to play. Sometimes the path players select are different for all sorts of reasons...Good luck Gabe.

The U.S. team defeated Canada, 12-6, to win the gold medal in baseball at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. The U.S. team had a large contingent from Southern California, including Whittier's Zavala. So why didn't you cover this "real" story? What? We need to pay you like St. Paul does? Let Santa Fe Springs Daily News cover them....oooops, they don't have a paper.

As of noon today, no decision has been made concerning a head baseball coach at Whittier HS.

Roger: any word on Whittier hiring a head baseball coach????

without Encinas you guys are a mediocre club!!!
and you are a drunk, so go away.

Not one Del Rio League player drafted in the June draft?

and to another "Anonymous": without Encinas you guys are a mediocre club!!!

because SP is real!!!!

Does St. Paul pay you brag about them. How about covering Whittier's Zavala. Here is a kid that doesn't go to St. Paul but is a better story than that kid who shuts out JV teams. Quit your bias towards St. Paul

The 'real story' is that I haven't talked to him since he was named to the second level of the 18U National tryouts, so I have no knowledge of any game he has played recently.

Why dont you put on your blog how bad a game he had with his travel ball team? What? Only what you want people to read. Give them the real story.

To SP09; I am an alum from ST.Paul and know first hand.
I also understand the income brackets of the current parents. Being poor isn't all bad. I guess you must be very wealthy Lol.

Jermy:

Judging from your post, it's apparent that someone should've helped you with your school work. What a joke. I assure you, most SP families are far from low income.

sports fan original said:
Where is Burke headed to play ball?..... well if he was smart and not 21 years of age he would end up at the Pit and then the field were Kings are made. The talent at St.Paul can’t be match period. So kids show up and compete.

Where is Burke headed to play ball?

In reality isnt it why parents send their kids to a lower private school, because they are to busy at work to make ends meet, and not to mention a low education them self. What about when both parents work, most of St.Paul sport kids come from low income families. Yes they are very hard working. But those parents cant help their kids with school work.

gabe encinas is a really nice kid and so is burke people in our area should really just root for kids like those two to both do good and represent the area well it doesnt always have to be a comparison after all isnt there room for more than just one pitcher in college or how ever far either of them well get? congratulations to both kids on having good years and bright futures

Wow, truely one of the most ignorant comments of all time! Gabe and Ben I know both of you and both have achieved great things. Don't let any of these losers on the blog get you down. If you work hard than success will follow. Keep working hard, no matter the negative comments more importantly you are the topic of the story.

Anon:

Are you for real? No doubt Mr. Burke is talented and he will go far but to say that Mr. Encinas is only getting where he is because he is at a private school?

There is something very wrong with your thinking. I have met Gabe. He is a fine young man with the all the same qualities that you say Ben has. Gabe will go far in life as well and will do well at the next level.

For you to make those type of comments is uncalled for and absolutely wrong.

You should look in the mirror and ask yourself why YOU don't have the same qualities that Ben and Gabe have?

You are a sad, sad person.

Gabe and Ben are both great kids (young men). Leave them alone. How about rooting for them to do their best.

Ben Burke will go further than encinas. a kid like Ben does not have to attend a private school like encinas.
encinas could not make it on his own. Burke has self control, hard work and focus that he received from his parents.

Anonymous said: La Serna should of beat him. Should of, Could of, Would of, But they did'nt....

shoulda coulda woulda I mean anonymous, get over it fool. not with that little old man coaching no chance amigo.

La SERNA should of beat him.

Young Mr. Encinas...has the right stuff... he has talent, work ethic, character and commitment...Team USA is the place for such qualities in young men...his experience will be priceless and he will come away with the greatest feeling of what playing for his country brings...pride, pride, pride...the red, white and blue colors run deeper than any in the world...I am a Gabriel fan...because I know what it takes to get there...the best deserve the best

Gabe's been good for a long time. So good to see his success, based on old fashioned hard work, focus and his natural gifts. I've seen him throw a lot of innings in the last few years, and he always strikes me a shaving professional caliber stuff, even as a 16-17 year old. 6' 4" guys as athletic as him that can sit at 89-92 MPH + don't grow on trees. If his arm stays healthy, he has a shot to go all the way. Great job Gabe!

YAWNS