Snow Hoping Every Little Bit Equals Big Numbers for 49ers

LONG BEACH â€”  Most of his “big-number guys,â€� among the favorite phrases of Long Beach State baseball Coach Dave Snow, play for pay now. Newcomers might make Long Beach better defensively, but what about leadership?

Big West Conference neighbor Cal State Fullerton--the 1995 College World Series champion--is still far ahead of the pack.

“We’re not returning a lot of big-number guys, we’re very unproven offensively and we’re very unproven as a team,� said Snow, whose team begins the season ranked 17th by Baseball America.

“But I feel we have a good group returning. We’re not overly blessed, but I do think we have enough athletes to compete and be good, even very good, if everybody does the job.�

History supports Snow. Long Beach is 294-142-3 during his seven seasons, and he has won four regular-season Big West titles. Snow has guided the 49ers to six NCAA regionals and three College World Series.

Long Beach was 39-25-1 last season, finishing second to Fullerton during the regular season and in the inaugural conference tournament. Long Beach, ranked 16th by Collegiate Baseball, finished second to USC in the NCAA West Regional at Fresno State.

Gone from that group is power-hitting third baseman Jeff Liefer, selected by the Chicago White Sox in the first round of the amateur draft, and six other players who signed professional contracts. Although All-American pitcher Scott Rivette was drafted by the Oakland Athletics, the 49ers’ pitching staff remains one of the Big West’s best.

Rocky Biddle would be a No. 1 starter at almost any college team in the nation. Biddle, a sophomore right-hander, struggled in the first half of the season, but Snow kept him in the rotation.

Biddle supported Snow’s decision by going 5-0 with a 1.47 earned-run average in his final six starts. He finished the season 6-1 with a 3.74 ERA.

He led Long Beach with 122 strikeouts in 108 1/3 innings and was selected to the freshman All-American team by Baseball America. Biddle, who Snow said throws consistently in the low 90s, set a school record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched, 33 1/3 innings from April 30 through May 19. He had 48 strikeouts during the span.

Of course, Snow expected this type of performance. He isn’t a three-time Big West coach of the year for nothing.

“It would be pretty tough for [Biddle] to try to pitch to the results he got at the end of last season,� Snow said. “He was a streak pitcher last season, so we just want him to work on his consistency.�

Junior right-hander Kyle Wilson (Estancia High and Orange Coast College) does it with control. Wilson, who began the season in middle relief, flourished in his first season at Long Beach, going 13-3 with a 3.74 ERA. He was selected second-team All-Big West and to the All-West Regional team.

Snow hopes powerful sophomore right-hander Marcus Jones (Esperanza High) will finally become a dominant starter. Jones (6 feet 4, 215 pounds) struggled as a freshman and was a redshirt last season.

Ryan Brannan (Huntington Beach High), a transfer from Miami, begins the season as the closer, replacing former standout Gabe Gonzalez. Brannan, a junior right-hander, throws hard.

Junior center fielder Will Skett is a key offensively. Skett hit .340 with four home runs and 38 runs batted in. Senior left fielder Jason Hodges (Esperanza, Cypress College) hit .332 with three home runs and 43 RBIs. Transfer Kevin Moore, a sophomore, is expected to start in right field.

The infield is less settled. Snow is counting on senior shortstop Jason Knupfer and sophomore first baseman Jeff Tagliaferri for consistency and stability.

Junior catcher Casey Snow, the coach’s son, is a major league prospect. Several talented transfers provide Long Beach with depth on defense.

“We don’t have a lot of power, but I don’t go into it worrying about that,� Snow said. “We’ll score as long as we do the little things. If we get the three-run homer, that’s just the icing on the cake.�