EL SEGUNDO HERALD March 1, 2018 Page 7
Previewing the El Segundo
Eagles Baseball and Softball Teams
By Gregg McMullin
Spring time is near, which means the baseball
and softball time of year is upon us. The El
Segundo High Cchool baseball and softball
teams have started their seasons. The optimism
surrounding both programs is high and both are
expecting another successful year. The baseball
team reached the CIF-SS quarterfinals, while
the softball team advanced to the postseason
for the 16th consecutive season last season
and both teams are gearing up for another
playoff run.
Baseball Team Looks to Repeat
The Eagles are coming off one of the most
successful seasons, in terms of wins, in school
history. El Segundo went 27-7 last season with
a roster filled with senior starters. Second-year
coach Billy Traber has been working with his
team to try and figure out how to replace eight
starters who graduated. Traber is optimistic
about this year’s squad and how it will do.
“This team played well in the summer and
the winter schedule. They come to play, work
hard in practice, learn, play hard and stick
together,” he said.
Quinn Kirsten looks to be one of the top pitchers for the Eagles this season.
The Eagles have just two starters back from
last season’s team. Brendan Casillas is a fouryear
player who has started for three seasons
and caught all 34 games last season. Casillas
looks to be one of the top defensive catchers
in the Ocean League, if not the South Bay. He
is looked upon as one of the team’s leaders
and he leads by example.
Matt Romero is the other returning starter.
Romero, an all-area quarterback this past fall,
moves from the designated hitter spot as a
sophomore to centerfield as a junior. He looks
to be a five-tool player with leadership skills.
El Segundo’s strength will be its defense.
Traber says the roster is filled with multi-position
players who can also pitch. Having so many
on the team who can play a wide variety of
positions gives Traber a nice problem.
Jimmy Galicia will be one of the top pitchers
in the South Bay. As a junior, he went 8-3
and led the team with a sparkling 1.24 ERA.
Jimmy has made it his mission to be the best
he can be with his arduous workouts outside
the baseball diamond. He has put in hours
upon hours daily as he has been preparing for
his senior season. The workouts have paid off
and he has become a threat at the plate now.
He is a two-way player and will handle one
of the outfield spots when not on the mound.
He will also be counted on to be one of the
big bats in the lineup.
The pitching staff took a hit with the loss
of four seniors to graduation. Spencer Long,
Justin Ostler, Jared Whitney and Sean Emery
are gone, but this season’s staff is just as deep
with a number of two-way players. Quinn
Kirsten might be the only pitcher-only player
on the roster, but this junior right-hander is a
real talent on the mound. He has good command
of his fastball and a nice off-speed selection
to buckle the hitters.
Others who look to see time on the mound
will be juniors Ethan Burner, Ian Bonham,
Cameron Dornblaser and Cooper Sutherland.
Burner has a decent fastball, while Bonham
has great control. Dornblaser will be most
likely counted on as starter with his stamina
and above-average fastball. Sutherland
has a nice off-speed pitch that has been
effective so far.
Behind the plate besides Brendan Casillas is
freshman Julian Rodriquez. He is a diamond
in the rough with a great appetite for learning
and getting better. He has a good arm and is
learning to be a better receiver. With his athletic
ability, he could be an important piece for the
Eagles this season.
The strength of the team is certainly the
infield players, who are all athletic. Additionally,
they are all quick and each could play
any of the infield spots. Bonham, who moves
from being one of the middle infielders, will
most likely move to first base. His versatility
in the infield and his confidence at the plate
makes him a natural.
Mateo Camano hit .321 in 19 games as a
junior. This speedy second baseman also was
a perfect 5 for 5 stealing bases last season
and could triple that figure as the leadoff hitter.
Burner moves from being a solid second
baseman/shortstop to playing third base. His
knack for being where a ground ball is headed
will be a benefit at the hot corner. He’s another
speedy player who will be counted on hitting
up in the order with his bat and speed.
Holding down the infield at shortstop will
be Benny Casillas, who is a junior transfer.
Casillas’ upside, for being another in a long
See Eagles, page 17
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Maria Barden from front page
The Issues
What are the two most important issues
facing El Segundo and what would you do
to address those?
MB: Keep El Segundo safe by ensuring
our public safety departments are adequately
staffed. Attract and retain high-quality staff
and provide technology tools and training to
do their jobs effectively.
Offset growing pension liability by
repurposing old buildings, and opening
unique creative businesses and restaurants
north of Main Street to generate more
revenue.
What is one agenda item you would
personally bring to the Council for consideration,
if elected?
MB: Add a bike-sharing program in
where cyclists can rent the bikes for a dollar
amount per hour. This alleviates parking
problems and encourages our community
to use physical activity instead of driving
around in their cars. It also helps lower our
carbon footprint.
Public Safety: How are we doing and
what should improve?
MB: Crime is up and we have a shortage of
police staff. Both police and fire departments
need to attract and retain high-quality staff.
El Segundo needs to upgrade its public safety
by implementing technology as a tool to fight
crime, but not to take the place of a body.
Seniors: Are we taking care of our seniors?
What else should we do?
MB: Seniors are living longer these days
and we need to develop a private assisted
living center for the seniors, improve our
senior programs and renovate senior facilities
since our population of seniors is growing.
The City: Are the City and current council
going in the right direction in meeting the
service needs of residents and businesses?
MB: The current city council has taken
action to work towards balancing the budget.
It takes time to meet all the service needs
or residents and businesses, but I think we
are going in the right direction.
Priorities: How should our local government
be spending/prioritizing taxpayer
money?
MB: We need to spend funds on police
and fire services, senior citizens services,
recreation services and street maintenance.
Downtown: What would you do to boost
business in downtown El Segundo?
MB: Attract unique restaurants with online
ordering and boutique stores with open space
areas so customers can work on their computers
while dining and shopping. Turn Main
Street into a walk/bike street with outdoor
seating. It would also alleviate blocking the
streets every week for the farmer’s market.
Add bike-sharing programs and reduce the
need to drive cars downtown.
Smoky Hollow: How should we revitalize
that district?
MB: More creative housing incorporating
mixed-use neighborhoods, combined
Maria Barden.
with unique living spaces, transit and public
amenities.
Positions on Key Topics
On TopGolf coming to The Lakes site
or elsewhere in town:
MB: I vote “yes” on TopGolf coming to El
Segundo. Great way to generate revenue and
a wonderful place for surrounding businesses
to hold team-building events. The location of
TopGolf might be better suited in a different
location than at The Lakes.
On the regulation of short-term residential
rentals:
MB: I vote “yes” with regulations of shortterm
residential rentals. We need to limit
how many people can stay in a short-term
residential rental and have some transparency
of knowing which homes choose to have shortterm
residential rentals for security purposes
but not enforce a TOT tax on this service.
On residential housing east of Sepulveda:
Should the Council make the decision on
that or should local residents via the ballot?
MB: I vote “yes” that local residents should
be able to take a poll to see how they feel
about residents east of Sepulveda. I prefer to
see repurposing old buildings and developing
residential living areas in Smoky Hollow
before we consider residential housing on
the east side of Sepulveda.
On the Measure C sales tax increase:
MB: I vote “yes” on the Measure C deferred
sales tax for a three-quarter cent sales tax to
fund general municipal services, which will
generate $9 million annually. This needed
revenue source will allow us to pay down
some of our liability.
The City is looking at budget deficits
in the years to come. Should the Council
look to raise other taxes/ask residents to
pay for trash/increase fees for services?
MB: I vote “yes” for the Council to look
for ways to balance our budget in years to
come, but not by raising more taxes. We can
look at cost-saving initiatives first and increase
revenue streams to buy down our deficits.
See Maria Barden, page 15
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