Role Players

Connors and Kuzmic provide JetHawks with plenty of options

By DAVE RASBACH
Valley Press Staff writer

In the past, that job description has been used for players that, maybe, weren't good enough to earn a regular starting position, and therefore had to fill a variety of different roles. Many times, the main role was backing up the starters in an effort to receive playing time and keep collecting paychecks.

Those times may be changing.

The Lancaster JetHawks open the 1999 season at Bakersfield tonight with two "utility players" on their roster - Greg Connors and Craig Kuzmic. Both hope to not only change the misconception of what being a utility player is, but also prove that one - or two, for that matter - can be a valuable asset to a team.

"It's going to be interesting, because both of us can play just about any position on the field," said Kuzmic, who along with Connors is listed as a catcher on the Lancaster roster. "Even (Rafael Lopez, who is listed as the team's third catcher) can play third base, so it's going to be a lot of fun."

Connors and Kuzmic not only play several positions in addition to catcher, but each also plays those positions well, according to JetHawks manager Darrin Garner.

"Those two guys are going to provide me a lot of versatility," Garner said. "They both play a number of different positions. I have no problem putting either of them at catcher or at third base or in left field or wherever. Plus it gives me a lot of options during the game, because I can pinch hit or pinch run for somebody and know I can move those guys anywhere on the field and have them do a good job for me."

Garner also expects that each will be a valuable instrument in the Lancaster offense this season. Both put up 1998 numbers that far exceeded what used to be expected from traditional "utility players."

Connors hit .283 with 12 homers and 57 RBI in 94 games at Class A Wisconsin last season. The 24-year-old from Smithtown, N.Y., also hit .287 with six homers and 26 RBI in 27 games at Lancaster. During his stay, Connors delivered an incredible 20-for-50, four-double, six-homer, 19-RBI stretch between July 24 and Aug. 4 that landed him Cal League Player of the Week honors.

Kuzmic, who joined Class A Everett after he was the Mariners' eighth-round selection out of Texas A&M last June, hit .280 with nine homers and 47 RBI in 54 games with the Aqua Sox in his professional debut.

"If you show that you can hit the ball, they're going to find a place to put you on the field," Connors said. "As long as you're putting up the numbers and generating runs, they'll find a spot for you."

Connors said it was Rick Burleson, last season's JetHawks manager, who started him at other positions on the field.

"Before that, I was just basically a catcher and first baseman," Connors said. "But he saw that I was hitting the ball pretty good, so he came to me and asked about the outfield. I said sure, so he put me out there and hit me some fly balls and I passed his test."

Before he knew it, Connors also was playing third base, which along with catching, became his new favorite position on the field. Connors was sent back down to Wisconsin on April 28, so that he could receive more playing time, but continued to develop at every position on the field.

All told, Connors played 29 games at catcher, 26 at first base, 23 at third, 22 in the outfield, three at second base and one at shortstop with the Timber Rattlers. He even pitched an inning in a game that got out of hand.

"I just love being in the lineup every day," Connors said. "I love playing the game. It doesn't matter where they put me on the field, I'm going to give them everything I've got."

Kuzmic shares that philosophy. Even though the 22-year-old native of Torrance played a number of different positions at Cypress Junior College, he mainly focused on third base and a little at catcher while at Texas A&M. But once he turned professional, his coaches kept trying to find different ways to work him into the lineup.

He played seven games at catcher, 27 at third base and 18 in the outfield last year with the Aqua Sox.

"I think it actually makes it more fun to play a number of different positions," Kuzmic said. "If you get tired with catching or playing third base and get in a little bit of a rut, they can put you somewhere else. There's so much variety, it's a lot of fun."
But with that variety comes an extra amount of work. Connors and Kuzmic said it was important for them to show up at the ballpark early every day so that they can participate in any early work that any other players are doing and continue to improve their play at every position.

"During batting practice, you also have to make sure you take as many ground balls or fly balls at whatever position you're going to be playing that night to get yourself ready for wherever they want to play you," Connors said.

Both Connors and Kuzmic admit the extra work is more than worth it when they arrive at the clubhouse and see their names in lineup, though.

"It's great to come here and know that your name is going to be going in the lineup somewhere most days," Kuzmic said. "It's nice to know that the coaches have enough faith in you to tell you to go out to play third base or go out to left field or go out to catch, and you can go out and do it well. . . You have to come here ready to play every day."

That, more than all the positions and all the offense both Kuzmic and Connors will provide this season, is what impresses Garner most about his two utility players.

"Mentally, as well as physically, it takes a special player to be able not only to play so many positions, but be able to play them all well," Garner said. "These are two guys that are going to give me 100 percent every time out. . . Win or lose, I know each of them is going to give me everything they have."