Thursday, October 15, 1998
Hawaii puts in
‘strong bid’ to host
WAC tournament
The 1999 tournament
By Al Chase
is scheduled for
May 18-22
Star-BulletinSix seasons have passed since the Western Athletic Conference postseason baseball tournament was held at Rainbow Stadium.
Hawaii athletic director Hugh Yoshida thought it was time for a change of venue. UH is one of two schools to submit bids to host the 1999 tournament, May 18-22.
"We felt, after conversations with (UH head baseball coach) Les Murakami, who feels his team will be very competitive, that it would be good for the WAC and UH to bring baseball back to the forefront," Yoshida said. "We put in a strong bid."
WAC associate commissioner Jeff Hurd said Fresno State is the only other school to bid to date.
San Diego State, one of eight breakaway schools, hosted the tournament the past two years with considerable backing from the San Diego Sports Council. Hurd said he didn't expect San Diego State to bid again.
The bidding period is still open although there was a "soft" deadline of Oct. 1, according to Hurd.
"I will present all the information I have to the athletic directors at their meeting the last week of this month and then it's up to them," Hurd said.
The top six teams in the one-division, 1999 WAC standings qualify for the tournament. It is the first time Hawaii has bid to host a six-team baseball tournament at Rainbow Stadium. In past tournaments here, only two or four teams were involved.
Since becoming a WAC member in 1979, the Rainbows have hosted eight baseball tournaments, winning five. The last time UH hosted was in 1992, when the 'Bows defeated New Mexico, 5-3, in the championship game and earned a berth in the West Regional at Tucson, Ariz.
The WAC has made one bidding policy change to eliminate the possibility of the school winning the bid not qualifying for the tournament. If that case develops, the school that qualifies for the tournament and has the next best bid, hosts.
Asked if there was any chance the Rainbows would not qualify for the tournament if Hawaii won the bid, Murakami laughed and said, "There's no question. I always feel we'll be in the mix every year."
Infielder Pico out
By Al Chase
4-6 months
Star-BulletinHawaii middle infielder Rory Pico will be lost to the Rainbows from four to six months following anterior cruciate ligament surgery scheduled for today.
Pico, 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Oct. 3 when he jumped off some stairs at his home.
"It was a freak thing," said Pico.
He missed most of the 1998 season with a pulled left groin muscle. He played just 21 games last year, batting .295.
UH head coach Les Murakami planned to play Pico at shortstop in 1999. This would allow Murakami to move Michael Dartt to second base, a more natural position for the senior from Georgia.
As insurance, the Rainbows signed shortstop Cory Miller during the summer.
Pico, who played volleyball and basketball as well as baseball for Campbell High School, said he doesn't have a history of injuries.
"I never had anything major, just the regular minor things athletes get," he said.
The extent of the injury, which will be known after surgery, will determine how long Pico is in rehabilitation.
He used his redshirt year during his first year at Manoa. Pico's goal is to play again by the time Western Athletic Conference games start. If he can't, then there is the possibility of petitioning the NCAA for a medical hardship (or sixth year) of eligibility.
MONEY WELL SPENT: The Cleveland Indians signed left-handed pitcher C.C. Sabathia, UH's top recruit last summer, for $1.3 million. In a half season of pro ball, Sabathia struck out 35 in 18 innings of rookie ball.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
