Thursday, August 19, 1999
Sagara signs
By Al Chase
with Otters
Star-BulletinThe Hawaii-Evansville, Ind. pipeline flowed again yesterday when former Leilehua High School and Hawaii-Hilo right-hander Brendan Sagara joined the Evansville Otters.
The Otters, in a battle for first-place in the West Division of the independent Frontier League, need Sagara to fill the middle reliever role.
Evansville manager Greg Tagert called Sagara on Tuesday and the 5-foot-10, 170-pounder was on a plane that night.
"Tagert told me he wanted a different look out of the bullpen," Sagara said. "I never thought I would get a chance (to play professionally) two years out of college.
"It will be interesting. I just hope I can get some people out."
A week ago, the Otters signed former Hawaii Rainbow right-hander Matt Wheeler.
Sagara had his best season for the Vulcans in 1996 when he posted an 8-2 record with a 3.31 earned run average as a senior. He was named Hawaii-Hilo's Male Athlete of the Year.
Since then he has pitched for the Rangers in the Oahu Baseball League and for Manoa in the Senior AJA League.
In June he had a one-week tryout with the Sacramento Steelheads of the independent Western League but failed to make the roster after throwing a couple of times out of the bullpen.
