Monday, September 6, 1999
Hawaii pair proud
to play for U.S.A.
Keoni DeRenne and
By Al Chase
Justin Wayne have enjoyed
being goodwill ambassadors
Star-BulletinKeoni DeRenne and Justin Wayne have enjoyed successful amateur baseball careers that have been intertwined since they were 10 years old.
They first played together back then for Hawaii in the Continental Amateur Baseball Association tournament in Aurelia, Iowa.
For much of the next decade they were rivals in various youth leagues, high school (DeRenne at Iolani, Wayne at Punahou) and college (DeRenne at Arizona, Wayne at Stanford) before being reunited this past summer on the USA Baseball national team.
DeRenne, in his second summer with the national team, and Wayne, in his first full season with the national team, found representing their country a memorable experience.
Long bus trips to Iowa, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Oregon, Idaho and Washington plus a trip to Japan afford them the opportunity to talk story with each other as well as 20 teammates.
They played 39 games and found themselves acting as goodwill ambassadors. The team conducted clinics in most cities, visited hospitals and made time to interact with fans.
"We signed probably a 100 or 200 autographs after the game in each city. It makes you feel good to see the smiles on the kids' faces. Their eyes just bulge. They say 'thank you' straight from the heart," Wayne said.
"If someone wants my autograph, I'm going to give it to them. I might never have the opportunity to do that again. I enjoyed it. You saw them smiling. It was worth it," DeRenne said.
"Keoni's a magnet (to kids) and he has that dynamic smile. He did a great job with the public. Justin did too. But Keoni is gifted in that area," said USA head coach Mark Johnson (Texas A&M).
"Both of those guys represented us extremely well. Everyone there should be proud of them."
It took awhile for the chemistry to connect as the team had just three practice sessions before embarking on their 39-game schedule.
If they weren't playing, they were traveling. Johnson said it took the team time to get going, but he thought the players adjusted well.
Also, with USA Baseball using professionals on the Pan American team and for the 2000 Olympics, there wasn't that goal to shoot for as was the case in the past. It was basically one five-game series after another.
"As the summer progressed and we got to know each other and know where everybody stood, I thought the chemistry definitely improved," said Wayne. "It showed in how we approached each other and how we played as a team."
Johnson's policy of assigning different roommates on each road trip helped facilitate the team's coming together.
"The thing that stands out is how these 22 guys are all down to earth, but great competitors," DeRenne said. They all wanted to play and they all wanted to win. It helps me in my performance when you know the guys next to you are going to give their absolute best."
"Keoni had a great year. He played shortstop and he was our most consistent hitter," said Johnson. "Justin was one of our better pitchers and had an unbelievable outing in Portland (Ore.)."
Facing Nicaragua's Pan American team, Wayne pitched 7° innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs while walking one and striking out five.
The game Wayne remembers was the first one he pitched in this country after the Japan trip. It was against South Korea on July 4 at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, home of USA Baseball.
"It was a great night. I pitched reasonably well and we won the game," said Wayne. "There were 7,000 fans there chanting "U-S-A, U-S-A." It was like 7,000 people were throwing the ball with me."
DeRenne finished second to California Bears third baseman Xavier Nady with a .376 batting average. DeRenne also led the team in stolen bases (11) and on-base percentage (.506).
As veterans, DeRenne and Nady were asked by USA director of baseball operations Paul Seiler to provide leadership on the 1999 team.
"A lot of my teammates asked me what is the experience like," DeRenne said. "I always wanted to go represent the United States in the Olympics, but we, as college players, have to take a step back."
"With that USA across your jersey, it's like, 'Wow, this is really happening'," said Wayne, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander.
Both players return to college for their junior seasons.
DeRenne, a communications major, has played in 112 consecutive games (started 111) for Arizona. A first-team all-Pac 10 selection this past season, he has a .355 career batting average.
Wayne, an economics major, is 16-1 for Stanford, including a win in the College World Series this year. He would have started the championship game had the Cardinal prevailed in the semifinal.
They know there will be interest from the pros when next year's amateur free agent draft is held the first week of June. Yet neither is concerned at this point, preferring to focus on having another solid collegiate season, then waiting to see what happens.
"They may look down at me because of my size (5-7), but that gives me an inner drive to show people that size doesn't matter," said DeRenne. "It is a big year and I know the opportunity is there. I just have to concentrate on what I have to do here as an Arizona Wildcat."
"I read the articles and have heard things, but it's just something that will come," said Wayne, who was drafted in the ninth round by the Boston Red Sox in 1997.
Perhaps one moment in time sums up the experience for Hawaii's contributions to USA Baseball.
"On one plane ride I got to sit next to (former major league pitcher) Dennis Martinez, player/manager for Nicaragua," said Wayne. "We talked for a good length of time, about baseball, about his family. That's something USA Baseball gives its players you're not going to find anywhere else - lasting memories."
