Maui’s Suzuki has a field
for dreaming

The rookie is having a solid spring
in the Oakland A's system

PHOENIX » Just months after being drafted by the Oakland A's, Maui's Kurt Suzuki is behind the plate catching ace Barry Zito.

It's only spring training. And in the sixth inning of last Sunday's game, the A's have a commanding lead against the Giants.

But Suzuki, 21, the Baldwin High School and Cal State Fullerton alumnus, is making an impression.

His double in the eighth inning brought in a run and his spring training batting average climbed to .500 over eight games (4-for-8 with three walks). Behind the plate, he was 4-for-5 in throwing runners out trying to steal.

"He's probably the best defensive catcher we have in the system," said A's manager Ken Macha.

His chances of getting to the big leagues are "excellent," Macha said. "We'll see how he develops as far as hitting is concerned."

Suzuki, whose parents flew up from Maui to visit him earlier this preseason to watch him play, is also living up to his college nickname of "Kurt Klutch."

His first hit in spring training came against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa -- an RBI single in the ninth inning against Chad Fox to give the A's a 5-4 lead.

"There's been a couple games he got star of the game," Macha said.

Other A's coaches have been impressed with Suzuki's attitude and work ethic. They still talk about his diving catch into the stands to get an out in another spring training game.

Ask him what it's like to be here and he gives a careful "Bull Durham" response, trying to be modest and not say anything wrong.

"I'm just taking it day by day," he replies.

"I just have to improve and get better.

"I'm hitting the ball real well, seeing it good."

He grins and acknowledges he's seen the movie.

But press him a little further and he admits to a little excitement playing "with pros you've been watching since I was a kid."

He was a sophomore at Baldwin High School when San Francisco pitcher Jerome Williams was a senior at Waipahu High School.

Like Williams, Suzuki wears a puka shell necklace when he plays.

Williams told a reporter for insidebayarea.com that he's looking forward to being able to pitch against Suzuki in a major league game.

They played against each other in the Hawaii state championship game and met again in the Northwest League, where Suzuki got a hit off Williams when the Giants pitcher was assigned there for rehab after surgery.

"In his first AB, I'm thinking we're still back in high school, and I've got him," Williams told insidebayarea.com. "I threw him a fastball. Whack! Single to right-center. I get the ball back and look over at him, and he's smiling wide at me."

Suzuki hit .297 with three home runs and 31 RBIs in 46 games for the Class A Short Season Vancouver Canadians after he left Cal State Fullerton early to turn pro.

He scored the game-winning run to lead Fullerton to the College World Series title over Texas last summer. He was then named the Johnny Bench Catcher of the Year and the College Baseball Foundation's National Player of the Year.

Not bad for a kid who wasn't heavily recruited and walked on at Fullerton.

The A's drafted Suzuki in the second round, the 67th pick overall.

A big difference between college and the pros is that "everybody's (pitchers) got good stuff. They know what they're doing with it, put it where they want, when they want," Suzuki said.

In only his first full year, it seems unlikely that Suzuki will get called up. The A's reassigned him to their minor league camp yesterday.

He was invited to spring training because Oakland's top draft pick, Landon Powell, tore a ligament in his left knee and needed surgery.

Starter Jason Kendall, acquired in an offseason trade, batted .319 for Pittsburgh last year and is having a solid spring.

But after Suzuki's performance, people will be watching his progress.

At Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, where the A's play their spring training games, the minor league players work out on a smaller area behind the right-field fence.

There's a gap in the fence where the players come and go.

It's enough of an opening that you can see what it's like on the main field.

And hope that with enough work and talent, you can cross to the other side.