SantaCruzPHOTOGALLERY.com :: The Sentinel’s All-Time Santa Cruz County Team

The Sentinel’s All-Time Santa Cruz County Team

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BO HART:
Position: Second base. High School: Soquel Class of '95. College: Cabrillo College 96-97, Gonzaga University 98-99. Drafted: By the St. Louis Cardinals in 33rd round 1,002nd overall of 1999 amateur entry draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: Always shining on defense, Hart, all-County pick as a senior, came into his own offensively his sophomore season at Cabrillo . He hit .379 with a state-leading 38 steals. He also hit seven HRs, scored 54 runs and had 30 RBIs to earn MVP honors in the Coast Conference. A two-time All-West Coast Conference selection, Hart still holds the Gonzaga's single-season record with 69 runs his senior campaign. When he got called up to the St. Louis in 2003, Hart became a fixture on ESPN, recording seven multihit games in 10 appearances and a .460 batting average 23-for-50 overall. He played two seasons for St. Louis, but now is in Triple-A for Colorado.

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CASEY McGEHEE
Position: Third base. High School: Soquel Class of 2000. College: Fresno State University '01-03. Drafted: By the Chicago Cubs in 10th round 283rd overall of 2003 draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: He's climbed a level of the Cubs' farm system each season with his consistent bat and deft fielding at third base, though he played catcher for one season to help the organization. He played in both the Single-A and Double-A All-Star games and is now competing in for Triple-A Iowa.

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DANN BILARDELLO
Position: Catcher. High School: Marello Prep Class of 1977. College: Cabrillo College 78. Drafted: By the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1st round 7th overall of 1978 draft June Secondary Phase. RESUME: Played eight season in the majors with four different teams. Hit his first major league home run off Tom Seaver, the New York Mets' future Hall of Fame, on April 26, 1983. Known for his work behind the plate, Bilardello shined on defense. He was a .204 lifetime hitter. He coached in the minors for the Boston Red Sox last season.

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DARRYL RATLIFF
Position: Center field. High School: Santa Cruz Class of 1988. College: None. Drafted: By the Pittsburgh Pirates in 5th round 122nd overall of 1988 draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: The proto-typical leadoff hitter had speed and made his mark on defense. He was an on-base hitter. In '95, his sixth season in the Pirates' organization, Ratliff batted .345 in Triple-A Calgary. He was demoted to Double-A ball in '96, while carrying a .368 average. Earlier in his minor league career, Pittsburgh was a little stacked in the outfield with guys like Barry Bonds, Moises Alou, Bobby Bonilla and Andy Van Slyke. Still, Ratliff was an athlete. That's why he was selected 659 picks before future NFL and MLB talent Deion Sanders was taken by the Yankees. *
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Darryl Ratliff
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GLENALLEN HILL
Position: Right field, left field. High School: Santa Cruz Class of '83. College: None. Drafted: By the Toronto Blue Jays in 9th round 219th overall of 1983 amateur entry draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: The 6-3, 230-pound outfielder became the National League's first designated hitter during a '97 game with the Texas Rangers. Funny, because Hill was known for his bat. In his 13 year Major League career, Hill compiled a lifetime batting average of .271, hitting 186 home runs and driving in 586 RBI. The hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies' Single-A affiliate Modesto Nuts, Hill smacked a home run onto an apartment rooftop beyond the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field when he was a Chicago Cub in 2000. Later that season he was traded to the New York Yankees, and helped them win the World Series. He batted .333 with 16 home runs and 29 RBI in 40 games with New York. He finished with a career-high 27 home runs for the season.

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JOE BROVIA
Position: Outfield. High School: Santa Cruz. College: None. Drafted: Free-agent signee. RESUME: He swung the big lumber like it was toothpick. Known for his power, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound slugger had a lifetime .311 average in 1,805 minor league games .304 lifetime in the Pacific Coast League producing 1,846 hits, 1,144 RBIs and 214 home runs. Known for his prodigious home runs over the four-story high fence at Seals Stadium, called the "Green Monster" of the Coast League. One to center was estimated to have traveled 500-plus feet. "A young Willie Mays is said to have remarked "man, that's a $5 cab ride" when shown where the ball landed. Brovia was inducted into the PCL Hall of Fame in 2005. Not the fleetest of foot or a deft defensive player, he had a short stint with the Cincinnati Reds in 1955, but only batted as a pinch hitter.

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JOHN SIPIN
Position: Shortstop. High School: Watsonville High Class of 1964. College: Cabrillo College '65. Drafted: By the St. Louis Cardinals in 55th round 785th overall of 1965 draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: A middle infielder with a big bat and solid glove, Sipin took his game overseas after his cup of coffee with the San Diego Padres in '69. Even though Sipin's MLB career lasted 68 games, he made the league's record book by hitting two triples in his debut. His played in Japan from 1972-80, and was selected to the "Best Nine" team in '72 and '73, when he also won Gold Gloves with Whales. Sipin played the first six seasons of his Japanese career with the Whales before moving to the Giants for his three final seasons. He compiled a career .297 batting average with 218 home runs and 625 RBIs in Japan. *
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MARK EICHHORN
Position: Right-handed pitcher. High School: Watsonville High Class of '78. College: Cabrillo College '79. Drafted: By the Toronto Blue Jays in 2nd round 30th overall of 1979 draft January Regular Phase. RESUME: Drafted a shortstop, but remembered as the finest pitcher from the county. The relief pitcher was among vote getters for 1986 AL Cy Young Award and AL Rookie of the Year honors with a 14-6 record, 10 saves and 1.72 ERA. He was five innings short of qualifying for the ERA crown that was won by Roger Clemens 2.48. The ex-shortstop had a unique sidearm delivery that had staying power. He appeared in a league-high 89 games in 1987. His big league career began with short stint in '82 but eventually spanned 11 seasons with four teams. *
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PAT BURRELL
Position: First base. High School: San Lorenzo Valley '92, Bellarmine College Prep Class of 1995. College: University of Miami '96-98. Drafted: By the Boston Red Sox in 43rd round 1,194th overall of 1995 draft June Regular Phase ... By the Philadelphia Phillies in 1st round 1st overall of 1998 draft June Regular Phase. RESUME: The 6-4, 225-pounder was the Golden Spikes Award outstanding amateur player winner in 1998, one of many accolades thrust upon the can't-miss major-leaguer. In three years at Miami, the multi-time All-American had a .442 lifetime average and .888 slugging percentage 2nd in NCAA history to Oklahoma State's Pete Incaviglia, .915. Through six seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, he has 159 HRs and 549 RBIs.
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