Local boys make good in Opening Day lineup

By: JOHN MAFFEI - Staff Writer | Monday, April 3, 2006 10:29 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- It didn't take Padres manager Bruce Bochy long to learn about high school baseball in San Diego.

"My oldest boy (Greg) played at Mt. Carmel (in 1996), and that team had two first-round draft picks ---- Eric Chavez (Athletics) and Eric Munson (Tigers)," Bochy said. "And Jake Epstein got taken later in the draft."

On Monday, Bochy had three San Diego high school products in his Opening Day lineup ---- center fielder Dave Roberts (Rancho Buena Vista), right fielder Brian Giles (Granite Hills) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (Eastlake). It marked the first time three local prep players graced the Padres' Opening Day lineup.

In fact, only five other San Diego prep players have started on Opening Day for the Padres.

Greg Bochy went on to play at Palomar College and Cal Poly and played in the minor leagues for the Padres before an arm injury ended his career.

The manager's youngest son, Brett, is a senior pitcher/first baseman at Poway.

"This is one of better brands of ball in the country," said Bruce Bochy, who grew up in Florida. "The conditions here are pretty good, so it's conducive to producing good players."

Roberts, an option quarterback at RBV, played baseball at UCLA and was taken in the 28th round of the 1994 draft by the Cleveland Indians. On Monday, he had a key infield single to keep a fifth-inning rally alive.

"So many great San Diego players are on other major league teams, so it's awesome to have three of us on the same club," Roberts said. "Look at our three guys. We're from the best baseball parts of San Diego --- North County, East County and South Bay.

"Kids now play baseball the year-round, so players in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida have an advantage. When Brian and I played, you played something year-round, but you weren't limited to one sport like a lot of today's kids are."

Giles, a hard-charging fullback on a Granite Hills team that featured Tommy Vardell, was drafted in the 17th round in 1989 by the Indians. Against the Giants on Monday, he started a two-run eighth-inning rally with a single.

Gonzalez signed a national letter of intent to play at San Diego State, but he was the first player taken in the 2000 draft when the Marlins called his name.

In his Padres debut, Gonzalez doubled in the first inning, then singled to left in the sixth and scored on Khalil Greene's two-run homer. He scored again in the eighth. He reached base on a fielder's choice and came home on a sacrifice by Vinny Castilla.

"This was a special day," Gonzalez said. "We all followed the Padres as kids and dreamed that someday we'd play for them. For that to actually happen is hard to describe."

Gonzalez said a big reason he was able to reach the big leagues is that he played high school ball at a high level in San Diego on one of the best San Diego-area teams ever.

"One of the biggest parts of the game is repetition," Gonzalez said. "Playing in San Diego, you get the repetitions you need. I played all year as a kid ---- whether it was in San Diego or Mexico, I was always on the field. Just playing as a youth was a big advantage.

"San Diego was such a great place to grow up, and now playing for the Padres ---- my hometown team, with guys like Dave Roberts and Brian Giles ---- is pretty darn sweet."

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com.