By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Before he became a member of the Hawaii Stars, the last time Ronnie Loeffler pitched was a long time ago, a month and year he distinctly remembers.
“It was May 2011 for UH-Hilo,” said Loeffler, who’s scheduled to start tonight’s home opener against the Sonoma County Grapes.
The 5:30 p.m. contest is the first of a six-game North American Baseball League series between the Stars (4-2) and Grapes (3-3) at Wong Stadium.
Last week, he shook off a year’s rust and threw a gem against Na Koa Ikaika Maui in a 5-2 win. The 6-foot-2 right-hander and 2004 Waiakea graduate had a no-hitter through five and went 5 1/3 innings for his first victory in independent pro ball.
He goes for his second triumph in front of his hometown fans against a Sonoma County ballclub that has reeled off three straight wins.
“I’m super happy and feel very fortunate to be playing for the Stars,” Loeffler said. “It’s been an experience for sure and I know we just got started. I want to do my best and compete and hopefully get looked at by an affiliated team and try to go to the next level.
“I also get to come and play in Hilo in front of my family and friends. I was fortunate to play college here and now I’ve got the Hawaii Stars. It’s great to play in front of the hometown fans at the professional level. It’s something I did not think would happen.”
Count Stars manager Garry Templeton II among those surprised and impressed with Loeffler’s work against Maui.
“He threw a lot of strikes, changed speeds and challenged hitters. As a pitcher that’s what you need to do,” Templeton said. “I was surprised he threw the ball that well, especially after not pitching for a year.
“We’re playing really well. We’ve got a young team and have a lot of learning to do. But they’re receptive to things we’re showing them, and they go out and perform. They’re a hungry group of young guys and will do what it takes to win.”
Reece Alnas, a 2007 Kamehameha graduate, is one of four local products on the team. The outfielder is batting .211 (4 for 19). His best game was Hawaii’s 9-3 win over Maui on Sunday; he went 2 for 4.
“He’s doing OK. He definitely has a lot of potential,” Templeton said. “He’s coming along. He’s got a good arm and he’s a good outfielder. He swings the bat really well.”
Templeton and the Stars, who are in their inaugural season, are hoping the hometown fans fill the ballpark and enjoy a good show.
“Our expectation is to win. We leave everything on the field every single night,” he said. “We’re hoping for a big crowd. It’s a lot more fun to play in front of a lot of people. We’ll be happy with anybody who shows up, but the more the merrier.”
How it works
There’s a Major League Baseball draft every year, which means every year new prospects come in and old ones get flushed out — something Hawaii Stars general manager Frank Hecomovich well knows.
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Hawaii Pacific senior and 2008 Kamehameha graduate Blake Amaral in the 40th round last Wednesday, the 1,226th player overall and ahead of 11 others in the final round.
He was one of four outfielders Los Angeles drafted and will likely get assigned to a short-season team in the Midwest League.
From there, it’s all about producing to either retain a roster spot or advance a level in the Angels’ farm system.
“Most organizations give a kid three years as a general rule of thumb,” said Hecomovich, who spent 12 years as the Minnesota Twins national crosschecker. “The saying is, ‘Let the cream rise to the top.’ They don’t want to miss on anybody.
“They’ll usually release guys right after the draft. They’ll take guys to spring training, let them play until the draft and make a decision at that time.”
One case in point with Hawaii ties is former Rainbow shortstop Greg Garcia, the St. Louis Cardinals’ seventh-round in 2010, who’s now in his second full year of pro ball with Kolten Wong at Double-A Springfield.
Wong, a UH product and 2008 Kamehameha graduate, has no job worries. He was a first-round draft pick last year and is the organization’s No. 5 prospect in Baseball America’s Top 10 list of minor leaguers.
St. Louis drafted four shortstops, and already signed two, a pair of college players selected in the 13th and 14th rounds. The highest draft pick is fourth-rounder Alex Mejia from the University of Arizona.
Mejia was the Pac-12’s Conference and Defensive Player of the Year. He’s still playing in the College World Series and is likely to sign for a bonus of $294,200, a slot value recommended by MLB under new draft rules, which has a pool cap.
When the three shortstop prospects (the fourth was drafted in the 32nd round) enter the system, there will be shuffling and one way or another Garcia will be affected.
Within the next year, he could get promoted to Triple-A Memphis, remain at Springfield with a new backup, or get released — facing the annual MLB draft cycle that eventually hits all minor leaguers.
Bring a pen, be a scout
As the Twins national crosschecker, Hecomovich filled out hundreds of scouting reports each year, evaluating college players that competed at Les Murakami Stadium and surveying talent on the local scene.
He’s printed out scouting reports and they will be available in limited supply at the beer garden. It’s the standard form that grades a player’s present and future tools on the 2 to 8 scouting scale, from poor to excellent.
“I thought it would be something fun people could do and compare with their buddies,” Hecomovich said.
Independent pro baseball
Who: Sonoma County Grapes (3-3) at Hawaii Stars (4-2)
What: Home opener
When: 5:30 p.m. tonight
Where: Wong Stadium
Radio: 670 AM