Long Beach State sports may not be in season, but current and former 49ers are still busy.
James Ennis and Casper Ware are representing The Beach on the floor of Orlando’s Amway Center in the NBA summer league. Former Dirtbags are making their way through the minor leagues, and current Dirtbags are staying in form with summer baseball teams. Most have been regular contributors on their teams.
Here’s an update on how LBSU’s basketball and baseball players are spending their summer vacations.
NBA summer league
Casper Ware, Houston Rockets
Ware has been given a better opportunity this summer league than he was during last year’s, and he has taken advantage of the additional minutes.
In five games with the Detroit Pistons last year, Ware played more than 20 minutes only once, and he never scored more than eight points in a game. This year, he has averaged 23.7 minutes per game and 9.3 points per game as the backup point guard.
The key word, however, is “backup.” Houston has two point guards on its roster and could use a third, so Ware is in a good situation, but backup summer league players rarely make NBA rosters.
In the event that Ware does not earn a roster spot, he already has a backup plan. According to Eurobasket News, Ware has signed with Umana Reyer Venezia of Italy’s Serie A. This is a promotion for Ware, who earned the MVP award of Italy’s second-tier league with Novipui Casale last year.
James Ennis, Miami Heat
Ennis is looking to become the first LBSU player to play in the NBA since 2006, and his performance during summer league has certainly improved his chances.
Ennis led the Heat in points in Tuesday’s game against the Magic, scoring 17 points in the first half alone. He outplayed Victor Oladipo, the second overall pick, for much of the game before fizzling out a bit in the second half.
Despite his success, Ennis is hardly a lock to make the Heat out of summer league. Ethan Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post predicted in a blog post Tuesday that summer league teammate Jarvis Varvado and a veteran would earn the final two spots on Miami’s roster.
Also going against Ennis’ chances of making the team this year is the fact that he could play overseas for the 2013-14 season while still being under the Heat. The Heat owns Ennis’ draft rights and, therefore, could stash him overseas without letting him go entirely and without using a roster spot on him.
Minor League Baseball
Shane Carle, Jamestown Jammers
3.60 ERA | 15 IP | 9 K
Carle is startng his career in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization in short-season A ball. He had a good debut, but a rough second start earned him a spot in the bullpen.
Jon Maciel, West Michigan Whitecaps
6.75 ERA | 8 IP | 3 K
Maciel’s ERA may be high, but he’s the only one of this year’s LBSU draft class to have already earned a promotion. Maciel pitched two games for the Detroit Tigers’ short-season A club before moving to West Michigan.
Juan Avila, Gulf Coast League Marlins
.118 AVG | 3 runs | 0 RBI
Avila’s professional career has gotten off to a slow start, as shown by his low batting average and lack of production. He has also struck out nine times.
Jeff McNeil, Kingsport Mets
.240 AVG | 6 runs | 5 RBI
McNeil hasn’t had the high batting average that defined his success at LBSU, but he has found ways to contribute. The versatile defender has hit four doubles and a triple and has also stolen two bases in 15 games played. He has also proven to have great plate discipline, as his five strikeouts are the fewest on his team.
Summer Baseball
Cape Cod League
Richard Prigatano, Chatham Anglers
.000 AVG | 0 runs | 0 RBI
Prigatano hasn’t played yet, as his Cape Cod League debut has been delayed by rehab from a wrist injury he suffered in early May at Cal State Fullerton.
Northwoods League
Zack Belanger, Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
.189 AVG | 16 runs | 13 RBI
Belanger didn’t hit that well as a Dirtbag, and he hasn’t hit well as a Rafter.
Johnny Bekakis, La Crosse Loggers
.270 AVG | 24 runs | 31 RBI
Bekakis has been destroying the Northwoods League, hitting five home runs and collecting seven steals while leading the Loggers in most offensive categories.
Josh Frye, La Crosse Loggers
3.09 ERA | 40.2 IP | 47 K
Frye has a 4-2 record as a starter for the Loggers, which could earn him consideration for a starting role for the Dirtbags next spring.
Zack Rivera, La Crosse Loggers
.273 AVG | 19 runs | 13 RBI
Rivera has shown power, as he has hit three home runs in 19 games so far.
West Coast League
Alex DeGoti, Victoria HarbourCats
.304 AVG | 13 runs | 11 RBI
Jeff McNeil’s potential successor at second base has been showing promise.
Logan Lombana, Victoria HarbourCats
5.53 ERA | 12 IP | 7 K
Lombana hasn’t been great early on.
Ty Provencher, Victoria HarbourCats
2.84 ERA | 38 IP | 27 K
Provencher, on the other hand, has been great. He has notched a pair of saves and started three games.
Eric Hutting, Wenatchee Apple Sox
.250 AVG | 3 runs | 10 RBI
Hutting has been average with signs of promise, just as he was during his freshman year with the Dirtbags.
Nick Sabo, Klamath Falls Gems
2.16 ERA | 33.1 IP | 37 K
Sabo was a very up-and-down pitcher for the Dirtbags last season, and he has been a very “up” pitcher for the Gems.
Texas Collegiate League
Nick Rosetta, East Texas Pump Jacks
1.57 ERA | 34.1 IP | 15 K
The seldom-used Dirtbags reliever has been impressive as a starter this summer.
Assistant Sports Editors Daniel Astle and Michael Morris contributed to this report.