Cal gets a pitcher, loses a pitching coach

Some relatively big news has come out recently, especially in the pitching department. The team lost a coach, but did gain a valuable recruit. First, the team gained a pitcher who has a name you might recognize, and lost an integral part of the team’s success this season.

The bad news will come first. Dan Hubbs, the pitching coach of the team, has left the program to take the same position at USC. This is a huge loss for the team, as Hubbs was key in the success of pitchers like Erik Johnson, Justin Jones, Kyle Porter, and Matt Flemer. Hubbs was also a great recruiter for the team, and will certainly be missed. Hubbs was a pitcher at USC, so his absence was kind of expected when USC came calling. The absence will still be a huge void for David Esquer (if he himself returns) to fill, and hopefully he finds a capable replacement.

MICHAEL JORDAN IS GOING TO CAL! Michael Jordan, originally a Pepperdine commit, is apparently headed to California. He’s a 2012 commit, but he did sign a letter of intent to Pepperdine. I have no clue if he’s eligible right now or if he will be forced to sit out a season. Jordan is 6-1, 200, with a 92 mph fastball and solid breaking offerings in a change-up and curveball. He was rated a 10.0 on a scale of 1-10 by PerfectGame.org, meaning he’s basically the baseball equivalent of his basketball namesake. In all seriousness, Jordan could potentially be the midweek starter if he’s eligible right now, or a solid prospect for the future. Either way, he’s a big pick-up and is good news for a program trying to regain traction in California recruiting circles.

In other news, Marcus Semien signed with the Chicago White Sox. This was expected, but disappointing nonetheless. Derek Campbell will slide over to shortstop and take Semien’s spot next year as a sophomore. Chadd Krist, Erik Johnson, and Matt Flemer still have not made their decision on school or the MLB Draft yet. Austin Booker isn’t going back to school, but I don’t think he’s signed a contract yet. If he’s pursuing his career, he should sign a contract soon and join the A’s.

As you can see, some big news has hit the baseball program in recent days. Some of it is good; Jordan is going to be a big-time pitcher, whether it’s this year or in the future. Some of it is bad; Hubbs is a huge loss, and the return of Marcus Semien would have been a huge addition. However, for now let’s celebrate the addition of MJ to the baseball team. Go Bears!