NORTH EXPOSURE

CHATSWORTH — Matt Fisher is a young gun on an experienced Valley North American Legion baseball team who’s as quick with a barb as he is with his glove.

“Fisher’s a [high school] freshman but he kids around with everyone,” said teammate Micah Berger, a Pierce College student. “I just dyed my hair blond and he calls me Snowflake. No respect.”

That a 15-year old feels comfortable ribbing a teammate almost five years older is an indication of the loose, free-swinging attitude that has carried Valley North to the state Legion championships in Yountville.

The six-team, double-elimination tournament begins this morning and Valley North, comprised of former and current Chatsworth High players, opens against Palo Alto at noon. The state tournament is followed by regional tournaments around the country Aug. 15-19 and the Legion World Series in Rapid City, S.D., Aug. 22-26.

Valley North (29-6), is 9-0 in the postseason and won the District 20 and Area 6 titles after being seeded seventh in the district playoffs. Not bad for a team with few true pitchers and low preseason expectations.

“At the beginning of the season we didn’t think the team was going to go very far,” Coach Matt LaCour said. “We’ve skated by, but I couldn’t tell you how.”

The broad explanation has to do with hot hitting and a bunch of fielders who can throw strikes when summoned to the mound. But another important factor is Fisher’s play at shortstop and the recent emergence of his close friend and classmate, first baseman Matt Cassel.

Fisher and Cassel, who LaCour says “bicker and fight like brothers”, were starters on the Northridge All-Star team that advanced to the championship game of the 1994 Little League World Series.

“I don’t know if it’s all the situations they’ve been in but they’re remarkable athletes,” Berger said. “It’s great having two young guys on the team who don’t act like they’re 15 years old.”

Fisher, 5 feet 8 and 145 pounds, is the more polished of the pair, having started the entire high school season for Chatsworth. He has continued his nearly flawless fielding throughout Legion play.

“He’s the most advanced high school shortstop I’ve seen in a long time,” said LaCour, a UC Santa Barbara assistant the past several years. “Except for arm strength he’s almost at the college level already. As many things as we have going defensively on the field, our shortstop needs to be the guy in charge.”

Fisher must look for Berger’s sign to the pitcher and position himself and his fellow infielders accordingly. He must be aware of which bunt coverage has been called and remember where a batter tends to hit certain pitches.

“I just play a guy the way I think he’s going to hit it and I’m usually right,” Fisher said. “It comes from playing a lot of baseball.”

Despite the mental gymnastics required at shortstop, El Camino Real Coach Mike Maio said he is impressed with Fisher’s play.

“Shortstops sometimes become paralyzed by analysis but it didn’t affect him at all,” Maio said. “We considered him a fine fielder and a very tough out.”

LaCour said Fisher, batting .323 with 11 doubles and 22 runs batted in, has developed a keener eye at the plate and learned to hit the ball to the opposite field.

“He bats ninth but he could bat second,” LaCour said. “We want someone there to get on for the top of our order.”

Cassel, 6-3 and 180 pounds, bats anywhere from fifth to eighth in Valley North’s order, but is expected to bat third or fourth in the future. After being a Chatsworth reserve, he is batting .415 in Legion and his arm strength, athleticism and potential for power are already inspiring awe.

“I’d be scared to throw against him when he’s a junior,” Berger said. “He hits pop-ups 300 feet.”

Cassel, who is also competing to be Chatsworth’s varsity quarterback this fall, said he missed several regular season Legion games because of football conflicts. But his play in the district playoffs earned him a starting role.

“I’ve gotten some opportunities and I’ve made the most of them,” he said.

Neither Fisher nor Cassel is new to the spotlight and the prospect of high school stardom and increased attention fails to elicit any anxiety.

“I think [attention] is great,” Cassel said. “Northridge Little League gave us a lot of recognition and a head start. The big exposure with all the people and the press, we’ve had that already and it won’t be stressful.”

LaCour expects the youngsters to continue making headlines.

“How much better can they get?” LaCour asked. “You see a lot of great Little League players get to high school and not pan out, but these guys have already started to pan out.

“They may be the ones remembered from that [Northridge] team.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

American Legion Baseball State Tournament

Today’s First-Round Games at Cleve Borman Field, Yountville

9 a.m., El Segundo vs. Ontario

Noon, Palo Alto vs. Valley North

4 p.m., Auburn vs. Stockton Karl Ross