LJ baseball: Timmy CIF Player of the Year

Timmy Holdgrafer, with batting helmet on, waits

at the dugout fence in anticipation of his next

at-bat during Vikings' 6-0 win over Scripps

Ranch in the CIF fourth round June 2, which put them

in the final. Timmy won his 10th game

with the performance. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Timmy Holdgrafer, who is only the second player in the history of La Jolla High baseball to collect 100 hits, and ditto for striking out 100 batters, is also the first Viking to be named CIF Player of the Year, as far as it is known.

"I'm sure he will be elected to the LJHS Baseball Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible in a few years," said a proud Gary Frank, Holdgrafer's coach during his high school career.

The right-handed pitcher and batter, who stole home during the season, put away a microscopic 0.87 ERA and 10-1 record in his senior year to go with a robust .364 batting average while leading the Vikings to the Division II championship game.

The St. Mary's commit stole 20 bases in 24 attempts, including his steal(s) of home.

Kind of intriguing is the fact he follows his uncle, Jason Green, into the La Jolla record book in recording 100 strikeouts as a pitcher in his career.

Timmy also ends up in the Viking record book for wins in a season, innings pitched in a season (88 1/3), and innings pitched in a career (203 1/3). The graduating senior also recorded the second lowest ERA for a season and for a career (1.62).

Said Frank of his top player, who was also named the San Diego Union-Tribune Player of the Year, "As good as a player as he is, he is probably a better person. He has matured tremendously both as a player and as a person over the past four years. He is very conscientious and respectful of everyone around him."

Added his coach, "Not only is he immensely talented, but he is one of the hardest workers on the team. He set the tone for our team everyday.

"He competed to his fullest ability every time he stepped on the field, and he demanded the same from his teammates."

"He wasn't always the most vocal person on the team, but when he did say something, everyone paid attention."

Frank notes that Holdgrafer is second to LJHS record-holders in ERA for a season and a career who had the benefit of pitching in the wood bat days, before aluminum bats.

His career batting average was .360--he hit .349 as a sophomore and .366 as a junior to set the stage for his .364 average as a senior.

Timmy went 7-3 on the mound last year and 5-3 the year before. He was named to the All Western League First Team all three years. He also was named team MVP for the Vikings last season and this season.

His 22 career wins (against 7 losses) ranks him second all-time in Viking annals, as do his 11 complete games. Another of his notable statistics is his 21.93 at bats per strikeout as a hitter, third best in La Jolla High history. That's a tough out.

"A lot of players can hit and can pitch, but he has the rare ability to be a game changer with both his bat and also with his arm," says Frank, already a Viking Hall of Famer.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper