November 2, 2007

Local Sports Briefs: Fletes out as baseball coach at RBV

By: John Maffei - North County Times

Leo Fletes, who compiled a 58-33 record in three years as varsity baseball coach at Rancho Buena Vista High, has been fired by the school.

Fletes will continue to teach math and coach freshman football at RBV.

"I didn't get a reason why or an explanation," Fletes said.

School officials declined to comment, saying it was a personnel matter.

"I'm shocked and disappointed," said Fletes, whose team was 23-10 last season. "I think I've proven myself as a coach, so it's not a wins thing. The baseball team has the highest GPA on campus, so it isn't a grades thing. We graduated 12 seniors last year and eight are playing at the next level, so that's not the problem. And we have one of the best-kept fields in the county.

"For me, it's kind of a what-else-do-they-want thing."

Fletes -- whose son, Leo, was the starting catcher for the Longhorns as a junior last season -- said he has been contacted by several schools to work as an assistant.

"But my son is going to be a senior, so I think I'll take the year off, sit in the stands, keep my mouth shut, watch him play and be a fan," Fletes said. "I'll look at offers after this coming season."

No replacement has been named for Fletes, but insiders said the job could go to assistant principal Steve Hargrave, who coached the Longhorns for several years.

McCloskey commits

El Camino High senior outfielder Cornelius McCloskey has given an oral commitment to play baseball at Cal State Fullerton.

The speedy McCloskey said he chose the Titans over UC Irvine, USC and Long Beach State.

"I really liked the coaches and the philosophy at Fullerton," the 6-foot, 190-pound McCloskey said. "Coach (Dave) Serrano recruited me for UC Irvine, so when he took the job at Fullerton, I wanted to follow him. I like the fact they really pick apart your game and work with you to get better.

"I have some skills that come naturally: speed and throwing ability. They'll work to refine those and work on my swing and other parts of the game."

The El Camino program, which has been down for more than a decade, showed signs of life last season under new coach Joe Gonzales.

McCloskey said he hopes his commitment is the start of something big for the Wildcats.

"I hope this inspires some of my teammates to strive for the top," he said. "I think it's a really good thing for El Camino baseball, and a good thing for me."