Former Sierra High standout Berezay battling in minors

By RON AGOSTINI
www.sports@modbee.com

last updated: August 19, 2008 04:49:40 AM

Baseball's dog days of August are pounding away at Manteca's Matt Berezay.

They're eating at him like ants at breakfast, nipping at his body and sapping his spirit. Berezay loves baseball, mind you, but its physical toll, brain-numbing repetition and cruel realities have sobered him.

"I'm a little more worn out this season," he admitted. "A lot of it has to do with the struggles."

Berezay, an outfielder for the Inland Empire 66ers, knows too much about "the struggles." He's a third-year pro in the Los Angeles Dodgers' chain, but Year 3 has felt like five. You name it -- high, low, up, down and all things in between -- he's been through it the last five months.

His advantage: He's 24 and a pro in every way. His disadvantage: He's 24 and a pro in every way. He knows the drill. Moving up in baseball's heartless chain requires numbers and performance. The business is cold, impersonal and designed to steamroll you if you aren't strong enough. Wealth and fame await the survivors. A job in the real world awaits the rest.

Berezay's desire is not in question. We've charted his progress from Sierra High to Modesto Junior College to University of the Pacific and finally to the Dodgers organization as a 21st-round draft pick in 2006. That's why he's at Thurman Field as his 66ers finish a three-game series tonight against the Modesto Nuts.

A groundout in his last at-bat Sunday night left Berezay in an 0-for-13 slump. In the Nuts' dugout sat outfielder Anthony Jackson, a Davis High product who roomed with Berezay at Pacific. These two played against each other in little league and high school and battled together at Modesto Junior College and UOP.

"He looked kind of sad, so I had the batboy send him over a Starburst to cheer him up," Jackson said. "He looked over at me and laughed. He tends to get on himself a little too much."

Jackson can empathize. He was placed on the disabled list Tuesday because of a hamstring injury, and his 2008 season probably is done. Perhaps he needs a Starburst, too.

For Berezay, the season began with promise. The switch hitter batted .346 in May with six homers and 19 RBIs in 20 games. He ended one game by scoring from first on a groundball botched by the defense. The Dodgers noticed. Soon, he was jetting across the country to the Jacksonville (Fla.) Suns, the organization's entry in the Double-A Southern League.

Baseball patted him on the back and then punched him in the gut. Double-A pitching beat him. He managed only a .171 average and only four RBIs in 33 games for Jacksonville. It wasn't long before he was pinch hitting late in games. And then he was bounced back to the 66ers, spinning on the wrong end of baseball's yo-yo.

"That was something I've never dealt with before. I've always started and never have been a bench player. When I was sent back, it was almost a sigh of relief," Berezay said. "When I got up there (to Double A), I got messed up mentally. I've never been able to get back in that groove."

His .251 average with 10 home runs and 55 RBIs for Inland Empire suggest he's still searching for that groove.

Inland Empire manager John Valentin surveys Berezay's season and smiles the been-there-done-that smile. Valentin was a tough-minded infielder with pop in his bat for 11 seasons with the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. He understands that to win in baseball you must outlast it. Coping with failure defines each player.

"Matt is very professional and a hard worker. He doesn't really show his emotions too much," Valentin said. "Since then (his demotion), I'm sure he's put a lot of pressure on himself. ... He has skills to play at a higher level. You gotta take your lumps here and there. The less lumps you have, the better chance you have to move up."

Berezay also is dishing out some lumps. He uplifted the 66ers with a walkoff home run a few weeks ago against Lancaster. And that 0-for-13 slump? He snapped it Monday night with an infield hit and a clutch game-tying double which escorted Inland Empire to a 5-3 win in 10 innings. Score one for family, friends and a young pro determined to counter-punch baseball's demons.

"Baseball is a game where you have to keep fighting. It's been a long year and a learning experience," he said. "I've got aches and pains like everyone else. I'm just trying to finish these last two weeks on a good note."

He showed how to whip the dog days Monday night.

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