In just his first two years, Troy Cruz has made a significant impact on the UC San Diego baseball program. The local product out of Chula Vista is already an All-American and two-time All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) First Team selection. Cruz is an all-around threat with his pitching, hitting, fielding and baserunning abilities, having batted .326 with 39 RBI and a team-best nine steals a season ago while posting an 8-3 record and 2.90 ERA on the mound. "Troy has been a great part of our program," says UCSD head coach Eric Newman. "Even with his impressive stats, what he brings to our team cannot be measured in wins or losses, batting average or ERA. He is a lot of fun to coach." Cruz and his 15th-ranked teammates open the 2015 campaign with an 11-game homestand at the new Triton Ballpark, beginning this Sunday, Feb. 1, with a doubleheader (10:30 a.m.) against West Region foe Western Oregon. He was generous enough to set aside some time for his first Triton Q&A in the lead-up to first pitch.
Q: Exciting times, Troy, for UCSD Baseball. Coming off of a record sixth conference tournament banner, solid core back for a top-15 preseason national ranking, renovation of Triton Ballpark almost finished, and completion of a beautiful new clubhouse anticipated by April. Are expectations justifiably high for the Tritons in 2015?
CRUZ: I think (high) expectations are justifiable, and I am excited to see what this group of guys can do this year. The preseason rankings are just numbers to me, and I don't really look at them in depth, but it is always cool to see us up there. It is going to be a special season with the new ballpark, and being the first team to experience the changes. I think I speak for all of my teammates when I say anything less than a conference championship and a solid postseason run would be a disappointing season.
Q: Like a midseason report card, give us a mid-career report card of yourself, please, at the halfway point of your Triton career. What do you think you've done pretty well, and what do you most want to improve on during what's left of your time here?
CRUZ: I've learned and grown as a player so much the past two years here. I've been lucky to have awesome teammates and coaches that have helped me through my freshman and sophomore seasons. I want to improve on my leadership during my remaining time here at UCSD. Nick La Face, Blake Fassler, Spencer Frazier, and other former leaders, did an incredible job setting the standard of leadership, and I'm hoping to impact some younger guys in the same manner those guys did for me. The things I will remember the most will be the championships I help bring to the program. Team success and championships are what I will be striving for most going forward.
Q: The returning strengths of this team are pretty well-known, Troy, but how about giving UCSD fans a couple of newcomers to watch for this season, based on what you've witnessed in practices and squad games?
CRUZ: I am really excited about the new guys we have added. Jack Rupe and Anthony Sommer are going to be keys to our pitching staff this year. They are absolutely filthy. At the plate, I don't think Michael Palos got out all fall, and Tyler Plantier can hit the ball a mile. Justin Flatt, John Erhardt and Alon Leichman all redshirted last year, but are going to be huge for us this year. Shane Sudsbury and Zach Friedman will add depth to our infield. I probably missed some guys, but overall, we have some really good players that I can't wait to unleash on the CCAA.
Q: What are you most looking forward to from the Triton Ballpark renovation? Got any horror stories from the old clubhouse that you care to share?
CRUZ: I am most looking forward to the clubhouse, by far. In the old locker room, we would literally be shoulder to shoulder. Having a locker right next to Jonah Northrop was a yearlong horror story. Not knowing when a mouse or rat would pop up made for some fun times, too. I thought the old trailer added some character to our team, but I know how excited everyone is for this change.
Q: You had a pretty remarkable 2014 summer, playing both with and against some of the top Division I college baseball players in the country as a member of the Santa Barbara Foresters and doing more than holding your own, as you took over the closer role and even registered the final out in the championship game of the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., on Aug. 9. What was it like at the bottom of that dogpile, and what is the most important thing you took away from that summer experience as a whole that you brought back to La Jolla now as a Triton upperclassman and team leader?
CRUZ: I learned so much during the summer. Being a part of such a successful organization like the Foresters was an honor. I could talk about (Foresters manager) Bill Pintard as a coach and person for hours and it still wouldn't do him justice. Coach Pintard created the Hugs for Cubs program to support cancer research and to support young kids battling the disease. Every week, we would go bowling with kids, go to (Los Angeles) Angels games, and in Wichita, we visited a children's hospital. He and the whole coaching staff were so much fun to play for, and they taught me a lot about myself, on and off the field.
There was no better feeling in the world than being on the bottom of that dogpile, and doing it with such a great group of guys made it so much sweeter The thing I learned the most over the course of the summer, is how good a hitter (Triton senior second baseman) Erik Lewis is, having to play him and the San Luis Obispo Blues every week. In all seriousness, it was a humbling experience, and I am very thankful for that opportunity.
Q: You've shown over your two years as a Triton, that you are quite the versatile player. You pitch, you hit, you play the infield, and you led the team in stolen bases a season ago. What aspect of the game of baseball do you most enjoy?
CRUZ: That's like asking, “who do I love more, my mom or my dad.” I love it all. If I am pitching that day, my favorite thing is pitching. If I am playing infield that day, my favorite thing is playing infield. It's truly a dream come true to be able to play both ways at this level.
Q: Coming out of nearby Chula Vista and Bonita Vista High School, what ultimately brought you to UCSD, and what does it mean to you to be able to play college baseball so close to home?
CRUZ: When I committed here, I thought it was the perfect fit both academically and athletically. I knew I didn't want to go far from home, and I always said if I didn't get recruited out of high school, I would come here and try to walk on. My dad and I would come to a lot of games when I was growing up. We would come out and watch former Bonita Vista Baron Guido Knudson throw, and it's been cool following in his footsteps. It has been awesome being able to go home during weekends and being able to watch some Barons baseball when I am free. Like last year, I was able to watch every game during Bonita Vista's CIF championship run because I am so close to home. It means a lot being able to be a part of this winning UCSD tradition that I grew up admiring.
Q: You were recently named one of eight Amateur Stars of the Year for 2014 by the San Diego Hall of Champions. Talk a little bit about receiving that honor, especially being a hometown product.
CRUZ: It was a huge honor being named a Star of the Year. The Hall of Champions has such a huge impact on athletics throughout San Diego, and being recognized by them in any way is a dream come true. When I was in high school, the Hall of Champions recognized me as a Star of the Month, and I thought that was incredible, but to receive this award is simply unbelievable.
Q: We know you as an avid follower of the University of Oklahoma softball program. Where does that come from?
CRUZ: I always watch NCAA softball whenever it's on ESPN. After the 2011 season, I saw (former OU pitcher) Keilani Ricketts and a couple other Team USA girls at In-N-Out near my house. I built up the courage to go talk to them. They were impressed I knew who they were and how much I knew. They were in Chula Vista working out with the U.S. national team at the Olympic Training Center, and we talked softball for a little while. After that, I was hooked. My freshman year, our first road trip was to Arizona to play Grand Canyon. OU had a tournament at ASU, so my mom and I drove over during some free time to watch them play. I got to talk to Keilani again and met some other players, which was awesome. It turns out their catcher that year, Jessica Shults, went to high school with our former centerfielder, Danny Susdorf. Danny sent Shults some texts and I was able to meet her at the same time. When they won the national championship in 2013, I was just as excited as when the Red Sox won the 2013 World Series. I like their team this year. They have a senior-heavy lineup that is as good as anyone's in the nation.
Q: You list the Boston Red Sox as your favorite Major League Baseball team. Why is that? We're going to assume that you also still follow the hometown San Diego Padres to some degree. They made a big splash this off-season, with several big trades orchestrated by new general manager A.J. Preller. How do you think they will fare in 2015?
CRUZ: I started following the Red Sox when they signed David Ortiz. That 2004 World Series team was fun to watch and was full of characters that I was attracted to. Some call me a bandwagoner, but I was young and still developing my baseball mind.
The Padres are definitely my National League team, and I have been excited about their young starting pitching for a couple years now. My family and I went down to the winter meetings this year just to check it out. It was incredible seeing all the GM's and managers walking around. My brother and I saw Padre announcer Mark Grant and started talking baseball with him. Mudcat (Grant) was saying that A.J. Preller was working on some big trades, and he was waiting for the (Matt) Kemp deal to go down. Little did we know. A.J. Preller is the man! He has brought the excitement back to San Diego, comparable to the 1998 season. I can remember decorating our house that season with Padres baseball cards and newspaper cutouts everywhere. I am sure my family would do the same if they made a run in these next few years. As for a prediction, I think they are going to make the wild card game this season, and hopefully more.
Q: Favorite baseball movie of all-time? Favorite player?
CRUZ: The Sandlot is my favorite baseball movie, but Little Big League is a close second. This doesn't qualify as a movie, but Eastbound & Down is the funniest baseball show I have ever seen. Kenny Powers is absolutely hilarious!
David Ortiz is my favorite player, but when Jonathan Papelbon was on the Red Sox, he was right there with Big Papi. I probably have 10 old jerseys in my closet from summer teams and travel teams, with the number 58 because of Papelbon. I have to add that Jonny Gomes is up there, and I think that Martin Prado is the best player in baseball right now.
Q: Walk us through briefly, if you will, the evolution of the "Troy smile." (Check it out at #TroySmile on Instagram.)
CRUZ: Oh, man. I don't know exactly. I would do it in pictures not really knowing I was doing it and trying to be funny. I think it was my former teammate Andrew Hinkle who coined the term and pointed out how often I was doing it. It really took off last year as people on the team were taking to it and we started doing it in meaningful pictures. Now, I can't post a picture on Instagram with a normal smile without getting some grief for it. It's something I think will still be with me for the rest of my life, and something all my teammates and friends will remember me by.
Q: The Tritons came agonizingly close to getting back to the Division II College World Series a year ago. What will it take to get this program one step further to Cary this year?
CRUZ: Last year was really special, and we had an extraordinary group of guys. “Agonizing” is an understatement for me and everyone involved. We definitely have the talent again this year to make it to Cary, but it's going to take that same chemistry to get us there. Coach Newman stresses how we can't just assume we are going to be back in a similar situation because we are returning a lot of guys. This team has to form its own identity and learn from last year's successes. Ultimately, I think last year left a bad taste in everyone's mouth, and left us hungry for more this year.
Previous Triton Q&A Features
Miranda Seto (Women's Basketball) January 6, 2015
Naomi Thomas (Women's Swimming & Diving) December 30, 2014
Cameron Ravanbach (Men's Water Polo) November 21, 2014
Eric Olen (Men's Basketball) November 17, 2014
Mitchell Shulman (Men's Fencing) November 13, 2014
Paul Li (Men's Swimming & Diving) November 1, 2014
Paige Hughes (Women's Cross Country) October 20, 2014
Danielle Dahle (Women's Volleyball) October 14, 2014
Tareq Alwafai (Men's Cross Country) September 25, 2014
David Higginson (Men's Water Polo) September 18, 2014
Matthew McClure (Men's Soccer) September 10, 2014
Caitlin Brenton (Women's Volleyball) September 3, 2014
Michelle Yasutake (Women's Soccer) August 25, 2014
2013-14 • 2010-13 • 2004-09
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