Dirtbags Baseball - Long Beach State 49ers

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Friday, February 24, 2006

Vargas Loses Locks

Former Dirtbag Jason Vargas is featured in this piece in the Miami Herald. Excerpts:

Left-hander Jason Vargas -- who started last season at low Class A -- has a 'leg up' on the competition to make the Marlins' rotation.
BY CLARK SPENCER

JUPITER - A.J. Burnett, Paul Lo Duca and Todd Jones pleaded with Jason Vargas to leave his hair long after he was called up from the minors last season, and the young lefty bowed to their request. But those teammates are gone, and so too is the coif.

''It's kind of something a few of the guys told me to keep last year, so I really had no choice,'' Vargas said.

"But I didn't want to come into spring training looking shaggy like I did last year, because it's always best to make a good first impression.''

Vargas did that Tuesday when he threw his first bullpen session of the spring in front of new Marlins manager Joe Girardi. But it wasn't the do that caught Girardi's eye. It was his steely glare.

''He's got that look in his eyes that he's going to get you out,'' Girardi said. "And that's not a look everyone has. I like that look.''...

Vargas wasn't invited to the Marlins' major-league camp last spring. There were no openings in the rotation, and the team figured Vargas, their second-round pick out of Long Beach State in 2004, needed more seasoning in the minors even though they didn't think it would take him long to reach the majors.

But nobody thought he would make the climb so fast.

Vargas started the 2005 season at low A Greensboro (N.C.) and, after just five starts, was promoted to Single A Jupiter. He made nine starts with the Hammerheads before being elevated to Double A Carolina. Then, after making three starts there, the Marlins called Vargas up in mid-July when they lost patience with Al Leiter and released him.

Vargas was thrust into the rotation and reeled off five wins in his first six decisions.

''I think there was a certain air of confidence that he had and the team had in him, which is a positive,'' Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest said. "He handled himself well, showed a lot of poise and was very competitive.''...

When he was with the Dirtbags, the way that Jason always battled impressed me the most. Apparently his employers agree.

posted on 2/24/2006 by Jeff Agnew

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