The work starts long before first pitch.
On quiet diamonds and in empty cages, players chase perfection — swing after swing, rep after rep, preparing for moments that can change a game in an instant.
They battle slumps. They battle pressure. Most of all, they compete.
This spring, San Joaquin County has showcased some of its best baseball talent yet.
No-hitters. A perfect game. Home runs and cycles. Walk-offs. Players hitting over .500. Teams stacking tournament wins.
Now the question takes center stage: Who was the best?
By the time the poll closes, the regular season will be complete. But the performances have already spoken.
Sixty-eight baseball players, representing all 29 San Joaquin County programs, have been nominated.
Voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 1. Nominees are listed alphabetically by school. You may vote as many times as you’d like.
Bear Creek
Chavez
East Union
Edison
Escalon
Franklin
Galt
Kimball
Lincoln
Lathrop
Liberty Ranch
Linden
Lodi
Manteca
McNair
Merrill West
Millennium
Mountain House
Oakdale
Ripon
Ripon Christian
River Island
Sierra
St. Mary’s
Stagg
Tokay
Tracy
Venture Academy
Weston Ranch
This article originally appeared on The Record: VOTE: The Record’s San Joaquin County Baseball Player of the Year Poll
Reporting by Dylan Ackermann, The Stockton Record / The Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
