Compton-Centennial coach says player could be next Strawberry

I asked a simple question: "What makes this kid so good?"

I expected a simple cliche in response: He has all the right tools, he waits for his pitch and he gives it his all.

Instead, Compton-Centennial baseball Coach Gerald Pickens surprised me with: "Hell, I don't know ... if I did, I'd bottle it up."

The kid is Chris Smith, the star Apache, who's likely leading the galaxy in batting average. Entering today's game, Smith's average is at .729 -- and rising. This afternoon, Smith, the left-handed-swinging outfielder who has verbally committed to USC, launched a solo shot and grand slam as Centennial beat North Torrance in Pioneer League play.

"A feared hitter," Pickens said.

Just how feared?

Put it this was, in the past three decades, Pickens has groomed a few mega-stars from the South Central area, such as Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry and Coco Crisp. And he said Smith might be the best he has ever seen.

-- Anthony Stitt

-- Image from www.telegraph.co.uk