Baer and baseball…brilliant

Baer and baseball…brilliant

By SHEL SEGAL
Some people like playing baseball. Some love it.
And then there’s Alex Baer.
Baer is having so much fun on the diamond he might never leave.
“My goal is to keep playing baseball ‘til I die,” Baer said.
Baer is an 18-year-old senior on the Pasadena High baseball team. Playing right field and excelling at it, he will be attending Pepperdine University in the fall on a full-ride academic scholarship.
“I found out the week before Christmas that I got it,” Baer said of getting word of receiving the scholarship. “I was going crazy (when I found out). I’m a big guy and I was in my room, knocking over furniture, knocking paintings off the wall, jumping around, going insane. I’m stoked.”
But will he get to play baseball for the Waves?
“My goal is to play baseball there,” said Baer, who has been playing baseball since he was 4 years old. “I talked to the coach a little bit. He’s seen me play once or twice. Once he’s seen me play a little bit more I could be a recruited walk-on. If not, I’ll try out like everyone else and work my way up to a spot on the team.”
Standing at 6-foor-4, 225 pounds, Baer – a four-year varsity starter with the Bulldogs – bats clean-up for the team. He said he is looking to really contribute this season.
“I did pretty well my sophomore year,” said Baer, who moved to Pasadena when he was 2 years old. “I batted .400 my sophomore year. I cooled off a little bit my junior year. I came off a knee surgery, so I wasn’t 100 percent. But I feel this year is going to be my big break-out season.”
And why play right field?
“I love right field,” Baer said. “Our field’s got a short right field porch so you can cheat in a little bit. And I like to throw the guy out at first base. That’s a play I enjoy. And (throwing to third base) is the longest throw on the field. I like to show my arm off.”
He added he has really learned a lot from playing for Pasadena coach Mike Parisi.
“He’s been great,” Baer said of Parisi. “He’s been really helpful. He’s helped me out a lot. I came to the program as a third baseman. It didn’t turn out too great for me. He showed me right field and helped me out a little bit. He’s gotten me on a couple of tryouts for teams and things like that. He’s just really supportive and does a lot for his players.”
Parisi said Baer is just one of those top-notch kind of guys.
“He led our team in hitting as a sophomore,” Parisi said of Baer. “He’s been a big player in our program. I’m excited for him for his senior year. He’s going to be one of the better players in this area. He’s always had a great head on his shoulders.”
And since Baer is going to Pepperdine via the academic route, he said that math is his favorite subject with Hendrik van Leuven being his favorite teacher. And for good reason.
“When you’re talking to (van Leuven) it’s like he’s not one of your teachers,” Baer said. “He’s one of your buddies. He makes the class a little exciting. He gives a twist to the class. But you’re learning. You’re still getting your work done. I enjoy it.”
Baer is also hoping to use those math skills once out of college, he said.
“I want to go into financial services,” he said. “My dad is a stock broker and I want to go into that with him and see where that takes me.”
(Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com. Follow him via Twitter @segallanded.)

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