The man behind the mask

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers LEADER-WHS head coach Michael Lee has given senior catcher Stephen Notaro free reign to call his own game behind the plate. Westlake catcher Stephen Notaro isn't the player he once was.

During his first two seasons on the Warrior varsity, Notaro was primarily a defensive specialist. While his strong arm and knack for handling a pitching staff kept him in the starting lineup, Notaro's lackluster offensive skills had him buried in the WHS batting order.

The 6-foot, 180-pound catcher hit just .224 a year ago and knocked in only six RBI in 58 at-bats. Notaro hit one home run.

During the offseason, Notaro, 17, dedicated himself to improving offensively.

"After the season ended last year, me and my dad would go to the (batting) cage and just work and work and work," Notaro said. "We changed my step a little bit. Most batters go forward. I actually go backward. I think it helps with my balance a lot.

"That, plus weight training," he said. "I added about 15-20 pounds of muscle. That was a big thing."

Also over the summer, Notaro played on the team from Thousand Oaks Big League that reached the Big League World Series in South Carolina. He said facing some of the top 17and 18-year-olds in the nation helped speed up his progress in the batter's box.

"Playing in that tournament made me mature a little bit more as a hitter," Notaro said. "I got more patient and saw a lot of good pitching. It helped big-time."

Notaro and Westlake are now reaping the benefits of the catcher's summer labor.

He entered yesterday's game against Simi Valley with a .483 batting average, a team-high 21 RBI and was second on the squad with four home runs.

WHS head coach Michael Lee currently has Notaro batting fourth in the Warrior lineup, behind table setters Jeff Rapoport, Cutter Dykstra and Randy Harmala, a trio who've combined for 40 stolen bases.

"I've got to believe a lot of his improvement has to do with work ethic," Lee said. "This is his senior year and he's just going to do it. He's a three-year varsity guy and he knew we needed him this year. He has stepped up for us."

Lee said he isn't surprised by Notaro's turnaround at the plate.

"Surprised? No," the coach said. "But for him to be this consistent this late into the season, it's very difficult to do. Again, it's a tribute to him and his desire to want to get better."

In his first year as head coach at the school, Lee's given Notaro complete control of the Westlake pitching staff. So far, Warrior hurlers have posted a 2.48 team ERA, good for third in the Marmonte League behind Agoura (2.31) and Newbury Park (2.41).

"He's the first catcher I've ever let have control of a game," Lee said. "He calls every pitch. On defense he does everything because he's better at it. He knows the game and he knows the pitchers far better than I know them right now."

Senior right-hander Jake Fiss has been a standout for the Warriors all season, posting a 4-2 record and 1.41 ERA in 39.2 innings of work. Fiss said Notaro consistently studies opposing hitter and regularly shares his knowledge with the staff.

"His pitch calls are always perfect," Fiss said. "I never call him off."

Notaro's older brother, Michael, graduated from Westlake two years ago and went on to play at Fresno State. Michael Notaro has since transferred to Pierce College. The younger Notaro said he learned how to play the game from his brother.

"He gave me so much confidence when I was behind the dish," Notaro said. "He was an older guy and a team leader. I felt like I didn't get ragged on as much because of him. He definitely gave me confidence on which pitches to call."

Because he was a late bloomer at the plate, Notaro hasn't received tons of attention from college and professional scouts. As the season's progressed, however, Long Beach State, UC Riverside and Cal State Northridge have begun to show interest, Notaro said.

"I'm waiting for them to contact me," he said. "Hopefully I'll get a few calls and we can go from there. I definitely want to play Division I ball."