For Keller, it's been a tale of two teams
Agoura's senior backstop playing at a high level
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers HIT THE MITT- Charger catcher Steven Keller receives a pitch during Monday's practice at AHS. Last Friday, Keller and the Chargers won their first league game of the year, beating Westlake 11-9.

If there's a book that best describes the baseball career of Agoura High senior Steven Keller, it would have to be Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities," based on the novel's opening line, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

The best of times for Keller would be his first two seasons at AHS. At that juncture, Agoura was a national powerhouse. Before the beginning of his sophomore season, the Chargers were ranked No. 1 in the nation by Baseball America.

That same season, Agoura made the CIFSouthern Section Division I final and were three outs away from a championship before Lakewood High scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win. Keller didn't know it at the time, but the worst of times were about to begin.

Since the loss in the title game, Agoura has won just 14 games overall and only two games in the Marmonte League, with the Chargers' first league victory of the 2008 campaign coming last Friday against Westlake High.

Steven Keller

But while the Chargers have struggled, a couple of players have shined bright. One of them is Keller, who went from being just the personal catcher for former pitcher Robert Stock to one of the most feared hitters in the Agoura lineup.

"Originally, we didn't have anyone that could catch Stock, and (former head coach) Scott Deck was getting upset about all the balls going to the backstop," Agoura head coach Russ Stephans said.

"I told him we had a catcher at the junior varsity level that could probably catch (Stock), and soon after Keller was brought up. But that was basically his only job at that time. We even DH'd for him a few times when he caught."

Times have changed, however, and now there's nobody producing more in the Agoura lineup than Keller.

Entering yesterday's game at Moorpark, Keller led the Chargers in batting average (.468), slugging percentage (.806), onbase percentage (.539) and RBI (13).

"He started out as a singles and gap hitter, but now he's more of a pull hitter and a power threat," Stephans said. "A lot of that has to do with maturity, but he also hit the weight room a lot during the offseason."

Keller first started playing baseball when he was 7 and soon after became a catcher. Keller said he began competing with the Dusters travel team when he was 10.

"Playing for the Dusters was one of the best times of my life," Keller said. "I loved playing ball every day. I was playing in tournaments all the time, and it was when I really started to enjoy playing the game."

During Keller's time with the Dusters, Stephans first took notice of the catcher. Keller quickly made an impression at AHS during tryouts, and he made the junior varsity team before being brought up to varsity.

"I wasn't expecting to be called up to the varsity team my first year, but I knew that they needed a little help catching," Keller said.

"My coaches, including Stephans, gave me good advice by telling me that if I did my job every day and worked hard, good things will happen."

During Keller's second season at AHS he improved enough to bat .263 in a limited number of games (17 out of 30). Keller was on the field every day when Stock was pitching and therefore became an important part of a stellar team.

"That was a special team," Keller said. "I remember early in the (2006) season Nick Farinacci putting a clipping from Baseball America in our dugout. The clipping said we were the No. 1ranked team in the nation. I knew we were good, but not that good. The rest of the year we fought hard to keep that title.

"When we lost that last game of the year, it was one of the worst moments of my life. It was really hard to take."

While Keller's numbers have gone up, the team has struggled after graduating most of its impact players from the '06 squad. Keller said another reason for the struggles is because the Chargers aren't working together as a team as much as they did two years ago.

"During my sophomore year, we did everything as a team," Keller said. "If someone was going to the field to take extra batting practice or ground balls, they called up someone else on the team.

"That doesn't really happen anymore. Guys still work hard every day, but in little groups. They fight really hard to win their position and for a chance to play, but the extra work stops."

Keller said he'd like nothing more than the Chargers to come together as a team before he graduates, but time is running thin.

The catcher, who's an avid fisherman, cited a team fishing trip as one of his favorite moments this season. Keller, a true team player, caught the biggest fish on the day but refused to take credit.

"I hooked the biggest fish that day," Keller said. "My teammate, Chad Kanner, had the line on a fish and he had me hold it while he went to get a hamburger or something. It was a sheepshead fish that was pretty big, about 9 pounds. I was just glad to help."

Stat sheet

In his final year at

Agoura High, senior

catcher Steven Keller has been swinging a hot bat for

the Chargers. Here are his

stats entering the week:

At-bats: 62

Hits: 29

Average: .468

Runs: 20 Stolen bases: 6

Doubles: 12 Home runs: 3

RBI: 13