Some observations as we prepare for summer….

I was intrigued by the offensive execution of Cal State-Fullerton in its 11-5 win over Maine in the Central II Regional.

According to Coach Augie Garrido, his philosophy is to play for a run an inning.

So if the leadoff man got on base, the next hitter squared around to either bunt or work a pitcher into a count disadvantage. He might even slash off a fake bunt.

If the Titans got way ahead in the count, they would take pitches.

It reminded me of Little League when you’d get a 3-0 count and your coach would have you square around to distract the pitcher into throwing ball four.

He also explained that by squaring around into bunt position, pitchers might speed up their delivery (to prevent stealing) and that could lead to control trouble as it did for Maine. If the pitchers didn’t speed up their delivery, the Titans could steal bases more easily.

They squared around early so that forced the infielders to commit themselves, leaving big gaps in the infield so the hitter could slash effectively.

I’ve always loved the slash. It isn’t easy to do and it requires exceptional bat control and practice.

But teams need to be able to manufacture runs in case they run into a stingy pitcher, and it is also important to put pressure on opposing defenses.

This is one of the beauties of baseball.

It is a chess game and each pitch holds a potential surprise.

In the case of Cal State-Fullerton, Garrido needed to have unselfish players to execute and that’s what he had.

He explained that the key to that unselfishness is transforming ego into team pride.

He has obviously mastered that transformation. – – –

Don’t you think there are millions of hockey executives out there who breathed a sigh of relief when the Los Angeles Kings beat the Toronto Maple Leafs to earn a spot in the final against Montreal? And then the Kings went out and won game one, 4-1.

Hockey is enjoying an unprecedented growth across America – the bustling East Coast Hockey League is one of the best sports stories of the decade – and to have Wayne Gretzky and Co. showcased in the finals can only help the sport.

Gretzky embodies all the positive aspects of the sport: skating, passing, shooting, creativity and grace.

He is also humble and a terrific ambassador for the sport.

In addition, Kings owner Bruce McNall is a classy, self-made millionaire who has become a very important figure in the league.

He deserves to be in a Stanley Cup final.

And the Kings are fun to watch, especially now that defenseman Marty McSorley has shed his goon image and is playing the best hockey of his career.

The Kings merchandise is also very marketable.

A Toronto-Montreal final might have been great for Canada, but it would have been a TV bust in America. – – –

How can anybody let a player on another team score 54 points against them in a playoff game like Michael Jordan did against the New York Knicks the other night?

There’s a lot more at stake than an NBA title (i.e. endorsements). The Knicks let Jordan reach into their wallets.

He must pay the price. Every time he shoots the ball, he should get bumped or swatted. I don’t mean hurt him, but let him know every time he shoots there’s going to be a little discomfort involved.

There is no way a team should allow one man to beat it.

If it’s a goalie in hockey, you’ve got to attack the net and take his eyes away by screening him. If it’s a pitcher in baseball, you’ve got to step out on him, take pitches and manufacture runs any way you can.

One of the things I love about hockey is the stars have to pay the price. Gretzky takes his share of checks. So does Mario Lemieux.

Hockey stars earn their rewards.