Fresno State Athletics
Baseball's Magic Number
9/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Sept. 24, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - The last decade has been full of great players to come through the Fresno State baseball program. From 2001 to present, the Bulldogs have had 38 players drafted, 10 All-Americans and 36 first-team All-WAC honorees. One Fresno State jersey has the magic touch and the last five offensive players to wear No. 27 have been named an All-American.
Three of the former Bulldogs to have worn the No. 27 are currently playing AA ball, one is playing in the majors and the latest addition to wear the special number is entering his sophomore year. From 2001-03 the number belonged to Brewer infielder, Casey McGehee, followed by Richie Robnett in 2004, Beau Mills from 2005-06, Steve Susdorf in 2008 and Dusty Robinson from 2009 until now.
McGehee was the first No. 27 to earn all-American honors. He was named a freshman all-American in 2001 and throughout his career earned both first and second team All-WAC honors. In 2001, he had a 31-game hitting streak, which was the longest in the WAC that year and second longest in Fresno State history. In his three years in the No. 27 uniform, McGehee hit 42 doubles 16 home runs and 132 RBIs before getting drafted in the 10th round by the Cubs.
McGehee is currently an infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers hitting .305 with 18 doubles, a triple, 15 home runs and 61 RBIs.
A year later, the number was passed on to Robnett. He only wore the number for a year, but it was long enough for the All-American luck to rub off as Robnett was named an all-American by several publications at the end of the 2004 season. He hit .384 with 27 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 51 RBIs. He was named WAC Player of the Year and the first player since Ben Fritz to be drafted in the first round of the MLB draft. Robnett was the 26th overall pick by the Oakland A's in 2004.
Once Robnett moved on to the minor leagues, Mills inherited the jersey in 2005. Mills had a strong freshman campaign hitting .355 with 12 doubles, 22 home runs and 63 RBIs. His stellar performance at third base earned him multiple freshman All-American awards. Mills was named WAC Freshman of the Year and first-team All-WAC his first season. During his two year career, Mills tallied a .336 batting average with 32 doubles, 36 home runs and 71 RBIs. He is currently playing AA ball in the Cleveland Indians organization.
After Mills, the jersey took a break before becoming Susdorf's final Bulldog number. Head coach Mike Batesole is the one who had the idea for Susdorf to wear the No. 27.
"I remember watching the '07 draft very excited because Susdorf was going to be taken in the 6th-8th rounds," said Batesole. "After not being drafted out of high school, this was a good slot for him and should have been enough money to make sense for him to sign and get on with a professional career. This should have been one of the greatest days of his life. As we watched the draft ticker hit 10th, 11th, 12th rounds I was getting more and more angry. As the 18th, 19th 20th rounds ended, I could feel the blood and heat rushing up my neck and into my face. What the crap were these scouts thinking? Finally in the 27th round his name popped up but it wasn't excitement - I was mad. The second his name popped up I dialed his number. I didn't even say hello. `Sus, here's the plan. We are going to switch your number to 27. You are going to wear No. 27 and you are going to have the best year any senior in this program has ever had! And every day, every scout is going to see you rounding the bases with a big fat 27 on your back.' He responded with, `Dude, that's intense.' No good byes - click. And we went to work on a National Championship."
During his career, Susdorf won three WAC league and tournament titles and helped the program win its first National Championship. His senior year he set the single-season record for most doubles with 33 as a senior. Susdorf owns the career record for doubles with 70. In 2008, he hit .344 playing in all 78 games. Susdorf hit three triples, 13 home runs and named the WAC Player of the Year. He was drafted in 16th round by the Phillies and is currently playing AA ball for the Reading Phillies.
The latest No. 27 and freshman All-American is Robinson. He took over not only Susdorf's number, but also his position in left field. Robinson wears the number simply because it was the number Batesole had given him.
Robinson had a standout freshman year earning first-team All-WAC honors and named a four-time freshman All-American. He started 52 of 62 games in his first year hitting .319. Robinson tallied 12 doubles, a triple and 45 RBIs. He knocked 15 out of the park for the second most home runs on the team behind Tom Mendonca. Robinson was the first Bulldog to hit a home run in 2009.
No. 27 has a past and present full of standout all-American baseball players. Only time will tell how bright of a future the lucky number has.
"We Are Your Team!" For more information about Fresno State baseball log onto gobulldog.com.
