Newport Harbor Baseball
Coaching Staff

Patrick Murphy, Varsity Head Coach

The 2010 season will be Coach Murphy’s 14 th year in high school baseball. Having most recently worked as the varsity pitching coach (2008 – Sunset League Champions) and hitting coach (2009) at Los Alamitos High School, he is familiar with what it takes to compete in the always demanding Sunset League.

In 2005, Coach Murphy was the Associate Head Coach of the Division II CIF CHAMPIONS from Cypress High School.

In 13 seasons, he has experienced 10 CIF playoff appearances and eight league championships. Four of his former pitchers were drafted in the 2009 MLB draft, and since 2002 Coach Murphy has worked with four first round draft picks.

His former teams have been ranked #1 in Orange County on four occasions (2000, 2001, 2005, & 2008), and #1 in California twice (2001 & 2008).

Outside of high school, Coach Murphy has been apart of two World Series staffs: the 16U OC Cardinals (2000) and the 18U Trombly Bulldogs (2005).

Shaun Larkin, Varsity Coach

Coach Larkin joins the Newport Harbor coaching staff following a distinguished playing career.

He was a four year varsity starter at Pacifica/La Quinta High Schools where he played for Hall of Fame coach Dave Demarest and was awarded multiple All-League honors. He went on to win MVP of the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) playing for nationally recognized head coach Scott Pickler and the Cypress Chargers in 1999. At both La Quinta and Cypress, Coach Larkin played with current Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird.

“Lark” then transitioned to Division 1 baseball where he played for Mike Batesole (2008 NCAA Champion with Fresno State) at Cal State Northridge and earned ALL-BIG WEST honors. Coach Larkin is the current NCAA Record Holder for most consecutive times reaching base (18). Following a successful campaign at Northridge, where he hit .361 with 15 hrs and 49 RBIs in 57 games, Coach Larkin was drafted in the 9 th round by the Cleveland Indians. In six professional seasons Coach Larkin reached the AAA level. Well-respected within the organization, he was asked to be a “player/coach” in his sixth season with the Indians. In his 7 th year, he assumed hitting instructor responsibilities with the Akron Aeros (Cleveland’s AA affiliate), and was also hired to coach winter ball in Nicaragua.

Currently, “Lark” is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology from Cal State Fullerton. He has aspirations of one day returning to professional baseball as a Mental Skills Coordinator.

COACH MIKE HOGAN – PAYING IT FORWARD

Mike Hogan has had his day in the sun, he has lived the dream that every baseball player has, which is to play professional baseball. His dream started right here in Southern California and right here at Newport Harbor High School. His odyssey began in 1977 where he was a standout pitcher for the Newport Harbor Sailors, he went on to play at Orange Coast College, then transferred to Arizona State and was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1982 draft and played 6 seasons in the pros.

So Mike Hogan is back, and he is here to “Pay it Forward” to the next generation of baseball stars from the same dirt from which he came. If you ever meet Mike on the street he is the friendliest guy a person could ever know. But if you ever meet Mike between the lines, he is one of the most feared competitors you might be unlucky enough to come up against. If you are a batter, expect chin music, high heat and the ball pounded inside. Like a guard dog, he protects his turf, the inside of the plate is his territory, and he protects it and proves it with every batter.

The fire burns brightly in Coach Hogan, or Hogie as the coaches call him, and he is here at Newport Harbor to pass along his knowledge and passion to the next generation of baseball talent. Make no bones about it, Mike Hogan came from the dirt of Newport Harbor and he has come back to that same dirt to lead a competitive legacy for Coach Murphy’s program.

Coach Hogan will be pitching for the Alumni team at this year’s 2010 Alumni game. Hogan first arrived back last year, when he pitched against the Varsity. It was a real treat to watch him pitch. He may be 50 but he is still throwing in the high 80s with a wicked curveball and a move to first that runners could lose their shorts over.

But there is more to Coach Hogan than just fire, he has a love for the players and the game, and it is contagious. We are all very lucky to have Coach Murphy with his positive style of coaching and expansive knowledge of the game and it is only accented and bolstered by Coach Hogan.

So if you get a chance, say hi to Coach Hogan, thank him for coming back to the dirt where it all began to put a reality stamp on the dream each of our players has in his heart. It Happened for Him – It Could Happen to Them! Live the Dream, Be the Dream!!

This is Mark Gerard from Between the Lines and Let’s Go Build Champions Together.

Go Sailors,