MV pitcher Davis spending summer playing throughout U.S. and beyond

By Pete Borello, Town Crier Staff Writer

It seems fitting that Erik Davis is competing in the Area Code Games this week.

The incoming senior at Mountain View High school has played baseball in plenty of area codes this summer and probably has given his cell phone quite a workout.

Davis estimates he’s been home just five or six days all summer, with the rest of his days spent either playing in national and international competitions or traveling to and from them.

Last Friday he flew from Detroit, where he was playing in the AAU Nationals with the West Bay Titans, to Long Beach for the Area Code Games. Running through Saturday, the tournament is a showcase for the top high school players in the United States and the Dominican Republic — and a magnet for major league scouts (400 attended last year’s event).

Most, if not all, the scouts already know about the 16-year-old Davis, who has developed into one of the top high school pitchers in the country.

The July 20 issue of Baseball America ranks Davis as the 11th-best prospect in the nation for the class of 2004. In June he was rated the top prospect at the Perfect Game’s National Showcase in Lincoln, Neb., (where Davis was favorably compared to Chicago Cubs star Mark Prior) and at the TeamOne Baseball West Showcase in Tempe, Ariz.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Davis is known for his blazing fastball, which tops out at about 94 mph, but his improving slider and change-up are making him even more dangerous.

Davis is also getting better in another area: self-confidence.

“He’s more confident,” said Dave Salter, head coach of the Titans “He now believes he’s as good as he is, which I’ve been telling him for years.”

The highlight of Davis’ summer, thus far, has been playing for the U.S. National under-18 team in last month’s Pan Am Cup in Curacao (Caribbean).

“It was really cool to play for Team USA,” he said.

Davis initially did not make the squad, only getting called up after another pitcher was injured. The Mountain View resident seized the opportunity, playing a key role in his team’s silver-medal effort (the United States lost to Cuba in the final). Davis did not allow a run in 12 2/3 innings of work and won both his starts. He was named “Best Right-Handed Pitcher” of the weeklong tournament.

“It felt really good, especially since I was originally a reserve, ” Davis said of his performance. “It proved I belonged there.”

After the Area Code Games, Davis will take part in one more major showcase prior to the start of school: The All-American Game. The Aug. 21 contest, pitting East vs. West, will be televised on ESPN.

After that, Davis will be in his own area code for awhile, where he plans to work on his conditioning and gain 10-15 pounds for next season.

“I want to get bigger and stronger, and I want to get even better,” he said. “I want to get as good as I can, so I can get drafted high enough or get to play right away in college.”

Davis’ father, Tom, said his son “has tons of choices” as far as colleges go, but no decision has been made yet.