QUITE A CATCH

It’s the game within the game that hides behind the mask of Dane Sardinha.

The quiet catcher of the Stockton-based Mudville Nine is becoming an elite defender in his first professional season.

That’s not much of a secret for those who saw Sardinha, 21, catch at Pepperdine.

But in the California League, where organizations send young players to smooth rough edges, Sardinha stands out as a polished gem.

Sardinha has one error in 21 games, but as players and coaches marvel at his catching and throwing, he aims to succeed with the bat as well.

“Playing every day is something new,” Sardinha said. “So much of it is about finding consistency.”

That’s what Sardinha wants to accomplish.

“For a kid who hasn’t played pro ball, he is way above average defensively,” Manager Dave Oliver said.

“Behind the plate, as far as receiving and throwing goes, he has the tools to play in the big leagues.”

Defense always has been Sardinha’s strong suit. But he’s a work-in-progress with the bat. He’s known as a bad-ball hitter who can be as impatient at the plate as he can be patient behind it.

“He’s a young hitter,” Oliver said. “At this stage, he’s so good defensively that his offense is icing on the cake.”

Sardinha, an easy-going native of Hawaii, isn’t worried.

He was batting .254 entering this weekend and banged out four hits, including his first home run, Friday against the JetHawks at Lancaster.

“I know what I can do behind the plate and that’s my job,” Sardinha said. “I feel fine with the bat. I know I’m a better hitter than what I’m doing now.”

Despite his offensive shortcomings, Sardinha is projected as the future catcher of the Cincinnati Reds.

He signed a guaranteed $1.75 million six-year major league contract in September after being selected by the Reds in the second round of the amateur draft in June.

The Reds hope the offensive numbers Sardinha put up in college--a .330 career average and a Pepperdine-record 45 home runs from 1998-2000--will gradually evolve at the major league level.

Oliver is a believer. He played briefly in the major leagues and spent 10 years coaching with the Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.

He was coaching at Texas when Ivan Rodriguez broke into the big leagues at age 19. Sardinha’s build and arm elicit memories of a young Rodriguez.

“At this point, Dane is a better receiver then [Rodriguez] was at that age,” Oliver said. “I’ve never seen a catcher who gets rid of the ball as fast as Rodriguez. But Pudge is in the American League. There might just be room for a catcher as good as Dane is in the National League.”

JetHawk pitcher Tanner Eriksen, who played at USC and faced Sardinha in college, told teammates about Sardinha’s defensive abilities.

“He is special behind the plate,” Eriksen said. “I called him that in our meetings and guys laughed that I used the word, but it’s true. It’s only a matter of time before you’re seeing him on TV.”

Case in point: Sardinha threw out a runner at third base by five feet Friday night. The JetHawks did not try another steal.

Sardinha’s sophisticated game-calling skills have endeared him to the Mudville pitchers.

“He’s not just putting down fingers back there,” said right-hander Scott Dunn, who is 3-1 with a 1.88 earned-run average. “He makes a pitcher’s job a lot easier. He has the same ideas you have in terms of what pitch to throw in what situation. That’s what you want in your catcher.”

All in a day’s work for Sardinha, who takes pride in knowing the book on the hitters.

“By the time I’m in the game, he’s gone through the lineup two or three times,” reliever Mike Neu said. “What you find out is that he’s found out the same weaknesses in hitters that you have, and that makes you go after guys with the same plan.”

Sardinha’s stay in the minor leagues could be brief, especially if he improves with the bat.

“I just want to swing at everything,” said Sardinha, who has walked three times in 75 at-bats. “I usually want to swing my way out of slumps. I guess, at this point, I need to learn the strike zone a little better and be more selective.”