Matt Weir / The Collegian
With opening day just around the corner, junior Danny Muno is prepared both mentally and physically to give fans something to look forward to in his third season as a Bulldog.
Muno landed a spot on the Louisville Slugger list of 2010 preseason All-Americans after finishing last season with a .379 batting average, 85 hits, 41 runs batted in, 13 stolen bases and a single season record with 64 walks.
After the Bulldogs fell short in last year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament in Irvine, Calif., Muno was left unsatisfied and eager to improve in the offseason.
Muno was invited to play in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, in Massaachussets for the Orleans Firebirds last summer and the opportunity was only made more enjoyable
by getting to play on the same team as his older brother Kevin, who currently plays for University of California, San Diego.
“It was a blast,” Muno said. “It reminded me of high school, and playing with him when we were growing up.”
His brother Kevin wasn’t the only familiar face while playing on the east coast; the Firebirds’ head coach Kelly Nicholson was a math teacher and baseball coach at the brothers’
alma mater, Loyola High School.
In addition to improving his speed and fielding skills while in Massachusetts, Muno spent time in Santa Barbara at a facility that trains some of the world’s most elite athletes. Muno learned how to prepare mentally for the upcoming season and for the big leagues while spending time with several high profile players including Seattle Mariners pitcher Garret Olson, and Minnesota Twins outfielder Delmon Young.
“They offered a lot of advice while I was there,” Muno said. “They stressed the importance of always being a good teammate before anything.”
To Fresno State fans, it’s no secret Danny Muno is a star at the plate. Since his freshman year, Muno has continuously produced hits for the Bulldog lineup. With his keen hand-eye coordination and fundamentally sound swing, he is arguably one of the nation’s top leadoff hitters.
Two years ago as a freshman, Muno made his mark early and earned a starting spot quickly. He started 74 games that season and played shortstop for the national champion Bulldogs. Last season he split time between shortstop and second base, and this year he’ll be spending most of his time at second.
“Whatever helps the team out,” Muno said. “I played second base in high school and during my summer league, so I’m comfortable at either spot.”
Fans have watched the talented 20-year-old grow into a mature player over the last two years. From striking out, to putting balls over the outfield fence, having the patience at the plate to draw walks and even driving the ball up the middle for a game winning hit, Muno has been nothing short of smooth and classy since becoming a Bulldog.
“With at-bats comes more experience,” Muno said. “You learn how to deal with adversity, which I’ve learned a lot about this summer playing in the Cape.”
This season Muno will have his eyes on Omaha, but first he’s ready to help clinch the Bulldogs’ fourth consecutive Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title.
The 2010 team was recently picked as the favorite to win the WAC title in the coach’s preseason poll, and Muno was named the conference’s preseason Player of the Year.
With the offseason coming to an end, Muno and the Bulldogs are more than ready to take the field against Nebraska on Feb. 19, and one of Muno’s goals for the team is to start this season stronger than the previous two.
“We’ve always had a rough time getting off to a good start,” Muno said. “But we’ve been working really hard in practice and in the weight room to get the team ready for the beginning of the season by finding the right lineup and building chemistry.”
As the Bulldogs hope to build chemistry early on, one thing fans can look forward to is the chemistry Muno has consistently displayed swinging a baseball bat.