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Sports

Animo's Amador Makes All-City Baseball Team

City Section coaches vote the Pirates' freshman utility player to the Division III squad.

Moises Amador is a five-foot-five freshman, but whatever he is lacking in size and experience he makes up for with instinct and ability. Even if he looks diminutive, his contribution was huge to the Animo Venice High baseball team this season.

The Pirates' second baseman/utility player put up gaudy numbers this spring: a .645 batting average, a .711 on-base percentage, a .839 slugging percentage, 20 hits, 17 runs, 13 RBIs, 17 stolen bases, three doubles and one home run. He won Animo Venice's Rookie of the Year Award and led the Pirates into the playoffs.

The City Section baseball coaches' advisory committee took notice, voting Amador to its All-City Division III team at the utility position. He is the only ninth-grader on the squad and the only Animo Venice player selected.

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"Moises is still a little guy but he is definitely a very gifted player with tons of natural talent," Animo Venice Coach Darryl Washburn said. "He is very consistent both defensively and offensively and is as close to a five-tool player as you will see in a freshman."

Amador was a superstar in the Culver Marina Little League, as is his younger brother Cristian, who will be a freshman at Animo Venice next year. The siblings have baseball in their blood as their father, Moises Sr., played at Culver City High and was a standout in the Victory Adult League. 

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"With three years left to grow I look forward to seeing Moises develop further," Washburn added. "We'll be seeing his little brother next year who appears to be cut from the same cloth as his big brother and his father, who is an accomplished baseball player in his own right." 

Animo Venice posted a 10-6 overall record and finished third in the Crosstown League standings behind Community Harvest and Port of Los Angeles. The Pirates' season ended May 20 with a 5-1 loss to eventual-champion Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in the first round of the City Division III playoffs. 

David Lira and William Vasquez of San Fernando were named the Division I co-Players of the Year; Angel Araujo of Los Angeles Wilson was voted the Division II Player of the Year and Christian Dye of LACES was selected Division III Player of the Year.

Amador is joined on the All-City Division III team by:

Pitchers Garrett Markado of Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies, Colke Micek of Port of Los Angeles, Ryan Taylor of LACES and Anthony Zepeda of Northridge Academy; catchers Sam Halac of SOCES and Omar Nevaerez of Harbor Prep; infielders Javier Au of Community Harvest, Jose Cedillo of Fulton Prep, Josh McKie of LACES and Brian Schwartz of SOCES; outfielders Cesar Medina of Port of Los Angeles, Jesus Victorio of Community Harvest, Luis Resendez of East Valley; and fellow utility players Jacob Garcia of Port of Los Angeles, Ricky Juarez of Community Harvest and Bryan Thang of Fulton Prep.

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