i ▁Valley , ▁California , ▁and ▁attended ▁Sim i ▁Valley ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁College ▁career ▁We aver ▁attended ▁college ▁at ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁Long ▁Beach . ▁We aver ▁went ▁ 3 7 – 9 ▁during ▁his ▁baseball ▁career ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach ▁State . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁final ▁season ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁top ▁pro ▁pitch ing ▁prospect ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁going ▁ 1 5 – 1 , ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 . 6 2 ▁earned ▁run ▁average ▁( ER A ), ▁ 2 1 3 ▁strike outs ▁and ▁just ▁ 2 1 ▁wal ks ▁in ▁ 1 4 4 ▁inn ings . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁season , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Golden ▁Sp ikes ▁Award ▁as ▁the ▁top ▁amateur ▁baseball ▁player ▁in ▁America , ▁the ▁Dick ▁How ser ▁Tro phy ▁as ▁the ▁national ▁colleg iate ▁baseball ▁player ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁the ▁Roger ▁C lem ens ▁Award ▁as ▁college ▁baseball ' s ▁top ▁pitch er , ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁starting ▁pitch er ▁on ▁the ▁All - American ▁first ▁team ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America . ▁ ▁A ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁called ▁him ▁domin ating , ▁describing ▁his ▁pitch ing ▁as ▁over wh el ming ▁" bat ters ▁with ▁a ▁fast ball ▁between ▁ 8 9 ▁and ▁ 9 4 ▁m ph , ▁a ▁sharp ▁slider ▁and ▁an ▁impro ving ▁curve ball ▁all ▁thrown ▁with ▁the ▁same ▁three - qu arter ▁arm ▁delivery . ▁He ▁also ▁has ▁a