CSU East Bay’s athletic department announced some major news on July 27 with the hiring of alumnus Bob Ralston as the baseball program’s head coach, replacing the retiring Dirk Morrison.

Ralston’s resume includes a 21-year coaching career across multiple levels of baseball including stops at Diablo Valley College, Clayton Valley High School and Williamsport, New York where he managed a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

Recent graduate of CSUEB Johnny Volk was on the search committee for the new baseball coach and cited Ralston’s coaching resume and alumnus status as key factors in the committee’s decision making process.

“His professional experience was instrumental during the selection process,” said Volk. “With coaching experience at every level, he wasn’t looking for this job as a step up in his career, but really just wanted to come back to his alma mater.”

Ralston’s experiences throughout the various levels of baseball have shaped his philosophy as a coach, and will have an impact on how he manages while at CSUEB.

“Baseball gets down to the basics at all levels,” said Ralston. “My philosophy of throwing strikes, making plays, putting pressure on the defense and having good at bats, all those things need to be done at every level to compete.”

It is that philosophy which Ralston believes will change the culture of the baseball program at CSUEB, which suffered through an 18-32 record last season.

Fortunately Ralston will have some quality talent returning, including pitchers Zachary Wong, Brandyn Bell and Bryce Miller—who Ralston knows from Miller’s time at Amador Valley High School.

However, Ralston’s lack of familiarity with the roster encouraged him to assess all of his players, creating a competition for playing time even amongst the quality returners.

“There are not many guys I’ve been in touch with so everybody is going to have an opportunity to compete for a spot,” said Ralston. “Obviously there are a few pitchers that had pretty good stats last year, with Wong and Miller and Bell but like I said I haven’t seen them play and everybody’s going to have to come out and compete and earn a spot.”

Ralston will not be alone in making the assessment for playing time, as he has already hired an assistant coach, Darren Lewis.
Lewis played in the major leagues for 13 years, including stints with both the A’s and the Giants—where he won a Gold Glove in 1994.

Bringing such an accomplished player in to coach has already won Ralston kudos from players who are excited to work with a Gold Glove centerfielder.

The hiring of both Ralston and Lewis is the beginning of the future of the CSUEB baseball program and Ralston believes that it will take time to achieve success on the diamond.

“Our goal is to compete and be in every game and take one game at a time,” said Ralston.
“Our goal is to eventually compete for a championship obviously, so if we take care of the little things, worry about one day at a time, and worry about getting better each day, well we’ll see where the chips fall at that point.”

Ralston and Lewis bring both the hope and the plans that the baseball program needed in order to one day compete at the championship level.