NOTES AND QUOTES for a Wednesday in the Napa Valley:

Mike Neu doesn’t have a lot of coaching experience, but he said an extensive college and pro career has provided him with the experience and know-how that is necessary to lead a community college baseball program.

Last August Neu, a 1996 Vintage High School graduate who pitched as a reliever during the 2003 season with the Oakland Athletics, was named as the head coach at Diablo Valley College-Pleasant Hill. Neu is a product of the JC ranks, having pitched for Sacramento City College for two years, earning the Bay Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year award and JUCO All-America and All-State honors. Sacramento posted a dominating record of 44-2 and won the National JUCO championship and California State title.

“I went that (JC) route, too, so I believe in it,” Neu said. “I was in kind of the same boat where I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do out of high school, and I went to Sac City and it ended up being the best thing for me. I really believe in the way it works. It can be really beneficial for a lot of guys.”

He pitched one year at the University of Miami, helping the Hurricanes to a 50-13 record and a College World Series title. Neu was a Collegiate Baseball All-American and All-College World Series team selection.

The right-hander pitched in the minors for Cincinnati, Florida and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball rule 5 draft by Oakland, he spent the 2003 season with the A’s, posting a 3.64 ERA in 32 relief appearances.

In 2004 he was acquired by Florida and split time with the Marlins and their Triple-A affiliate in Albuquerque. Neu signed as a free agent with Los Angeles in 2005 and played for the Triple-A team in Las Vegas.

“Obviously, I wish I was playing longer,” he said. “I would have liked to have played 10 years in the big leagues. But I always knew I wanted to coach.”

Neu, who had surgery in 2006 on his rotator cuff and labrum, was Diablo Valley’s pitching coach for the last two years. When Bob Ralston stepped down, school officials named him as the Vikings coach.

“I like this level a lot, because I felt like when I played at this level I really learned a lot about the game and I got a chance to really better myself as a player,” he said. “You ease into the school part of it, which is good.”

Neu said he always wanted to coach, and began preparing himself for that day when he pitched in the pros.

“I’ve been through every level and have gotten a chance to experience a lot of stuff in this game,” he said. “I try to use everything I’ve learned. Knowing that I wanted to coach down the road, I paid attention to a lot of details and started to think about that stuff even when I was playing.

“I’m learning and I want to get better as a coach every day. I definitely think I’m ready and I’m going to try to prepare these guys the best I can. Once we get on the field and play these games, it’s going to be their team, it’s going to be their deal to go out there and have some fun.  I’m having fun. I feel good about our team.”

Neu is a part-time instructor and teaches P.E. classes.

DVC is in the Big 8 Conference and opens the 2009 season Jan. 27.

“From top to bottom, the conference is so tough,” he said. “Every single league game we play, you just go in ready for a dogfight.”

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Carlos Diaz, a Vintage graduate who plays professionally as a forward/striker for Ferencvarosi TC, a Second-Division professional club in the eastern group of the Hungarian National Championship II, will be a guest of the “KVON Sportsvine” Saturday.

The hour-long show starts at 9 a.m. on KVON-1440 AM and is hosted by Terry Simpkins, Charles Kennedy and Mark McLeod.

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Tony DeFrancesco was named manager of the Sacramento River Cats, the Oakland A’s Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League.

DeFrancseco returns to Sacramento, where he managed from 2003-07, after spending the 2008 season on Oakland’s major league coaching staff. He guided the River Cats to a 413-307 (.574) record and three PCL titles (2003-04; 07).

DeFrancesco was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 2003.

E-mail Executive Sports Editor Marty James at mjames@napanews.com or call 256-2223.