TITANS ’03: Earned
freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America
(first team) and was also a second-team All-Big West Conference pick •
Beat out veteran Jason Corapci for the starting second base position to
start the season and was a fixture the rest of the way • Typified the
“Titan way”: he led the team in sac hits (12) and walks (31) and
didn’t strike out a lot (less than once every 10 at bats) • Ninth
in the Big West in on-base percentage (.427), 10th in hits (73), and tied
for fifth in steals (13) • Named to the Fullerton Regional all-tournament
team after going 4-for-11 with three RBI • In the super regional clincher
vs. Arizona State, he tripled in the first run in the first inning and the
Titans never looked back • Also named to the College World Series all-tournament
team after going 5-for-12 with four RBI • Had his best game of the
CWS in a key win over Stanford on Feb. 15, when he went 3-for-3 with three
RBI and hit his first career homer, a two-run shot off freshman All-American
Mark Romanczuk • Was knocked out of the Titans' final game when he
was hit in the face by a pitch from Matt Manship • Had just five errors
(and just one fielding error) in 47 starts at second base and 14 at shortstop
• Hit safely in 17 of his last 20 games • Had an 11-game hitting
streak from Mar. 21 through Apr. 8, which raised his average from .289 to
.333 • Baseball America named him the best freshman second baseman
in the nation through the midseason point • Struck out just once in
his first 73 at bats • Good pressure hitter (.395 average with runners
on base and two outs and .329 hitter vs. ranked teams) • Had a two
run-single in the Titans’ eight-run ninth inning rally vs. Nevada on
Feb. 21 • Had two hits in his collegiate debut, including a single
in his first at-bat.
MAYFAIR H.S.: Was a three-time first-team All-Suburban League player
at Mayfair H.S. in Lakewood, Calif., where he played shortstop and second
base for Coach Frank Ravelo • Capped his career by claiming league
MVP honors his senior year, when he hit .450 and .514 in league play to
help Mayfair to the league title • Hit home runs in three consecutive
at-bats his senior year • Batted .392 as a junior and .488 his sophomore
season • Named to the honor roll all four years.
PERSONAL: Born on Nov. 23, 1984, in Long Beach, Calif. • Parents
are John and Betsy Turner • Has a younger sister (Jillian) • Major
is undecided • Nickname is Red for obvious reasons • Used to be
a bat boy for the team • Was one of four Titans on the Long Beach Cardinals,
which captured the Connie Mack World Series championship in Farmington,
N.M. in 2002 • Lists sports psychologist Ken Ravizza’s Stress
Management as his favorite class • The best player he’s competed
against is former Titan recruit Scott Moore, a first-round draft pick of
Detroit in 2002 • Says his dad has had the most influence on him •
Favorites...Friday (movie), Reed Johnson (player), www.baseballresource.com
(web site), Jessica Alba (actress)
