By For any player who has ever donned the black pinstripes for Long Beach State, the meaning behind the team nickname – Dirtbags – is different.
The consensus seems to be that a Dirtbag embodies a style of play where the players give every ounce of everything they have until the moment they leave the field. And, of course, it means dirtying those pinstripes.
For senior second baseman Matt Cline, that’s exactly what it means, and exactly how he plays.
“For me it’s just giving it all you’ve got, just giving it 110 percent every day,” Cline said. “Diving and getting dirty. If you see me after a game, I’m always pretty much completely dirty.”
Pretty much always dirty, and lately pretty much always smiling. Whether it’s a game-winning RBI or a catch in the infield, Cline has been on top lately.
His performance last week against SDSU and Pacific has kept his .343 batting average a team-leading statistic. His six stolen bases also lead the team. Whether batting ninth or second, Cline has gotten a hit in nearly every game he has played.
Not to mention Cline has made several clutch defensive plays. His .970 fielding average isn’t far behind Brandon Godfrey‘s .972, which leads the starting infielders.
All this comes at no surprise to Dirtbags’ head coach Mike Weathers. Known as “Matt the Rat” amongst the team, Weathers said the nickname shows just how hard he works and how devoted he is to the game of baseball, calling him “the perfect Dirtbag.”
But with all his success, Cline still has yet to be recognized for it.
Several other players seem to have taken the spotlight over Cline on several occasions this season, leaving him to fly under the radar. His multi-hit game streak that helped the Dirtbags defeat UC Davis and take their third series in a row went unnoticed in the Big West Conference, as he garnered no player of the week accolades. And it was later overshadowed when Manny McElroy pitched a shutout game over SDSU.
“I do see that other people get more attention than me,” Cline said. “I really don’t know why, but it doesn’t really bother me.”
Although he remains unfazed by it, the humble infielder admits that it might be nice to have his name dropped here and there.
“I do [like going unnoticed] a little bit, but every once in a while I like my name mentioned,” Cline said. “It feels good to have your name mentioned.”
Name recognition or not, just being a Dirtbag is enough for Cline. Being able to take the field in black and gold is almost a dream come true for the Huntington Beach native, who grew up aspiring to become a Dirtbag.
“Right when [LBSU] started talking to me, I knew I was going to come here,” Cline said. “They didn’t have to talk me up and say they will guarantee this and whatever else. I knew this was just the place.”
Cline may be tearing up Blair Field now, but it hasn’t always been that way. He may have always wanted to play for the Dirtbags, but four years ago, LBSU recruiters were saying, “Matt who?”
“I didn’t have any DI schools or universities talking to me, so [junior college] was my only option. I just figured I would go there and get some playing time,” Cline said. “I didn’t even want to go to a JC. I wanted to go to a four-year right out of high school, but the options just weren’t there.”
Despite his lack of enthusiasm over playing for a junior college, Cline gave it his all at Orange Coast College – and it paid off. As a shortstop, Clines’s high numbers in the Orange Empire League got him named to the conference’s first team two years in a row. During his sophomore season, Cline thrived, being named a JC All-American and helping OCC to win its conference and reach the California Community College State Final Four Championship in Fresno.
In a stark contrast from two years prior, Cline found himself ending his sophomore season fielding offers from his two top-choice schools, LBSU and Cal State Fullerton.
“[Growing up,] Long Beach and Fullerton were the top two [schools I wanted to play for],” Cline said. “Fullerton was talking to me out of junior college, but I picked Long Beach because it’s more my style of play.”
Now in his senior and final collegiate season, Cline is unsure about his future in baseball. He plans on entering the draft, but those thoughts have been pushed to the back of his mind.
The rest of Cline’s season is focused on giving everything he’s got to help lead the Dirtbags to the College World Series – and, of course, getting dirty while he does it.
