BERKELEY – Mike Neu, head baseball coach at Diablo Valley College and former standout at Miami and a Major Leaguer with the Oakland A’s, has been hired as the pitching coach for the University of California it was announced by Cal head coach David Esquer.
Coming to the Golden Bears with impressive credentials, both as a player and a coach, Neu was most recently the head coach at Diablo Valley College from 2009-11, leading his team to a 87-41 mark (.680) with two Big 8 Conference titles in three years. His 2011 squad was ranked No. 1 in Northern California for four weeks this past spring, and his pitching staff led all the California Community Colleges with a 2.13 team ERA.
Additionally, Neu has been an associate scout for both the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves, and was the pitching coach for DVC in 2007 and 2008. His professional baseball career included playing in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds organizations. Neu was called up to the Major Leagues with the Athletics on April 9, 2003 and proceeded to post a 3.64 ERA in 32.0 relief appearances (42.0 innings) that season.
At the University of Miami Neu had a stellar 1999 campaign and helped the Hurricanes capture the College World Series title with a 6-5 victory over Florida State in the championship game. He finished the year 3-1 with a 2.94 ERA and tallied 110 strikeouts in 67.0 innings, earning
Collegiate Baseball All-America honors. Neu led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (14.8) and was selected to the All-College World Series team with three saves and appearances in all four of Miami’s games at the CWS.
Neu had transferred to Miami from Sacramento City College where in 1998 he was the Northern California Pitcher of the Year, the Bay Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year and a junior college All-American while going 15-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 108.0 innings. He was named the 1998 Cal State Championship Final Four MVP after throwing 11.0 innings with no earned runs and notching a win and a save in the state tournament.
Raised in Napa, Neu attended Vintage High School where he set Monticello Empire League records for career wins (21) and strikeouts (196). As a senior in 1996 he was first-team All-State, all-region and MEL Player of the Year with a 10-1 record, a 0.64 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. Neu was also league player of the year as a junior.
Neu, who earned a Masters in physical education from Ball State in 2011, replaces long-time Cal pitching coach Dan Hubbs. Hubbs, after 12 years working with the Bear hurlers, returned to his alma mater, USC, to become Associate Head Coach and pitching coach for the Trojans. Cal was second in the Pac-10 last season with a 2.88 team ERA.
“We are extremely excited to have Mike Neu join the Cal baseball program,” said Esquer, the 2011 National Coach of the Year who led the Bears to the College World Series. “Mike is known for having one of the best baseball minds in the Bay Area. He will be an outstanding addition, both for our players and our coaching staff. Mike is familiar with all the local talent and that will definitely help us with our recruiting in Northern California.”
