TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Statistics can tell you a lot about a baseball team. But a few things they can’t measure — attitude, effort and team chemistry — are what Bakersfield College coach Tim Painton believes will propel his team to a successful 2012 season.

The Renegades begin that quest with their season opener  at 7 tonight against Golden West at Gerry Collis Field.

“They never complain about anything,” Painton said. “They work hard. I think it’s just a great group of kids that want to achieve success. When you put that together and guys all pulling on the same end of the rope, it makes it fun. I think that’s a huge strength of this ball club.”

Make no mistake. BC isn’t lacking for talent.

The Renegades’ roster is filled with former local high school standouts, including Painton’s son

Tyler, who was selected out of Centennial by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Instead of signing with the Jays, the 6-foot-5 left-handed pitcher opted to accept a scholarship to the University of San Diego. But after sitting out last year due to an injury, the younger Painton decided to return home and play for BC.

Back healthy and armed with a fastball that tops out at 92 miles per hour, he’ll anchor a BC pitching staff that is expected to be one of the team’s strengths.

Former Frontier ace Brad Lindsley, along with Jared Lewis and Philip Valos, give the Renegades three other quality starting pitchers.

BC’s bullpen is also solid and will be anchored by freshman closer Ryan Stapp from Bakersfield High.

“He’s a kid that’s really improved throughout the fall for us,” said Tim Painton of Stapp. “He has a great arm, and I think he’s an ideal fit for that role.”

The pitchers’ jobs will be made easier thanks to solid defense in the field, and behind the plate from third-year sophomore catchers Brock Allen and Bryan Haney, who both have high baseball IQ’s.

“Our infield defense is as solid as I’ve ever had going into a season,” Tim Painton said. “I have complete faith in their ability to make plays and get pitchers out of innings. We’re improving in the outfield. Right now we’re average. But I think we have the ability to be above average there as well.”

The Renegades’ lineup features returning starters Mike Spingola (.284, 3 HR, 25 RBIs) and Elijah Trail (.246, 2 HR, 10 RBIs). The duo combined to hit all but one of the team’s six home runs in 2011.

That total should increase substantially this season with the addition to the middle of the lineup of freshman sluggers Isaiah Turner (LF, Stockdale), Blayne Ontiveros (1B, Frontier), and Jordan Turner (RF, Stockdale).

Leading off will be sophomore Brent Peterson, who attended Army last year despite being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds out of Liberty.

“He’s very steady defensively at shortstop,“ Tim Painton said. “Plus he’s a very good hitter who can create some havoc on the bases for us.”

BC should put up offensive numbers that are markedly improved over the ones that had it ranked 13th out of the 14 Western State Conference teams in runs scored per game last season.

“When you start putting all the pieces together, it’s a very workable lineup offensively that should be able to produce some runs,” Tim Painton said.

The 17th-year BC coach’s biggest concern is his team’s ability to stay healthy.

That could go a long way in determining whether the ’Gades have a big year.

Last season they finished fifth in the ultra-tight race for WSC South title.

“With any ball club you go into the season wanting to win a championship,” Tim Painton said. “We don’t really talk about it with them. I think the returning guys were a little disheartened when we went down the last day of the season with a chance to win a piece of a championship and we got beat and stayed home. That taste is still in their mouth.”

BC would like to wash that memory away with a conference title and playoff berth.

“Throughout the fall we got better each week, and that’s kind of how you gauge the direction of a ball club, for me at least,” Tim Painton said. “The fall was very positive, so we’re excited about this group of guys and excited to get going.”