High School Baseball: Murphy no longer Tars’ skipper [updated]

A week ago, Patrick Murphy posted a photo on Facebook of him standing behind two of his Newport Harbor High standout pitchers, Shaun Vetrovec and Connor Seabold, on national signing day.

On Thursday, Murphy found himself out of the picture as their baseball coach. Murphy said he is no longer the Sailors’ coach.

“I’m not in a position to comment at this time,” Murphy said when asked why he isn’t coaching at Newport Harbor, where he also teaches.

Murphy won’t get to coach Vetrovec and Seabold, who signed letters of intent with UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton, respectively, for their senior years at Newport Harbor. They were coming off impressive junior seasons, Vetrovec went 5-4 with a 2.20 earned-run average and Seabold 2-6 with a 1.97 ERA.

Voicemails and text messages left for Newport Harbor Athletic Director Mike Zimmerman were not returned on Thursday.

Murphy led the Sailors to the CIF Southern Section playoffs once during his four seasons in charge. The postseason appearance came during Murphy’s first season in 2010 and it marked the Sailors’ first trip to the playoffs in 20 years.

Last season, the Sailors finished 11-15 overall and 3-12 in the competitive Sunset League.

In each of the past three seasons, Newport Harbor placed last in league, going a combined 7-37-1.

The Sailors’ lone overall winning season under Murphy was in 2010, when they went 17-11 and won a Division I wild-card playoff game. Newport Harbor earned the playoff berth after it shared third place in league at 6-9.

With Vetrovec, a first-team All-Sunset League performer, and Seabold, a second-team all-league member, returning, the upcoming spring season for the Sailors appeared promising. Now, the Sailors will look for a new coach to lead the program into a different direction.

“I’m not in a position to comment at this time,” Murphy said when asked why he isn’t coaching at Newport Harbor, where he also teaches.