Jordan High right-hander Marcos Lara is missing just one thing that would make him a superstar: a defense that makes plays behind him.

The lanky senior is 6-4, with a miniscule 0.67 ERA, and has struck out 56 batters in 42 innings pitched.

But Lara’s defense has failed him all season, and 86% of the 29 runs scored while the Panthers’ ace was on the hill have been gifts (that’s 25 unearned runs).

Lara has stuff that puts him on equal footing with the Moore League’s best pitchers, and is someone that nobody can overlook.

“If Marcos played for Wilson, Millikan or Lakewood, he’d be right there for pitcher or player of the year,” Poly coach Toby Hess said. “He has great stuff and finds a way to work out of jams that aren’t of his doing.”

Lara makes his bid as one of the Long Beach-area’s most complete players, because of his .411 average, and has 23 hits, five doubles and 12 RBI’s.

Lara would be the first to tell you he doesn’t always react to adversity well, but with the help and support of Jordan coach Marc Prager, he’s attempting to channel his emotions in a more productive manner.

“It is very frustrating at times to pitch my heart out and not get a whole lot of help behind me, but I know my teammates are making the effort and all I can control is my job,” Lara said. “I know it doesn’t always look good when I get angry, but I am working hard to be a better teammate.”

Lara was ineligible for half of his junior season, but Prager said he came back with a vengeance.

“I don’t think Marcos realized how important baseball was in his life until it was taken away,” Prager said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way he’s taken care of business in the classroom and has grown as a player and a person. He’s gone from being ineligible to nearly a 3.0 grade-point average.”

Lara will likely pitch next season at El Camino College, but hopes one day to take the mound for Cal State Fullerton.

“I have no doubts that Marcos has Division One-type stuff,” Prager said. “He has four pitches that he can throw at any time for a strike and has a competitive heart that I’d put up against anyone.”

Lara has been clocked between 90-93 mph all season.

Lara would also like to see players within the Jordan area stay at home and build a program that can compete annually with perennial powers, Lakewood and Wilson.

Said Lara: “If the guys who played little league in our area went to Jordan, we’d have the talent to play with anyone. I hope people realize that quality players should come and play baseball here.”

Lara is preaching to the choir as far as Prager is concerned.

“I’ve seen so many players who should go to Jordan head to Bellflower or Mayfair and I’m only getting kids who have never played baseball before they got to high school,” Prager said. “We have a great facility, a young coaching staff, and they’ll be able to play much sooner than they would at Wilson or Lakewood.”

Lara credits his success to his parents for their unconditional love and support.

“My parents (Alderto and Patricia Lara) are my biggest fans and even when I didn’t want to play travel ball, they made sure I played because they knew it would get me better,” he said. “And it did. I am the pitcher I am today because of the experience I got by playing travel ball.”

Lara didn’t win nearly as often as he’d have liked, or even as much as he deserved to, but he’ll look back on his time at Jordan fondly.

“There were times I was extremely frustrated here, but I got to go up against the best pitchers in Southern California weekly in the Moore League, and made some really good friends.”