It shouldn't register as any surprise, but Bret Saberhagen is a gamer.

Loves the intensity of game-day matchups. Savors the opportunity to prepare his players for the next level or, even better, the game of life.

Enjoys coaching the Calabasas High baseball team enough that it makes up for all that "other" stuff.

"Being the head coach is much harder than I ever imagined," says Saberhagen, sitting behind his desk in the steel storage chamber that serves as his office adjacent to the school's baseball field. "The coaching part is the fun part. There's all the other things that go with the job the field maintenance, the paperwork, the parents, dealing with grades and eligibility.

"There's so much time involved, I don't know how anyone can be a teacher, too, and still be a coach."

With two sons counted among the legion of aspiring baseball prospects Drew, the oldest, having graduated and now a sophomore pitcher at Western Carolina and Dalton, the youngest, now a freshman pitcher in the program Saberhagen identifies the best part of his coaching position.

"It's the opportunity to help players get ready for the next level," he said. "For most of these guys, maybe 80 percent, this is their last chance to play baseball. I want them to have a good time playing the game. For the others, we have to prepare them for the next step."

On climbing up the baseball ladder heck, on reaching the summit and emulating Leonardo DiCaprio in his finest king-of-the-world moment Saberhagen totes golden credentials.

For 16 seasons, in a glitzy career that spanned from 1984 to 2001 and included four teams, Saberhagen reigned among the top pitchers in major league baseball.

Throwing hard, competing harder, Saberhagen was a 19th-round draft choice out of Cleveland High in Reseda in 1982, and needed all of one year to jump into the starting rotation of the Kansas City Royals.

In eight seasons in Kansas City, beginning in 1984, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-hander won 110 games, racked up two Cy Young Awards (1985 and 1989) and was named the World Series MVP after leading the Royals past St. Louis in 1985.

In the so-called I-70 World Series with the cross-state rival Cardinals, Saberhagen hurled two complete-game victories, allowed just one run in 19 innings, and outdueled St. Louis ace John Tudor in a five-hit, 11-0 verdict in Game 7.

For his career, which included stints with the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox, Saberhagen finished with a career 167-117 record, 3.34 lifetime ERA, two 20-win seasons, four 15-win seasons and three All-Star appearances.

Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett once said the Royals felt invincible with Saberhagen on the mound.

"When Sabes was pitching, you just knew we were going to win," Brett said. "We just had that extra boost of confidence. In 1985 and 1989, he was the best pitcher in baseball. I'm glad I didn't have to face him. He was nasty."

An assortment of arm and shoulder problems, including a shoulder surgery that cost him the entire 1996 season, forced Saberhagen to retire following the 2001 campaign.

Today, at age 43, in his third season as head coach of the Coyotes, Saberhagen hardly longs for his playing career.

"Not at all," he said. "Maybe I miss the competition and the cameraderie. But everything else? No. I'm home summers with my family. I have time for all the things I couldn't do before."

A lot more time, anyway, not that coaching a high school team doesn't seem like a full-time occupation in its own right.

"Ten months out of the year," he notes with a grin. "When this season ends, we'll be starting our summer schedule. It does seem like it's a full-time job."

Following retirement, with son Drew starting out at Calabasas High, Saberhagen signed on as an assistant coach. He did that for two seasons, before accepting the head coaching post in 2005.

He does so voluntarilly, after earning more than $47 million in salary over 16 big league seasons.

Despite his illustrious accomplishments, players and opponents find Saberhagen as unassuming as a monk.

"He's awesome," said Simi Valley High baseball coach and athletic director Matt La Belle. "He's down to earth, fun to talk to. Nobody knows the game better than he does, but you would never know all that he did in baseball unless you follow the major leagues.

"It's absolutely a big plus for our league to have him as one of the coaches."

Calabasas sophomore third baseman Adam Landecker finds Saberhagen the ideal instructor.

"He knows the game so well, all you have to do is listen to him," said Landecker. "It's a great opportunity to play for him, and to learn from him. He's definitely a big plus for this team and our school."

Just like their coach, the Coyotes have demonstrated competitiveness in the rugged Marmonte League.

A season ago, Calabasas finished fourth and reached the Division I playoffs before losing to Saugus in the wild-card round. This year, Calabasas stands 11-12 overall and 5-6 in league, including Friday's 10-8 victory over defending champion Newbury Park.

Among the accomplishments was knocking off state and national power Chatsworth High in reaching the third-place game of the Easton Tournament.

"Our pitching is a little down this year," he said. "It seems like everybody else in the league has great pitching."

Saberhagen says his approach to coaching, just as it was as a player, is decidedly old school.

"I know, our coaches know, what it takes to get to the next level, and beyond," he said. "It's about hard work and dedication. It's about hustling on every play.

"I believe in playing every game, throwing every pitch, taking every at bat like it's going to be your last one."

Saberhagen concedes that his approach is not embraced by all, even at the game's highest level.

"The thing I dislike most about major league baseball today is that some players don't respect the game," he said. "I'm not saying everyone, or even most. But it seems like some guys are just playing for a paycheck. They don't recognize the opportunity they have."

Saberhagen said that his own background in baseball does not guarantee a receptive audience among high school players.

"They know who I am," he said. "I'm not sure they care about any of it."

The former major leaguer says he is still revved up on game day. His players? Well, sometimes not.

"For me, for our coaches, the competitive juices still flow," he said. "Sometimes, I think we're more competitive than the players. There have been times, after losses, when all the players are joking and laughing on the bus ride home. That's hard for me to understand."

However competitive Saberhagen the coach, or player, might be, he takes a different route as parent.

He never prodded his sons into baseball. He never cared if it was baseball, or checkers, they chose to play.

"I never pushed them to playing baseball," he said. "They chose it because they love playing baseball, and that's fine with me. It never mattered to me how far they go in the game. I've made it clear to them that they can never disappoint me if they don't happen to become major league baseball players."

Drew, the eldest, was born during the father's glorious stint in the 1985 World Series. He thrived as an all-league, all-county and All-CIF-SS pitcher at Calabasas High.

After two frustrating seasons at Pepperdine, the left-handed pitcher transferred to Western Carolina where he stands 4-1 with a 2.69 ERA.

Dalton, also a left-hander, is a freshman at Calabasas. He's getting his first taste of following a famous father in his sport.

"Just recently is that happening to him," said Saberhagen. "He was in a game where players were yelling stuff at him. I've talked to him about it. He's fine. It just makes him play harder."

Saberhagen, meanwhile, is enjoying the chance to coach the game he loves while competing against top-shelf opponents in the Marmonte League.

He still marvels at the continuing string of baseball talent developed in the region.

"Kids have a chance to play year around," he said. "That's a big part of it. Talented kids playing a lot of baseball are only going to get better."