CORONA DEL MAR — They all have nine hitters and a pitcher in the Pacific Coast League. Corona del Mar High won the title because it had better ones.

The Sea Kings also had an 11th man.

Steven Hachigian wants to be a general manager in the major leagues. Most GMs started by sitting on metal benches at some high school field, aiming a radar gun at a pitcher who had a .001 percent chance of getting there.

Hachigian is way beyond that. He scouts the teams on the Sea Kings’ schedule. He charts every pitch, by accuracy and category. He maps every fair ball. He devises “spray charts,” for defensive positioning.

He tracks the other coaches, when they call the hit-and-run, when they pick off or ask for a steal, when they’re overcoaching, when they let something slip.

He has it written all down, “the old-fashioned way” as he says, and collates it and puts a cover sheet on it, and gives it to Coach Bill Emme.

Hachigian is a senior and will attend Long Beach State next year (attention, Coach Troy Buckley).

When he was a freshman he knew he had found his calling. He gave Emme a report against Northwood, and all the stuff came true.

“You got us nine outs today,” Emme told him. Which is pretty good in a game where you only need 21.

“I’ll never forget that,” Steven said. “I was just glad I could do something to help us win.”

The other thing about Steven Hachigian is that he has cerebral palsy.

He is in a wheelchair. His dad Mark takes care of the reports. His aide Chris Pokracki urged him to get involved with the baseball program because Steven knew every seam of the game.

When Hachigian met Emme, he asked him if he’d ever coached a major league player. Emme said he had been an assistant at Redondo when Morgan Ensberg came through, on his way to USC and an eight-year, 110-homer career in the majors.

“All of a sudden Steve is rattling off these stats, talking about the home run Morgan hit in the (2005) World Series,” Emme said. “I said, holy smokes.”

But Hachigian is not some Rain Man. Sure, he picks out a fantasy team for his brother Paul, who is at USC. He also sees things in players and teams that no dilettante would notice.

“When we approached Coach Emme and asked if he could find a place for Steven,” Mark Hachigian said, “we thought maybe he’d wind up being equipment manager or something.”

“I was too knowledgeable for that,” Steven said.

He has an index card on each player in the league. Some of his reports are his own impressions. Maybe the catcher can’t throw, but the right fielder can. He doesn’t have a radar gun but sometimes peeks at the ones that college or pro scouts bring.

“Before I did this I watched a lot of major league baseball,” he said. “Then I’d see a high school pitcher throw 92 and I’d say, that’s not so good. I had to realize that was pretty good for high school.”

The Hachigians, traveling in a camper, have seen at least one game in every major league city. Steven also became interested in Matt Duffy, the Long Beach State infielder who made it to the Giants and now plays for Tampa Bay. The family befriended Duffy’s dad and even drove to Everett, Wash. to see him play rookie ball.

How did it start? It didn’t. It was just there.

“He played Challenger baseball for a while,” said Monique, his mom. “On that level they just run around the bases and they’re not really concerned about whether you’re safe or not. Steven would say, ‘No, that guy should be out.’ It was always very serious with him.

“For a special needs child, it’s really important to find something he’s passionate about. This has been such a blessing.”

After a couple of years, parents of CdM’s rivals began to catch on. They’d see him coming and say, “I guess you want our lineup today.”

Steven’s senior project at CdM was on sabremetrics, and how they fit into the grand scheme. “It was about the best way to evaluate players, using analytics and also the human side of the game,” he said.

In February he took an internship with the Angels’ baseball-operations department and saw how it set up its minor league and scouting apparatus. That, of course, was pure catnip.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Steven said. “I’ve gotten better on pitch recognition. Those first games, I was all over the place. Sometimes I’d get frustrated when the coach would take a pitcher out when I was just getting a read on him.

“And there are games when I’m scouting both teams. That can be overwhelming. You can’t relax for a second. I hear people say baseball is slow and boring. But, really, there’s a whole lot going on with every pitch.”

Emme is accustomed to the cycle of high school life but he admits he doesn’t know how he’ll replace his 11th man. “I’ve created a monster,” he said.

“I just want to thank Coach for helping me find my niche,” Steven said.

We’ll see if baseball does, too.

Unless you have a huge bank account, you need to earn $154,120 a year to afford the median-priced Orange County house, the California Association of Realtors reported Monday, May 15.

Just 21 percent of Orange County households met that benchmark during the first quarter of 2017, the period covered in CAR’s latest affordability report.

That affordability rate is down from 39 percent at the peak of the housing downturn when median house prices were almost $300,000 lower.

But it’s still well above the affordability low of 10 percent reached at the peak of the housing boom, when home prices were only slightly higher than today, but average incomes were lower.

Home prices were slightly more affordable in Los Angeles County. Minimum annual earnings needed to afford the median-priced house there was $99,830 during the first quarter of the year – just shy of a six-figure income.

That’s an affordability rate of 29 percent, down from a recession-era high of 51 percent, but still well above the 9 percent low during the housing boom.

The region’s most affordable housing remains in the Inland Empire. You need an annual income of $75,000 to afford the median-priced house in Riverside County and $52,790 for the median-priced house in San Bernardino County.

But that’s still high compared to the nation as a whole. According to CAR, an income of $47,690 a year is sufficient to afford the average-priced American home.

Affordability rates are based on first-quarter median prices for an existing single-family home, assuming a borrower puts 20 percent down on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, paying 4.36 percent in interest.

For perspective, Orange County’s minimum homebuying income is almost twice the amount considered to be low-income for a family of four — $83,450 – under 2017 U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines.

The minimum income is almost $28,000 above HUD’s low-income threshold for Los Angeles County ($72,100 for a family of four) and is $23,000 above the low-income threshold for Riverside County ($51,600 for a family of four).

In San Bernardino County, however, a low-income family of four misses qualifying to buy a median-priced house by just $1,190.

In the state as a whole, the income needed this year to afford the average California house was $102,050 during the first quarter – slightly higher than the Los Angeles County average. Thirty-two percent of Golden State households could afford that.

The income needed to afford the median-priced condo or townhome in the state was $85,270, during the first quarter, or 40 percent of California households.

California’s lowest affordability rates were in San Francisco (13 percent), Santa Barbara (14 percent) and San Mateo (15 percent).

The state’s highest affordability rates were in Tehama County (between Sacramento and Redding) and Kern County (which includes Bakersfield). Fifty-five percent of the households there could afford the median-priced houses.

Affordability by county: 

Los Angeles County
Affordability rate: 29%
Median house price: $485,800
Monthly payment: $2,500
Minimum income needed: $99,830

Orange County
Affordability rate: 21%
Median house price: $750,000
Monthly payment: $3,850
Minimum income needed: $154,120

Riverside County
Affordability rate: 39%
Median house price: $365,000
Monthly payment: $1,880
Minimum income needed: $75,000

San Bernardino County
Affordability rate: 52%
Median house price: $256,900
Monthly payment: $1,320
Minimum income needed: $52,790

Read more:

• $84,000 a year now qualifies as low income in high-cost Orange County
• Who can afford an Orange County house and a $3,670 monthly payment? Look at the jobs being created
• You have to earn $146,880 a year to buy a median-priced home in Orange County
• Housing affordability requires turning NIMBYs into YIMBYs
• Housing market’s crystal ball says prices near peak, as inventory, affordability keep market subdued

The safety of Bangladesh’s garment industry is set to take a further step forward following the launch of a new initiative designed to manage the remediation process of the country’s garment factories.

1. Bockman’s

1008 N. Tustin Ave., Anaheim
714-630-4455
bockmaninteriors.com

Jon Bockman’s grandmother Miriam started making drapes in her garage in the 1940s. She eventually added a second garage – and then got busted by the city for running a business at a residence. That led to the opening of the original Bockman’s store.

Bockman’s showroom, featuring blinds, draperies, shutters, upholstery and carpet, is at its third location, spread over 15,000 square feet off the 91 freeway.

The business was featured on several episodes of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and is topping the Best of Orange County’s blind and shutter store poll for the second year in a row.

Bockman attributes his upbeat, knowledgeable staff to the fact that several of the employees have been with the store for more than 15 years. He says frequent after-hours socializing contributes to the family atmosphere of the business.

But he credits service, selection and pricing equally for the store’s success. And he said the advent of big-box stores and the internet has done little to hurt his business.

“They check out Home Depot and then they check us out,” he said. “And with our service, they’re never going back.”

2. Elizabeth Shutters

1022 N. Tustin Ave., Anaheim
888-872-0449
elizabethshutters.com

Elizabeth Shutters is a Colton-based manufacturer with 10 California locations, including one in Anaheim. But that branch is simply a sales office and storage facility – most of the shopping occurs first online, followed by a sales call to the customer’s home.

“If your wife is doing research about shutters, she’s going to come across us,” said President Dean Frost, pointing to the company’s positive reviews on social media.

Elizabeth Shutters, founded in 1980 in San Bernardino, makes all of its shutters and, in California, sells them directly to consumers. Frost said it’s the last company in the U.S. to make solid basswood, acrylic lacquer shutters, and that California manufacturing and direct sales are key to the company’s quality and service.

3. Orange County Shutters

7649 W. Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove
714-891-0090
orangecountyshutters.com

Rebecca Gloudeman launched an interior design company 22 years ago, and her focus on windows led to the business transitioning into a window-dressing company. Ten years ago, the family launched a sister company – overseen in part by her husband, Richard – to make shutters.

They have a 3,000-square-foot showroom that’s managed by their son, Richard James Gloudeman. But Rebecca also makes house calls to show samples and discuss what the customer is looking for.

Orange County Shutters uses an environmentally sensitive water-based paint, with the finish guaranteed for 10 years, according to Richard James Gloudeman.

“Our unofficial motto is, ‘Quality doesn’t have to be expensive,’” he said.

1. Pacific Sales

Multiple locations
888-237-8289
pacificsales.com

Its parent company is Best Buy, but for Best of OC readers, Pacific Sales has retained its status as favorite appliance store for a second year.

There are three local Pacific Kitchen & Home Stores within Best Buy stores in Mission Viejo, Fullerton and Costa Mesa. A store-within-a-store Pacific Sales venue was set to open at the Tustin Best Buy in August, according to a spokeswoman.

Four stand-alone stores are spread across the county in Brea, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano.

Pacific Sales, founded more than 50 years ago, offers premium brands such as Thermador, Jenn-Air, Wolf and Viking. Pacific also sells luxury goods for outdoor grilling and cooking.

“For customers looking for a truly custom kitchen, shoppers can work with a Pacific Sales representative to design an entire space,” said Best Buy spokeswoman Shandra Tollefson.

The store offers free delivery and installation of major appliance purchases greater than $399 and kitchen and bath fixture purchases greater than $1,000.

Employees will give prices over the phone, and the company matches competitors’ prices, Tollefson said in an email.

2. Best Buy

Multiple locations
888-237-8289
bestbuy.com

With 10 stores in Orange County, Best Buy offers a variety of large and small appliances, from blenders and juicers to refrigerators and range hoods.

“Many of our local customers are return shoppers. We are able to offer them expert advice, service and convenience – all at competitive prices. Our customers know that our Best Buy and Pacific Kitchen & Home employees are experienced and can answer any question that comes their way,” Best Buy spokeswoman Shandra Tollefson wrote in an email.

Delivery and installation fees, as well as other policies, are the same for Best Buy and Pacific Sales. Prices are given over the phone, Tollefson said, and employees will match prices of retail competitors, including their online prices, as well as those sold by Amazon.

3. Howard’s

Multiple locations
844-469-2737
howards.com

The chain that began as a radio-repair shop in the back of a sporting goods store celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Today, with 12 locations in Southern California, the company formerly known as Howard’s TV & Appliance has added mattresses to its selection.

Here are a few of the pluses that may lure back loyal customers: a 60-day price guarantee, next-day delivery on anything that is in stock, a price-match guarantee and employees who give prices over the phone.

And about those employees: They’re part-owners. “Every employee is focused on making every customer happy,” said company spokesman Grant Hancock, adding that that means customers are satisfied “not only at the time of purchase, but throughout the life cycle of the products they purchase.”

Critic’s Choice: Pirch

3303 Hyland Ave., Costa Mesa
949-429-0800
pirch.com

The aroma of earthy espresso entices shoppers at the threshold of Pirch as a barista offers a complimentary beverage with a smile. And that’s just the beginning, because this isn’t merely a home appliances and decor store; it’s a full assault-on-the-senses retail wonderland.

Luxury-brand refrigerators, washing machines, wine cellars and fixtures are not simply displayed in rows; most appear carefully set into vignettes so you feel as if you’ve entered a tasteful home. Love that sleek-lined Italian bathtub? You might not have even noticed it if a bottle of Champagne posed beside it hadn’t first caught your eye.

Run your fingers over snowy white bathrobes and imagine how those candles nearby might glow as you soak in the tub. Stroll, cappuccino in hand, to the entertainer’s kitchen at the back of the store – a party waiting to happen. Two stoves? Mais non, that’s a full-blown pizza oven. Love barbecuing outdoors? Mega-gas grills worthy of Bobby Flay gleam next to rotisseries ready to withstand the elements.

Just a looky-loo? There are delicious ways to linger. Attend a cooking class or book a private event from a simple wine tasting to a multicourse dinner. For serious shoppers, Pirch has the latest in the luxury market, from the Babmar chair with tangerine accent cushions to a Viking range in cobalt blue.

Got questions? Need installation? The store goes the extra mile to gently remind you it’s all about your lifestyle and your needs. Low-key sales staff members wait for you to speak to them. Shopping should not be stressful, the website says.

1. Los Olivos Apartment Village

350 Gitano, Irvine
866-971-7148
irvinecompanyapartments.com

This Irvine Co. apartment community once again takes top honors in this category.

Offering one- and two-bedroom floor plans, the development sits on an 80-acre property near the Irvine Spectrum Center that was once the site of the Wild Rivers water park. It is now home to eight community parks, two Olympic-sized swimming pools and six saltwater pools with spas. The San Diego Creek Trail runs along the development, providing a pathway to Upper Newport Bay.

The four communities have 13 floor plans ranging from junior one-bedroom apartments with 531 square feet to two-bedroom-and-den townhomes with 1,150 square feet. The apartments have amenities many homeowners seek: granite or quartz countertops, crown molding, high ceilings and stainless steel appliances.

According to J.D. Shafer, a senior director at the Irvine Co., great events and great loyalty keep this community together. On-site are a fitness center, sand volleyball court, meditation and movement studio and village market.

The 1,750 units have easy

access to I-405 and I-5. Construction of a second phase of Los

Olivos will start after Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre closes later this year.

2. The Village at Irvine Spectrum Center

50 Prism, Irvine
866-831-5620
irvinecompanyapartments.com

The Village at Irvine Spectrum Center is designed as an apartment community for those with an active lifestyle. The key word is “urban living,” said J.D. Shafer of the Irvine Co. Sixteen floor plans offer units ranging in size from 550 square feet to 1,466 square feet.

There’s a Starbucks in the center of the complex, as well as a village market. What isn’t on-site can be found nearby at the Irvine Spectrum Center, which has a wide array of dining, shopping and entertainment options. A shuttle runs from The Village to the center.

The community’s 1,550 units surround four pools, and there are a gated subterranean parking area, game room and media screening room that residents can rent out.

3. The Enclave at South Coast

400 Enclave Circle, Costa Mesa
855-790-8552
irvinecompanyapartments.com

The Irvine Co. makes a clean sweep of this category with The Enclave at South Coast, which its website characterizes as “luxury living at South Coast Metro.”

Close to shopping and dining at South Coast Plaza, these apartments have high-end finishes and open living spaces with patios or balconies. The complex has three outdoor fireplace areas, two resort-style saltwater pools, a clubhouse with a catering kitchen, fitness center and movement studio and a media/theater room.

The Enclave hosts at least four major events for residents every week. The theater shows weekly movies, and the fitness center holds community workout sessions. A 1-acre park includes a children’s play area where events, including outdoor movies, are held.

Creative director Sarah Burton’s collection was all about female power, both creative and physical, with a collection inspired by the British artist and sculptor Barbara Hepworth and by medieval armor and heraldry.
There were eagle, griffin and mystical embroideries on long chiffon dresses, while others resembled tapestries and a silvery pleated one recalled shining armor. Many were accessorized with leather corset belts or long falconry gloves.
The Hepworth aesthetic came through in color and texture – which contrasted with the medieval flourish. The color palette took in gesso, stone and bone, the latter tone was best expressed through a long and dramatic leather topcoat.
One pleated dress had deep V-neck and a marble print, while another was done in cream devoré  velvet. Accessories included a necklace with a large stone at the center (inspired by the one Hepworth wore), flat booties and pebble-shaped clutch bags.

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Roland Mouret, on a perpetual quest to fill the holes in his clients’ seasonal wardrobes, turned out a collection of bright and embellished — but still classic — shapes. Among the highlights was a long canary yellow dress done in fil coupé fabric with subtle harness details around the bodice, and a paisley tunic dress also made from fil coupé.
Bomber jackets were embroidered with abstract flowers, as were halter dresses, while crop tops had delicate fringing along the edges of the sleeve. Elsewhere there were draped, languid silhouettes, as in a silk open-back dress with fluid sleeves and a loose belted kimono jacket and trench, both examples of a new outerwear category for the designer.
Mouret is building his business with separates, too, which he said now account for 50 percent of sales. Hence the sculptural tops, knits and sleek double-face satin trousers dotted in between the more statement pieces.

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The spring installment of the biannual Echo Park Craft Fair opened on Sunday, Mother’s Day, and it was a good time for Los Angeles’ eastside denizens to show off their “trying to look like they’re not trying too hard” weekend style.
Locals from neighboring Silver Lake have mastered this somewhat elusive, and often emulated, look with worn T-shirts tucked into high-waisted jeans and striped shirts. Accessories included clogs, tan leather tote bags, Céline sunnies and the omnipresent bandana around the neck (this season’s new choker).
While there were a few pops of color, namely yellow, the Echo Park palette runs more toward muted tones and all shades of indigo. During the holidays, the fair tends to attract families shopping for gifts in their trendiest outerwear, but spring in Los Angeles is a time to show off a little skin.
To see more Echo Park fashions, click here and here.

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LONDON — Pippa Middleton, the world’s most famous bridesmaid, is set to become the bride on Saturday with two tiny royals by her side and a wedding gown by Giles Deacon, if those tabloid photos of the designer clutching an oversize garment bag outside Middleton’s multimillion dollar London home are to be believed.
Though it may be a commoners’ wedding (neither Middleton nor her hedge fund manager beau James Matthews is a royal, after all), there hasn’t been as much breathless coverage and anticipation since, well, the last royal wedding — of Prince William and Middleton’s sister Kate. Both will be in attendance Saturday and the rest of the guest list is causing equal palpitations — the future heir to the British throne Prince George and his baby sister Princess Charlotte, not to mention Prince Harry and perhaps his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle.
No wonder 0bservers believe the wedding has escalated far beyond interest in the royals and taken on a celebrity status all its own.
“This is not only because Pippa is the sister of Kate, our future Queen,” said Richard Fitzwilliams, the royal commentator and public relations consultant. “It is also fascinating because of the unforgettable impression she made as Kate’s

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