Hitting Machine:
Soft-spoken outfielder develops into offensive leader
Brent Foster
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Sports
"I call him clutch," sophomore first baseman Matt Herrick said. "He's the guy I would say I want in clutch situations. He seems to pull through in those situations."
Although there never was any doubt that Jones could hit, his defensive play has helped mold him into an all-around player. So far this season, Jones has yet to make an error in 40 attempts. He also added an outfield assist earlier this season. In fact, Jones never has had trouble making the adjustment from behind the plate to the outfield. During Jones' career, he has made only three errors.
"That's a pretty tough transition for a guy who's used to squatting behind the plate," Jones' high school coach Dennis Knoop said. "But I think that the upside there is you are involved in the game so much as a catcher that it transfers to the outfield. You are always going to be in the game - know what's going on, where the ball's got to go. The thought process is there. … He's the kind of kid you want to have in your program. He did everything you asked of him. He was a hard worker."
As Truman tries to build a winning program under Davis, Jones continues to do his part to make sure the future of Bulldog baseball is bright. He said he hopes the team can break their streak of 27 straight losing seasons. And before he graduates, he hopes to help get the Bulldogs to the MIAA Tournament, a place the 'Dogs have never been in the eight-year history of the tournament.
"It's been tough because we haven't won many games since I've been here," Jones said. "It seems like my first couple years we really weren't expected to win a lot of games, so changing that attitude where we are expected to win games will help a lot."
Although there never was any doubt that Jones could hit, his defensive play has helped mold him into an all-around player. So far this season, Jones has yet to make an error in 40 attempts. He also added an outfield assist earlier this season. In fact, Jones never has had trouble making the adjustment from behind the plate to the outfield. During Jones' career, he has made only three errors.
"That's a pretty tough transition for a guy who's used to squatting behind the plate," Jones' high school coach Dennis Knoop said. "But I think that the upside there is you are involved in the game so much as a catcher that it transfers to the outfield. You are always going to be in the game - know what's going on, where the ball's got to go. The thought process is there. … He's the kind of kid you want to have in your program. He did everything you asked of him. He was a hard worker."
As Truman tries to build a winning program under Davis, Jones continues to do his part to make sure the future of Bulldog baseball is bright. He said he hopes the team can break their streak of 27 straight losing seasons. And before he graduates, he hopes to help get the Bulldogs to the MIAA Tournament, a place the 'Dogs have never been in the eight-year history of the tournament.
"It's been tough because we haven't won many games since I've been here," Jones said. "It seems like my first couple years we really weren't expected to win a lot of games, so changing that attitude where we are expected to win games will help a lot."
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