The Long Journey Back
April 22, 2011 01:33 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - Though the concept was faintly foreign to West Virginia redshirt senior Jeremy Gum, it was not a difficult one to grasp. The distance between the Bridgeport, W.Va., native’s last field appearance had gotten so large – he had not sniffed the inside of the diamond since 2007 - he questioned whether he remembered how to simply catch a pass.
None of that mattered last weekend. Penciled in the lineup at first base in the Mountaineers’ series finale at Notre Dame on April 17, Gum was forced to leave the cozy confines of the team’s dugout – the designated hitter’s self-appointed home away from home – grab his glove and man his post.
“I was more anxious than nervous,” Gum recounted through laughter. “I had to remember how to catch the ball! After the first couple of innings, I settled down. It was different and cool. All you have to do is stop the ball and catch it. It’s pretty easy if you just focus, but I don’t know if it will become a regular thing.”
Though willing to help his team out whenever called upon, Gum prefers the role he has perfected in the last 12 months.
“I like being the designated hitter,” he explained. “You get to sit around, hang out and stand up and swing the bat four or five times.”
That succinct, blunt attitude had served Gum well over the last four years. Staring down the conclusion of his five-year collegiate career, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound sport management major has learned to take adjustments in stride.
A two-year all-state player at Bridgeport High, he enrolled at Potomac State following graduation, unsure that he was adequately equipped for Division I baseball.
The junior-college stint was brief. Though he was afforded the chance to play early, Gum says he struggled as a pitcher, and after an undiagnosed injury to his throwing arm hampered his range of motion, he opted to quit playing baseball all together.
“After that season, I felt burned out,” Gum said. “I wasn’t sure if I was built for college baseball, and I felt sorry for myself.”
With his cleats, bat and glove packed away, Gum transferred to WVU and enrolled in pre-pharmacy. After quickly deciding that pharmacy was not his destiny, he began to feel the pre-spring baseball itch and question why he was not playing.
“They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, and that was the first time I had any down time,” the former three-sport athlete said. “I just kept asking myself what I was doing. I felt lazy. I got a glimpse into my future when I gained 15 pounds that year. I was eating too much fast food and not working out – it was bad.
“The desire, and my respect and love for the game, really hit me in the face. I realized I didn’t have a choice, and that I was supposed to play baseball. I decided I would ride it until the wheels fell off.”
Refocused, Gum earnestly began to work out on his own, and in the fall of 2008, he walked on to the Mountaineer squad as a catcher.
The 2009 season was a slow one for Gum – he only earned eight at-bats – but one rich with learning and insight. The down year proved invaluable in 2010, as he emerged as the Mountaineers’ designated hitter and earned a .328 batting average with four home runs, 20 RBIs, 11 doubles and 24 runs scored.
Yet, Gum himself will tell you that all of the trials, setbacks, renewals and lessons learned served as stepping stones for the 2011 season, his best year by far. Having played in all but two of the Mountaineers’ games, he paces the team with a .353 batting average, tallying 41 hits in 116 at-bats with 25 runs, 25 RBIs, 13 doubles and three home runs. His powerful hitting has played a large part in WVU’s 22-15 overall record, and as of April 20, the squad’s second-place standing in the BIG EAST Conference with an 8-4 record.
“Obviously, I wanted to have a good season and help the team out,” he said before pausing and thinking. “I came in trying to be as prepared as possible for this year. I really anticipated having a good season because I know we all can do well, based on how hard we work and the talent we have. It’s nice to have individual and team success. So far, so good. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling.”
In the midst of a three-game series against BIG EAST foe Seton Hall at Hawley Field, Gum was anxious to get his swing back at home. After a 2-11 outing against Georgetown two weeks ago, he believes an easy fix will get him back on track this weekend.
“I had the same walk-out song for the majority of the season, but I decided to change it for the Georgetown series,” he said shaking his head. “I’m going back to the original song this weekend. It really doesn’t make a difference, I know that, but it’s a comfort thing and I want to go back to what was working for me.”
Self-aware and adjusted, Gum says outside of his walk-out song choice, there is not one thing he’d change about his journey through the college baseball ranks.
“It’s been a long five years,” he said. “Looking back, I guess I could say I could have done it differently, but really there isn’t anything I can complain about. It all worked out. If I would have come and played at WVU as a freshman, I don’t know if I would have been able to stick it out.
“I think it has all helped me out. I dealt with some adversity, and I came back, made it happen and have enjoyed a little bit of success.”
None of that mattered last weekend. Penciled in the lineup at first base in the Mountaineers’ series finale at Notre Dame on April 17, Gum was forced to leave the cozy confines of the team’s dugout – the designated hitter’s self-appointed home away from home – grab his glove and man his post.
“I was more anxious than nervous,” Gum recounted through laughter. “I had to remember how to catch the ball! After the first couple of innings, I settled down. It was different and cool. All you have to do is stop the ball and catch it. It’s pretty easy if you just focus, but I don’t know if it will become a regular thing.”
Though willing to help his team out whenever called upon, Gum prefers the role he has perfected in the last 12 months.
“I like being the designated hitter,” he explained. “You get to sit around, hang out and stand up and swing the bat four or five times.”
That succinct, blunt attitude had served Gum well over the last four years. Staring down the conclusion of his five-year collegiate career, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound sport management major has learned to take adjustments in stride.
A two-year all-state player at Bridgeport High, he enrolled at Potomac State following graduation, unsure that he was adequately equipped for Division I baseball.
The junior-college stint was brief. Though he was afforded the chance to play early, Gum says he struggled as a pitcher, and after an undiagnosed injury to his throwing arm hampered his range of motion, he opted to quit playing baseball all together.
“After that season, I felt burned out,” Gum said. “I wasn’t sure if I was built for college baseball, and I felt sorry for myself.”
With his cleats, bat and glove packed away, Gum transferred to WVU and enrolled in pre-pharmacy. After quickly deciding that pharmacy was not his destiny, he began to feel the pre-spring baseball itch and question why he was not playing.
“They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone, and that was the first time I had any down time,” the former three-sport athlete said. “I just kept asking myself what I was doing. I felt lazy. I got a glimpse into my future when I gained 15 pounds that year. I was eating too much fast food and not working out – it was bad.
“The desire, and my respect and love for the game, really hit me in the face. I realized I didn’t have a choice, and that I was supposed to play baseball. I decided I would ride it until the wheels fell off.”
Refocused, Gum earnestly began to work out on his own, and in the fall of 2008, he walked on to the Mountaineer squad as a catcher.
The 2009 season was a slow one for Gum – he only earned eight at-bats – but one rich with learning and insight. The down year proved invaluable in 2010, as he emerged as the Mountaineers’ designated hitter and earned a .328 batting average with four home runs, 20 RBIs, 11 doubles and 24 runs scored.
Yet, Gum himself will tell you that all of the trials, setbacks, renewals and lessons learned served as stepping stones for the 2011 season, his best year by far. Having played in all but two of the Mountaineers’ games, he paces the team with a .353 batting average, tallying 41 hits in 116 at-bats with 25 runs, 25 RBIs, 13 doubles and three home runs. His powerful hitting has played a large part in WVU’s 22-15 overall record, and as of April 20, the squad’s second-place standing in the BIG EAST Conference with an 8-4 record.
“Obviously, I wanted to have a good season and help the team out,” he said before pausing and thinking. “I came in trying to be as prepared as possible for this year. I really anticipated having a good season because I know we all can do well, based on how hard we work and the talent we have. It’s nice to have individual and team success. So far, so good. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling.”
In the midst of a three-game series against BIG EAST foe Seton Hall at Hawley Field, Gum was anxious to get his swing back at home. After a 2-11 outing against Georgetown two weeks ago, he believes an easy fix will get him back on track this weekend.
“I had the same walk-out song for the majority of the season, but I decided to change it for the Georgetown series,” he said shaking his head. “I’m going back to the original song this weekend. It really doesn’t make a difference, I know that, but it’s a comfort thing and I want to go back to what was working for me.”
Self-aware and adjusted, Gum says outside of his walk-out song choice, there is not one thing he’d change about his journey through the college baseball ranks.
“It’s been a long five years,” he said. “Looking back, I guess I could say I could have done it differently, but really there isn’t anything I can complain about. It all worked out. If I would have come and played at WVU as a freshman, I don’t know if I would have been able to stick it out.
“I think it has all helped me out. I dealt with some adversity, and I came back, made it happen and have enjoyed a little bit of success.”
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