Most of you probably heard this story many times, but here it is again...
Our high school baseball team just lost in the first round of the CIF playoffs. It was the first time we went to playoffs in four years and it was a huge accomplishment. I wasn't the best guy on the team but played almost every game my senior year.
After I graduated, I talk to my coach. I don't remember what we exactly talked about but on my way to my car after I talked with him, I saw one of the assistant coaches dad walking my way. I stopped and talked to him and he asked me if I was playing baseball at college.
My thoughts? "People told me I couldn't play ball at college. What makes me think I'm going to want to play."
So I told him, I don't think I am. I told him that I was going to El Camino, a local community college in my hometown of Torrance, California. Then he gave me the head coach's number to El Camino and told me to call him for a try out. So I did call him and told me to come that day I called.
I came to the summer tryouts late that day. I rushed to the field and the practice was already happening. Great first impression right?
There was about 20 guys trying out. Actually, since it was a summer class, some people were in it to just take it for the summer, but some people were in it to actually make the team. After a couple of weeks of the try out, only five people made the cut and one of them was me. The thought of making the cut for any college team never came to my mind. I was so excited I felt like I was ready to on anyone that came my way.
So for the last couple of weeks in the summer of 2008, I got to practice with the all returners and new recruits of the team, which were all of the guys I played against in high school.
So the school year of 2009 started. I made the baseball team but was still on the bubble because the coach was cutting people still.
Three weeks into the fall semester, the coach called four people, individually. One by one, they started to packed their belongings and went to their car. The last person that was called was me. Coach pulls me aside near the bullpen and told me "You are a person I would want to go to war with, but I have only so many roster spots, I have to cut you." Then I thought alright, it was worth a shot, but he continued talking to me.
"But my coach that use to coach me at BYU got the head coaching job at Barstow College. I told him about you and he said you are more than welcome to talk to him about playing for him."
BARSTOW?!?! Are you kidding me? The only time I go to Barstow is when I'm on my way to Las Vegas. But I thought why not give it a try.
I called the the coach there and enrolled for school at Barstow Community College and was going to play baseball there.
I arrived Barstow with excitement. I was living on my own for the first time and I was going to play baseball. What more can I ask for.
When I moved into my apartment on 550 Yucca Ave, there I met my first roommates: Danny Ray, Rudy and Brendon. I didn't know D-Ray or Brendon but I knew Rudy from when we tried out at El Camino together.
When I moved to Barstow, it was probably the most difficult time I had in college. Although I only lived two hours away, I was getting home sick. Not going to lie, I started to tear up one night because I miss being home...
Baseball practice finally started. I remember my first practice was in 28 degrees weather and I never practiced in a weather lower than 60 degrees. Man, I never felt more miserable than that day. One thing I hated was taking ground balls there because one, the weather and two, the field was worse than a Sunday league field.
Three days into our practices, we started off running bases. I remember someone almost twisting their ankle rounding first base and warned us that there are potholes on the ground. When it was my turn to run the bases, I didn't take precaution at all. I mean I've done this many times before, I shouldn't get hurt doing this.
As I was about to round the bases, my left foot stepped in a pothole and I sprained my ankle inwards.
Just my luck, right? I move to Barstow to play baseball and I get hurt on the third day of practice? One thing I didn't want to do was sit out for most of the year.
We had a week and a half to start our season since the day I sprained my ankle. I was on crutches and couldn't put pressure on my left foot at all. I went into the trainers every day and night to rehab my ankle. And with doing what I was told and not giving up on my rehab, I was able to walk with just a little discomfort on my left foot with a brace on (Oh the power of ice and stem!).
The first game was on January 27, 2009 against the team the cut me, El Camino College at home. We lost 8-0. I went 0 for 2 with a walk that day. It was good seeing all the familiar faces and the funny thing is I think they were cheering me on more than my teammates were that day.
Fast forwarding to the middle of the season, we weren't doing so hot. our record was 4 -17 at the time. After we got our 16th loss on March 14 in the first game of a doubleheader against Chaffey College, my right shoulder gave up and couldn't even throw a ball past 15 feet. Every time I lifted my shoulders, I would feel a rush of pain. I told my coach that my shoulder was hurting really bad. So he put me on the bench but I felt like I needed to contribute to the team so I went to go bullpen catch for the pitchers that were going to come in.
I forget if it was the seventh or eighth inning but I remember our starting catcher blocked a pitch from our pitcher during the game and the ball went straight to his throat (and for those of you who play catcher, you know you NEVER lift you head up when you block). I was hoping he was alright, which he was because we didn't have any other catchers. I think he went to go catch that inning again and the same thing happened!
Trainers went to go help him out and all I heard from the dugout was, " JUN!!! YOU'RE IN!!!"
Are you fucking kidding me?! I never caught behind the plate in my life! But when an opportunity calls, you have to take it, and mind you not, my left thumb was jammed up from not knowing how to catch a bullpen. Every time I caught the ball, a shot of pain just went to my thumb.
I remember when I was running out, one of our pitchers, Jordan Gonzales, yelled, "This is bullshit! I want to catch!"
So I arrived at home plate and was greeted by the umpire and asked me how I was doing? I told him that I never caught before and sorry if I don't catch a ball and it hits you. He just laughed at me and said he was gonna help me out.
My coach said to call my own game and I forgot what happened during the game. A couple of big hits were given up but the one thing I remember from my catching debut was view of striking out the last batter. Now I know why people like playing behind the plate.
After March 14, I never got to see the field again, maybe a pinch hit or pinch run situation once or twice but my shoulder hurt so bad, I was out for the last half of the season. My life was basically rehab, rehab, rehab, day and night. At one point, I got really depressed about being hurt and started to eat a lot, where I skipped freshman 15 and went to 20 instead.
Our team at the end of the year ended at a whooping 7-35 and 3-21 in conference.
 |
| My freshmen year of college. God, this was a rough year. Only batted .125 and played half the season. Regardless of the unsuccessful season, I made some pretty good friends. |
At the end of the year meeting I told my coach I wasn't coming back because I wanted to go back home.
I didn't weather if I wanted to play baseball again because I didn't know if my shoulder could handle it anymore.
I got back home to Torrance in the summer of 2009. I enrolled back into El Camino for classes again and got the job back at the restaurant I worked for before I left for Barstow.
I don't know what came into my mind but I decided to go talk to the coach at El Camino again, to see if I could try out to make the team. So I went to go talk to him and said come to the summer try outs, again.
Deja vu all over again? I think so!
So I again, I went to the summer try outs again and a teammate from Barstow was also trying out for the team too. He was from the Los Angeles area too and I didn't know that he was coming back home and trying out for the team too.
Anyways, after another long summer try out, I made the team, along with my teammate from Barstow, Ezat Shinwari
All the returning guys on the team for El Camino heard I was coming back and was excited that I made the team again ( well at least I hope they did).
So Fall semester came along and everything was going well. School was school. The baseball team got two new assistant coaches. I was working harder than ever to not get cut again.
Three weeks into the semester, the coach called each individual in for a meeting. I thought to myself, "Not this again."
Like I said, deja vu? I think so...
So when it was my time to go into his office, we talked about what the situation was with the team and he was going to cut me from the team, again. But before I could get out of my seat and walk away, he also said I could stay if I wanted to. So it was a choice that I was going to have to make, either to stay with the team and not get playing time or just quit.
Without even having to think about it, I said I would stay love to stay with the team.
This was probably the best decision I made in my life.
To sum up the 2010 El Camino baseball season, we went 32-11 overall, 16-5 in conference and was ranked the number seven junior college in Southern California that year. We swept Regional and Super Regional but didn't come up with one with in the State Championships in Fresno, California.
But the thing was this was my red shirt year, which I didn't play. Some people, when they red shirt, just sit there and mope or just not give one fuck about the season because I mean, they aren't playing.
I don't know what it was but I felt like I needed to contribute to the team by doing something. So I bought Japanese candy for every one on game days and helped with every thing I can from doing charts to cleaning the field because as far as I know, I am still part of the team.
The 2010 season was the best year of my life, hands down. All my teammates from that team are like brothers to me. I would do anything for them. There are no words that can explain the year I had with the guys on the team and the chemistry we had from the starting nine players to the bench players.
At the end of the year banquet, they voted me as the ballplayer's ballplayer (which is now known is the Taylor Gelbrich Award), which is an award that is given to the person who the team thinks is the "best teammate". Probably to some people, its just another hardware for the man cave, but I didn't expect to receive an award like this at all.
After having the best year of my life, I was ready to play again. A life of a red shirt wasn't too bad for me but I was anxious to get back on the field.
But that didn't seem to be the case.
I was one of seven returning players from the year before and thought I would get an opportunity more than I did last year. But as the fall games and practices passed by, I haven't got to see time on the field as much as I thought I would.
Later in the semester, I decided to go talk to the coach at this office. I asked him why I wasn't playing in any fall games. I mean, if he wasn't going to play me during the season, at least put me in the fall games.
I remember his exact words that came out of his mouth when I asked him why I wasn't play.
"I don't think you're going to be playing that much during the regular season. I need to give the new guys more playing time and experience. I know it sucks but this is the decision I made."
I don't know if I was more sad or mad. Probably upset because, I'm not going to lie, I teared up when I heard that. I worked hard all last year and in the summer, why is this happening to me. Granted, I am not as talented as other guys on the team but why wont he give me a chance, just one.
Well fast forwarding to the spring, I still came out with the hope of getting playing time. And those hopes were crushed. I ended the year only with two at-bats with no hits and got in as a pinch runner in one game. I wasn't even allowed to take infield/outfield before the games until the last game of the year.
That last part, I thought was bullshit.
There were times I wish I stayed at Barstow, thinking I know I would have started every game as a sophomore, but it's s decision I couldn't change.
As a team, we ended with an overall record of 16-18 and 9-11 in conference.
So our coach called people in people individually for meetings with him one-on-one. Before he told us he was going to call us in for meetings, he said to make a list of colleges I would want to go to. So I listed some colleges. Realistically speaking, small schools I could possibly play baseball at. The schools I listed were in Florida, Boston, Oregon and New York.
During the meeting he told me what my plans were. I told him I applied to school at University of Oregon and University of Hawai'i (which I got in for the 2011-2012 school year). And he told me that Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids Iowa, Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin and two Oklahoma schools were interested in taking me.
I was excited to be quite honest but the thought that came into my mind was that Mount Mercy was in Iowa! I told myself that I wasn't going to go to Mount Mercy even if I didn't have a choice!
Couple of weeks after my meeting with my coach, I tried contacting the coach at Hawai'i Pacific University. Long story short, he contacted me back, I sent him transcripts, and never contacted me back afterwards.
That's when I got a call from Desi Druschel, the head baseball at Mount Mercy. I remember he would call me twice a week to see how I was doing and wanted me to come play for him.
Even though I got accepted to Oregon and Hawai'i, after a long heartfelt talk with my mom, I made a decision of going to Mount Mercy.
This was the first time I was going to be on my own without my parents being couple of hours away.
I arrived to Mount Mercy with two of my teammates that also made the decision of going to Mount Mercy, which made it a whole lot easier.
I found out when I was walking around campus that most of the guys on the baseball team are from California. Hearing that made everything so much easier.
School finally started, which meant practice was starting as well. all the guys on the team were welcoming. Since most of them were from California, they knew the situation we were in; being away from home can have its toll. All my teammates made this place seem like home away from home.
There were more people than I thought on the team when practice started. I thought I came to Iowa so I can get playing time right away, not fight for a spot like I did for the past two years.
After all the early morning workouts, 2-a-days and fall practices, I found out that I wasn't going to be in the starting lineup. But I also saw those seniors that didn't get a start spot tearing up and I thought that I can't be down on myself for not being in the lineup. I still have a job to do: Get Better.
We ended the season with a 28-26 overall record and 15-9 in conference play and one game away from winning the conference. Nothing hurts more than losing the last game to the team that had the same record going into the last game.
But personally, I guess I got more of an opportunity getting six at-bats and getting two hits, one of them being at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. I made the most of I could have with the time I got on the field.
...
I remember I was texting my high school coach after the sixth series of conference play. He asked me if I was getting any playing time. I was honest and told him no but I was embarrassed to say that I was doing charts the whole season. I told him I was going to quit after that year because it felt like all the work I put in isn't worth it.
I remember exactly how this conversation went before he told me something I would never for forget.
Me- "I know. Man I;m not trying to think on the down side but I feel like just giving up man. I work harder than anyone else and I just don't get a chance.
High school coach- "Don't do it junie... you will regret it...Maybe not, not a year, now, maybe not 5 years... But some point u will... That's not who you are..."
...
Then summer of 2012 came along.
I really didn't know if I wanted get a job and save up money since I was lacking in fund or play summer ball. So what did I decided to do...play baseball.
This is when I met people that taught me how to just have fun and play the game. I ended up hitting .250 with three doubles and nine RBI's playing in about 24 of 32 games.
In the past, I would put too much pressure on myself and end up playing too tense, so I thought playing that summer really benefited me a lot...
Senior year was bittersweet. I started majority of the games during the season and batting .262 with five doubles, 13 RBI's and an OBP of .431. But the team record wasn't so hot as we went 12-43-1 overall and 7-13 in conference.
After first game of a double header in the last series we had against Grand View University, I was furious because we just got walked off for the second time in three games, twice in two days. I was sitting in the dugout just thinking why can't we get a break.
Then as Desi put the line-up up, he started to talk to me and said, "You know Jun? We've had a crappy season. You would agree with that right? But I think for you individually, has had a phenomenal season. I mean you were a bench player for three year and didn't even play much. You had a whooping 10 at-bats in those three years. And having the season you're having this year, I'm really proud of you."
like Desi said, this was the first year in three years that I actually got playing time...
When I look back at my college baseball career, there were mostly downs than ups. I wasn't the most talented guy on the team but I knew to give it my best to get my teammates and myself better every single day.
I could have went to University of Hawai'i or University of Oregon for school but I'm glad that I chose to continue playing baseball. I met and made some pretty amazing friends that have my back no matter what along the way and I wouldn't give up anything in the world for that.
I just wanted to give a special shout out to all my coaches, teammates, roommates, friends and my family for supported me throughout this rough journey of mine.
I tip my hat off to you guys...
-Jun
 |
| My sophomore year. Even though I red shirted that year, hands down it was the best year of my life. I wish I could go back in time to 2010. 232 Dream Team |
After having the best year of my life, I was ready to play again. A life of a red shirt wasn't too bad for me but I was anxious to get back on the field.
But that didn't seem to be the case.
I was one of seven returning players from the year before and thought I would get an opportunity more than I did last year. But as the fall games and practices passed by, I haven't got to see time on the field as much as I thought I would.
Later in the semester, I decided to go talk to the coach at this office. I asked him why I wasn't playing in any fall games. I mean, if he wasn't going to play me during the season, at least put me in the fall games.
I remember his exact words that came out of his mouth when I asked him why I wasn't play.
"I don't think you're going to be playing that much during the regular season. I need to give the new guys more playing time and experience. I know it sucks but this is the decision I made."
I don't know if I was more sad or mad. Probably upset because, I'm not going to lie, I teared up when I heard that. I worked hard all last year and in the summer, why is this happening to me. Granted, I am not as talented as other guys on the team but why wont he give me a chance, just one.
Well fast forwarding to the spring, I still came out with the hope of getting playing time. And those hopes were crushed. I ended the year only with two at-bats with no hits and got in as a pinch runner in one game. I wasn't even allowed to take infield/outfield before the games until the last game of the year.
That last part, I thought was bullshit.
There were times I wish I stayed at Barstow, thinking I know I would have started every game as a sophomore, but it's s decision I couldn't change.
As a team, we ended with an overall record of 16-18 and 9-11 in conference.
 |
| Rough year. Only two at-bats and stuck through it. Learned a lot from this year. |
So our coach called people in people individually for meetings with him one-on-one. Before he told us he was going to call us in for meetings, he said to make a list of colleges I would want to go to. So I listed some colleges. Realistically speaking, small schools I could possibly play baseball at. The schools I listed were in Florida, Boston, Oregon and New York.
During the meeting he told me what my plans were. I told him I applied to school at University of Oregon and University of Hawai'i (which I got in for the 2011-2012 school year). And he told me that Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids Iowa, Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin and two Oklahoma schools were interested in taking me.
I was excited to be quite honest but the thought that came into my mind was that Mount Mercy was in Iowa! I told myself that I wasn't going to go to Mount Mercy even if I didn't have a choice!
Couple of weeks after my meeting with my coach, I tried contacting the coach at Hawai'i Pacific University. Long story short, he contacted me back, I sent him transcripts, and never contacted me back afterwards.
That's when I got a call from Desi Druschel, the head baseball at Mount Mercy. I remember he would call me twice a week to see how I was doing and wanted me to come play for him.
Even though I got accepted to Oregon and Hawai'i, after a long heartfelt talk with my mom, I made a decision of going to Mount Mercy.
This was the first time I was going to be on my own without my parents being couple of hours away.
I arrived to Mount Mercy with two of my teammates that also made the decision of going to Mount Mercy, which made it a whole lot easier.
I found out when I was walking around campus that most of the guys on the baseball team are from California. Hearing that made everything so much easier.
School finally started, which meant practice was starting as well. all the guys on the team were welcoming. Since most of them were from California, they knew the situation we were in; being away from home can have its toll. All my teammates made this place seem like home away from home.
There were more people than I thought on the team when practice started. I thought I came to Iowa so I can get playing time right away, not fight for a spot like I did for the past two years.
After all the early morning workouts, 2-a-days and fall practices, I found out that I wasn't going to be in the starting lineup. But I also saw those seniors that didn't get a start spot tearing up and I thought that I can't be down on myself for not being in the lineup. I still have a job to do: Get Better.
We ended the season with a 28-26 overall record and 15-9 in conference play and one game away from winning the conference. Nothing hurts more than losing the last game to the team that had the same record going into the last game.
But personally, I guess I got more of an opportunity getting six at-bats and getting two hits, one of them being at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. I made the most of I could have with the time I got on the field.
...
I remember I was texting my high school coach after the sixth series of conference play. He asked me if I was getting any playing time. I was honest and told him no but I was embarrassed to say that I was doing charts the whole season. I told him I was going to quit after that year because it felt like all the work I put in isn't worth it.
I remember exactly how this conversation went before he told me something I would never for forget.
Me- "I know. Man I;m not trying to think on the down side but I feel like just giving up man. I work harder than anyone else and I just don't get a chance.
High school coach- "Don't do it junie... you will regret it...Maybe not, not a year, now, maybe not 5 years... But some point u will... That's not who you are..."
 |
| First year at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Couldn't have made it through the school year without my teammates. |
...
Then summer of 2012 came along.
I really didn't know if I wanted get a job and save up money since I was lacking in fund or play summer ball. So what did I decided to do...play baseball.
This is when I met people that taught me how to just have fun and play the game. I ended up hitting .250 with three doubles and nine RBI's playing in about 24 of 32 games.
In the past, I would put too much pressure on myself and end up playing too tense, so I thought playing that summer really benefited me a lot...
Senior year was bittersweet. I started majority of the games during the season and batting .262 with five doubles, 13 RBI's and an OBP of .431. But the team record wasn't so hot as we went 12-43-1 overall and 7-13 in conference.
 |
| Senior year. Didn't end how I wanted to but regardless of that, I had fun with all the guys on the team |
After first game of a double header in the last series we had against Grand View University, I was furious because we just got walked off for the second time in three games, twice in two days. I was sitting in the dugout just thinking why can't we get a break.
Then as Desi put the line-up up, he started to talk to me and said, "You know Jun? We've had a crappy season. You would agree with that right? But I think for you individually, has had a phenomenal season. I mean you were a bench player for three year and didn't even play much. You had a whooping 10 at-bats in those three years. And having the season you're having this year, I'm really proud of you."
like Desi said, this was the first year in three years that I actually got playing time...
When I look back at my college baseball career, there were mostly downs than ups. I wasn't the most talented guy on the team but I knew to give it my best to get my teammates and myself better every single day.
I could have went to University of Hawai'i or University of Oregon for school but I'm glad that I chose to continue playing baseball. I met and made some pretty amazing friends that have my back no matter what along the way and I wouldn't give up anything in the world for that.
I just wanted to give a special shout out to all my coaches, teammates, roommates, friends and my family for supported me throughout this rough journey of mine.
I tip my hat off to you guys...
-Jun
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