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scuffleball · 01-19-2007, 02:41 PM

Patriot Left Fielder ROY Candidate
PARKERSBURG, WV – You’ll forgive Jeremy Judkins if he is always smiling. He just happens to be a very happy, and talented, young man playing professional baseball as a left fielder for the playoff-bound Parkersburg Patriots in what many consider to be the best baseball market in the state. That wasn’t always the case, however, and it’s a safe bet that at this time last year, Jeremy wasn’t smiling.

“I wasn’t real happy, no,” the polite young man from Richlands, Virginia admits. “In fact, I was thinking about quitting after the season.”

At the time, Jeremy was playing for the Dunbar Bulldogs in the West Virginia Independent League (pronounced weevil by many), a rival eight-team professional circuit with teams located primarily in the Kanawha Valley and along the Ohio River. Dunbar finished the season with a 52-62 record, a disappointing sixth place in the eight-team league and 20 games out of first. Judkins was productive, finishing with .277 batting average with 12 homeruns and 50 runs batted in. He had some speed, finishing second in the WVIL with 6 triples.

But he wasn’t happy.

“No offense to the players in that league, but the baseball was not that good,” Judkins points out. “Small fields, small crowds, and no real sense of professionalism. You’d have players smoking in the dugout during games, talking to pretty girls between innings, and generally clowning around. For some of them, baseball was the last thing on their minds. Sure, I was getting paid to play baseball, but I wasn’t enjoying baseball. Thoughts of quitting were really starting to consume me as we ended that season.”

Then the baseball gods saw fit to smile down on Jeremy Judkins, and he was unexpectedly traded to Parkersburg Patriots, and into what he considered the true major leagues of West Virginia baseball.

“I was just stunned when I got the call,” Jeremy recalls. “It literally took my breath away. I immediately felt the spark return. I remember literally floating out of Dunbar. The ride up I-77 to Parkersburg was a blur, to be honest. But I’ve never been happier.”

The Patriots were never happier to see him. Jeremy instantly filled a hole in left field, where Judkins joined burgeoning superstars Scott Hutton (.339-28-91) in centerfield and Gunther Rice (.351-4-75) in right field.

“These guys are so good. Scotty can literally cover the entire field, there really isn’t a hole in his game anywhere. And Gunthy is always telling me how to improve my reads in the field, showing me little tricks and tips he’s picked up in the Mountaineer League. I feel like sometimes I don’t belong on the same field with them,” Judkins admits.

This season, in terms of numbers, was not as productive as Judkin’s 2006 campaign with the Bulldogs, as he amassed .250-14-50 numbers in 117 games. He also saw slight drop offs in walks, on-base percentage, and slugging. But Judkins will be the first to tell you his stats are more a result of quality opposition than a lack of talent.

“The players here are just so much more talented. It goes right down the line. Overall, the quality of play in the Mountaineer League far surpasses that of the Independent League,” he says with a grin. “I’ve enjoy this season of baseball more than any other one I can remember since little league.”

01-19-2007, 02:41 PM	#47 (permalink)
scuffleball Minors (Triple A) Join Date: May 2003 Location: USA Posts: 237 Thanks: 44 Thanked 7x in 6 posts	Patriot Left Fielder ROY Candidate PARKERSBURG, WV – You’ll forgive Jeremy Judkins if he is always smiling. He just happens to be a very happy, and talented, young man playing professional baseball as a left fielder for the playoff-bound Parkersburg Patriots in what many consider to be the best baseball market in the state. That wasn’t always the case, however, and it’s a safe bet that at this time last year, Jeremy wasn’t smiling. “I wasn’t real happy, no,” the polite young man from Richlands, Virginia admits. “In fact, I was thinking about quitting after the season.” At the time, Jeremy was playing for the Dunbar Bulldogs in the West Virginia Independent League (pronounced weevil by many), a rival eight-team professional circuit with teams located primarily in the Kanawha Valley and along the Ohio River. Dunbar finished the season with a 52-62 record, a disappointing sixth place in the eight-team league and 20 games out of first. Judkins was productive, finishing with .277 batting average with 12 homeruns and 50 runs batted in. He had some speed, finishing second in the WVIL with 6 triples. But he wasn’t happy. “No offense to the players in that league, but the baseball was not that good,” Judkins points out. “Small fields, small crowds, and no real sense of professionalism. You’d have players smoking in the dugout during games, talking to pretty girls between innings, and generally clowning around. For some of them, baseball was the last thing on their minds. Sure, I was getting paid to play baseball, but I wasn’t enjoying baseball. Thoughts of quitting were really starting to consume me as we ended that season.” Then the baseball gods saw fit to smile down on Jeremy Judkins, and he was unexpectedly traded to Parkersburg Patriots, and into what he considered the true major leagues of West Virginia baseball. “I was just stunned when I got the call,” Jeremy recalls. “It literally took my breath away. I immediately felt the spark return. I remember literally floating out of Dunbar. The ride up I-77 to Parkersburg was a blur, to be honest. But I’ve never been happier.” The Patriots were never happier to see him. Jeremy instantly filled a hole in left field, where Judkins joined burgeoning superstars Scott Hutton (.339-28-91) in centerfield and Gunther Rice (.351-4-75) in right field. “These guys are so good. Scotty can literally cover the entire field, there really isn’t a hole in his game anywhere. And Gunthy is always telling me how to improve my reads in the field, showing me little tricks and tips he’s picked up in the Mountaineer League. I feel like sometimes I don’t belong on the same field with them,” Judkins admits. This season, in terms of numbers, was not as productive as Judkin’s 2006 campaign with the Bulldogs, as he amassed .250-14-50 numbers in 117 games. He also saw slight drop offs in walks, on-base percentage, and slugging. But Judkins will be the first to tell you his stats are more a result of quality opposition than a lack of talent. “The players here are just so much more talented. It goes right down the line. Overall, the quality of play in the Mountaineer League far surpasses that of the Independent League,” he says with a grin. “I’ve enjoy this season of baseball more than any other one I can remember since little league.” __________________ I came. I saw. I played OOTP. The Storm Tigers - my book, check it out!