FEATURE 21
STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE
After winning the Triple Crown in the Big 12, star third baseman could lead Kansas' offense this season
ByTim Dwyer
tdwyer@kansan.com
Tony Thompson could become the most prolific hitter in Kansas history this year.
It's not hard to believe — he just had the single greatest offensive season in Jayhawks baseball history, arguably Big 12 history. Thompson, junior third baseman for Kansas, became the first player ever to win the Triple Crown in the Big 12 conference, leading the league in batting average (.389), home runs (21) and RBIs (82).
Thompson had no idea that he had actually pulled off the feat until baseball assistant media relations director Mike Cummings told him.
"It was awesome," Thompson says. "I really was pretty speechless when Mike told me. It's an amazing individual honor, but it also speaks to the strength of our
"I thought that was interesting," Kansas coach Ritch Price says."I don't think I've ever seen that before where a guy has won the Triple Crown and not been conference player of the year. I think, maybe, some of the older coaches looked at how young he was and wouldn't give that award to a sophomore."
Photo by Weston White/KANSAN
Tony Thompson high-fives teammates during a game last season. The layhawks are glad to have Thompson back this season after he led the Big 12 in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in last year.
"I knew I was going to go to school," he says. "I drew some interest from pro teams, but I was pretty set on college, so I was forward about that and they understood and didn't draft me."
His power was on display during his
Thompson's ability to hit the baseball was on display long before he set foot in Lawrence. During his first three years at Galena High School in Reno, Nev., Thompson hit .490, drawing the eye of both professional and college scouts, but Thompson knew what his next step would be.
NSAN
"I don't think I've ever seen that before where a guy has won the Triple Crown and not been conference player of the year." Coach Ritch Price
team. it feels amazing to have that award in my pocket. I'll come out next year and try to do it again."
In addition to leading in the Triple Crown categories, Thompson also led the conference in doubles, hits, total bases and slugging percentage. He was also in the top 10 in the Big 12 with 58 runs scored and an on base percentage of .442. It was only a matter of looking at the numbers for Thompson to be named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
Only he wasn't. Oklahoma first baseman J.T.Wise, who unquestionably had a wonderful season at the plate hitting .359 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs, was picked for the award over Thompson and his superior numbers.
high school years, but it was the summer between his high school and college years that really dropped jaws. In the Joe DiMaggio Summer League, Thompson hit .750 with 22 home runs over one summer, and Price knew he was getting a special player.
"I really did expect this." Price says. "I went down to Reno to see him maybe four times over his junior year and every time I went he did something spectacular. I thought he could blossom into a really physical player for us."
It certainly didn't happen in his freshman year, though. Thompson struggled early and only knocked five balls out of the park on the season. Despite hitting a mediocre .296, Thompson rounded into
form late in the season, ending the year on a nine-game hitting streak.
It was a sign of things to come.
Thompson opened his sophomore campaign by extending that hitting streak to 23 games, one shy of the Kansas record. That hit streak ended, and this is no coincidence, in a 1-0 loss for the Jayhawks. In fact, Kansas was shut out only twice on the season — both games in which Thompson went hitless.
Two other times during the season, Thompson ripped off hitting streaks of 17 or more games. One of them — 20 games long — is active heading into the 2010
"Obviously, the dude's been awesome," says junior second baseman Robby Price. "You can't have a better year."
It's not the only thing that Thompson will carry into the next year. He'll be carrying an offense. After the loss of shortstop David Narodowski and catcher Buck Afenir, the Jayhawks are missing a leadoff man and a cleanup hitter, a pair of vital holes in the lineup. While Thompson won't have to pick up all the slack himself, he'll have to play a major role — again as the Jayhawks try to repeat last year's success.
campaign.
"The great thing about Tony is that he's not an ego guy. He's a good teammate, good kid." Ritch Price says, "I think he has a chance to come out and reproduce and improve on some of the numbers he put up last year."
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