Some things are easier said than done.
The LSU baseball team saw two seasons of consistent production and reliability at third base by Christian Ibarra. Now, it’s time for the Tigers to find his successor, and it won’t be easy.
“Christian Ibarra has become the standard-setter,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He is greatest third baseman I’ve ever coached. It would be like replacing Brooks Robinson with the Orioles — everyone tries, but no one was ever quite like him. I don’t think we will ever have someone like Christian Ibarra.”
Ibarra averaged a .933 fielding percentage in his two-year stint with the Tigers, along with earning 2013 First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and 2013 SEC All-Defensive Team selections. His steady glove at third earned him 125 games played in his career and an everlasting trust with his teammates and coaches.
Now, Ibarra is on the other side. He’s an undergraduate assistant coach, leaving the hot corner to watch sophomore Danny Zardon and freshman Bryce Jordan compete to fill the void left in his absence while helping them to become what Mainieri believes Ibarra was for his team in the past.
“With Ibarra, there are some big shoes to fill, but it’s good that he’s around and he can offer us tips,” said freshman Greg Deichmann, who was vying for third base before injuring his foot. “Coach [Mainieri] is real helpful. He got us out here in the first couple days of spring, just making sure we were doing some stuff at third, getting us a lot of reps and stuff. It’s big shoes to fill, but we’ve got some guys around that can help and offer some tips.”
Ibarra’s role in the clubhouse has shifted, but his love for the game — and his position — hasn’t. Ibarra has become a part of the process of helping the team keep up its consistency on the field, helping out with fielding drills in practice and working with both the third and first basemen.
Mainieri said Ibarra’s attitude and involvement is already being felt within the clubhouse and on the field, and he expects to see Ibarra continue developing the third basemen.
“He had a unique style of fielding,” Mainieri said. “Not necessarily a style I would teach a kid. He has got a lot of flash to him, but the one thing about him is that he was very loose, and a couple of our infielders are a little stiff and nervous and unsure of themselves. Him trying to give them a little flair, maybe, helps them loosen up a little bit, which I think is a positive.”
With the season opener against Kansas on Friday, the Tigers have a little more than a week to decide on their opening night starter at the hot corner.
Ibarra said he is impressed by Zardon and expects him to be a key contributor for the Tigers at third.
“[I’m impressed with] the way [Zardon] plays the game,” Ibarra said. “He knows when he’s messing up. He knows when to bring up his game. Zardon has always been that kind of competitor. He has always hit the ball hard everywhere. He’s going to field the ball and throw the ball as hard as he can because he has a good arm. He’s just a competitor.”
Zardon, a former teammate of Ibarra, knows all about what it means to replace a player of his caliber. He has learned under Ibarra since joining the Tigers as a freshman last season.
Zardon played in 28 games with 13 starts, including five starts at third base. He finished the season with a .984 fielding percentage and only one error. While it remains to be seen if he’ll win the starting spot, Zardon has the support and confidence of Ibarra.
“[Ibarra]’s definitely a hard-working guy,” Zardon said. “You learn a lot from seeing a guy over there at third base. Big shoes to fill over there, obviously, but I’ll be comfortable over there doing it.”
You can reach Jack Chascin on Twitter @Chascin_TDR.