Senior infielder Grant Dozar may not catch the casual fan’s attention with eye-popping statistics or jaw-dropping measurables, but his role on the baseball team may be LSU’s most important.
Grant Dozar is the glue.
Going into his final season, Dozar is the man players turn to whether they’re looking for advice or a laugh.
“[Dozar]’s always the guy where if someone is stressing out or having a bad day, he’s the guy that will come joke around and lighten the mood up for you,” said junior outfielder Alex Edward. “That goes a long way, especially when you go through a long, grueling season.”
For Dozar — who admits this season will probably be his last associated with competitive baseball — the game means more than wins and losses or compiling an impressive batting average.
The game is, in his own words, “the first love of my life.”
“I just like to keep things loose around here. It’s always fun,” Dozar said. “People get caught up in the pressure of winning games and hitting this, or making these plays. But we’ve been playing this game since we were five years old.”
The Morgan City native can usually be found sporting a big smile while cavorting with teammates. At times, he looks more like a kid discovering the joy of the game in little leagues than a college athlete.
But for Dozar, that’s no slight. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
“It’s all about playing and having fun with your teammates,” Dozar said. “Those are the things you’re going to remember. You’re not going to remember who got the hit against Auburn, or who made that pitch.”
A .265 career hitter, Dozar has had his share of moments at LSU, including a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 14th inning against Alabama in his sophomore season.
But his most memorable might have come last season, when he did a spot-on impression of former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz’s trademark lisp for a between-innings video package displayed to fans on the video board at Alex Box Stadium.
The video — where Dozar broke down shortstop Austin Nola’s ping-pong game — drew some guffaws from fans during the game and showed the funny side of Dozar’s personality.
There’s plenty more anecdotes that speak to Dozar’s ability to make others laugh, but they might not be proper for print.
“I have some stories, but I don’t know if I can share them,” junior outfielder Raph Rhymes said with a wry grin. “You know, Grant’s a character. He’s the life of this team.”
Dozar also uses his funny bone as a leadership tool.
“His leadership and attitude for this team is irreplaceable,” Edward said. “That is one of the most underlooked things on a baseball team. Sometimes it’s easier to hear it from an older guy on the team than a coach.”
That coach, Paul Mainieri, agrees with Edward.
“He’s got a voice, and he’s got everybody’s ear on the team,” Mainieri said. “All the players look up to him.”
Dozar honed his voice as a freshman on LSU’s 2009 College World Series champion team, where he witnessed former Tigers Buzzy Haydel, Chris McGhee and Nick Pontiff work with the team.
Similar to Dozar, those players adapted to smaller roles later in their careers for the better of the team. Dozar carries that approach with him into his senior season.
“They still came to the field every day with a great attitude,” Dozar said. “They taught me not only a lot about the game, but about life. It’s not about being up to bat and getting the big hit every time.”
Mainieri said he was unsure what Dozar’s role was going to be this season, but with junior Mason Katz likely switching to first base — which has been Dozar’s main position — Dozar’s chances of starting might be limited.
Dozar isn’t concerned right now as to what kind of playing time he receives. Whether he starts or pinch hits, he said he’ll be ready for the opportunity.
In the meantime, he’ll be practicing the art of making the team laugh — something that Mainieri knows makes Dozar vital to the team.
“He’s one of those guys that just knows how to keep the team loose,” Mainieri said. “He’s funny … he’s an outstanding student, he works hard — what’s not to look up to?”
 
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Contact Luke Johnson at [email protected]