The glitz and the glamour of the Major Leagues.
Million dollar contracts, a place of popularity and recognition in our society and a fun job with many more perks.
From the time boys are 5-years-old and playing tee-ball, it is their dream to be like their heroes. The first step is to be good enough.
This became reality for E.D. White High School (Thibodaux ) catcher Jon Zeringue in June 2001 when he was selected in the third-round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
But when the two parties could not come to an agreement on the financial aspects of a contract (thought to be in the six figures), Zeringue honored his commitment to LSU, a place he wanted to attend ever since he was a child.
LSU fans were expecting big things from Zeringue. After all, he was the state’s most valuable player in the 2001 season, hitting a blistering .468 and smashing 13 home runs and 48 RBIs.
He was also the 2001 Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year and helped E.D. White win three state championship. During the course of his high school career, Zeringue hit 40 homers.
“It’s tons of pressure,” Zeringue said. “Obviously, the competition in high school isn’t as good as it is now. All of those expectations — I still feel like I’m going to hit 20 home runs this year.”
Fans were predicting a monstrous debut season at Alex Box Stadium for Zeringue in 2002 but right from the beginning it was a struggle.
“He was trying to be too good, too soon and put added pressure on himself,” said LSU coach Smoke Laval. “He had to go through his own pressure barrier.”
Zeringue moved to the outfield from catcher due in part to a knee injury. He had trouble hitting the breaking ball and did not provide the power threat the Tigers were looking for, hitting just .245 with two homers and eight RBIs in 98 at-bats.
“Jonathan came from a smaller school,” hitting instructor Turtle Thomas said. “It takes a while to get used to the level of competition, and he had a problem along the way with pitch recognition. He would jump out there expecting every pitch to be a fastball.”
Calling himself “young and immature” last year, Zeringue said he often heard fans’ criticisms indirectly. He said these criticisms took its toll on him.
“Nobody told me directly, but indirectly you hear from the grapevine what people say about you,” he said. “When I would come to bat in certain situations, nobody would cheer.
“It’s just like you’re embarrassed to show your face around town. Not that anybody looked down upon me, it’s just in my head.”
The transition to the outfield was difficult in the beginning for Zeringue defensively. Last year he took the wrong angles on balls hit to him.
This year his mobility is better due to a healthier knee. That, combined with the arm of a catcher and the speed of a position player, has made Zeringue a better outfielder.
He took it personally to work with outfield coach Jody Autery nearly everyday in the offseason. Zeringue said the two would regularly go through 100 balls a day in an attempt to improve his defense, which he said last year was a “circus act.”
“He went from being real, real bad to just average,” Laval said. “He’s got to make that much of an improvement next year. . .to become the type of outfielder he wants to be.”
His mental approach at the plate also has improved, according to coaches and Zeringue himself.
After struggling through the beginning part of the year and dragging his batting average into the low .200s, Zeringue caught fire in the second Southeastern Conference series of the season against Georgia.
He entered the series batting .204. He went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs in the Saturday game and left Athens, Ga., with a .224 average.
He then went on a home run binge in the following SEC series against Alabama, hitting a homer in each of the three games in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
It was official: Jon Zeringue, the man with the third-round talent had emerged, and he made quite an impression.
“For us to get where we want to go, he has to play,” Laval said.
Shortstop Aaron Hill, himself a former seventh-round pick, knows the kind of pressure a high draft pick goes through. He said a difference can be seen in Zeringue this season.
“He’s just having a good time this year,” Hill said. “He knows he has to step up and not play like a young guy. He’s definitely playing like he’s been here a couple of years. He’s swinging the bat great.”
In the process, Zeringue currently is hitting .324 heading into this weekend’s Mississippi State series. He also has nine homers and 29 RBIs but also is in a tie for the team lead in strikeouts.
“There was a point this year where I thought I would never get drafted again,” Zeringue said. “Now, I see myself getting drafted again next year. I was just mentally broken down. I thought my baseball [career] was done.”
The learning process continues for Zeringue, according to Laval, who said in his individual case, Zeringue has had difficulty with handling the pressure at LSU.
“Aaron Hill turned down just as much money and seemed to do okay with himself,” Laval said. “It’s each individual and how you cope with it. Once you learn how to cope with the success and negatives together, then your game can get better.”