Former LSU shortstop Ryan Theriot had never been to Wrigley Field. Yet he knew that the first time he would step foot in one of America’s most historic ballparks, it would be as a Major League baseball player. Theriot ended up being right, after getting the call from the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 12.
“I always told myself that the first time I’d be in Wrigley Field, it would be after I was called up,” Theriot said. “It was a great moment to walk out on that field.”
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2001, Theriot left LSU after starting at shortstop for three years. Theriot is most commonly remembered for scoring the winning run in LSU’s 2000 National Championship victory at the College World Series.
Theriot spent the next three seasons in the Cubs’ farm system, earning Most Valuable Player honors for the AA West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx earlier this year.
After completing a three-game sweep over the Carolina Mudcats in the playoffs earlier this month, Theriot was made aware of his call-up.
“My manager stood up and said Carlos Rojos would be playing shortstop because I’d gotten the call to the big leagues,” Theriot said. “Everybody started yelling and everything. It was awesome, and totally out of the blue.”
Two days later, Theriot broke into the majors with his first hit, knocking a single off Reds’ pitcher Brian Shackelford in the seventh inning in the Cubs’ 7-4 loss.
Theriot said he was aware that Shackelford was working both sides of the plate. After taking the first two pitches, Theriot was down in the count, 0-2.
“I fouled a ball off,” Theriot said. “It was on the fourth pitch that he tried to come in with a cutter, and I luckily got enough barrel on it to squeeze it through and get on base.”
While his first major league hit earned recognition from the team, including coach Dusty Baker, Theriot said he is looking to accomplish much more.
“I’m not up here to get one hit,” Theriot said. “I’m here to help this team win, whether that means getting hits or getting on base and playing defense. I’m here to learn as much as I can.”
Since arriving at the Majors, Theriot said practicing with Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux, No. 20 all-time in wins, has been beneficial.
“I’m in the presence of greatness,” Theriot said. “He’s done so much, and he’s such a knowledgeable player.”
Yet Theriot said he has been around some of the greats after spending three seasons under former LSU coach Skip Bertman.
“I definitely put him in the same boat as Greg Maddux,” Theriot said.
Aside from playing with Maddux, Theriot drew another comparison from the 1988 film “Bull Durham,” which features a speech by Crash Davis, played by Kevin Costner. In the movie, Costner states that in the majors, “You never have to handle your luggage in the show. You hit white balls for batting practice, the ballparks are like cathedrals, the hotels all have room service and the women all have long legs and brains.”
According to Theriot, most of what Costner boasts is true.
“The balls are a little bit nicer,” Theriot said. “And they do carry your bags for you. But for me, it all boils down to being the same game.”
According to Bertman, Theriot’s strength come from a mental standpoint.
“Baseball is a game of failure,” Bertman said. “Those that are tough minded, like Ryan, can bounce back from that kind of failure.”
With a national championship under his belt and a ticket to the major leagues in hand, failure may not be something Theriot experiences for some time.
Contact Jeff Sentell at [email protected]