August 23, 2007

DeJesus (the younger) learns some valuable lessons

By Obrey Brown, Sports Editor

It was time for a new lesson on baseball. The teacher was Davey Collins, manager of the Inland Empire 66ers. The student was 20-year-old shortstop Ivan DeJesus, Jr.

Collins, a former major league outfielder, had noticed something out of place with DeJesus, the son of another ex-major leaguer Ivan De Jesus, earlier this month.

“Two days before our playoff game against Lancaster, I called him in and told him he wasn't in the starting lineup for that game.”

DeJesus said, “I'm not?”

Collins said, “No. I'm going to play someone that's not as talented as you.”

It's unclear who was going to get the call at shortstop, but Inland Empire's more heralded players -- catcher Luke May, infielders Travis Denker, Russell Mitchell and Blake DeWitt (recently moved up to Class AA), outfielder Jaime Hoffman and pitcher Cory Wade, among others -- might view DeJesus as a key for any of the 66ers' success.

Benching DeJesus seemed to a crafty move by an experienced skipper looking to make a point with an up-and-coming talent. “I look for a kid,” said Collins, “that's a winner.”

That involves plenty, Collins said, rattling off a string of “winner” requirements that not only includes “having the tools, which he does,” but a set of intangibles such as “leadership, aggressiveness, attitude, heart, guts …”

It was then that Collins snapped a finger and revealed his “plans” for the July 4 showdown at Lancaster.

“It was waking me up,” said DeJesus. “I needed that.”

He's a natural at the position in a league full of shortstops with plenty of background, despite 16 errors. DeJesus is considered the top defensive prospect in the Dodgers' farm system.

Lake Elsinore's John Johnston, is a University of Texas product. Stockton's Justin Sellers is from Cal State Fullerton. Ryan Khoury, of Lancaster, hails from Utah -- all programs with NCAA success stories.

Visalia shortstop Pedro Ciriaco is a product of San Pedro de Macaris, a Dominican Republic city that has produced plenty of top-flight major league shortstops throughout the years.

DeJesus, who's got a pedigree of his own -- “my dad” -- calls Rancho Cucamonga shortstop Hanley Statia “the best in our league right now. You like to watch the shortstops play in our league.

“I learn a little when I watch (some of those) guys,” said DeJesus, who pays a respectful voice to those rival shortstops. “It's the toughest position out there, and it's not easy. It's the captain of the field. You've got to be alive in that spot, more than anywhere else.”

Fans can take for granted any ball hit toward that spot on the diamond -- wicked line drives, slow-rolling grounders, balls into the hole or up the middle, one-hoppers -- most of which are gloved by the shortstop and turned into outs. If it seems routine, it's not. Shortstops are quite a breed.

“You can't take your offense out to your position,” said Collins. “You've got to be durable. You're involved in a lot of plays.”

All of which came sputtering out at De Jesus a couple days before the 66ers' showdown at Lancaster. It was a big game, the regular season equivalent of a one-game playoff that determined the California League's South Division first half champion. It means an automatic berth in the post-season.

“I wasn't looking for him to hit,” said Collins. “I was looking for a different approach.”

One night after announcing DeJesus would be benched, and one night before the showdown game at Lancaster, DeJesus turned it up a notch. Said Collins: “I saw him dive for a ball. I saw him race through a bag on a ball he was out for sure. He said after the game, ‘A new Ivan.' ”

By this time, Collins had relented and penciled DeJesus into the July 4 lineup. The 66ers lost the game, but the 66ers' manager figured he had made his point.

“That talk,” said DeJesus, “opened me up. He wants me to be the best, a leader.”

Collins doesn't hesitate when projecting DeJesus' future. “I believe he'll play in the big leagues. Before it's all done, he'll be a leader. Right now, he's still learning what leadership's all about.”

DeJesus, who hit .277 (.278 for this season) in 134 games at Class A Columbus last season, says he'll call his dad whenever he hits a tough stretch.

DeJesus, Sr., said Collins, smiling, “was all intangibles. I played against him. His kid's better.”

The kid claims his dad came up with the right drills, “telling me to move my feet, explaining the game, always telling me something that I didn't know.”

“And he's not lazy,” said Collins. “He's aware of things you're not sure he's even aware of.”

Threatening to bench him before a big game turned out to be a plus. Said DeJesus: “I never thought he'd say that to me. It meant that he cared. Like I said, it woke me up.”

It's a small thing, but Collins said, “Just before he leaves the ball park after a game, he stops and says, ‘good night.' That's after every game. That's respect.”

Collins paused for effect, a twinkle coming into his eye.

“To me,” said Collins, “that's a quality person. That's character -- and he's got it.”