PITCHER AND SLUGGER Matt Hobgood doesn’t talk about it unless pushed and it’s certainly not something he likes to think about.
Who would?
Hobgood's poise and toughness helped make him the No. 5 pick.
Photo by John Downey
Yet, during one of the greatest weeks of a teen-age life on record – a noggin-jarring five-day span last week when he was selected the Gatorade National Player of the Year, taken No. 5 overall in the amateur draft and then graduated from Norco High School (Calif.) — he was constantly reminded of his lowest point, the dying days and wishes of his father.
You see Rick Hobgood was always a loveable sort but with a thirst for fun and living fast — especially as a teen and young adult.
The suds of alcohol and partying washed away many of his childhood dreams, something he finally got around to telling Matt late while losing a five-year bout with colon cancer four years ago.
He told his son that all the over-indulgence was nothing but a waste and that nothing ever good came from it. He told him to be his own man, to help take care of his mom and four sisters, to chase his dreams hard with dignity, conviction and faith.
At 14, such concepts are tough to grasp, especially with the swirling emotions of grief intertwined with raging swings of teen-age insecurity and invincibility.
The fact he was a star athlete with a magnetic personality and All-American looks didn’t help either.
“He took a lot of ribbing (for not partying),” said his mother Rebecca Hobgood. “I think he wanted to go out a lot more but unfortunately that doesn’t always work. It wasn’t easy for him.”
Said his best friend and star Norco football player D.J. Wood: “Peer pressure is a real force at our school, at any school. But Matt never gave in.”
Hobgood said he’s not been drunk, taken a drug or smoked a cigarette. Dad’s words always superseded: “There’s too much to lose,” Hobgood said.
If his discipline wasn’t reflected or rewarded on the field with a nation-leading 21 home runs in 2009 or 11-1 record on the mound or college scholarship to Cal State Fullerton, then it was certainly spoken during dream week by his peers, coaches and future employers.
During a school assembly last Monday to honor his Gatorade award, Norco coach Gary Parcell summed it up nicely about the 6-foot-4, 240-pound right-hander.
“What we’ll remember most about you is not so much the home runs, the strikeouts or 97 mph fastball,” he told a student body of about 1,000 kids and faculty. “No matter where we sent you, Matt, whether it was Florida or Arizona or Georgia, all the places you visited and represented Norco, the one constant we always heard back was what a great person Matt Hobgood was.
“And we’re going to remember that forever.”
That was precisely the report a couple days earlier when Hobgood visited Camden Yards in Baltimore and worked out for the Orioles.
It was the third time Baltimore Amateur Scouting Director Joe Jordan had grilled Hobgood on the mound and in the class room.
Like the rest, Jordan raved about Hobgood’s makeup.
“To be honest, what they told me they liked best about me was who I was,” Hobgood said. “I don’t necessarily think I was their most talented guy on the board, but they felt confident they knew who and what they were getting.”
Even though he was listed as the 18th best right-handed pitcher available by Baseball America, the Orioles made him the No. 1 prep pitcher and the second high school player taken behind Cartersville (Ga.) outfielder Donavan Tate, who was No. 3 by the Padres.
Most mock drafts – including one by MaxPreps.com Baseball Editor Kevin Askeland (No. 25) - had Hobgood slated late in the first round.
So what changed?
Perhaps Hobgood’s offensive prowess proved too good a backup plan in case anything goes wrong with his arm or pitching psyche (see Rick Ankiel).
“He’s got just ridiculous (hitting) power,” Parcell said.
Perhaps Hobgood’s command and toughness on the mound was too impressive to overlook.
“He always finds a way to dig deep and find a little extra when the situation calls for it,” Parcell said.
But his maturity, leadership and poise swayed the Orioles to make him just the second high school pitcher in the last two decades to be picked in the first round by the organization.
When grilled by the press about Hobgood’s early selection, Jordan told the Baltimore Sun, “We don’t care. I am not trying to be arrogant, we worked really hard and I think our process is sound. This is the guy we decided to take and we feel really good about it.”
Hobgood holds up National Player of the Year trophy.
Photo courtesy of Susan Goldman (Gatorade).
But clearly character does and did count and Hobgood will likely be able to count about three million extra reasons (dollars) why it does matter and why his dad was correct and that though his life and role as parent was cut short, it was significant and vital and memorable.
Hobgood doesn’t need to say so or even think about it.
The proof is inside and all around him.
And for those who don’t acknowledge that Hobgood is all good, then the evidence will be signed on a dotted line very soon.
You can bank on it.
E-mail Mitch Stephens at mstephens@maxpreps.com.
