Bill Kipouras
The fact Doug Shribman is batting .339 and checking in as a Patriot League Top 10 hitter is a story in itself. The 20-year-old Bucknell University sophomore first baseman from Marblehead had only five plate appearances last season.
That he's developed into the one of the league's top sluggers goes beyond his patience while playing the waiting game in his freshman season.
"I was recruited as a pitcher-first baseman. I was used out of the bullpen and didn't get much time in the field. We had an all-conference player, Mike Angelo, at first base. Fortunately for me, he had eligibility left, but went to grad school at East Stroudsburg and that left an opening for me," Shribman said.
Obviously, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Shribman took advantage of the opportunity.
He's been named Patriot League Player of the Week once and is a candidate once again after a 9-for-16 effort in a four game series at Holy Cross in which he had four multi-hit games and six RBI. Shribman was 5-for-11 with seven ribbies against Army when he captured the previous weekly honor.
The former Belmont Hill All-ISL baseball and football ace feels lucky to be active this spring. It's likely he's keeping his fingers crossed. Shribman has played all 34 games this season despite a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
"It started bothering me last summer and came back on me again in fall ball. I had an MRI. I've played baseball all my life and they figured it was from wear and tear," he said. "It was decided I'd stick out the season and see how it went during and afterwards. I guess it turned out to be a good decision."
He feels a reaction now and then, but it doesn't become an issue.
"I worry about it. It's always in the back of my mind, but I try and block it out," Shribman said.
After gathering more splinters than at bats last year, he started slowly, 7 for 26, mostly against ACC foes Virginia and Virginia Tech, but climbed to .359 after the Army series and slipped to .339 before Bucknell took 3-of-4 from Holy Cross and wound up in a first place conference tie.
He's also managed a six-game batting streak, has 27 RBI in 34 games, a .525 slugging percentage, 62 total bases, a .447 on-base percentage, and a team high 30 strikeouts. He has four homers thus far.
"He has a big swing," Bucknell coach Gene Depew said, "and that leads to strikeouts. He gets his money worth with the cuts he takes. But he's getting less and less of those as he's got comfortable. He drives in a lot of runs in the middle of the order and he's got an excellent average (.339) for a guy that takes the big cut like he does.
"I knew he'd have his share of strikeouts, and his share of extra base hits," Depew said. "He puts the ball in play with a lot more consistency than I probably thought at this stage of the season. He's made strides at first base, especially the last couple of weeks. He's making progress in all aspects. He's also made a few (cameo) appearances on the mound. He does throw bullpen once a week."
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Mr. Red Sox, Johnny Pesky, will be receiving an honorary degree at Salem State College's commencement. Who has educated more people on baseball in this world than Pesky? There are great people on our planet and there is Johnny Pesky. He's very special. Congratulations to the SSC administration for recognizing him.
There was talk early on when the college's state-of-the-art turf baseball field was being built that it might be named after Pesky.
