By Ryan Rogers
LSUsports.net
Fresh off his national championship with LSU, Brad Hawpe has exploded onto the minor league baseball scene.
Hawpe, who is playing in Class A for the Portland Rockies, has had an impressive start to his pro career. Since joining the team on June 23, Hawpe has been on fire. He is batting .360 with three homeruns, 12 RBI and seven doubles.
Hawpe is receiving immense praise from the coaches and local media in Portland. “Hawpe’s majestic drives from the left side stir up images of Roy Hobbs in The Natural,” wrote Oregonian staff writer Paul Buker. Obviously Hawpe is turning heads in Portland.
That may be the best thing that could have happened for Hawpe. Making a name for himself very early in his professional career is a big first step toward success. The transition from College baseball to the pros is sometimes difficult. However, Hawpe seems to have made the transition smoothly.
Developing as a player is more important to coaches and minor league organizations then winning. Unlike the major leagues where winning is first priority, in the minors there is more concentration on teaching the games finer points.
“It’s been lots of fun,”Hawpe said. “The thrills that started at the College World Series have continued. It’s a little more laid back over here. It’s not do or die like at LSU. We knew at LSU we needed to win. It’s much more of a learning process in the minors. You try to help the team win, but at the same time you try to get better during the game, not just in practice.”
Hawpe has been just as pleased with the coaches in Portland as they have been pleased with him.
“The coaches are great,” adds Hawpe. “I like (manager) Billy White. He’s a really good guy. They’ve been great so far in helping me.”
Hawpe still attributes lots of his early success to the LSU coaching staff.
“When I’m struggling I just think of what I learned at LSU. I do lots of drills that Turtle Thomas taught me. I make adjustments that he would have had me make. I also have a great knowledge of the game thanks to Coach (Skip) Bertman. Most of these other guys who came in from other schools are behind because they lack the knowledge of the game that he (Bertman) taught me. They also taught me how to work really hard in order to succeed.”
Hawpe definetely feels he was prepared for the pitching in the minor leagues by playing in the SEC.
“The pitching is very similar to SEC pitching. Every starter is like a “Friday Night” starter (ace pitcher) in the SEC. The relief pitchers throw like starters too.”
Hawpe picked up right where he left off at in Omaha for the CWS where he swung a very hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBI in his first pro game on June 23.
“In Omaha, I finally started to swing the bat well and make better adjustments. I’ve continued to do that over here.”
Hawpe has teamed up with UCLA’s Garrett Atkins in Portland. Atkins, much like Hawpe, is having early success and is being highly praised. The two battled each other in the super regional at LSU this past postseason.
“We get along real well. We do everything together,” says Hawpe. “We both want to help each other make it big.”
The duo of big hitters has stirred up lots of commotion in the Northwest League. Hawpe says all the attention hasn’t bothered him at all.
“It’s a long way to go before the Major Leagues. At LSU we got a lot of attention for playing baseball. So I was kind of use to it. I especially remember all the attention and pressure that Brad Cresse received. I watched how he handled it so well and I learned from him.”
Hawpe isn’t really worried about his long-term future with baseball. He is very wise in knowing that he’s got a long way to go and he needs to take things one step at a time.
“I have no long-term goals. I know if I keep accomplishing short-term goals that good things will happen. I just want to take it one at bat at a time. I need to have a good at bat overtime I step up to the plate.”
Although there are no reports of Hawpe being promoted anytime soon, he should have a bright future with the Rockies franchise. LSU has sent a lot of players to the Major Leagues, 39 in all to be exact. With a lot of hard work, Hawpe appears to be on the right track toward making it to the big leagues.