Vern shows that patience is a virtue
6/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 3, 2007
HOUSTON -- Matt Vern is a model of patience.After seeing limited action as a freshman a year ago, Vern has burst on the scene this spring. With 2006 second-team All-Mountain West Conference selection Matt Carpenter sidelined for the season by injury, Vern was inserted into the lineup.
In the process, Vern became a model of consistency and a second-team All-MWC selection himself. He's batting .322 overall after hitting .333 in MWC play. Vern was third on the team with 21 RBIs in 22 league games. For the season, he's tied with Keith Conlon for the TCU lead with five triples.
"He's a guy we've loved since the day he walked on campus," TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. "In the positions that he plays, it was a challenge to find him consistent at bats.
"Sometimes, when you have an injury, there's a silver lining to the cloud. When Carpenter went down along with a couple of other guys, it forced us to play him more.
"We've found a premier player in my mind."
Confirmation for all who hadn't discovered that came in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Mountain West Conference Tournament championship game against BYU.
Almost lost among the heroics of Austin Adams' two-out, three-run homer to tie the game was the game-winning hit by Vern two batters later. After the Adams' blast, Andrew Walker doubled to set the stage for Vern to be the seemingly forgotten hero in a 9-8 victory.
"It was really a special moment because it symbolized what this team has done all year," Vern said. "We play hard for nine innings, and we've come out on top of some really close games like that."
Coming through in the clutch is nothing new for Vern. He's batting .467 (7-of-14) with runners on third and less than two out. He's also 3-of-6 with the bases loaded.
After his game-winning hit, Vern became quite the popular guy.
"I usually just talk to my mom or dad, but I got calls and text messages from other people in my family," Vern said. "Some of my friends were actually tuned into the game that I didn't think would be.
"It was special getting that kind of support from them and knowing they were watching the game."
Vern's big hit in Las Vegas was just the latest in a coming-out season for the Lake Jackson, Texas, native.
In an 11-4 victory over Oklahoma, Vern equaled a career-high with three RBIs to go with two hits. Four days later, he drove in three more runs in a 7-0 victory over BYU to give the Frogs a series win. Against New Mexico, Vern tied a single-game TCU record with three doubles.
Vern's exploits with the bat and glove (he has just three errors in 447 chances) came after he saw action in just 27 games a year ago. He made 19 starts, but his first career home run came in a pinch-hitting role against Dallas Baptist.
Vern knew that a season like he's enjoying in 2007 was just a matter of waiting for his turn.
"I had a guy (Carpenter) in front of me who has been a great player at TCU, but he got hurt," Vern said. "Coach just said, `Keep working hard. We're going to need you somewhere down the stretch so just keep doing well.'
"From my freshman year on, I kept working hard and the time came where they needed me to step up in the lineup. I was just happy that it could be this year and help the club win."
Vern is looking at his emergence in 2007 as a building block to improve and be even better next season.
"It's just feeling comfortable on the field, getting reps and being in real playing situations," he said. "It gives you a confidence boost."
For others who are waiting their turn to crack the lineup, Vern is hopeful his performance this season will be an inspiration.
"That's true when you're in a big program like this that is bringing in athletes who are good," Vern said. "Some of the best programs in Texas and the nation really have some great competition among teammates.
"You want to make each other better, and being patient is a big part of that. I've been a hard worker my whole life. If you're patient and work hard enough, it will eventually pay off in the long run."
