In the Dugout with Jason Zoeller – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 22, 2006
Three years ago, Jason Zoeller came to Ohio State having been a shortstop at Shady Side Academy in Verona, Pa. Once here, he made the transition in the middle of the infield for coach Bob Todd and has been a two-year starter at second base. The move has paid off for the Buckeyes, who have one of the strongest, if not the strongest, middle infields in the Big Ten. Last year, in his first year as a full-time starter, Zoeller hit a shade better than .300 and challenged for the team lead in hits. Now, a year later, his average has swelled to .345 and he seems to be a lot stronger defensively. Zoeller is an excellent all-around player and is an asset to his teammates.
Being from Pennsylvania, was it a difficult decision to attend Ohio State?
“It was hard to leave family and friends, but it wasn’t terribly difficult. Columbus is a lot like Pittsburgh, so it wasn’t too bad. I love Columbus now and I am glad I made the decision.”
Earlier this week you played Pittsburgh and this weekend you are playing Penn State. Did either team recruit you?
“Pitt recruited me a little bit, but since my mom works there I could have gone there for free, so they didn’t recruit me that hard. Penn State didn’t really recruit me. I was mainly recruited by Ohio State, Richmond and Brown.”
How did you end up at Ohio State instead?
“Ohio State was the best overall fit for me. They have strong academics and a great baseball program. I knew I wanted to get into medicine or law. I’ve been leaning toward medicine and this is a big research institution. With all of that, it just kind of worked out that way.”
When you got to Ohio State, you moved from shortstop to second base. Was that a difficult move?
“It wasn’t hard at all. I played some second base in high school and in my summer league. Now, I actually like second more. Also, having Jedidiah (Stephen) at shortstop is great and I have a lot of confidence in him.”
Would you like to play any other position on the field?
“I think I would like to pitch one game. I pitched in high school so I would like to try it here as a Buckeye. It is great because you have control over the game. It is the best feeling in baseball. It would be great to throw in front of the fans here at Ohio State.”
Everyone talks about how close this team is. What makes this team special?
“We have a lot of diversity on this team, but the one thing that everyone has in common is baseball. We all have many things in common, but we love baseball and that has brought us together. We are able to appreciate each other as individuals.”
Would you say Ohio State has great fans?
“We have the best in the Big Ten by far and they rival the best in the country. It is rare to see that in northern baseball. Playing in front of them is amazing.”
You are a philosophy major. How much does that impact baseball?
“Actually, I just got my dad a book about philosophy in baseball. Honestly, I don’t think it applies too much. I like to try to keep them separate.”
Do your dad and other family members get to come to many games?
“My dad drives from Pennsylvania and comes to every home game. My other family members come when they can. They try to drive or fly to wherever we are that weekend. I can’t ask for more than that, they are great.”
What do you think is in store for this year’s team the rest of the season?
“We are always a good tournament team, at least since I have been here. If we don’t win the tournament, I still think we can get a regional bid. That is our goal.”
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
“We like to do different handshakes with each other. Jedidiah and I have a little thing we do after the national anthem. I wear wristbands for multiple sclerosis and I kiss them before each at-bat. It is all mental stuff I do before I hit.”
Do you wear the multiple sclerosis bands for a family member?
“They are for a friend back home who was diagnosed a few years ago. She tries to advocate to get people to help find a cure and I like to do what I can to help. It is something I did in high school and brought it with me to Ohio State.”
