An unforgettable season, but for all the wrong reasons
The season was going well for the ASU baseball team. They were on a five game win streak and looked like nothing could slow them down. This was until the coronavirus pandemic stepped up to the plate and broke up the momentum.
The deadly virus is impacting just about every aspect of life, and even America’s favorite pastime is susceptible to it. Baseball at every level, all the way down from little league to the the big league, is either cancelled or postponed because of the outbreak.
The Sun Devils season, along with all NCAA Spring sports, was completely cancelled in order to meet the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This sudden cancellation of a very promising season with so much potential affects everyone on the team in so many different ways.
For ASU pitcher RJ Dabovich, this still feels the same now as it did when he first heard the news.
“I mean I was shocked and the whole thing was and still is surreal. I mean, sure it was early, but we were one of the best teams in the country and to have our chance at a deep playoff run and a title stripped just sucked,” said Dabovich.
One of the most difficult challenges that this presents for a very talented player like himself, is the ability to stay focused during all of this chaos and continue to work on his game. He told me that his trainer has a gym that has allowed him to stay focused on baseball itself, it is the mental aspect that he has been more focussed on throughout this process.
“It’s definitely hard sometimes. Another big thing is I’m trying to improve my mental game, whether it be reading books or just practicing things that make me mentally stronger,” said Dabovich.
An unprecedented occurrence like this one, dramatically changes the way that Dabovich goes about his typical midseason daily routines. Instead of actually playing baseball games and preparing for those very games, he is left just simply training as best he can in these circumstances.
“I mean, usually I’m going to the field for at least a couple hours everyday. I’m lifting, throwing and getting my daily treatment in with my trainer. But now after I work out in the mornings I have nothing to do,” he said laughing.
As collegiate level player who was drafted back in 2018 in the 18th round by the Kansas City Royals, Dabovich is a highly touted prospect with aspirations to play at the next level. For some players, a situation like this could greatly impact them and their ability to continue their growth as a player, but for him, he does not view it that way.
“It really only affects you if you let it,” said Dabovich, “There’s always ways to get better no matter what circumstances you are in. As long as you want to get better, you can in some way, shape or form.”
The NCAA’s decision to cancel the remainder of the season for all Winter and Spring sports has a large impact on many different athletes, but fortunately for Spring sport athletes, like the members of ASU’s baseball team, the NCAA decided to grant them eligibility.
Dabovich expressed his gratitude for this decision by saying, “I definitely think it was the right thing to do and I’m happy they did. The fact that seniors get to come back and finish their last season is really cool.”
Dabovich added how relieved that he is for his fellow senior teammates, Cather Nick Cheema and outfielder Myles Denson who will be able to play for ASU again next year.
“I know I felt bad for Cheema and Myles when this all started because those two were not going to get to finish,” said Dabovich, “They’ve both been through a lot in their career and deserved to finish their senior year. And now they get to which is great.”
This entire situation has caused a large amount of uncertainty as too when life will go back to normal and he and his ASU teammates will be able to return to the field.
When asked about when Dabovich thinks he’ll be able to return to the mound, he said, “I haven’t given much thought about it. I mean, I hope it’s soon, but I know that the health of everyone around me is more important than baseball right now.”
“What’s going on is bigger than sports,” said Dabovich.
