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Humility, composure, and a sense of humor. That's what high-quality college pitchers are made of. Don't go thinking Mother Goose. She dealt with little boys and little girls and didn't know too much about baseball. Think Matt O'Donnell and be glad he's pitching for you.
There is no "I" in team. That much everyone knows. It is far more difficult, however, to abide by this celebrated mantra of coaches everywhere rather than just know it.
Imagine the following situation. You recently pitched your team to a victory over fourth-ranked Notre Dame, hurling a complete game six-hitter. This performance led to you being named the Big East pitcher of the week, the only Eagle to be recognized all season. And to top it all off, the Major League Baseball draft is in June.
If you're looking for arrogance, you won't find it here.
When asked about his stellar Notre Dame performance, O'Donnell was quick to deflect praise for the victory. "Coach [Peter] Hughes called a good game. He knew what they could and couldn't hit," O'Donnell explained of the strategy behind the win. "He is very passionate about winning. His attitude rubs off on his players." In reference to being named Pitcher of the Week, O'Donnell said, "My mom called to say congratulations. That was the first I heard of it. I'm just glad we won the game."
O'Donnell admitted the season has been disappointing thus far, especially after having such high preseason expectations. "We need to hit more. The pitchers can always improve, throw more strikes. For whatever reason, we aren't doing as well." Yet, he remains optimistic. "We still have time to improve," he said.
O'Donnell was also quick to extol the talents of his catcher and roommate, Garrett Greer. "I've played with him since I was 12 years old. We played AAU together. I knew what he did in high school and he knew what I did. He's a big target to throw to."
The pitcher is front and center when he stands atop the mound. When the team wins, he is the hero. When the team loses, he is the scapegoat. The scrutiny of the position demands a calm demeanor, something O'Donnell certainly possesses, according to Hughes.
"He just goes out trying to beat the hitter and team he is facing. He keeps his emotions in check," Hughes said.
With only half a season left, Hughes cited O'Donnell's competitive nature as what will be missed most when he leaves after this year. "I'm glad he's pitching for us and not the other guys. He's a great kid and has had lots of success."
O'Donnell keeps his performances as steady as his attitude. "He is one of our most consistent guys out there," Hughes said. "He's only had one bad outing. He is a very consistent competitor."
O'Donnell credits much of his success over the years to both his father and his older brother, Mike. "I really look up to my older brother. He tells me to work hard." O'Donnell is 3-3 on the season thus far, posting a 4.91 ERA through 47.2 innings. He has surrendered six home runs and has held opposing batters to a .280 clip.
With the Beanpot coming up this week, O'Donnell recalled the excitement of BC's victory in the annual tournament last year. While he expressed disappointment at the location change from Fenway Park to Campanelli Stadium, he is still looking forward to it. "It's always exciting to play against local teams. Usually we do pretty well."
While humility can be instilled and composure taught over time, one thing that you either have or don't is a sense of humor. "He's got a sneaky sense of humor. You need that in our program," Hughes explained about O'Donnell.
His lightheartedness was readily apparent when asked about his post-graduation goals. "I hope to play baseball, get drafted. I just want to give it a shot." If that does not pan out? "I want to move to Vegas and become a professional poker player. I'm good at poker."
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