University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Web In The Outfield
06/05/2002 | Baseball
June 5, 2002
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. -
Two former star Spider baseball players, who graduated five years apart, find themselves--as chance would have it-- playing on the same minor league team
this year.
They'll be cheering on the 2002 Spiders in this weekend's Super Regional from a far - as members of the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate West Tennessee DiamondJaxx.
RichmondSpiders.com summer intern Elise Ryder, a member of the women's basketball team, caught up with Mark Budzinski and Nic Jackson...
By Elise Ryder
RichmondSpiders.com
What are the odds that two former University of Richmond baseball standouts -who never played together for the Spiders - would end up playing for the same minor league team? Well, for Mark Budzinski and Nic Jackson, that answer came rather strikingly - and unexpectedly.
Nic Jackson, who graduated in 2000, is playing centerfield for the West
Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, the Double-A minor league team of the Chicago Cubs in Jackson, Tenn. Mark Budzinski, who graduated in 1995, is also playing centerfield for the Jaxx. He's been in the minor leagues since graduating, playing in the Cleveland organization for six years and now the Cubs.
In 1998, Jackson made the short trip from his Richmond home to the University of Richmond campus hoping it was the beginning of a journey that would lead to the major leagues.
"In high school, I wasn't ready," Jackson said, "but the ability to play right away as a freshman at Richmond helped me mature in the areas I needed to."
Jackson excelled at Richmond as a centerfielder, and was part of the 1998 and 1999 Colonial Athletic Association championship teams. The Spiders won two berths to the NCAA tournament in the three years he was at UR. Head coach Ron Atkins was a major part of Jackson's success.
"He gave me the chance to play as a freshman," Jackson said, "and not many young players get to do that. I was able to work through many of my weaknesses with his help."
Atkins said Jackson had speed, quick hands on defense, a strong arm, and was an exceptional outfielder who covered a lot of area.
"Nic was a very talented athlete and hardworking," Atkins said. But Atkins said he didn't necessarily help him or Budzinski into the pros. "I just brought them along by doing the right drills and weight lifting programs that brought the best out of them," Atkins said. "If after that they were good enough then they would make it, and if not then they won't."
Jackson was good enough and the Chicago Cubs selected him in the third round of the 2000 draft, signing him June 20. In his first year, Jackson played with the Cubs Class-A affiliate at Eugene, Oregon, and had a batting average .255.
Then in 2001, Jackson played at Daytona, in the Florida State League and enjoyed a breakout season, improving his average to .296, driving in 85 runs, hitting 19 home runs and stealing 24 bases. He earned Baseball America High Class A all-star status and was a Florida State League all-star.
His 2002 season has been interrupted by injury. In early May, Jackson fouled a ball off his shin, and found himself on the disabled list. At the time, he was hitting .290, with 20 RBI and led the team with eight stolen bases.
Budzinski also excelled at Richmond. He was a part of the 1995 team that included Sean Casey, a two-time major league all-star and the current first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, and Bobby St. Pierre, now out of pro ball, who was drafted in the 7th round by the Yankees in 1995. Interestingly enough, both Casey and Budzinski were drafted by the Cleveland Indians, although they never played together. Budzinski said he was lucky to be recruited by Richmond with all the talent the team had.
"When the scouts watched Sean and Bobby, I think I profited from them," Budzinski said. " I had the chance to be drafted because I played with great players."
Budzinski wasn't so shabby himself. He was voted First Team All-CAA in 1995 and was part of the team that now ranks second in all-time victories in a season with 43. The current 2002 Spiders lead that category with 52 wins - and counting. They will be playing in the Super Regional at Nebraska this weekend.
Atkins said that Budzinski was an outstanding person and was one of the hardest workers on the team. "You couldn't find a better man," Atkins said. "Mark had an excellent attitude that made him the ball player he wanted to be. Both Mark and Nic had a refuse-to-lose attitude that made them go the extra mile to win."
The Cleveland Indians selected Budzinski in the 21st round of the 1995 draft, signing him June 3. From there he has traveled all over the country. Starting in the Cleveland organization, Budzinski has spent time in Watertown, N.Y., Columbus, Ga., Kingston, N.C., Akron, Ohio, and Buffalo, N.Y. He signed as a free agent with the Cubs organization at the end of the 2001 season and began 2002 with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. He has been with the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx for about a month.
Jackson and Budzinski first started playing together during spring training. Budzinski said Jackson helped him become familiar with the Cubs organization during that time. "Nic and I don't get to hang a lot," Budzinski said, "but we go to dinner every once and a while with the team and talk. We talk about school, and different stories we had when we were at Richmond," Budzinski said.
But when the two are either lifting weights or playing, they are all business. "Nic is a hard worker," Budzinski said, "so we don't find a lot of time to talk when we are working."
With the Diamond Jaxx, Budzinski is batting .244. He has driven in six runs and has stolen five bases after being sent down from AAA Iowa Cubs team. He was hitting .281 there and had driven in four runs in 12 games.
Budzinski is still able to keep in touch with old teammates, such as Casey. "Sean and I talk every few weeks," Budzinski said. "He is happy with what he is doing and it is nice to see good things happen to good people."
He also keeps in touch with Atkins and Richmond sports through a website that was started by the University of Richmond's former sports information director during the years Budzinski was playing. "I give coach a call around mid-summer to see how he is doing," Budzinski said. "Phil Stanton, our SID, started College Baseball Insider.com, that informs you about baseball everywhere, so I look on that to find out what is going on with UR baseball."
The two former Spiders have played together in about 15 games during spring training and maybe 10 or 12 this season, Budzinski said. Unfortunately, Budzinski has had his share of injuries, too. "I had a back injury in 1997 and still receive treatment religiously", he said.
Budzinski said that the most important part of his experience playing in the minors has been adjusting the number of games. "You go from playing three or four days a week to every day of the month," Budzinski said. "I have learned how to take care of myself and play through the pain even if I don't feel 100 percent. It is also difficult being away from family and friends," he said. "But, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world to get paid for something I love to do.
"My future is day to day and year to year," Budzinksi said. "When I feel like I have given everything I've got, and the chance to move up doesn't look possible, then I'll walk away."
Jackson, 23, in only his second year of playing pro ball, said he admires Budzinski's character and the kind of person he is. "It speaks a lot to his character to play for seven years and continue to work hard," Jackson said.
Jackson hopes that he will move up, but knows he has a lot to work on. "In a couple of years," Jackson said, "I hope to be the player I want to be." If that doesn't happen for him, Jackson said he definitely loves the game enough to do the same thing Budzinksi is doing.
"Major league baseball is an interesting sport," Jackson said. "You never know what could happen, but you hope you can control what you are able to." Jackson said luck has a lot to do with when and how you move up. "It really depends on your situation," Jackson said. "You have to be good and lucky at the same time.
"You never know what will happen tomorrow, because everything changes day to day with baseball," he said. "But every game is my time to have fun, so I am doing the best I can and controlling what I can to continue to do that."
As Budzinski and Jackson continue to play with the Cubs organization, another University of Richmond baseball player was chosen by the Cubs. Redshirt-sophomore shortstop Matt Craig was selected in the third round of the just-completed June Major League Baseball draft. Craig was the 96th pick in the draft and the 24th pick of the third round.
Now, what are the odds of more Spiders playing together some day in the major leagues?
