As each Seven Rivers Christian batter strolls to the plate, the PA system blasts a playlist of contemporary tunes one would expect from a group of teenagers.
But Brook Weed? Well, his choice of walk-up music certainly stands out among the rest. The second baseman steps into the batter’s box with “Big Bad John” playing over the loudspeaker.
Yes, somehow a high school freshman born in the 2000s chose a country song performed by Jimmy Dean — who was more than just the founder of a sausage company — in September 1961.
“I just think it’s funny,” Weed said. “It’s the opposite of me. So makes people laugh, makes me feel good.”
Indeed, Weed is indulging in some self-deprecating comedic irony. Unlike the man Dean describes in the song — “He stood 6-foot-6 and weighed 245” — Weed is listed at 5-foot-7, 130 pounds.
But that hasn’t stopped him from contributing in a big, bad way on the field this season. Through Thursday night’s action, he’s hitting .375 (6 of 16) with six runs scored and three RBI over eight games, his offensive production beginning to complement his strong work with the glove.
“He is vital to us,” Seven Rivers head coach Travis Phillips said. “He’s got good hands. He can play anywhere on the field. He’s one of the unsung guys. He doesn’t hit the ball out of the park like some of the guys, but he’s probably one of the more important kids out there.”
Despite this being his first year at a high school grade level, Weed is already in his fourth season with the Warriors. As a sixth-grader, he played 12 varsity games and was the starting center fielder for Seven Rivers when it reached the Final Four that year.
“It was fun. It was an experience to remember,” said Weed of that 2015 run to the state semifinals. “You just play. Do what you got to do to get it done.”
Still, as the early numbers suggest, Weed is coming around at the plate and figures to surpass most previous career highs by a sizable margin. He’s also settled in as the everyday second baseman.
“Defensively, probably I could do better. My bat’s getting better, little by little. But other than that I’m doing better than I used to be doing,” Weed said. “Just get people over, do my job. That’s about it.”
Seven Rivers has gone through remarkably little roster turnover the past two seasons. However, that will change with six starters set to graduate.
That puts all the more onus on this group making one last push for a return trip to the Final Four. It also means underclassmen like Weed are the future of the program, just as much as they’re a major part of the present.
“It’s pretty fun playing with the seniors,” Weed said. “This is their last time, so you’ve just got to make it count. Our goal is to go to the Final Four like we did a while ago. Just enjoy it.”
credit:chronicleonline.com