Ask Jake Gronsky to describe a game-winning hit or a spectacular defensive play in his career and the Slammers’ third baseman could paint a picture.
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Literally.
“I like oil painting, for sure,” Gronsky said. “Probably more of a surrealism, take real elements and put them into a fictional place. You could have a tree that grows a face. They’re both real elements. They’re just taken out of context.
“Perspective, I like that because that’s taking a real element and looking at it in a different light. It would be like taking a flower, and you’re painting just the side of the rose petal. A full side is taking up the entire canvas.”
The creative interests for Gronsky had an early influence from his mother, who attended the Tyler School of Art at Temple University.
Gronsky said he got into oil painting at Danville High School in central Pennsylvania and charcoal drawing at Monmouth University in New Jersey.
“Charcoal and oil painting are probably my two biggest influences right now,” he said.
The 96-game Frontier League season and travel makes for a busy schedule, but Gronsky still finds time for drawing.
“This is a perfect time,” he said. “Drawing for me is the basis of all my painting. Even with oil paintings, even with the paint brush, you still kind of morph what you’re doing first.
“With charcoal, I give a rough sketch first and then go to charcoal. It’s a great time for me now of just enjoying drawing. Enjoy working with pen and ink, working with pencil, working with all different forms.”
Gronsky has added to his works since high school, when most of his oil paintings were of his baseball gloves.
“I think the idea of art is to really expand,” he said. “I kind of force myself to get out of just the baseball artwork, not because I don’t want to do it, but I feel I should expand more.”
The 24-year-old Gronsky is in his first full season with Joliet. He spent the previous two seasons in the Cardinals’ organization after a brief stint with the Slammers in 2014. He was released by St. Louis in spring training this year.
“The fact I was able to get that opportunity and be able to play well, I can’t be mad at the Cardinals,” Gronsky said. “It was the best experience of my life.
“It is nice to be back, in a sense, because last year I was more of a fill-in guy, more utility. Coming here, being able to play every day. It’s the reason why you play baseball, is to play. I’m really happy to be here.”
Especially in the opener of Sunday’s doubleheader. Gronsky hit a three-run homer (3-for-4) and raised his average to .296 in a 7-1 win over Traverse City at Silver Cross Field.
Next for the Slammers are five road games against Schaumburg and Gateway. That’s followed with series against East Division rivals Windy City and Washington (Pa.) that could decide the division champion.
Gronsky can picture the first-place Slammers staying on top and going to the playoffs.
“We all want to move up, we all want to have great seasons,” Gronsky said. “But if we take care of doing our job and playing our role, the statistics will take care of themselves. That’s kind of what we’ve been doing.”
Tim Tierney is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
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