LaPorte junior Ben Dubbs didn’t hesitate to indicate his preferred position.
As Slicers coach Scott Upp talked about Dubbs’ ability to handle just about any position on the field, the versatile infielder/outfielder kept pointing toward left field.
“I like being in the outfield because my dad played there,” Dubbs said.
Dubbs’ father, Eddie, was a three-sport athlete at LaPorte and won a state championship in baseball in 1990. So Dubbs usually comes home to an additional pointer or two after every game.
“Oh, all the time,” Dubbs said with a laugh. “But him being hard on me has made me play better, and it’s taught me that if I’m not doing well during one week, I can always come back in the next one.”
Dubbs hasn’t needed too many rebound performances this season, however. Despite handling several positions in his first varsity season, he has been charged with only one error through 25 games, offering valuable flexibility to the lineup for LaPorte (16-9).
Upp said he doesn’t hesitate to put Dubbs in the outfield or the infield, joking that they’ve started referring to Dubbs as “Jack” — as in a jack-of-all-trades.
“He’s been doing both since he’s been in our program,” Upp said. “He started out as a second baseman, but then we put him in the outfield. This year we had to bring him back to second base, and he said, ‘OK.’ But he really likes the outfield now.”
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With graduation looming for a few LaPorte infielders, Dubbs is resigned to his fate for next season.
“I think I’ll be stuck in the infield next year,” he said.
But defense is just part of the equation for Dubbs, who has also been a key part of LaPorte’s offense. He leads the team with a .467 on-base percentage and 12 stolen bases, and he’s hitting .351 with 26 hits and 21 runs scored, which all rank second on the team.
Upp’s favorite statistic is Dubbs’ low number of strikeouts — four — in 91 plate appearances.
“He battles at the plate and does not strike out much at all,” Upp said. “And he’s actually got a little pop in his bat that’s surprised him. I think it surprised everybody.”
Dubbs has two doubles and two triples this season. He was surprised to see that kind of pop emerge at the beginning of fall practices. After a long summer working to add power from his lower half to his swing, Dubbs hit back-to-back pitches that one-hopped the outfield fence.
“I hit one and just stared at it,” he said. “Then I hit it again, and it was like, ‘Jeez, what am I doing?’ I did not expect that. But I got much more confident at the plate.”
Junior infielder Drew Catron, who witnessed those practice swings, had a similar reaction.
“I didn’t really think he could do that,” Catron said. “But he’s just keeping it simple, not trying to do too much. The mechanics are simple. Just put the bat on the ball, and if he gets a barrel on it, it’ll go.”
Dubbs would like LaPorte to go far in the postseason, which begins with a game against South Bend Adams (11-5) in the Class 4A Plymouth Sectional on Wednesday.
“I’ve really liked this year,” Dubbs said. “And I hope it keeps going.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.