Pitcher grateful for time at Kansas

By Hannah DeClerk

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Paul Smyth always wanted to be a soccer player. He played most of his life, relying on his feet for his athletic success. It wasn’t until high school that his arm also played a significant role in his life.

Smyth, senior right-handed pitcher from Atascadero, Calif., was the fourth member of the Kansas baseball team to be drafted to Major League Baseball this year. He was named First Team Academic All-Big 12 for a second straight season, and totalled 147 career strikeouts while playing for the University. The Oakland Athletics drafted him and he currently plays for one of their minor league divisions, the Vancouver Canadians. He will finish his run with Vancouver in September, and depending on how well he plays, the Oakland Athletics will decide if he is ready for the majors in February.

Smyth said he knew he could never have had this success without Kansas baseball.

“Kansas gave me such a great opportunity.” Smyth said. “The coaches gave me tons confidence with my ‘rubber arm’. It really helps when you feel like the coaching staff is behind you.”

His “rubber arm,” he said, came from being a soccer player for most of his life. Because he used his legs rather than his arms, his arms were easily trainable.

“I played soccer until my junior year of high school,” Smyth said. “It turns out it was a good thing. Some pitchers have been playing all their lives, making their arms less trainable. There are only so many bullets in your gun.”

Smyth joined a summer baseball team at the end of his sophomore year of high school, playing a total of 106 games. He began his career as a catcher, and it was not until his coach mentioned pitching that he took it into consideration.

“It’s one of those things where I have to thank my high school coach for everything.” Smyth said, “I didn’t like pitching, and he convinced me to do something that I am still doing today.”

At the end of his senior year of high school, Smyth became good friends with two teammates who were interested in playing for Kansas baseball. He ended up testing his luck with the coaches.

“I was aware that I was not one of the top players,” Smyth said. “Still, I was told by a coach for KU to pitch for him, and I did. I continued to pitch for him for the next three days.”

On the last day of tryouts, Smyth was wearing his friend’s University of Kansas baseball jersey. One of the coaches said he thought it looked good on him, and asked if he wanted to join the team.

“I was so excited. I already knew some of the people, and they were very open.” Smyth said, “Then Coach Ryan Graves came out to California to make me an offer, and that paved the way for me to come to Kansas.”

His career at the University has been more than successful. Coach Ritch Price praises Smyth for his contribution to the team.

“He is obviously a tremendous young man,” Price said, “He chased his dream and will go down as one of the greatest pitchers in Kansas baseball. I honestly never thought he would contribute the way he did.”

Senior catcher Buck Afenir said he admired Smyth for his integrity and for his improvement from where he started to where he is today as a pitcher.

“The thing I know about Paul is that he has an iron will.” Afenir said, “He is a super hard worker and is one of those people who are always conscientious about what is going on.”

Afenir recalls the past few months when Smyth injured his arm after he separated his shoulder during a workout.

“I didn’t know what would happen with the draft,” Afenir said. “He has a pretty bad injury. But I do know that he put in great numbers at KU, and he made a name for himself.”

Smyth has not allowed his injury to hold him back. He said he planned on playing out the summer season with the Vancouver Canadians until September, and then returning to work an internship at the University until February.

He said he hoped to see himself working up to the major leagues if he continued to play well. However, he knows he wouldn’t be where he is today without his coaches giving him the confidence and drive to play baseball.

“I have to thank my high school coach for convincing me to pitch, and KU’s coaches for giving me the confidence I needed to improve,” Smyth said. “I put in four great years at KU, and am thankful for the opportunity given to play.”

— — Edited by Jason Baker

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