Haymarket's Hopkins shines in VBL

Since arriving in Haymarket with eye-popping offensive numbers, every time Greg Hopkins steps into the batter’s box, his Senators teammates and coaches expect something big to happen for their team.

Hopkins has seldom failed to deliver on those expectations this summer and is leading the Valley Baseball League in hitting (.458) and slugging percentage (.708) entering Monday’s contest against visiting Winchester.

Named North Division Player of the Week yesterday after hitting .500 in eight games last week, Hopkins rarely surprises his club anymore despite owning a batting average that’s more than 40 points higher than any other VBL player.

“Nice, I guess that’s a little pressure on me. I’ll have to thank them for that later,” laughed Hopkins after hearing how much his teammates expect from him now. “I like that, though. I think every baseball player wants to be that guy that everybody counts on.”

Hopkins has not only been “The Man” at the plate as shortstop Sam Greenberg called him, but also at one of baseball’s toughest defensive positions. The rising junior from St. John’s University has put on a show equal to or even surpassing his offensive output at the hot corner, making the most spectacular defensive plays seem ho-hum at this point while committing just two errors in 61 chances.

“That’s the funny thing with the guys this year,” head coach Ryan Fecteau said. “He’ll make a Web Gem play at third and nobody makes a big deal now. That’s just Greg.

“It’s like the game slows down for him,” Fecteau added. “Everything is real smooth and he’s so relaxed and calm. There’s no panic or tightness in him. It’s just like that when he’s at bat: the game slows down for him.”

“He sets the tone for the rest of us,” Greenberg said. “It’s an honor to play next to him and it’s a lot of fun. I enjoy it over there.”

Hopkins’ glove work not only saves the pitching staff when a batter hits the ball his way, but it helps the rest of the defense, too.

“He makes it easy to play next to him,” Greenberg said. “He makes me better. He makes the game look easy and not many people can do that. You see him do well and you want to do just as well also.”

Greenberg said Hopkins’ range is an additional advantage for him as he can then focus more on fielding balls up the middle of the field and not in the hole.

Hopkins’ baseball knowledge has also been a huge factor in his performance and in helping the Senators (5-5 North, 9-9 overall) to play as well as they have through 18 games Fecteau said.

“He just takes what the pitcher gives him,” the coach said. “There was a game where New Market had their closer in and he gave Greg a pitch away and he hit it down the right field line for a triple.

“He’ll lay down the bunt when he has to, too. Usually I don’t even have to tell him when to do it—he knows when to do it.”

Hopkins played shortstop at Bishop Feehan (where he also played basketball and soccer) in Mansfield, Mass. before joining the Red Storm. Blocked at both short and third base as a freshman, Hopkins patiently waited for his turn, something he credits with his success both at St. John’s in the spring and Haymarket now.

“I feel like I learned a lot from the kids I played with in college,” said Hopkins, who leads the team in home runs with three. “As a freshman, the older guys taught me everything. I think the best way to learn is to experience not only first-hand—obviously that helps—but also through watching and learning.”

After playing in 52 games in 2008, Hopkins batted .349 as a sophomore, good for fifth on the team in hitting. His seven homers placed him second on the club in that category.

Fecteau found Hopkins through a friend and St. John’s alum and felt confident in the recommendation of both the infielder and pitcher Steve Forster to take the two Red Storm players.

“I knew St. John’s was a good program and I had a lot of respect for the coach I was speaking with,” Fecteau said, “so I figured I couldn’t go wrong with getting a couple guys from there.”