Stitched onto Northwestern junior catcher Pat McMahon’s baseball uniform is the number one.
One, as in McMahon’s position in eight offensive categories this year for NU (12-9, 3-1 Big Ten), including batting average, runs and home runs.
One, as in McMahon’s career home run total entering the season.
And one, as in the number of seasons he lost to what he called a “freak incident” in a 2003 summer league game.
In the summer game McMahon made a routine between-innings throw to second base. But as the ball tore through the air, the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm also tore.
The injury required Tommy John surgery — named after the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who in 1974 became the first to undergo this now-common ligament reconstruction. And while the surgery is almost always successful in repairing a player’s elbow, it’s basically a one-year sentence away from baseball.
“It was definitely heartbreaking,” said McMahon, who was in line to challenge for the Wildcats’ top catcher spot in 2004 after the graduation of three-year starter Ken Padgett.
Instead McMahon had to sit and watch former pitcher Dan Pohlman flourish behind the plate, hitting .349 and impressing scouts for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who drafted him in the 15th round of last year’s amateur draft.
Disappointment aside, the year off helped him, McMahon said.
“It gave me a chance to concentrate on my hitting,” said McMahon, who still could swing the bat during his recovery.
All of that concentration is paying off this year, as McMahon currently is sixth in the Big Ten with a .411 average and tied for fourth in the conference with four home runs.
Last weekend, McMahon opened up Big Ten play with a 10 for 20 performance at Indiana that included two home runs and five RBIs. NU took the series, 3-1.
“Pat’s always been a hitter,” coach Paul Stevens said. “This hasn’t surprised me at all.”
And evidence of McMahon’s complete recovery from the surgery can be found not only at the plate, but behind it.
McMahon has thrown out nine of 25 attempted base-stealers, good for a tie for third in the Big Ten.
He also has become one of the nation’s best blockers of pitches in the dirt, Stevens said.
“He finds a way to put pitchers at ease,” Stevens said. “I can’t even tell you how valuable (blocking) is as far as peace of mind for a pitcher, not worrying about throwing a breaking ball with two strikes in the dirt.”
McMahon has emerged as a leader by example through these efforts, Stevens said. The Cats will look to this leadership in this weekend’s home-opening series against Penn State (14-9, 2-2).
“I always knew Pat had this kind of potential,” said senior Jon Mikrut, NU’s starting shortstop and, along with sophomore pitcher Ryan Myers, a high school teammate of McMahon’s at Carmel High School in Mundelein, Ill. “He’s just dipping into it a little bit right now.
“He’s got a lot more ahead of him.”
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected].
