University of North Carolina Athletics
Do-It-All Justin Webb Enjoying Career Year
April 22, 2005 | Baseball
April 22, 2005
By Nick Gallo
UNC Athletic Communications
Whaddaya say now J-Dub!
If you've been a regular at The Bosh this season, you have heard this exclamation time and time again and you know it's coming just after the Linkin Park remix of Jay-Z's hit single "Encore" begins playing over the public address system.
OK. For those of you who have no idea where this is heading, the above is a description of what occurs as Carolina's do-it-all utility man, Justin Webb, makes his way from the on-deck circle into the batter's box for the Heels.
"Justin is one of those guys that every team needs," said Tar Heel head coach Mike Fox. "I am hoping that we'll have someone on our team next year that we can play all over the field. He's going to be our savior this year. There's no question about it."
Fox isn't kidding either when he says Webb can play all over the field. Since beginning his career at Carolina in 2002, Webb has made an appearance at every position for the Diamond Heels except two: center field and pitcher.
"Coach Fox told me he was going to give me a shot to pitch, but I don't know we'll see," said Webb, who has played catcher, first base, third base and right field this season. "He told me he was going to give me one game where he might let me play every position, but we're kind of getting away from all those just sub par teams and getting into the good teams so I don't know if it'll happen or not."
One thing is for sure. If it does happen, Webb will be ready.
After the 2004 season, Chris Iannetta, a three-year starter and All-America behind the plate, decided to forgo his senior year of eligibility to pursue a career in professional baseball with the Colorado Rockies organization. The team needed someone to step up and fill his vacated position this season.
"All you need to say about Justin is that he came to me and said, `Coach, if you need me to catch 50 games, that's what I'll do,' said Fox. "This is a kid who came in and would probably rather be playing short or third and could be. He can fill any role on our team and would be out there in the field, yet he's willing to put that gear on and completely change roles for us."
Webb has proven he can catch the Tar Heel pitching staff and has done a superb job replacing Iannetta thus far this season, but his defensive efforts are often overshadowed by the career year he is putting together offensively at the plate.
Through 39 games, Webb is batting .313, exactly 51 points higher than his career average of .262, and is second on the team in both home runs and RBI with nine and 28, respectively. In his previous three years at Carolina, Webb had only managed to hit two home runs and record 32 RBI.
Webb's nine home runs currently rank fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In conference play, he has been at his best and is currently second with six homers and eighth with 21 RBI in league action.
In a 17-3 romp of ACC newcomer Virginia Tech earlier this season, Webb exploded. He finished the contest 4-for-5, marking the first four-hit day of his career, with a grand slam home run, a three-run home run, seven RBI and three runs scored.
What can Webb's emergence as a chief offensive threat for the Tar Heels be attributed to? A grueling off-season workout regimen? Extra time in the batting cage? While both are possible solutions, Webb's coming out party at the plate may be a result of something he's always brought with him to the ballpark everyday regardless whether practice or a game is on the agenda: a tremendous sense of bounce and energy.
"I don't know if I've ever seen Justin have a down day on the field and that's very rare," said Fox. "Normally young guys come in and they're sulking about personal grades, family, girlfriend or whatever. He gets on the field and cherishes and utilizes every minute out there and as a coach that's very fun to see."
Webb admits that Fox has told him how much he admires his upbeat personality a few times before during individual meetings, but he sees himself in a different light.
"I don't really realize my energy as much as maybe people around me or Coach does, but I just want to come out and make everything fun," said Webb. "Down here is kind of like an off-time from school and time to just hang out with your friends and play around ... and get better at baseball. I just try to keep things loose around here."
We've established who Justin Webb is on the field, but who is he and what does he like to do when he's away from the ballpark?
"I like to stay active," said Webb, who lists teammate Chase Younts as his favorite athlete. "My roommates try to get me to sit around and watch movies and stuff, but I just can't do it. I like to play other sports. I like to play basketball and intramural type sports, but we really can't because of the season and stuff so I just kind of watch other people play all the time. I've met a lot of people that way."
Webb played basketball all through middle school and also during his high school days at Southwest Edgecombe in Pinetops, N.C. When asked about his most highly regarded basketball memory, his eyes light up.
"I decided not to play basketball my senior year because I was going to concentrate on baseball," said Webb. "Eventually, I came back midway through the season after the coach asked me to play. We hadn't won a game yet, but I ended up hitting some free throws at the end of one game to help us get our first win. It was just fun."
Whether he's on the diamond, on the hardwood or just spending some time with friends, you can always count on J-Dub and his vibrant yet laid-back personality to be having a good `ole time.
