AJ Ramirez settled onto the dugout bench after a loss to Loyola Marymount with a bright, cardinal USC long-sleeve shirt fitted loosely over his shoulders. The Trojans were in the midst of a slippery and inconsistent slide for a team that won 39 games a year ago and made the NCAA Regional. As USC baseball continues to look for its identity this season (now at 13-14 overall), the senior reflects on his.
USC's No. 10 has been around baseball his entire life and was constantly in transit as a kid. "When I was young, we were moving around a lot, my dad played professional baseball for 10 years," said Ramirez. "Within those 10 years, we were going to Mexico, the Dominican, wherever my dad was playing baseball - just traveling really."
Growing up surrounded by America's pastime, playing professional baseball became Ramirez's dream. His father, and the game to which he exposed his son, inspired AJ.
"I grew up on professional baseball fields, getting to know all these guys, some who are MLB players now. It was something I still cherish to this day, all the memories I still have," explained Ramirez.
After his father retired, AJ's future came into focus.
"As soon as USC contacted me, it gave me confidence," remembered Ramirez, who was not heavily recruited because he went to a small school. "And as soon as I got on the campus here, I knew this was the place I was going to be. Four years later, I'm really happy I made that decision."
USC gave Ramirez the platform to work towards his professional dream, while also providing an invaluable education. With parents who both work in education, the academics played a critical part in AJ's decision.
"The education doesn't get much better than here," said Ramirez. "I knew it was one of those things, it's hard to describe, that I just knew this is where I could see myself playing."
As Ramirez ventured off to college to learn, grow and have fun, USC's baseball program was looking for a new look as well. Long known for legendary names like Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire, the team had not played ball above .500 for seven consecutive seasons when Ramirez showed up on campus. Everything changed his freshman year when Dan Hubbs, the pitching coach when Ramirez arrived on campus, took charge of the team.
"When he was made our head coach, there was a lot of pressure on him because this program wasn't where it needed to be. He told us (now seniors) we're going to have to change this program," Ramirez said. "He's done just that. We've turned it around in 1-2 years, right away. He's held us accountable for that. We were hungry. We wanted to be the team that got 'SC back on track."
When AJ thinks back on his great memories on the field with his dad's teams growing up, he can now add his own games and triumphs, like the remarkable weekend sweep of national powers TCU, Vanderbilt and UCLA last season. "That was one of the biggest challenges we had all year. That really showed us that we were that good, that we could beat teams that had been in the College World Series."
While baseball has added a lot to his life, providing him with the life lesson of consistency and a brotherhood on which he'll always have to lean, Ramirez does have a little extra time when he's not on the field or in the classroom.
"Off the field, I go to Athletes in Action, a Christian group that meets every Wednesday night for the athletes that go here," said Ramirez.
His faith is another important component of Ramirez's identity, of what makes him himself, and it comes into his baseball life as well.
"God willing I can help this team do well and play professional baseball through that, like my dad did," said Ramirez. "But wherever God wants to take me, I'll go."
His faith, family and the game of baseball have gotten him this far, and these past four years at USC have given him valuable friends and lessons.
"It just really puts things in perspective that this game is only going to be here for not very long," said Ramirez. "My biggest advice for the freshmen is to not take it for granted and enjoy all the small things and enjoy everything while you're in college, especially playing baseball here at USC."
Ramirez only has 30 or so games left in the Cardinal & Gold, but he won't waste a day taking that for granted. As he said, there's plenty of time for the team to turn things around, which started this week with a walk-off win against Pepperdine, propelling the Trojans into a three-game home series with Utah.
"I grew up on professional baseball fields, getting to know all these guys, some who are MLB players now. It was something I still cherish to this day, all the memories I still have," explained Ramirez.
After his father retired, AJ's future came into focus.
"As soon as USC contacted me, it gave me confidence," remembered Ramirez, who was not heavily recruited because he went to a small school. "And as soon as I got on the campus here, I knew this was the place I was going to be. Four years later, I'm really happy I made that decision."
USC gave Ramirez the platform to work towards his professional dream, while also providing an invaluable education. With parents who both work in education, the academics played a critical part in AJ's decision.
"The education doesn't get much better than here," said Ramirez. "I knew it was one of those things, it's hard to describe, that I just knew this is where I could see myself playing."
As Ramirez ventured off to college to learn, grow and have fun, USC's baseball program was looking for a new look as well. Long known for legendary names like Randy Johnson and Mark McGwire, the team had not played ball above .500 for seven consecutive seasons when Ramirez showed up on campus. Everything changed his freshman year when Dan Hubbs, the pitching coach when Ramirez arrived on campus, took charge of the team.
"When he was made our head coach, there was a lot of pressure on him because this program wasn't where it needed to be. He told us (now seniors) we're going to have to change this program," Ramirez said. "He's done just that. We've turned it around in 1-2 years, right away. He's held us accountable for that. We were hungry. We wanted to be the team that got 'SC back on track."
When AJ thinks back on his great memories on the field with his dad's teams growing up, he can now add his own games and triumphs, like the remarkable weekend sweep of national powers TCU, Vanderbilt and UCLA last season. "That was one of the biggest challenges we had all year. That really showed us that we were that good, that we could beat teams that had been in the College World Series."
While baseball has added a lot to his life, providing him with the life lesson of consistency and a brotherhood on which he'll always have to lean, Ramirez does have a little extra time when he's not on the field or in the classroom.
"Off the field, I go to Athletes in Action, a Christian group that meets every Wednesday night for the athletes that go here," said Ramirez.
His faith is another important component of Ramirez's identity, of what makes him himself, and it comes into his baseball life as well.
"God willing I can help this team do well and play professional baseball through that, like my dad did," said Ramirez. "But wherever God wants to take me, I'll go."
His faith, family and the game of baseball have gotten him this far, and these past four years at USC have given him valuable friends and lessons.
"It just really puts things in perspective that this game is only going to be here for not very long," said Ramirez. "My biggest advice for the freshmen is to not take it for granted and enjoy all the small things and enjoy everything while you're in college, especially playing baseball here at USC."
Ramirez only has 30 or so games left in the Cardinal & Gold, but he won't waste a day taking that for granted. As he said, there's plenty of time for the team to turn things around, which started this week with a walk-off win against Pepperdine, propelling the Trojans into a three-game home series with Utah.
