Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month: Chad Chop

Steve Virgen

He went away to play baseball at a Division I university with hopes

of fulfilling big dreams, but all he found was a dead end. And, when he

transferred to an NAIA program, all he found was obscurity. But, there

was much more in store for Chad Chop.

It seems as if Chop has learned more than just baseball at Vanguard

University.

Last year, when Chop finished with a .416 batting average for the

Lions he expected to be included in the Major League Baseball draft. But,

that did not happen. And, Chop began to wonder why he left San Diego

State.

“If I was at a (Division I university) last year, and if I was putting

up those numbers, I would have been drafted,” Chop said. “I was really

kind of upset and questioning why I was here. I was asking: Does God

really want me here? What’s the point of even playing baseball if I’m not

going to drafted? But now I’m realizing, that God gave me my fiance, he’s

given me success this year, and I’m gonna get drafted.”

Chop realized Vanguard was the right place for him when he met Debby

Baeder. Chop let go of his frustrations of being snubbed in the MLB

Draft, trusted in his Christian faith and strengthened his relationship

with Debby. Their wedding is scheduled for January.

The Chops will mostly likely be an athletic family. Debby is on the

Lions’ track team, while her brothers, Sam and Tom are on the baseball

team with Chop.

When Chop returned to Vanguard for his senior year this season, he

came with motivation, a strong purpose to fulfill those dreams that began

when he first started to walk.

“I want to play pro ball,” Chop said. “I hope someday to be in the

major leagues. I have lofty goals. I believe I can make it that far.”

This season, Chop was named Golden State Athletic Conference Player of

the Year. He has not batted below .319, and in April he raised his

average 30 points, as he carried the Lions into the NAIA Region II

Playoffs. The Daily Pilot College Athlete of the Month finished the

season with a .403 average, that included 60 RBIs, 12 home runs and 11

doubles.

“Undoubtedly, without him we wouldn’t have made the playoffs,”

Vanguard Coach Kevin Kasper said of his first baseman. “We’ve ridden him

these past two weeks to make the playoffs. We won four conference games

in a row. He had a grand slam against Biola (which led to a 12-10 Lions’

win, April 27). He’s that kind of player who you can ride. He’s good

enough that we can get on his back and he can carry us. That’s what he’s

done the last week and a half.”

The Lions needed to win their last four GSAC games to earn a playoff

berth, and Chop led the way to clinching the spot. He slammed a home run

in each of those four games and went 11 for 17 with 19 RBIs.

“I’m in the zone, where the ball looks huge,” Chop said. “If the

pitcher makes a mistake, I just crush it. It’s a real good feeling. Right

now, when I’m in the batter’s box, I don’t think anybody can get me out.

I really believe that I’m prepared to where I’ve already beaten the

pitcher the night before. I took a hundred swings when everyone else was

out doing what they were doing. That being said, when I get in the box,

it’s like I already won the at-bat. If for some reason, I get out, it’s

because I got myself out. The pitcher didn’t get me out.

“It’s a matter of working hard on my own,” Chop continued. “I take a

hundred swings every night. Over time that preparation adds up. I hit a

home run in a game and that night, it doesn’t matter. I don’t relax. I go

out and take a hundred swings and I’m ready for the next day. There’s no

complacency.”

Chop crushed his 13th home run of the year Wednesday, leading the

Lions to an 8-2 victory over Point Loma in the NAIA Region II Playoffs.

Chop, who also produced an RBI double, has pounded out one homer in each

of the past five games.

Chop said there are seven major league teams that have contacted him

and he is assured he will be drafted in June.

“I feel like God has give me a talent, and for me to waste it would be

wrong,” Chop said of his nightly batting sessions and his quest to reach

the big leagues. “You just don’t sit on it. You try to do your best. I

feel that there is a reason that God gave me the talent. Maybe he wants

me to go to the major leagues and be a light, be a good example. There’s

a lot of stuff that goes on there. I can do God’s work there, too.”