River Bandits shortstop Kozma thrives in first pro season

Font Size:

By Steve Batterson | Tuesday, June 3, 2008 8:03 PM CDT | () comments

River Bandits short stop Pete Kozma fires the ball to first while on the run during first inning action against the Burlington Bees. Buy this Photo

Pete Kozma never will forget where he was when he heard he had been selected by

St. Louis in the first round of baseball’s 2007 draft.

He was in the kitchen.

That would be the kitchen of the Kozma family home in Owasso, Okla., away from the room where a handful of family members and friends were gathered to watch the first-ever televised baseball draft.

“I wasn’t there to see what happened when they called my name. I was out in the kitchen, talking to a buddy,” Kozma said. “I didn’t expect to go so soon. Everything I had heard was that it would happen later, so I didn’t see any reason to sit by the TV and wait.”

Kozma did hear the audio when the Cardinals made the Quad-Cities River Bandits shortstop the 18th pick overall in the draft, and he hasn’t missed much else since.

“He’s been a picture of consistency,” River Bandits manager Steve Dillard said. “He’s one of those guys who plays beyond his age. He’s so steady in everything he does, the way he handles things. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to play shortstop in the big leagues someday.”

Kozma recalls trying to stay relaxed, but concedes that draft day one year ago this week was anything but typical.

“On the outside, I tried to stay calm, but inside my heart was racing,” he said. “All of a sudden, the Cardinals had picked me, and a couple of months later, I’m in the Appalachian League playing pro ball.”

Kozma got a taste of what his career choice is all about last season, hitting .233 overall in 42 games, which included batting .264 during a 30-game stay with short-season Johnson City.

He expected to play for Quad-Cities this season, understanding that the challenges of a 140-game season extend beyond the highs and lows that naturally accompany the game on the field.

During his first two months with the River Bandits, the 20-year-old shortstop has come to understand the business of professional baseball.

“I expected to learn a lot here and I have. I think we all have,’’ Kozma said.

For the first time, Kozma finds himself in a clubhouse where teammates are being promoted, demoted, even released.

Although that is a normal experience at the Class A level, it is an eye-opening situation for a young player.

“When you see a friend get released, somebody you came in with or hung around with, it’s not a good feeling, but it’s the reality of the game,” Kozma said.

“That was a jolt at first, something I didn’t think about, but you have to adjust, deal with it and work through it. It forces you to mature and realize that this is a business.’’

Kozma finds himself learning from what older players do. For the first time, he keeps a notebook on pitchers he has faced, jotting down tendencies that might help him in future at-bats.

“I learn from the way pitchers work against me, just like I’m sure they learn about me,” he said. “I’m becoming more of a student of the game, and I think that is only going to benefit me moving forward.”

On the field, Kozma continues to cope with the expected rigors of his first marathon season.

“That’s part of it,” Dillard said. “He’s pressing a bit now, but he’ll fight through it. He’s got the right attitude and approach to get that done.”

His defense has been consistent — he has 11 errors through 49 games — but Dillard considers him as solid as any shortstop in a league that also includes Mike Moustakas, the Burlington shortstop who Kansas City took with the second overall pick in last year’s draft.

At the plate, Kozma enjoyed a pair of eight-game hitting streaks and hit safely in 20 of 25 games in April, leading the River Bandits with a .341 batting average for the month.

In May, Kozma has proven to be human and he carried a .263 batting average when June rolled around.

“There are still around 90 games left, so there isn’t any need to panic,” Kozma said. “It’s all about continuing to contribute and work and if I do that, the numbers will take care of themselves.

“This is the type of test I expected here. It’s a mental test. The physical test comes later as we get into the second half, but like everybody else, I deal with it. I just play on. That’s all I can do.”

Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or sbatterson@qctimes.com.