Van Ostrand: Solid Where Hooks Need Him

by Matt Rogers

He doesn’t have the double-take inducing numbers of Drew Locke.

Or the panache of Collin DeLome.

He’s not even the most famous member of the Astros 2006 draft class from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

That distinction belongs to newly-minted Houston starter and former Hook Bud Norris.

In fact, if you asked all but the most avid Hooks fans who stands No. 3 in home runs (14) and second in RBIs (63) during 2009, they’d probably give you a stumped look.

It’s Jimmy Van Ostrand, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound, unassuming Canadian who lives in Richmond, British Columbia, during the off-season. First baseman. Designated hitter. Pinch-hitter.

And what a pinch-hitter he’s been. Van Ostrand tops the Hooks with a .375 average, three walks and three RBIs in 19 plate appearances.

Is pinch-hitting as hard as they say it is? Yes.

“It’s every bit as difficult as it seems,” Van Ostrand said. “You just have to go in there and do the job. It’s usually in a pretty big situation and you have to look to be aggressive. You’re not as tuned in because you haven’t seen as many pitches, but you have to take an aggressive approach.”

Take a look at the rest of Van Ostrand’s numbers. He’s batting .308 with runners in scoring position, .326 with runners in scoring position and two outs and .667 when the bases are loaded. From the eighth inning on, his average is .356.

South Division-leading Midland is all too familiar with Van Ostrand. In 25 games against the RockHounds, he’s done damage to the tune of .354 (34X96), six doubles, nine homers and 31 runs batted in.

He’s settled in nicely at the Double-A level this year, but his first experience with Corpus Christi really wasn’t a Corpus Christi experience at all… thanks in part to a quirky Texas League schedule.

“Last year I flew in and played one game here,” Van Ostrand recalled of his June 11-23, 2008 stint with the Hooks. “I never spent the night in Corpus Christi. I came in, played, went to Frisco for four and San Antonio for four, then Frisco for four again and flew back out.”

High-A Salem, Virginia, was Van Ostrand’s primary port-o’-call last year. His first-half numbers there were .304/4/40 with 13 doubles, good enough to claim the starting left field position for the Carolina League All-Stars in their June 24 match-up against the California League. That was a positive in returning to A-ball for the balance of ‘08, but Van Ostrand was more than ready for a promotion this season.

“I was excited,” Van Ostrand said about the news of his assignment to the Hooks. “I remember just looking forward to it. It was a chance to move up a level.”

One of the key components to playing at Whataburger Field is crowd support, something Van Ostrand quickly picked up on last year.

“They’re great,” Van Ostrand said of the fans. “They are very supportive, night in and night out. They stay in the game, stay with the team. We’ve had some good comeback wins this year and I can definitely attribute that to the fan support. It’s nice to have them there.”

But before the Hooks can hang at Whataburger Field for four against the RockHounds August 25-28, they have to navigate three-game series at Arkansas and Springfield.

“Right now we’re playing well and we just want to go and keep it rolling on the road,” Van Ostrand said. “We have six games and tough travel ahead of us. We want to scratch out as many wins as we can on the road, stay within striking distance. When we get home, we’ll go head-to-head with Midland and see where we stand.”

Van Ostrand and his 24 teammates know there’s slim margin for error. They’re five out with 20 to play and must improve on a 9-12 second-half road record to have a chance at the end. But no matter how the season ends, he’s been impressed by the hard-working 2009 Hooks.

“I think everyone has worked pretty hard consistently. You go through spells when things go your way and times when they don’t. With few exceptions, we’ve been able to compete.”

And no matter when or how the season ends, Van Ostrand knows what he’ll miss most.

“The time with the guys. It’s been a fun group to play with and just be with on a daily basis. Those relationships and experiences will surely be the No. 1 thing I take away with me.”

That’s what makes our game so special for players and fans alike, at places like tiny Allan Hancock College, where a pipeline for Canadian players helped establish Van Ostrand in the US. At places like Cal Poly SLO, Tri-City, Lexington and Salem, where Van Ostrand made his mark without fanfare.

As he’s doing these days and nights at 734 E. Port.