Welcome to Sliders, a weekly column during the MLB season that delves into both current and enduring aspects of baseball.
Seby Zavala, while studying at San Diego State, often found it challenging to focus in class as his thoughts drifted to his favorite lunchtime spot—the dugout, where he could converse with his mentor, Tony Gwynn. “He would munch on his lunch there daily, so after class, I’d rush to the dugout just to chat with him,” Zavala, who has spent parts of the last four seasons in the majors as a catcher, shared. “Talking to a Hall of Famer about baseball and life was invaluable; he was open to questions, wanting you to have purpose behind them. I spent the day thinking: How can I improve? What don’t I grasp?”
Gwynn, regarded as the finest pure hitter of the past century, would have celebrated his 65th birthday last Friday. He was the baseball coach at San Diego State when he passed away from salivary gland cancer in 2014. Zavala is among three players from Gwynn’s last season who advanced to the majors, alongside Ty France of the Twins and Greg Allen, now with the Cubs’ minor league system.
“Those players had a unique opportunity to bond with him,” stated Tony Gwynn Jr., a current Padres radio analyst, at Yankee Stadium this week. “Even while he was unwell, they experienced facets of him that most never got to see.”
Now with the Boston Red Sox, Zavala missed one college season due to injury. Gwynn, a pioneer of video analysis, appointed Zavala as the team’s videographer. By season’s end, Zavala noted he began to anticipate plays alongside pitchers, enhancing his insights that would eventually lead him to the majors. “I learned to read hitters and manipulate them to my advantage,” remarked Zavala, who has played for several teams including the White Sox and Mariners. “His teachings altered my perception of the game; I probably wouldn’t be here without his influence.”
Zavala, France, and student manager Cooper Sholder commemorated Gwynn with matching tattoos after his passing. Over the past 11 years, France has grown to admire Gwynn’s approachable nature. “He made himself relatable, never presenting as ‘Mr. Padre’ or the greatest player in San Diego’s history; he was simply Coach Gwynn,” said France, still honoring Gwynn with that title.
Gwynn secured eight batting titles over 20 years, amassing 3,141 hits. Hypothetically, if he had gone hitless for 1,000 consecutive at-bats post-retirement, he would still hold a .305 batting average—higher than Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader. His .338 career batting average stands unmatched among players who spent their entire careers in the integrated major leagues. Former Mets pitcher Ron Darling acknowledged, “He had a magical bat,” noting that he limited Gwynn to a mere .441 average. Looking ahead, fewer active players will know the man behind the stats.
