The Chomp: SFSU baseball’s Justin Johnson hits stride with big week

Welcome to the Xpress podcast, a podcast that brings city and statewide perspectives to SF State news. In the latest episode of the Chomp, podcast editor Victor Harris Jr and Arman Archouniani chat with San Francisco State University baseball player Justin Johnson.

Arman

Alright, welcome back to the Chomp Podcast. Today, we are here with Justin Johnson, redshirt senior with the men’s baseball team, how are you doing today?

Justin

I’m doing good, how about yourself?

Arman

Doing good so far.

Arman

So yeah, first question for you, you know talk to me through the season how has it been so far, what are you guys planning on doing for the rest of the year, how is it looking so far?

Justin

Season’s been off to a great start, you know, team’s been playing really well, we are a really deep team so everybody’s been producing at a high level, we just been taking it one day at a time, you know we are trying to win or split every series that usually puts you in a good spot for playoffs, our main goals like always is to win the conference, make it to super regionals, onto World Series, long as we can go so it’s pretty good.

Victor

And you mentioned just taking advantage of each series, you guys are off to a really good start and you know you guys just recently had a series sweep against Cal East Bay. How was that series for you, you know, you homered in four straight games so you got a hot bat right now. So how was that?

Justin

I mean, it’s great. I mean, a sweep is always awesome. You know, it’s our first sweep of the year, huge too on the road, verse, a conference opponent. I mean, I’ve been swinging it pretty well, I’ve been working with my coaches lately so huge shout out to them, Coach White, Schif (Coach Schifano)really helped me in my approach and we made some minor tweaks throughout the week and they really came to light during the series. I mean, the whole team is swinging a great bat right now. You know, you got guys like, French, Derek, and Dan, they’ve been doing a good part for their self too so I mean, just gotta keep it up. Keep it going.

Arman

When you’re in that zone, you know, just being a hot hitter, what does that kind of feel like to the normal viewer that doesn’t play baseball, what’s that feeling like? How could you turn that into like a real life perspective?

Justin

I don’t know it’s really hard to explain, like, once you are in the batter’s box, it kinda like, as cliche as it sounds, like everything kind of like zones out and it’s just you versus that guy, like you don’t hear anything, and you’re just like, focused. So like, especially when you’re hot, the ball just looks really big, and you’re just trying to, you know, keep it intact, not get too big and anxious at the plate so, I mean, I know that might not be a great way to explain it, but that’s just how it is, you know, it’s just you zone out?

Victor

For sure like, one thing I wanted to like, ask you was like, you know, like, baseball is like a really superstitious sport for people who don’t really know and it’s just like, when you approach the batter’s box, like, what is like your mindset? What’s your routine like? What’s the superstition maybe somebody don’t pick up on just by watching the game?

Justin

Um, so I think if you’ve checked with a lot of hitters, they kind of have the same superstitions, mine is like, I have to look at the barrel, zone out and like, I kind of give myself like positive reinforcement saying, like, you’re the best here, no one can beat you like, this guy has nothing on you. So it’s kind of like self hype when it gets to the plate. Yeah, I mean, a lot of stuff is like, I use the same bat weight. I do the same three things on deck, I usually do like three swings, then I stare at the scoreboard and like focus myself in, so it’s like, everybody has like a routine that you do and that’s kind of like our superstitions.

Arman

Talk to us a little bit about the journey to SF State, you know, you played at Jackson State before, how was that kind of transition from Jackson State to SF State? What was kind of different for you?

Justin

Um, I’d say, it’s a lot different. You know, I played in the south, it’s HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). So there’s a lot of, you know, people like me on the team. That’s, we still have a good amount. We’re really a diverse team but that was a big difference. It’s different play styles. You know, we were more of a, in Jackson, we were a small ball speed steal bags type of team where I feel like this team, we’re a deep lineup, we get hit, you know, doubles. homeruns, I think one through nine, there’s potential, someone going deep, you know, so I’d say that’s the main difference. I mean, baseball is usually the same everywhere else is just how you play it you know.

Victor

You also touched on a little bit, you know, being at Jackson State, you know, being around people who look like you. You know, I know, for many people of color, especially Black people who do attend HBCUs it’s like, kind of a like, a, it’s like a different dynamic, you know, so I know it’s a different a different atmosphere, especially too out there so yeah, part of that adjustment period. How was it like, What are some of the like the little things that kind of took you a while to get used to like being like at like a PWI or places more diverse rather than at Jackson State?

Justin

Um, that’s a good question. I don’t know, I actually don’t know because I’ve been lucky enough where I’ve been very diverse in my schooling so I’ve been to schools where it’s mainly minorities, mainly PWI so like, I wouldn’t say there’s really not that much of a big difference. I would say more like, social lives are a little different, you know, being like different settings and surroundings but like, I don’t know, it’s all pretty much the same to me.

Arman

So what was kind of that when you came to SF State? How did that conversation with Coach Schif have? I mean, I always look at coach Schiff as someone that, you know, he’s like a leader of a family. How’s that kind of conversation with him like when you got here?

Justin

Like when I got recruited?

Arman

Yeah.

Justin

It’s actually a crazy story on how I got recruited. I don’t even know if I could say it basically, I went to Jackson State, I graduated, I was kind of done playing and I put my name in the transfer portal, just, you know, just to see because I wanted to play somewhere close to home, I’m from Sacramento, I wanted my family to see me play more and I really had no offers or really no, like serious inquiries, I talked to a couple other coaches, but no one really followed through ad like, I think a week or two before school started, Schif reached out to me, went on a visit and then, um, we were trying to figure everything out so I didn’t really get enrolled in the school, like, a week until after school started so I was very late, so like, I showed up, like, I think, a week and a half after they started doing meetings and practices. So it was like, I don’t know it was an interesting recruitment. Because you know, I get there and I’m trying to get filled in quick. So yeah, that’s kind of how it came.

Victor

And just talking about an adjustment period like, with it be a quick was it like, any doubts or anything that you had going on like, man like ‘Am I going to be up in like speed and time?’ or was it just straight baseball?

Justin

Uh, no, I knew that like, in the offseason, which was the summer for me. I didn’t play summer ball, I prepared myself, right you know, I was doing a lot of hitting a lot of fielding, I just wanted the opportunity to come out and Schifano gave me that and I’m very appreciative of it. So like, I knew once we got to the field, it’s all the same, I’ve been playing baseball since I was five years old and I’m 23 so it’s like, I know how it goes. It’s not nothing new, you know, so I was ready for it.

Arman

So when you know, born in Sacramento, so how did it kind of feel going away from home going to Jackson? What was that like? Talk to me, did you miss home?

Justin

Yeah, I missed home a lot. I mean, living in Mississippi is a lot different from Sacramento, especially in Jackson, Mississippi. So it’s like, it was a big adjustment for me. You know, it’s a small town in the middle of like the south compared to Sac, which is not even like a big city, you would say, but it’s like, doubles that city, if that makes any sense. So it was a lot like I missed being, I’m like I’m really close to my family so I like to visit them I still go when I have like an off weekend to go home and visit so like not having that was pretty tough and then like, you know, in order for me to see them, they have to catch a flight instead of driving just an hour to come watch our games and I can hang out with them after so I mean that. Yeah. That’s about it. Yeah.

Victor

My question probably just be more of a preference question because, you know, being like, Cali baseball players have a certain swag to him so like being down south, like, do you prefer being on Cali with everybody else, like who has like the same kind of swagger or did you kind of like feel the aura a little bit me being down South.

Justin

I actually I kind of liked it down there because, I mean, it’s down south, but we had so many people from that team from different areas, you know. So like that team, we had like five kids from Puerto Rico, three kids from Dominican Republic, a kid from Curacao kids from like, Atlanta, Chicago, New York so it’s like so many different personalities. It was very cool to see but I do like, I think Cali has the best swag. We used to always joke about that who had the best swag the best baseball drip. Who’s the best players? Which state is Yeah, so that was always fun to joke around and, like mess with them about which I still to this day, I agree that California has got the best.

Arman

Yeah, I was gonna say so how did that conversation kind of end? Who won the battle at the end?

Justin

You know, it’s really hard to get through with the Puerto Ricans and the Florida kids. They always think that they’re the best, which I mean, it’s hard to argue with them because they got all the big leaguers and stuff but yeah, it was always funny going back and forth with them.

Arman

So what was kind of like, when you got the call from Schif, were you just like, oh, that’s that’s the school I’m going to like I need to go back home.

Justin

Yeah, yeah I mean, yeah, pretty much so he called me and he was like, Well, do you want to come out here and see how you do in the fall and I was like, fully on board like let’s do it. You know, let’s get after it.

Victor

How was the fall experience for you?

Justin

It was cool. I liked it a lot. Fall was pretty fun. We got the opportunity to play a couple schools, got to play USF, couple of Jucos around there so it was really fun meeting all the new guys. I like coming into a new, like atmosphere and meeting people and kind of like experiencing the culture and I really liked it from the jump you know, it’s really cool. I mean, Schif has a great program and how he runs it is amazing.

Arman

What was the point where you were like, oh, like “I’m good at baseball?” Was baseball was like the first option for you when you were younger or was it a second option to another sport?

Justin

I mean, it was always the first option but I didn’t really get good at baseball until like, my sophomore or freshman year of high school. That’s when I kind of realized like, okay, like, I could potentially do something with this you know, like earlier in life, I was playing basketball, football, baseball, I was always good at basketball. But that’s because I was just taller when I was younger, now looking back at it, I really wasn’t that great and then football, I was, I played my freshman year, I did really good and then I remember, I was gonna play football my sophomore year and I was starting baseball and I did like, this is the first year I kind of like, turned some heads and baseball my freshman year, people were telling me like, “you got to do all this,” this and this to get to the next level and I never really had that conversation with anything for football so then that’s when I sat down with my dad realized like, okay, we should probably turn full focus into baseball and just cut out all the other sports and that’s when I did that and just went from it there.

Victor

Something that caught my attention too was just, you know, you playing the two positions being first base, and third base like you playing the hot corners and like, you know, while they both are the corners it’s like, both are very unique in their own way so which one do you prefer and like, how was that adjustment period, like how long have you been like playing the two positions and what was that like growing up?

Justin

Um, I didn’t start playing first until my last year at Jackson State and I mainly play third, and then I’d play first, like, maybe once in a while, like, just in case if we needed someone or someone got hurt, and they needed me but I don’t really think there’s a big adjustment period. I mean, I feel like if you could play third, you could play first — kind of like one of those types of deals, you could play one of the hot corners, you could play the other, I think it’s a lot harder to play third, I prefer to play third, it’s been my main position my whole life so like I played third and short growing up at first so like, I’d much rather play third than first but I think first is also very nice, because you have more time, you could just knock the ball down you don’t really make it throws it half the time so yeah.

Arman

What was the kind of — did you kind of get a culture shock whenever you went to Jackson, because at the time, Jackson was kind of like popping at the time, Deion Sanders was there during that time. What was kind of the difference between, you know, Sacramento and Jackson in terms of just a cultural thing?

Justin

I would say they’re a lot more proud. I mean, like, school pride is a real thing out there. You know, especially the HBCU they go they go hard for their schools, and I saw it firsthand. I remember going to football games — 50,000 people at every game. You can’t park unless you like, you’re like two miles away from the stadium. and then you have to walk. We have like school band. They were treated like gods there. They would get like police escorts It was crazy. I would wear like, just this like in Jackson State gear, go to gas stations and get free food. People would always just be like you play baseball and I’m like yeah, show them my roster pic like, “Hey, we’re coming out this weekend to watch you guys play.” Here’s like, “Just take your water. It’s on me.” I was like alright, for sure. So it’s like, yeah, it was a huge culture shock that like when people say that the South riser dies with college sports, it’s a real thing we play like Mississippi State, Louisiana-Lafayette, like all the big schools down there, and they’d be like, sold out crowds it’s a crazy atmosphere to play in.

Victor

That’d lead me to my next question just like with it being so crazy down there. I know, when Deion left, it was kind of like a big deal going on and I know one of the things he pointed out was just like, while, it was like a lot of celebrities showing up to games, it was a crazy atmosphere. He was also pointing out like, it was a lot of things that were swept under the rug they weren’t talking about the university with like, you know, people’s cars getting broken into, students not having money to eat and stuff like that.

Justin

Yeah.

Victor

Did you see that side of it too and like, just from your perspective, what was that like?

Justin

Yeah, I did, um, so Jackson had a water crisis my sophomore year, my junior year, my junior year there and I had no water in my apartment for like a month so like, that’s like a real thing. We didn’t have no water— I had to go to like two towns over to go shower at a Planet Fitness like after practice, and then we’d have to like, go to school and get like water cases, but yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of — I think Jackson State did a good job though. We had a lot of more stuff than like all the other schools had, if that makes any sense, we were well, like, fed, we were well, like, taken care of, I would say, but there was a lot of stuff that could have been better. but it was I think it was still a good experience I had.

Arman

Talk to me about now how different it is when you’re going to SF State and there’s like this culture shock, where there’s, SF State’s not really known as a sport school, compared to maybe the South where it’s ride or die. What did that kind of feel like playing your first game at SF State?

Justin

Um, I don’t know how to say but it felt like I kind of felt more relaxed, I would say, because, you know, you’re in a hostile environment like, if you go on the road, it’s like, it’s brutal down there. Yeah. You’re like, they’re yelling at you and like, people are sitting right behind the on deck circle on your thing talking and it’s like, like, I’m just trying to focus gotta focus on the game focus, now, It’s kind of like, you know, I look see my parents in the crowd. There’s a couple other parents there. It’s pretty chill. No one’s really like, yelling at each other. It doesn’t get really like, we call it like chirping, no one’s really like chirping back and forth at each other so I mean, I like it, it’s more relaxed, yeah.

Victor

That’s what’s crazy because I was gonna ask you like, I know down South there’s some crazy scenes in the stands that be happening. Can you recall like any like, what’s like the craziest thing you’ve heard from the stands or even just seen?

Justin

I don’t think I say any on here but I just remember we played at Alabama A&M and this was my second start and I’m on the on deck circle and like everybody’s they’re just yelling at me just everything. They’re like “Turn around 25 turn around,” like just like keep yelling at me and like “Your shoes are ugly” like, it’s like going off, like everything they could possibly think of and then I hit a line drive and they’re like, “Oh you alright” and I like kind of nodded at them and then my next at-bat I like, hit a weak pop up in the infield, and they’re like, “oh, yeah, that’s just like we thought you’re sorry,” screaming at me, as I’m like walking back to the dugout, yeah, so that’s probably like, that was normal but I remember that was the craziest one that I experienced.

Arman

So from like, a psychological standpoint, do you like the chirping whenever you’re like, at the on-deck circle or is it just, it’s whatever to you and you like it more here?

Justin

I mean, it’s whatever to me. I mean, I think it’s cool sometimes because it gets you more motivated. You know, it kind of puts more like, fire under your guts, like, “Alright I’m gonna show these people what I got,” like, it kind of adds more confidence for me, you know, but I mean it doesn’t matter to me. I’m more focused on myself and winning games, trying to help the team so yeah.

Arman

One one big question I have for you is food: what’s the difference between here and at Jackson? Which one do you like more?

Justin

I ain’t gonna lie like we had. I’ve been to City Eats here but we had our own version of it there that the food there was —

Victor

Blown out the water.

Justin

It was way better but yeah, I mean, yeah, there’s a whole bunch of restaurants out there that’s pretty good, yeah.

Victor

And then just with you playing third base, like mostly grown up. Who was like, those guys you looked up to in the pros, like just your favorite players.

Justin

My favorite player growing up was, well, the one that plays my position was Manny Machado. I love Manny Machado but weirdly enough, I’m a Dodgers fan and my favorite player of all time growing up was Matt Kemp. That’s the guy I really liked a lot.

Victor

He was respectable.

Justin

Yeah, I still have a signed baseball from him in my room. Yeah, that’s like, that was my hero growing up.

Arman

What kind of led you to being a Dodgers fan?

Justin

Um, so I was always just a fan of baseball and my dad actually made me pick a team. He was like, you got to pick a team, you can’t just like everybody. It’s like, I had a football team, I had a basketball team, he was like, “Why don’t you pick a baseball team?” I was like, “I don’t know, like I don’t watch enough. I don’t like, I got favorite players and stuff.” and he was like, “Well figure out a team” and I was kind of looking at it and Matt Kemp, at the time was like, in MVP race doing really good. That was one of my favorite players and I remember I didn’t want to be like everybody else. I didn’t want to be a Giants fan because that’s everybody in my circle is a Giants fan. That’s all they talked about. So I kind of wanted to play the villain role I was like I’m a Dodgers fan and it worked out because they weren’t that good back then and then now they’re good now so it’s, it was a good investment.

Arman

It definitely worked out in the end for you guys.

Justin

Yeah.

Victor

That man about to catch heat man, that’s crazy.

Arman

So what’s kind of how do you feel about the team now? You know, you guys are doing really well in conference. What do you guys kind of just, you know, it’s an everyday sport, basically. So how do you kind of just kind of try to stay level headed in terms of not get too high and not get too low after a win or loss?

Justin

I mean, yeah, I mean, baseball, it’s a roller coaster sport, you know, you could be up and be down like, just for instance, we were we had a bad weekend the week before, then we’re on top of the world this weekend so you kind of just have to keep it one game at a time just trying to win each game that you play at take each day seriously. I feel like we do a good job, we kind of prepare the same way each week. You know, no matter if we do good or bad, we don’t really like change much — we just stay the level of course and that’s what we have to do,you know, we have to realize each week is not the same so like, just got to prepare.

Victor

Probably, probably one of my last questions would just be like, while you are like on a crazy hot streak right now like, I know as an athlete, you know, like, everybody’s always gonna try to be perfect so what are some, like, some of the minute things that you recognize in your game that you do want to improve on as the season continues?

Justin

Um, I just put the ball in play more. You put the ball in play, good things happen. You know, I think my strikeouts are a little too high than I like them to be but um just staying aggressive staying with my approach, putting the ball in play. I mean, you hit the ball, as hard as you can, you can be out, you hit the ball weak as you can, you can be safe. So it’s really just if you just constantly put pressure on the defense and put the ball in play, always was told good things happen and they usually do so just try to keep putting the ball in play, that’s it.

Arman

Yeah, kind of like a follow up question to his, what, you know, in a sport like baseball, where you’re mostly failing more often than you’re succeeding in terms of batting? How do you kind of psychologically when you get a line drive and it feels great off the bat, and then it’s in a glove in the outfield, how does that kind of change your approach or do you kind of just be like, “Okay, I hit the ball hard. It didn’t end up in the outfield and on the ground, but, you know, that’s a pitch I like.”

Justin

I don’t know, I’m kind of I’m kind of weird that like, if I hit a bloop single, it feels good but I’m actually more mad than if I hit a ball 100 and someone catches it. Because I know like, Oh, I just hit it at him, but like, that felt really good, you know? So I mean, I always just try to don’t look at the stats, take it one at bat at a time like, I never check any of my stats throughout the season. I just worry about having quality at bats just either trying to get on base anyway I can, hit the ball as hard as I can, see good pitches, like you just got you got to really make it simple. You just got to play like nothing matters like it just alright, this at bat, I struck out okay, what’s my next at bat gonna look like, just move on. I hit a homerun, that doesn’t matter, you’re only as good as your next at bat so that’s kind of like my mentality, is you’re only as good as your last at bat or your next to bat so you just got to keep pushing.

Victor

Perfect.

Arman

Awesome. Thank you so much Justin, for coming on.

Justin

Thank you for having me.

Arman

Good luck on the rest of the season.

Justin

Thank you, thank you.

Victor

Go Gators.