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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

    Athlete of the Week: Jon Gaston

    Sophomore right fielder Jon Gaston, who was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, pulled the ball for a .700 average this weekend and then got his wisdom teeth pulled on Monday.
    Sophomore right fielder Jon Gaston, who was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, pulled the ball for a .700 average this weekend and then got his wisdom teeth pulled on Monday.

    Editor’s note: Arizona right fielder Jon Gaston had a good week by any standards – he was the MVP of Arizona’s 6-5 win over then-No. 16 ASU last week in the Challenge at Chase, then helped the Wildcats sweep then-No. 4 Oregon State, the defending national champions, this past weekend. He finished the week 7-for-10 with four RBIs and was a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases, and was named the Pacific 10 Conference Player of the Week. We caught up with Gaston, the Arizona Daily Wildcat’s Athlete of the Week, to get his thoughts on his performance, getting his wisdom teeth out, and the best movie of all time.

    Wildcat: Quite a week for you, Pac-10 Player of the Week, MVP at Chase, could it have gotten any better for you?

    Gaston: I think it was probably the best week I’ve ever had, actually. It couldn’t have gotten any better than that.

    W: Was it a better feeling beating ASU on Wednesday or Oregon State over the weekend?

    G: I don’t think it’s a better feeling either way, all four are wins. ASU clobbered us last time and we came out and showed them what’s up this time and Oregon State, No. 2 in the nation (in last week’s coaches poll), national champs last year.

    W: What’s the biggest stride you’ve made from your freshman year?

    G: Biggest stride? I don’t know, probably just adapting to the college game. It’s a lot faster, everything’s quicker. Freshman year, it’s very tough to keep up, and this year, it’s very easy.

    W: What was it like hitting the first pitch you ever saw for a home run (as a freshman against Loyola Marymount)?

    G: (Laughs) I don’t even remember it. It was just total reaction. I was a little nervous, first college at-bat, coming up to pinch-hit in like the seventh or eighth inning. I just hit the ball, and it just happened.

    W: What’s the worst part about getting your wisdom teeth out (Monday)?

    G: (Laughs) The pain afterwards, and then the nice puffy face I got going. It’s not very fun. … They had to go in there, put me out, dig in there and get them out. I actually woke up a couple times, waking up with fingers all in my face. I’m like ‘Whoah, what’s going on?’ And then I heard the doctor say ‘Oh, he needs more gas.’ So I just went back out. … No hard foods, just a lot of mush going through my mouth. A lot of sleep.

    W: (UA second baseman) Colt (Sedbrook) was telling me about your truck.

    G: We were trying to look for a truck all summer. The day before we had to report, we found a truck at a car auction and we bought it. My dad had to get it all fine-tuned, the oil changed, and then fix the glass. So he drove down two weeks later.

    W: He says he gives you a lot of crap for it.

    G: At least my truck doesn’t get broken into like his. It’s not nice enough to get broken into.

    W: What’s the biggest difference between Boise (Idaho, Gaston’s hometown) and Tucson?

    G: Boise’s nicer. The city’s cleaner. People are nicer, better drivers in Boise – Tucson’s got some bad drivers. No offense to any Tucsonans who are out there. But campus here, it’s beautiful. The college life is awesome. It’s a lot hotter down here.

    W: What’s your favorite TV commercial?

    G: Probably the Geico commercials. With the caveman? That’s pretty funny.

    W: Who’s going to win the World Series?

    G: College or Major League?

    W: Both.

    G: We’ll probably win the College. And Yankees gotta do it this year. They just have to.

    W: What’s the best sports movie of all time?

    G: Man, I wish you guys would’ve given me these questions before I came out here. (Pause) I don’t know about best sports movie, but the best movie is “”300.””

    W: Last question, if you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be?

    G: Jesus. Because he’s the man.

    – As told to Ryan Casey

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