Concentration and the ability to keep others off balance are two of the keys to being a great starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Concentration is necessary as one has to shut out all of the noise and everything else going on around him and focus on the batter that stands in front of him, longing to drive the ball deep. The ability to keep the batter off balance is another important factor as the pitcher never wants the hitter to know what pitch is coming. This gives the pitcher a greater chance of success as the hitter looks for a fastball and swings two seconds too fast because a changeup has been thrown. There are other factors that also make up a great starting pitcher, but for this issue’s Men of God spotlight, the primary factor is his faith.

During Spring Training this year, we went back to Winter Haven, Florida to catch up with the Cleveland Indians, who were one game away from the World Series last season. We caught up with Jake Westbrook, one of the young guns of the team, who talked about his faith and even taught me how a baseball team can be a reflection of what the church is to be, according to the Bible.

His Life

Jake Westbrook grew up in Georgia and would be drafted by the Colorado Rockies out of high school. God would allow Jake to be traded on a couple of occasions before finally settling in with the Cleveland Indians and filling the role that God had prepared especially for him. It was long before this, though, that the Lord was working in Jake’s life and these moves were just steps along the journey to finding his place to fit in the Major Leagues.

Q – When did you give your life to Christ?

“It was in ninth grade, which was back in 1993. Just after a FCA meeting, the message really spoke to me, and I went home and prayed beside my bed. I told myself that “I know that I’m a sinner and I need to give my life to Christ and try to start living for Him.” I did that on that night and I’ve been trying to live for Him ever since.”

Jake’s life would meander through some high points and even some nervous moments in the years following. He would be drafted with the 21st pick out of high school by the Colorado Rockies. He would then be traded from the Rockies organization to the Expos, from the Expos to the New York Yankees, then from the Yankees to the Cleveland Indians. It would be a journey where the Lord proved faithful and remained by Jake’s side at all times, and Jake would find success in the sport that he loved.

His Career

Jake would make the rotation in Cleveland and in 2004, Jake was a member of the American League All-Star team. He would later find himself pitching in the League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, taking the mound in front of one of the largest television audiences ever. What helped him all along was his focus and his mentality, something that he talked with me about.

Q – What was the most exciting part of the League Championship Series last year?

“Just pitching in the playoffs, in general, is a different type of feeling from a regular season baseball game and for me, it was very similar to my Major League debut. The nerves were all there and the only difference was that I’ve had the experience now to where I could handle it a lot better and knew how to control those emotions and use them to my advantage. It was a lot of fun and was definitely something that I will never forget. For us, hopefully, we’ll get the chance to do it for many years to come.”

Q – How much pressure is there being in the playoff spotlight?

“That’s the thing. That’s what makes it fun. You’re on the biggest stage at the highest level and you’re out there competing, working your butt off as a team, trying to accomplish the same goal. Baseball’s a team game but it’s also an individual game because when you go out there, each individual has a job to do. The pressure of the playoffs is what it is; it’s just a matter of going out there and now you handle it. Unfortunately, we fell a little short.”

As he talked about that, his words reminded me of Paul’s writing about the church. We are all individuals with various talents, but when we come together and use our talents to the benefit of the church as a whole, that is when God can be glorified the most and when the church is most effective. Jake, being humble in his words and in his mentality, is not one to hog the spotlight or steal the focus away from the team as a whole. I would see the depth of that humility within the next few moments.

Q – Jake, are you going to win twenty games this year?

“That’s my goal”, he said with a grin, but quickly redirected to the more important issue. “I try not to put too much emphasis on that. A lot of times, it’s hard to determine how well a guy did just by wins and losses. You look at a guy that we had a couple of years ago, Kevin Millwood, and he led the American League in ERA but he had like a 9-11 record. For me, as a starting pitcher, my goal is to go out there and try to get deep in the ballgame and my team a chance to win and more times than not, your numbers are going to be ok. The bottom line is, you’re trying to win the ballgame. If you give the team the chance to win every night, that’s really all that you can ask for from a starting pitcher.”

Q – What are your expectations for the team this season?

“I think every year, with the team that we have, our expectations are high; especially after the season we had last year. If we continue to get better and learn from last year, take that experience that we gained and push forward, then our expectations are to do the same thing, if not better.”
Q – What is the hardest part, in your opinion, of being a Christian and being a part of Major League Baseball?

“I think it’s just staying in the Word. There are so many obstacles and so many things that go on in Major League Baseball and that’s the hardest part for me, just staying in the Word and keeping Him on my mind. There are so many things that can bombard you and keep you from that. That’s the struggle for me; staying in the Word and staying strong in it so that those things that do creep up don’t take over your life. You have that foundation, being in the Word every day, to keep your mind pure.”

Q – What has been the highlight of your career so far?

“I would say that it was pitching in the playoffs. That’s what everybody’s goal is and I would say that pitching in the playoffs would be one of them.”

His Faith

Jake expressed his faith in the manner in which he strives to please God, honoring the Lord not only in the words that he speaks but also seeking to glorify God in each area of his life. He sees God as the provider of all that he has and that knowledge has led him to a different way of thinking than most people in his profession have shown over time.

Q – How has faith influenced your career?

“It’s one of those things where I have the abilities that I have because of Him and I try to realize that every day and give it all to Him, no matter what happens. Whether I pitch good or bad, He needs to be glorified no matter how I pitch. With that mentality, you’re not so consumed with the results but more consumed with the process and going out there and doing the best you can. It’s a god mindset for me because if I get so consumed in results and the success of it, I kind of get caught up in “It’s me” and not Him. That’s the way I look at it and it really helps out. It really helps out in how I think about things, my mentality, and how I go about things.”

Q – Do you have a favorite verse?

“Joshua 1:9 is my favorite verse. I really like that verse a lot. I really found it when I was first in the minor leagues and I got traded three times. I was bouncing around and really realized how much of a business this was, going from place to place and having to get to know people over and over again, new front office people and new teammates every year. But I always had that one constant that no matter where I went, the Lord your God is going to be with you wherever you go. That was huge for me. That was a great verse that meant a lot to me.”

Q – When was a time that you felt closest to God?

“I find that now is probably the closest I’ve been because I have two boys now, one which just arrived in November. I see how much the three year old wants to emulate his dad. He repeats you and wants to do the same things that you do and I think about how I want to be a good example for him growing up and just the fact that he wants to be just like me, so I strive to be just like Jesus Christ.”

Q – Finally, Jake, what is your advice to young guys who want to pursue a career in pro baseball?

“My advice to guys is to give it to God. If it’s something you want to do, pray about it and give it to Him. You can always have that mentality no matter what you’re doing; when you go about it, always give Him the gory and really trust and rely on Him that He will put you in the position that He wants you to be in. If it’s meant to be, then it’s meant to be and He will always be there for you.”

Jake sees the importance of giving it all to God and rather than seeking his own gain on the field or off the field, he would rather see someone come to know Christ as Christ works through him. This season will be another chance for Jake and the Indians to make a push for the playoffs, as he gives his all while fulfilling his role for the team. If we all fill our roles in the church, as Jake talked about the individual roles on a baseball team, we can see great things happen where we are. Win or lose, Jake has a place on the grandest stage of all as his name is already written in the most important book and one day, he will walk through the gates of heaven.

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