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People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Mr. John "J-Mac" McCarthy
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Home Phone: 708-712-7234 Easy being green for UL March 17, 2006 – Dan McDonald When John McCarthy came south to play baseball at the University of Louisiana, it didn’t take him long to grasp the Mardi Gras concept. It was all about the green. “St. Patrick’s Day is really big in Chicago,” said McCarthy, who hopes to celebrate the holiday tonight when the Ragin’ Cajuns open a three-game series against Minnesota. “It’s a lot like Mardi Gras down here.” The first 1,000 fans at tonight’s game will also receive a scratch-off game piece from Bennigan’s with prizes including a trip to Ireland available, and tonight’s ticket stub is good for half-price admission to Bennigan’s “Blarney Blast” following the game. All proceeds from the jersey auction will benefit UL baseball. For most members of the Cajun squad, St. Patrick’s Day is only a diversion, a line on the calendar, little more than an excuse to dig the green shirt out of the closet. For McCarthy, it’s his heritage. The Palos Park, Ill., product uses an Irish jig as his walk-up music when he comes to the plate at Moore Field. He won some Irish step-dancing contests before leaving home to pursue a baseball career. Besides … “Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day,” McCarthy said. MINNESOTA AT LOUISIANA 6:30 p.m. today, 2:05 p.m. Saturday, 10:30 a.m. Sunday Tigue Moore Field ON THE AIR: KPEL-AM (1420) in Lafayette with Jay Walker and Steve Peloquin. Air time is 6 p.m. today and 30 minutes prior to first pitch for other games. The broadcast is available online at www.ragincajuns.com. TV: Saturday’s game airs over KLAF (cable channel 17) in Lafayette with Don Allen. Air time is 2 p.m. RECORDS: Minn. 7-5, UL 8-6 COACHES: UL, Tony Robichaux (12th year, 406-270 at UL; 18th year, 650-420 overall); Minnesota, John Anderson (25th year, 877-553-3 at UM and overall). SERIES: UL leads 1-0. LAST TIME OUT: UL lost 5-4 at McNeese Wednesday; Minnesota won its sixth straight 15-8 win at Southern. PROBABLE STARTERS PITCHERS: UL, Hunter Moody (So., LH, 2-2, 1.61) today, Jason Fernandez (Jr., RH, 2-0, 1.59) Saturday, Buddy Glass (So., R-R, 2-0, 0.82) Sunday. Minnesota, Brian Bull (Sr., LH, 1-2, 1.69) today, Cole DeVries (Jr., RH, 2-1, 3.12) Saturday, Dustin Brabender (So., RH, 1-2, 4.70) Sunday. PROBABLE LINEUPS UL – C Jonathan Lucroy (So., R-R, .220), 1B Jefferies Tatford (Jr., L-R, .367), 2B Tim Santiago (Jr., S-R, .375), SS Jameson Parker (Sr., R-R, .283), 3B Grant Derouen (Fr., R-R, .188), LF Josh Landry (Sr., L-R, .317), CF Cody Martin (Jr., L-L, .000), RF John McCarthy (Sr., L-L, .350), DH Devery Van De Keere (Jr., L-L, .200). MINNESOTA – C Kevin Carlson (Jr., .182), 1B Andy Hunter (Sr., .349), 2B Luke MacLean (Sr., .378), SS Dan Lyons (Jr., .325), 3B Nate Hanson (Fr., .407), LF Matt Nohelty (Fr., 333), CF Tony Leseman (Sr., .323), RF Mike Mee (Jr., .302), DH Bryan Jost (Fr., .118). ON DECK: UL goes to Lamar for a 7 p.m. Tuesday contest at Vincent-Beck Stadium in Beaumont, Texas. before opening Sun Belt Conference play next Friday-Sunday in Mobile, Ala., against preseason league favorite South Alabama. Originally published March 17, 2006 McCarthy delivers big as Cajuns’ newcomer April 08, 2005 – Dan McDonald John Szefc expected good things from John McCarthy when Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball team signed him last year, but he didn’t know how good. But UL’s assistant coach in charge of hitting knows now. “He wound up being exactly what we needed and what we hoped he would be,” Szefc said. “We knew what kind of player he was, but I’m not sure we knew he’d do what he’s done for us.” What he’s done is lead the club in hits and record multiple-hit games 15 times in 32 games while starting every game in right field. Only six times in those 32 games has he gone without a hit. “He’s a tough at-bat for pitchers,” said Szefc, whose hitters are at .320 as a team heading into tonight’s opener of a three-game non-conference series against Texas-Pan American. “He’s consistent, he’s able to go deep in the count and he’s not afraid to hit with two strikes. He hasn’t hit with a lot of power yet, but he will before it’s over.” It’s hard to be disappointed considering the Palos Park, Ill., native is hitting .371 with eight doubles and a .444 on-base percentage. But McCarthy might have provided Cajun coaches with some of those hopes with the power exhibition he put on early in fall drills. “I’m not sure where all that came from,” McCarthy said of his early fall. “I was just trying to make good contact and have some good at-bats.” His numbers might be even higher right now had he not missed the latter part of the fall with surgery on his hand, but any physical problems obviously didn’t carry over to the spring season. He got hits in the Cajuns’ first five games and was 9-for-19 in the first week of the season. “He probably adapted quicker than any juco guy we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Szefc, who recruited McCarthy out of Mesa Junior College in Arizona. “We’ve been lucky in a lot of our guys adapting quickly, but he’s just a tough-willed guy. “More than anything else, he came here for a reason. It wasn’t because he liked Mardi Gras or the tailgating. He wanted to go somewhere where he could win and he could become a better player because he wants to play professionally.” McCarthy was his junior college region MVP as a sophomore at Mesa, when he won the team’s “triple crown” and hit .420. “We first saw him at a junior college All-Star game in the fall,” Szefc said. “As our season went along, we realized a needed a middle-of-the-lineup hitter, and he (McCarthy) came highly recommended.” Szefc was looking at two players off the Mesa team, with Matt Lambeth now playing center field for Lamar. “We came out well on that deal,” Szefc said, “and that’s not a slam on Matt Lambeth since he’s an outstanding player. It’s more a compliment to John and what he’s done. He’s been so much a better fit. He gives you the added dimension of being able to run, and he’s a really good outfielder. If we didn’t have (John) Coker in center, he could easily play center field for us.” McCarthy’s junior college numbers are that much more impressive considering that Mesa and teams in its league play with wooden bats. He said those two years with the wood has helped him become a better hitter. “It’s an awesome difference,” he said. “You don’t have bad swings there or it costs you a bat. You learn to wait for good pitches to hit. If you’re patient and consistent and try to have good at-bats, the rest will take care of itself.” The John McCarthy File Outfield L-L, 6-0, 195, Jr. Palos Park, Ill. Son of Mary and Jack McCarthy with two younger siblings … Born June 1, 1984 in Chicago … Majoring in education but wants to try a baseball career after graduation … Was recruited by Alabama, Lamar, Oregon State and Indiana among others … Played two seasons at Mesa Junior College in Arizona where he earned all-conference and all-regional honors … Played four years at St. Rita High School and batted over .400 twice, and was also a three-year football letterman. Quotable: On how he sees his role: “I try to be a spark-plug type guy at the plate, get on base for the guys behind me. There’s a lot of power in our lineup, so if I’m on base there’s someone that can move runners around.” On what teammates he likes to watch hit: “Probably Josh Landry and John Coker. I like their swings … they have very relaxed front sides on their swings.” On choosing UL: “When I made my decision, I knew that we had a lot of talent here and the coaching was good. I knew I could come here and win, and that we’d have a shot to get to the World Series.” On the weekend non-conference series with UTPA: “It doesn’t matter that it’s not conference. Every game is important. We need to win every game … we can’t take days off.” Originally published April 8, 2005
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