Mustangs' Jelmini Making Most Of Rough Situation

It's between innings, music blaring through the yard. One team is running off the field, the other running onto it. And out of the Mira Costa High dugout pops Jake Jelmini, bat in hand. He eyeballs the opposing pitcher, takes a well-balanced stance in the on-deck circle, and even swinging the bat at one-quarter speed is just as menacing as he was a couple of weeks ago in the batter's box when leading the Mustangs with a .417 batting average.

He slowly strides forward and pulls his hands through the hitting zone, staying sharp, staying hopeful, even though it is a long shot he will play any baseball in the CIF playoffs.

Want to know the hardest part of sitting idle for Jelmini, who had his jaw broken in two places when accidentally hit with a bat in practice last week? What is he missing the most?

This is it. ''It's being able to play,'' he said, pushing the words out of his mouth.

No doubt, it has been difficult eating meals through a straw since he had his jaw wired shut during a surgery last Wednesday, a few hours after the accident. Four to six weeks he will have to do that. Think about it – pasta, beef teriyaki, chicken, whatever, thrown into a blender and liquefied. Does that sound appetizing? Does it even taste the same? ''No,'' Jelmini said.

He is going to celebrate his 18^th birthday on Saturday. ''I won't be able to eat anything in terms of birthday cake or anything like that,'' he said. ''Maybe I'll blend it up, who knows?''

It's no surprise then that Jelmini already is craving a burger, a nice fat sandwich, a juicy steak; anything with some bite, some substance to it.

But, no, that's not it. It's the game. He started the baseball season, his senior season, on the sidelines with some cracked ribs and is likely to end it sitting out because of the fractured jaw.

''Not being able to play the first four weeks of the season, I mean, it was an awesome feeling to get back on the field and start playing,'' Jelmini said.

''Then I started hitting the ball and I felt like I was just getting to my stride, too, the end of the season and going into summer ball and then this happens.

''I feel like once I get on my feet and start getting the ball rolling, something always happens. But, I mean, that's how life works. You get back on your feet and keep doing it.''

Perspective helps, obviously. ''His spirits are just something over the top,'' said Stacey Jelmini, Jake's mother. ''He's in a great mood and, you know, he just says, 'Stuff happens, mom, if I hadn't been wearing a helmet or if it were six inches higher I wouldn't be standing here.' ''

So when Mira Costa plays at La Mirada on Friday in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs, Jelmini will be on the bench, bat in hand and ready. He hasn't missed a practice or game, went from surgery Wednesday night to practice Thursday afternoon, to the Mustangs first-round playoff game against San Marcos the following day.

''Tough break for a great kid,'' Coach Cassidy Olson said. ''He's been great. He's been on the bench rooting for everybody, grunting though his teeth. Has help for everybody. It's exactly what you would expect from him, because he's such a great kid.

''I haven't seen a moment where he's been, 'Why me?' He's been just there and been supportive for everyone else. He's happy when we win, of course, because he's the ultimate teammate. It's a bummer that I think everyone has reacted to well.''

It also helps that Jelmini knows this is not the end. He has been in contact with UC Santa Barbara and other schools about playing baseball next season, and those calls have not stopped because of the injury. He is going to play Connie Mack baseball this summer for the Playa Vista Orioles and while it is doubtful that he will be able play even if Mira Costa advances to the CIF Division 2 championship game on June 5, Jelmini continues to try to get work in and take small steps forward. He has done some jogging, hit some soft toss …

He is going to keep going, continue moving forward. Able is one thing that is out of his control right now; ready and willing, however, he can command.

''I just got back to school this week. I was out last week, at the end of the week, obviously because of this, but everything is good now,'' Jelmini said. ''I'm back in the swing of things at school, and then, baseball, I'm not playing, but everything is about the same. I'm just focusing on getting healthy - again - and then getting back into summer ball and playing some Connie Mack and stuff like that, getting in shape for college ball.

''A broken jaw is not that big a deal. I mean, granted, you want it to heal properly, but it's not like it's going to affect my baseball swing at all.

''It might affect my choice of food for a while, but that's about it.''