The Hawaiian Glove Man: Honolulu native brings golden mitt to Lowell

LOWELL — Now a month into the season, bus rides to ballparks in New York and Vermont have taken their toll on many of the Lowell Spinners. But they have yet to faze Jonathan Hee.

"Traveling from Hawaii to the mainland is five hours at least," said Hee, who delivered the walk-off single in Lowell's 4-3 victory over Mahoning last night. "So this travel isn't bothering me yet."

Hee knows a little something about long trips. After all, the infielder grew up a whopping 5,108 miles away from Lowell in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"I had never been this far east," he said. "The furthest I had been was Louisiana. It took about 12 hours of flying to get to Lowell at the start of the season."

After excelling in high school (Mid-Pacific Institute of Honolulu), he signed on to play at his home town University of Hawaii and earned the starting job at second base as a sophomore. After a tough first season at the plate (.190), he improved to .283 as a junior.

This season was a breakout campaign. He hit a career-high .345 average with 15 doubles and 32 RBIs. He also struck out only 16 times in 239 at-bats. But his real specialty was with the glove.

As a senior, the shortstop posted a .985 fielding percentage, committing just five errors in 324 changes. That earned him American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division 1 Golden Glove First Team honors.

"I really had no idea," he said. "My coach back home (Mike Trapasso) called me with the news. It was a real honor because there were a lot of good shortstops in college baseball.

"HU was a great place to play. I got to play in front of all my family and friends, and the beach was a couple miles from my house."

During that time, he drew interest from local Red Sox scouts. But he was still a wreck on draft day.

"I was watching (the draft) on the computer for a while," he said. "Once the 21st round came I was about to go to the grocery store. But then I got the news I was drafted."

Hee had been selected by the Red Sox with the 23rd pick in the 21st round of the draft, 652nd overall. That meant he would start his career far from home.

"I was definitely excited to have the opportunity to play with this organization," he said. "But I am still a little nervous. I had only been to the mainland for away conference games and a little summer ball. So this is still a very new experience for me. I was exhausted for the first week."

The 6-foot, 180-pounder is working to find his way at the plate with the Spinners. He is hitting .220 with two doubles and seven runs. A switch hitter, he is much stronger from the left side, hitting .313. As the leadoff hitter last night, he had two hits, including the game-winner.

Hee has also been as stellar as ever with the glove. In 11 games at second base and four at shortstop, he has committed just one error in 60 chances, including a stellar backhand from deep shortstop last night. He has a combined .983 fielding percentage. But it hasn't stopped him from sweating the one mishap.

"That one error still bothers me," he said with a smirk. "I love playing defense and I take a lot of pride in it."

With more than a month left in the season, Hee is hoping his family will still be able to make the trip to LeLacheur Park.

"They're going to try to get down here," he said. "We are going to work on organizing it. It would be great if they could come down.

"To be in pro ball is something special. It's something I am going to remember of the rest of my life."

A look at Hee in his uniform reveals only a few of the elaborate tattoos that cover his body as a tribute to his heritage.

"My right shin from knee to ankle is covered," he said, "with a samurai helmet, my family crest and a cherry blossom. My left shoulder has a koi (fish) and my right shoulder has a dragon. My last name is on my left chest, my mom's maiden name is on my right chest and my middle name (Masami) is down my spine."

High School: Two-time All-Scholastic selection. Led team to 2002 state title.

College: Three-year starter, first at second then at shortstop. As a senior, hit .345 average with 15 doubles and 32 RBIs. Committed just three errors and was named American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division 1 Golden Glove shortstop.

Spinners: Through Saturday, has committed just one error in 60 chances between second base and shortstop. Is hitting .220 with seven runs.

Key play: The Spinners had not managed a hit after the fourth inning. But with a runner at second in the ninth, Jonathan Hee blooped a single into left field that scored Ronald Bermudez with the walkoff run.

Offense: Lowell — Jonathan Hee 2 for 5, RBI; Mitch Dening 2 for 4, two hits, two runs; Luis Sumoza 2 RBIs; Mahoning Valley — Isaias Velasquez 2 for 3, run

Starters: Lowell — Drake Britton 3 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run; Mahoning Valley — Russell Young — 3 innings, 4 hits, 3 earned runs

Winning Pitcher: Mitchell Herold (1-0, 0.00); Loser: Garrett Rieck (1-1, 0.73)

Hero: Known more for his glove, Hee delivered the key hit, and added an outstanding play, backhanding the ball at deep short and throwing the runner out by a step.

Quotable: "Jon (Hee) puts quality at-bats together and works counts," said Spinners manager Gary DiSarcina. "He's still working on strength, but once in a while he gets a hold of one and shoots it into the left-center gap."

Photos

Known more for his glove that earned him the American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division 1 Golden Glove at shortstop, Jonathan Hee delivered a walkoff RBI single in the Spinners' 4-3 win over Mahoning Valley last night. Staff photo