This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Mike Gibbens is at the plate and there are two strikes against him.
At times, it may have seemed like the third strike against his enormous potential would be called, and Gibbens was going to be permanently out.
Now, he says he's ready to knock the last pitch out of the park.
Gibbens, a hard-throwing, right-handed pitcher and solid hitter, is getting ready to begin his senior season with a fresh start and in a new uniform. He's going to start playing for Jordan next week before moving on to the Community College of Southern Nevada, or perhaps a minor league baseball team.
He began his high school career at Juan Diego before attending Copper Hills for a little more than a year. His stints at both schools ended badly.
"You've got to learn from your mistakes, and I've learned tons," Gibbens said.
Gibbens first got into trouble in the infamous Airsoft BB gun situation at Juan Diego in 2004.
He and six or seven other players, he said, were caught playing with the guns on the team bus.
The incident cost coach Mike McNary his job and Gibbens was the only player who was kicked off the team because of it.
"Call me the Airsoft bandit or whatnot," Gibbens joked.
Strike two could have turned out a lot worse.
Gibbens attended Copper Hills when he was a sophomore and immediately stepped into the team's starting lineup. Big expectations were set for him when he was a junior, but he never got the chance to realize them. Before practices started, Gibbens was involved in a fight that included some jocks and some straight-edge students.
Someone from Gibbens' group brought a gun to the altercation, and there were serious consequences to deal with when they were caught with it.
"It was just stupid," Gibbens said. "Dumb mistake. Wrong place at the wrong time."
Gibbens was suspended from school for 180 days, wiping out his entire junior baseball season. The Jordan School District later decided that Gibbens wouldn't be allowed to return to Copper Hills.
Gibbens' junior year was the toughest stretch of what hasn't been an easy life for him. He wasn't allowed on school property following his suspension and didn't get to watch his friends and former teammates play baseball.
Gibbens had hoped to return to Copper Hills to try and make up for missing last season to his former teammates. But it was never a possibility.
The Jordan School District decided that Gibbens was going to be reassigned to a different high school. It just so happened that Jordan was the next school on the district's list to accept a student who wasn't being allowed to return to his home school.
Talk about controversy. Many people were upset that one of the state's most talented teams was getting another elite player. Utah High School Activities Association assistant director Rob Cuff said he understands why people were mad, but that the district followed proper procedures. He said the UHSAA supports the decision.
Not everyone is as supportive, but none are directing their anger at Gibbens. If you've met him, you can't help but hope for the best for him. He's a likable kid. He's friendly and polite. And he'll sometimes hit you with a one-liner that will startle you faster than his 93-mph fastball.
Bryce Baugh, Copper Hills' best player, is conflicted about seeing Gibbens in a Jordan uniform.
"It's difficult because we need him for sure," Baugh said. "That's one of our star pitchers in our rotation. But I think, after all, it will be the best thing for him. He'll get away from all the trouble and he's going to get his head on straight."
Gibbens himself couldn't imagine attending Jordan or being a member of the Beetdiggers' baseball team as recently as a few weeks ago. He at first felt like he was betraying his friends at Copper Hills. After realizing he had no other options, Gibbens did what he needed to do in order to become eligible for his senior season.
"Everything happens for a reason - that's the way I look at it," Gibbens said. "I was upset, but I'm getting happier in my life. I'm turning it around. I get to play baseball."
Gibbens will begin attending Jordan next week. He enrolled in school on Thursday and watched the Beetdiggers defeat Skyline on Friday afternoon. He's quite familiar with Jordan's players, as he was on the same team as Beetdigger stars Garrett Nash and Zach Jones while growing up, and he's grateful that he gets to reconnect with them.
"Someone's looking after me," Gibbens said. "I get that second chance. Now I got to go and make the best of it."