Tellam catches on in a big way

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Mountain West Conference leaders in slugging percentage:

1. Chris Carlson (New Mexico).... .737

2. Brandon Taylor (BYU).... .735

3. Jordan Pacheco (New Mexico).... .726

4. Sean McNaughton (BYU).... .671

5. Justin Tellam (UNLV).... .666

UNLV sophomore Justin Tellam is flattered to hear that his coach, Buddy Gouldsmith, thinks he could wind up catching in the big leagues.

At the moment, however, Tellam is honored just to be playing on scholarship for a Division I baseball program.

"I think it's outstanding," Tellam said late Tuesday night after UNLV defeated Western Illinois, 7-1, at Wilson Stadium. "My senior year in high school, I didn't get anything. My coach wouldn't help me out at all.

"It's been nice to come here and actually be wanted. It's fun."

Tellam, 20, has been having a lot of fun in only his second full season as a catcher, and he will likely play a pivotal role in the Rebels' season-ending series against Utah, starting Thursday, at Wilson.

UNLV (27-26, 20-7 in the Mountain West Conference) is a game ahead of Brigham Young (35-16-1, 19-8) in the joust for the top seed in next week's league tournament at Franklin-Covey Stadium in Salt Lake City.

The Cougars finish with a three-game series, starting today, at San Diego State.

Tellam started the week with 15 home runs, second to BYU's Brandon Taylor, who has 19, in the Mountain West. Tellam's slugging percentage of .665 ranked him fifth in the conference.

He and Air Force catcher Jon Polston, with 18 apiece, have thrown out the most runners trying to steal a base. Polston had attempted 54 of those throws, while Tellam has had 41.

But back to San Clemente (Calif.) High, where Gouldsmith, a former catcher, saw more than a hint of potential in a player who despised playing for a head coach so much that he almost can't believe he's still playing the game.

Tellam didn't want to repeat the name and said he never referred to San Clemente coach Dave Gellatly as "coach."

"Don't ask me," Tellam said. "I called him 'Dave.' He didn't like me. I don't know why. We just didn't get along, period. It's because of a former first base coach that I'm still playing today."

Tellam attempted to land at Capistrano Valley High -- "just up the street" from his house, he said -- before each of his four years at San Clemente, but Capo Valley's large enrollment figures prevented such a move.

"Too many students," Tellam said. "Couldn't get in."

Efforts to reach Gellatly were unsuccessful.

"He's been really good for us," Gouldsmith said of Tellam. "We lost a couple of catchers in the fall, so that put pressure on him. But he's having a solid offensive year, and he's been real good behind the plate.

"Some teams haven't run on us because he's had so much success throwing people out. That's a big advantage for us."

The key to that, Tellam said, is "just hope, catch and throw."

Tellam's eyes still widen when he recalls how Gouldsmith, recruiting for then-coach Jim Schlossnagle two years ago, found him when San Clemente played in a tournament at Durango High.

Gouldsmith took Tellam on an informal tour of UNLV's campus and facilities, and the catcher was hooked. Not long after that, Tellam signed a letter-of-intent, in Schlossnagle's office, during an official visit.

Then Schlossnagle left to take over the Texas Christian program, and Gouldsmith was rewarded with the Rebels' job.

Gouldsmith said Cal State Los Angeles, a Division II program, was also after Tellam, but Tellam said that wasn't the case, that it was a first-come, first-served decision. And UNLV was his only suitor.

"Pretty much that's how it worked," Tellam said. "It's unbelievable, to tell you the truth."

Gouldsmith is as pleased with Tellam's development behind the plate as he is with the way his 6-foot-3, 185-pound catcher is maturing as a person and improving as a student.

"I've been impressed with him from the total student-athlete standpoint," Gouldsmith said. "He was maybe an average student out of high school, but he's just getting better and better with the grades.

"As a student, he's achieved good things. He has a chance to be an all-conference performer this year, but I'm even more proud of how he's done in the classroom."

Gouldsmith admits he saw something, whatever it was, in someone who was playing catcher for a full season for the first time as a high school senior, which could have easily been his last year in the game.

"He's responsible for becoming the catcher he is," Gouldsmith said. "Ultimately, I'd like to think I saw something that would make him a good catcher. If he continues to improve, he's a guy who can catch in the big leagues."

Tellam is already thinking where that might lead him, too.

He is counting on the Rebels winning a Mountain West tournament title next week, and another one next year. Then, he'll be eligible for the major league amateur draft.

With that continued improvement ...

"I'll go out," Tellam said of turning pro after his junior season. "I'm hoping that's how it works. It's a funny game. Stuff happens. Hopefully, it's just beginning."