How Arlington's Wyatt Guess learned to control frustration, making him better pitcher
Wyatt Guess remembers when Arlington traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi, to play in an early season tournament last month; it became a pivotal point for both him and the Tigers’ baseball team.
During the tournament, Guess found himself visibly frustrated and letting his emotions overwhelm him on the mound. He’d have his moments in the dugout, and it quickly became more than brief outbursts.
Those moments also started to affect his team too.
That’s not how Guess, who was one of two players this year to receive every captain vote by his teammates, wanted to be portrayed as the Tigers’ leader.
So, he spent time reflecting, praying and finding better ways to handle his frustrations out on the mound.
His response? He pitched six innings, recording seven strikeouts against Briarcrest on March 27. While the Tigers lost, it was the moment Guess learned how to bounce back.
“He has no quit in him,” said Arlington baseball coach Tyler Poole. “... I’m glad he’s on my team.”
And it started with faith.
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"I can’t do anything without God,” said Guess, a Soutwest Tennessee Community College signee. “He’s blessed me with all of this to be here and I try to bring glory to him with everything that I do.”
Faith has always been important for Guess, who’s a senior pitcher and infielder for the Tigers. It became the foundation of not only his growth as a person, but also his growth as a baseball player.
"It’s really taught me to be slow to anger and to really know that in the moment these things they don’t matter,” said Guess, who’s 2-1 this season on the mound with 27 strikeouts and a 3.58 ERA. “If something bad happens you let it go. You got another moment ahead of you.”
When junior pitcher Eli Deberry transferred to Arlington from University School of Jackson this season, Guess was one of the first people to take Deberry in. They’re friendship grew through church and became stronger on the baseball field.
Together, as No. 1 and No. 2 in the pitching rotation for Arlington, Deberry and Guess have helped each other become a dominant duo in the district.
And they hope to carry that to the district tournament this week. The Tigers have the No. 2 seed in District 15-4A after splitting series with Collierville, Houston and sweeping Bartlett this season.
As much as Guess adds on the diamond, his presence alone makes Arlington a better team. He holds his teammates accountable; he pushes them to play better and he lifts them up in both the good and bad times.
And when he has his moments, he knows how to manage them.
On April 24, Guess didn’t have his best performance against Houston, who’s the No. 1 seed in the district and host of the district tournament. But he didn’t fret over getting hit around. Instead, he kept his head straight and was able to pitch long enough to save the Tigers’ bullpen and help the Tigers split the series with a 1-0 win on April 25.
That’s the growth Guess has made in a month of handling both the highs and lows as the Tigers’ ace. He now knows how to be the best leader for the Tigers and they’re better off with him on the roster.
"I’m forever grateful to have a teammate like Wyatt,” Deberry said. “A guy to stand beside and a guy to go to war with.”
Reach Wynston Wilcox at wwilcox@gannett.com and on Twitter @wynstonw__.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: TSSAA baseball: How Wyatt Guess learned to control frustration on mound
