Home town, home team
By Sean Rooney on June 2, 2018.
srooney@medicinehatnews.com @MHNRooney Medicine Hat Mavericks fans will cheer anybody who steps on the field wearing the right jersey, but there’s a bit of extra volume reserved for the home-grown players. This year, there are three of them, including two who are back for a second tour of duty. “It kind of gives you a bit of an energy burst when you hear your name and everyone’s cheering loud,” said Nathan Stark. “It’s a cool feeling to hear that when you step on the mound and everyone’s behind you, wants you to do your best.” Stark quietly had a solid first summer with the Mavs in 2017, putting up a 3.86 earned run average in 11 appearances including a win in his only start, against Brooks. After a season with Colby Community College in Kansas (4.50 ERA in nine games), the right-hander figures to see a bit more action out of the bullpen and maybe the odd start. “Having gone through that first season will help me be more confident on the mound,” he said. “The fans get pretty wild here, it’s a good place to play for the summer.” Also coming out of the pen is Alex Andres, a former Hat High player who hasn’t actually played college ball yet. He’s looking to catch on with a program in the fall after taking a year off after high school in which he helped coach the Mohawks. His first day at Mavs mini-camp was understandably an eye-opener. “It was different because I’ve never actually played with high-level college players before,” said the lefty. “It’s a big jump going up to Mavericks here. “Being with the guys, they’re more mature, they know their baseball. It’s fun to learn stuff from them because they’ve played at a higher level than me.” And then there’s Nolan Rattai, who fans will probably see more of than the two aforementioned pitchers. Rattai, a second baseman, was a Western Major Baseball League all-star in 2016, hitting .354, driving in 37 runs and proving to be one of the team’s most reliable players. When he opted to take last summer season off to prepare for his first campaign with NCAA Division 1 school Northern Kentucky, it took the Mavericks by surprise. Instead, he coached the local American Legion program’s Majestics. “Being at a baseball diamond every day and not being able to go out there and take ground balls, take hacks… be competitive against other ballplayers was extremely tough for me,” he admitted. “But I think it was a good experience.” His season with Kentucky wasn’t what he hoped for. The team went 14-39, he batted .235 in starting roughly half the team’s games and he’s unsure whether he’ll be back with the Norse come the fall. All that means is lots of opportunity to make some good memories at Athletic Park in the meantime. “I don’t really have any (goals), I just want to play for the next guy and enjoy my summer with a great group of guys,” he said. “All I have my mindset on is the championship.” It’s hard to get a feel for how good a team is before they’ve seen the opposition, but Rattai and Stark are confident. “I’m extremely excited, this group all around is the best I’ve really seen for the Mavericks,” Rattai said Thursday. “I have high hopes. “There’s no weak points at all. We can field, we can hit, we can pitch. It’s a deep roster.” “Way more pitchers, and definitely an older, more experienced group of guys,” added Stark. “Having these older guys is huge this year. That’s what killed us in the playoffs last year, we were down to such thin arms. We kind of fell apart at the end, the pitchers.” All three locals know they’re in a unique spot, having grown up watching the Mavericks and now pulling on the red and white uniform. In the end though, they’ve got the same job as anybody else on the roster. “We haven’t really talked about it but wherever they put me I’ll do my best for the team, it’s all I can do,” said Rattai. “When you’re out there you’re with your teammates, that’s all you’re worried about. You look to the guy to your right and to your left and enjoy it.” 23
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