NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks pitcher Zac Robinson delivers a pitch in the Mavericks 13-1 win over the Swift Current 57's Monday night at Athletic Park.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Zac Robinson loves being a baseball player.
Like most players, it’s something he wants to do for as long as he can, and he’s already focused on making sure that happens.
The newest Medicine Hat Mavericks pitcher says he works out with the idea of improving today while also making sure his body has the longevity to play baseball into his 40s.
“When I’m 40 and I’ve got a kid and a wife, I’ll probably want that two hours where it’s just no kids, no wife, no work, no bills, no nothing. That’s my goal,” Robinson said. “Obviously, right now, it’s just about getting better and I like to keep all my doors open. If I can gain that two-to-three MPHs in the next couple years, it would obviously help and I just want to keep playing. So go to a school States side, that’s always an option too and maybe the (MLB) draft, I still have the big-league dream.”
Robinson joined the Mavericks on June 27 ahead of their 13-1 win over the Swift Current 57’s at Athletic Park, and hours after meeting his teammates, made an appearance in that game. He made his biggest impression as a Maverick three days later, pitching seven and a third innings of two hit baseball in relief during the Mavs 7-2 loss to the Brooks Bombers on June 30.
The 19-year-old entered out of the bullpen in the first inning and pitched a perfect game until the seventh inning with three strikeouts. The Vancouver Island product said he appreciated the respect the Mavs showed by pitching him the day he arrived and said he is only interested in getting outs and didn’t know he was throwing a perfect game in Brooks, laughing when he saw pitching coach Rod White and the other pitchers in agony that he lost the streak.
Robinson started the WCBL season with the Okotoks Dawgs and was released from the club in mid June. He was on his way back home to play in Nanaimo when he got a call from Mavs owner/general manager Greg Morrison on the B.C. and Alberta border. He said he was determined to return home but was convinced by Morrison and, ultimately his parents, to don the Mavericks red.
“I was, like, dead set on going home and my mom and dad were like, ‘No, you’re already out there, you might as well stay out there,'” Robinson said. “They’re more focused on keeping me on the field, which is great. And in hindsight, I thank my parents for that. As well as Mo for giving me an opportunity to come here.”
Robinson started for Okotoks when they beat the Mavericks 6-4 on May 31 at Athletic Park. He believes Medicine Hat should have won the game and is still getting grief from his teammate, first basemen Hunter Boylan, who hit a three-run home run off of him in that game.
“That’s over with now, now that I know him and I’m buddies with him,” Robinson joked. “Until I find out something I can start poking at him, he’s a super good guy.”
He said he’s really appreciated how quickly his Mavericks teammates brought him into the group and made him feel welcomed. Robinson said he doesn’t have a cemented role with the Mavericks just yet but is OK with simply being relied upon to get outs. He said he’ll do whatever it takes to help the team win while not taking someone’s spot.
“I’d rather work my way up with honour, I don’t want to take anyone’s spot, but at the end of the day, if me starting is going to help the team, that’s what I want to do,” Robinson said. “But if me out of the bullpen is gonna help the team, that’s it, that’s what I’ll do.”
Robinson and the Mavericks were in action Tuesday night against the Regina Red Sox at Athletic Park. That game was not complete by time of press, visit medicinehatnews.com/sports for a full story. They’re back in action tonight at AP for a rematch with Regina at 7:05 p.m.
