News Photo James Tubb
Medicine Hat Mavericks starting pitcher Xander Roberts celebrates recording the final out in the seventh inning of a 9-5 win at Athletic Park on Tuesday over the Lethbridge Bulls.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Xander Roberts’ pre-start routine isn’t for the faint of heart.
The Tabor College senior drinks a Dr. Pepper to get the juices flowing in the afternoon before cracking one of the three Red Bulls before batting practice. After BP, he avoids any food from the team’s pre-game spread not out of disgust, but instead opting for a second Red Bull.
The third comes during game time, cracking open his final Juneberry-flavoured energy drink as he works his way into the start. It’s a unique routine he self admits, one that can be ruined by a partially-stocked Co-op Gas bar fridge. Those red fridges with sometimes open shelves has been one of the few obstacles the Augusta, Kan. product has had to face in his summer with the Medicine Hat Mavericks.
The right-hander has led the Mavs’ rotation throughout the season, putting up all-star numbers with a 3.05 ERA, 28 strikeouts and a 5-1 record in 38.1 innings pitched. He is tied for the WCBL lead in wins and sits just outside the top-five in ERA.
He’s surpassed his win total from his senior season with the Taber College Blue Jays, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school, running a lower ERA in just five fewer innings. Roberts says the success he has had in Medicine Hat has helped build his confidence as he looks for a D1 opportunity to play one more year of school ball.
“After the year I had, the past two years of Tabor, I thought I was just going to come in here and try and have fun and honestly, I’ve exceeded my expectations,” Roberts said. “I thought I was going to be around a 6.40 ERA, hopefully around there, didn’t know how many wins I would have and I didn’t really know the kind of group that we would have. But 75-80 per cent of us are NAIA guys and it’s been awesome just to ball out with those guys and help put the NAIA on the map a little bit.”
He has faced some adversity this summer, failing to record an out in a 12-6 loss at home to the Saskatoon Berries on June 29. He allowed seven runs on six hits and four walks before an early exit saw him watch all nine innings from the dugout. Since then in three outings, one in relief, he’s allowed just two ruins in 17.1 innings.
His latest start flashed his turnaround and the steadying presence Roberts has been for the Mavs this season, running seven shutout innings in a 9-5 win Tuesday at Athletic Park over the Lethbridge Bulls. He had five strikeouts, not enough for his liking, and he limited the Bulls to two walks and four hits that blooped over defenders heads.
It helped that he had a seven-run cushion early in the game, allowing him to just lock in and throw his game.
“I just try and throw up zeros, my job is to go in, throw strikes, try and get as many outs as possible before they take me out,” Roberts said. “So when you know you have a 7-0 lead, you can kind of rest in and dial it in on the mound. Just throw strikes, pound the zone, trust your stuff and trust your defence.”
It also helped he had his long-time pitching coach in the stands. Roberts family has made the trip to Medicine Hat to see him this summer, getting to see him pitch Tuesday before returning home. His mom Kellee has worked with him since he was a freshman in high school.
His pitching coach at that age passed away and his mom had been there for most of the lessons and just picked up and helped him from there. Ever since, if he’s felt off in a start he can just walk out, shrug his shoulders at her as a way of asking for help and she’s able to diagnose it quickly.
“She knew exactly what was going on, so it’s been awesome having that,” Roberts said.
Despite having the success he did Tuesday, she noticed something mechanical that helped him find his spots even more.
“We talked a little bit, because something just didn’t feel right and she said, ‘maybe you’re just little long with your arm on your fastball,’ and it was the problem,” Roberts said. “So then once that happened, I started hitting my spots with my fastball and then everything else came afterwards.”
Roberts is one of five Mavs players heading to the all-star game on Saturday at Okotoks’ Seaman Stadium. He’s joined by fellow pitcher Luis Diaz, infielders Tyler Vanneste, Carter Roth and outfielder Jeremy Freeman Jr. He’s hoping to face his friend Jaden Flores from Sylvan Lake and soak up the atmosphere.
“I just want to see what the environment’s live, I’ve heard it’s crazy,” Roberts said. “I want to see a packed house at Okotoks’ stadium, it’s going to be exciting.”
Roberts and the Mavs hosted the Moose Jaw Miller Express on Friday at Athletic Park for the second time donning the Gas City Baby Spreys alternate identity.
The Mavs are off Saturday and Sunday for the all-star game before they host the Swift Current 57’s and Regina Red Sox on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
