116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Batts working on the mound, press box on deck
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Aug. 30, 2014 2:52 am
Kernels pitcher looks to become sportswriter after baseball
By Jeff Johnson, The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS - Mat Batts sat at his locker stall in the Cedar Rapids Kernels clubhouse recently and thoughtfully answered a reporter's questions.
Then the conversation suddenly was turned on him. He was asked if he had the tape recorder, what would he ask himself?
'I think you about covered it,” he said, with a laugh.
Batts could be 'covering it” someday. First and foremost, he hopes pitching in professional baseball is his ticket to money and fame.
But if it doesn't work out that way, he has a fallback plan. He wants to be a sportswriter.
The 23-year-old lefty, who started the Kernels game against Kane County last night in the regular-season home finale at Veterans Memorial Stadium, wrote for his college newspaper at North Carolina-Wilmington and had an internship last summer with Baseball America. That's the prestigious longtime publication considered the bible of minor league baseball.
'Had a blast. Those guys were great,” Batts said. 'Sportswriting is always something that I've been interested in. I've always done things in college, covering different sports. But the internship with Baseball America was really the first time I did baseball-exclusive writing. Did some scouting for them, too. It was a great opportunity, and it really opened my eyes to baseball-exclusive writing. Did some scouting, too. It was a great opportunity, and it really opened my eyes to baseball writing and how great a career it could be. That is something I'm looking forward to.”
Batts, who has an ironic name considering his position, was a two-time pitcher of the year in the Colonial Athletic Association but lasted until the 17th round because he doesn't have overpowering stuff. His fastball is generally mid-80s in velocity.
An unorthodox delivery provides deception and is his biggest weapon. He went into last night's start 4-1 with a 1.84 earned run average in 12 games at three stops in the parent Minnesota Twins farm system: Cedar Rapids, Rookie-level Elizabethton and the Rookie Gulf Coast League Twins.
'Different (delivery). I guess I wasn't aware how different until the last couple years of college,” Batts said. 'When I picture it in my head, I don't feel like I do anything different. But when I see pictures and everything, I realize how low to the ground I am and things … It works for me.
'Things have been crazy. It's definitely not what I expected out of my first season of pro ball, but it's been a lot of fun. It's been everything I could have hoped for. Everybody has been great.”
l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@sourcemedia.net