Being a part of one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball has made the 2022 season a lot of fun for Carson Vitale.
Vitale, who grew up playing on diamonds around Greater Victoria and graduated from Lambrick Park Secondary School in Saanich before embarking on a pro playing and coaching career, has had a great vantage point as the Major League field coordinator for the Seattle Mariners. He has experienced the lows of a late-spring slump that dropped the MB次元官网网址檚 well out of playoff contention, to the highs of the recent 14-game win streak that thrust the team into one of three wild card positions.
Midway through a third season in his current role on the MarinersB次元官网网址� bench, he is part of a group that includes many holdovers from the team that barely missed the playoffs in 2021.
Black Press Media caught up with Vitale, a new dad, during the recent MLB all-star game break. He was enjoying the rare in-season opportunity to spend time with his family, including his wife and little fighter of an infant son, whose early birth B次元官网网址渟hifted his perspectiveB次元官网网址� on life in general.
That said, he has a level perspective on the teamB次元官网网址檚 recent success, particularly a streak unlike any heB次元官网网址檚 experienced in pro ball (the win streak ended at 14 with a 5-2 loss to Houston on July 22).
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to put into words how incredible a streak like this is,B次元官网网址� Vitale said, noting that only 42 teams in MLB history have strung together even 12 wins or more. A team needs luck to keep winning like that, but he said theyB次元官网网址檝e never felt they were out of any game.
ItB次元官网网址檚 all about believing.
B次元官网网址淥ur group is so close,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淔rom the players to the people in that clubhouse to the front office, they all believe in each other. The players are playing for the guy next to them.B次元官网网址�
Asked what changed between the dark days of early June, and the stretch that saw them win 22 of 25 games leading up to the break, he said really not that much.
B次元官网网址淭he vibe around the team isnB次元官网网址檛 that much different than it has been all year. WeB次元官网网址檝e gotten to this spot because of that consistency, weB次元官网网址檝e been cohesive, our players love each other and weB次元官网网址檙e pulling together, seeing the fruits of that come together.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e getting a little bit more lucky, but our process isnB次元官网网址檛 that much different from our first game of the year. WeB次元官网网址檙e pitching really well, our defence has been good B次元官网网址� and our offence has picked up the pace, theyB次元官网网址檙e doing what theyB次元官网网址檙e capable of right now.B次元官网网址�
While no one on the team was surprised that rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez made the American League all-star team and reached the Home Run Derby final, Vitale said, the late addition of sparkplug MB次元官网网址檚 first baseman Ty France gave everyone a huge boost.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that Ty was finally selected was an error corrected. He makes our offence go,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲hat a huge moment for our team, to see him be recognized for what heB次元官网网址檚 been doing for the past two seasons.B次元官网网址�
France was mobbed by his teammates when manager Scott Servais broke the news to the team the previous week.
In general, Vitale said, itB次元官网网址檚 nice to see the team receiving good press in the local media these days. Of note was a crucial four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month, when thousands of Jays fans made the annual trek to Seattle to cheer on their team.
Keeping things going for the Mariners means staying the course, he added.
B次元官网网址淚f we continue to do what we do, continue to show up for work, weB次元官网网址檒l be OK. WeB次元官网网址檙e in the position weB次元官网网址檙e at now because of how weB次元官网网址檝e taken care of business and how weB次元官网网址檝e controlled what we can, preparing and competing every night.B次元官网网址�
Building off last year, having some key additions to the roster and correcting the course from May and June has the team playing B次元官网网址渇un baseball, energizing baseball,B次元官网网址� Vitale said.
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