Calgary's Soroka looks back at his superb MLB season
Rita Mingo, For the Calgary Herald
More from Rita Mingo, For the Calgary Herald
Published on: November 4, 2019 | Last Updated: November 4, 2019 7:12 PM EST
Oct 6, 2019; St. Louis, MO, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Soroka (40) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning in game three of the 2019 NLDS playoff baseball series at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-408399 Jeff Curry / USA TODAY Sports
Seems like only yesterday Mike Soroka was just like one of those youngsters taking part in a pitching camp this past weekend at the Coyote Den in southeast Calgary.
Wide-eyed ingénues, dreaming of life in the big leagues.
Ah, yes, he remembers it well.
"Chris Reitsma held a pitching clinic when he was on the brink of retiring," Soroka recalled, "and that was the first one I thought, wow, this guy is the guy in Calgary baseball, Alberta really. He was IT for everything. So seeing him do that and kind of set that example for me now to understand that's what I can be for younger kids is pretty important."
Soroka is proof that those dreams do come true. The 22-year-old Calgarian has enjoyed a meteoric rise through the baseball ranks, having finished his first full season as a member of the Atlanta Braves' pitching staff and being named an NL Rookie of the Year finalist.
But he wasn't just another arm. He fashioned a 13-4 regular-season record, with a minuscule 2.68 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 29 appearances, and was rewarded with an all-star selection, the youngest Braves' pitcher to be so named.
"It was a great year," the 6-foot-5, 225-pound right-hander admitted. "There's no sugar-coating that and there's no reason I can't admit that. I was very happy with the way I was able to take the mound every fifth game and compete to the best of my abilities. Being healthy was big and just having fun with it. I had a lot of guys to learn from this year and very grateful for that."
A proud alum of Bishop Carroll High School, class of 2015, the all-star nod was a little bit like icing on the cake.
"I think it's surreal," he said "Looking back and realizing that my name was next to some guys that I grew up with was obviously pretty crazy . . . to be in a class of guys that you've idolized growing up. That was the cool part."
Bothered by a shoulder injury in 2018, he was able to bounce back nicely in 2019. They say it's that icy demeanour and innate knowledge of the game that has propelled Soroka to these heights at such a tender age.
"I think the more you play and the more you realize it's just a game you've been playing for so long, the less things mean around it to you," he explained. "You truly realize that the things that mean the most to you are the people that are closest to you. Opinions and all the things that come with being in that situation don't matter as much as you thought they did. I think making it as simple as possible on the biggest stage is the most important thing that any of us can do and I think being able to do that is what helped me this year."
He is unfazed by the fact that he's only 22 and already has achieved so much. Again, it's part and parcel of that poise.
"I wouldn't have put myself in any spot at a certain time either, though, and I think that's what people get caught up in," he pointed out. "You would have said 'I want to be here when this happens, I want to be here when I'm this old'. But the only focus of mine was to keep getting better.
"I told the kids today I play baseball because I like to strike people out, I like to hit home runs, I like to do the most fun things that go with baseball and my goal is just to be the best at those things. Ultimately, it doesn't matter how early you reach them, when the only thing that matters is the process that you're putting into it."
Like any baseball fan, Soroka was tuned into the recent World Series and was pleased for one guy in particular.
"I was very excited to see Max Scherzer win a World Series ring, knowing how hard he works every single day," Soroka said, "being able to work out with him in Florida a little bit. He's somebody that you kind of idolize and you realize that's why he's been good for so, so long."
Soroka has a few more local seminars on tap. He's already in the weight room, prepping physically for next season, but mentally he's nowhere near the diamond.
"I need to use this time to withdraw from baseball a little bit to take care of my life," said Soroka, who will spend a couple of months in Calgary before heading to Florida. "A mental break from baseball is what's important. It's important to keep it fresh and keep it fun. You don't want to burn it out, then you'll get to mid-season and wish you were in the off-season. That's not where you want to be."
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