An Okotoks Dawgs is starting to catch on to a new position.
Hard-hitting Michael Gretler continues his transition from the infield to being behind the plate with the Okotoks Dawgs.
“About a month before our season started last year (at Oregon State), they asked if I wanted to start catching because we didn’t have a back-up catcher at the time,” Gretler said. “I ended up catching our second or third game and that was pretty cool.”
The Dawgs found themselves in a similar position this summer.
The workmanlike Josh Brophy has been an ironman behind the plate, but was relieved by Gretler when he caught a 5-0 shutout over Brooks on June 21.
He’s been a quick study under Dawgs assistant coach Jon Talley’s tutelage. Talley was a catcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, making it all the way to Triple A.
“This summer we are trying to turn him from being a catcher to a receiver,” Talley said. “Softer hands, cleaner set-up and more knowledge behind the dish in terms of controlling the staff. Running the baseball game, tempo that kind of thing… His first game was a 5-0 shutout, you can’t do much better than that.”
Gretler also caught a 9-3 victory over the Edmonton Prospects on Sunday.
The six-foot-two, 180-pound Gretler grew up in Bonney Lake, Wash, but caught the eyes of the Oregon State Beavers while attending a camp as a high school student.
“They have always been a school I had been interested after I watched them in the College World Series in 2006 and 2007,” Gretler said. “I signed with them my senior year (of high school).”
It was Gretler’s Oregon State ties that got him to Okotoks — Dawgs head coach Tyler Graham is a coach with the Beavers.
“Anytime you can learn from a guy who played pro ball for so many years and made it to the big leagues, you have to soak up all the knowledge from him you can,” he said.
“When he got the job up here and I needed a place to play this summer, I thought I could come up here and learn.”
Gretler never waivered in his dream to play in Corvallis, Oregon, despite being drafted by his favourite team the Boston Red Sox in the 39th round his senior year of high school in 2014.
“At that point, they are just picking guys they had somewhere on their radar,” he said. “My whole room is Red Sox. I have a big mural of Fenway on my wall, a Boston Red Sox bed spread. It was an opportunity only a few kids have, but I had told everybody I was going to Oregon State.”
(Okotoks Dawg catcher Jordan Procyshen, was drafted 14th by the Bosox that same draft).
Gretler was a bit late getting to the Dawgs due to school and family commitments. He played his first game with the Dawgs on June 17 against the rival Lethbridge Bulls in front of a full Seaman Stadium.
What a debut.
Gretler hit a dramatic ninth-inning three-run homer to tie the game at 10-10. Okotoks would eventually win 11-10.
“I told my parents that was one of the coolest experiences I have ever been a part of — hitting a game tying home run in the last inning,” he said. “It’s a moment I will always remember.”
Dawgs fans saw Gretler at first base and at Okotoks’ last home game, a 6-1 victory over Brooks on June 22, they saw him at the position he is most comfortable at, third base.
He was red hot at the hot corner. He had six assists and two putouts, which included a diving stop to his right on a hot groundball. Gretler was also two-for-four in the game, with a pair of ribbies.
He’s been the swinging lumber in his short stint with the Dawgs. Gretler is hitting .386 with two home runs and team-leading 17 rbi in his nine games with the Dawgs as of Monday.
The road
While there is no place like home, turns out the road can be plenty of fun too.
The Dawgs went 4-1 in their recent road trip, including Monday night’s 12-3 win over the Fort McMurray Giants in Edmonton.
Okotoks was 14-8 as of Tuesday and moved into second place in the West Division. The Dawgs played the Bulls last night in the Lethbridge, but results were too late for the Western Wheel’s deadline. They host the Edmonton Prospect tonight (June 29) at 7 p.m.
The Dawgs start a five consecutive day homestand starting with Canada Day this Friday at 7 p.m. The spectacular fireworks will take place after the game.
For ticket information go to dawgsbaseball.ca
