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Trailblazing closer proving automatic

It’s not a job for everyone. Mop-up duty, closing the door, tasked with putting the team on your shoulders to pick up the win with ice in your veins, all in a day’s work for Okotoks Dawgs closer Tyler Burdett.

It’s not a job for everyone.

Mop-up duty, closing the door, tasked with putting the team on your shoulders to pick up the win with ice in your veins, all in a day’s work for Okotoks Dawgs closer Tyler Burdett.

“Pitching is my life and I just love going out there and competing and going against other guys,” Burdett said. “When I come in it’s a one-versus-one thing and I’m just trying to get the batter out. That’s my only job.

“If I do that more times than not I’m going to be successful and right now it’s just going my way.”

Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.

Through nine appearances Burdett has yet to give up an earned run in 13 innings while ranking second in the Western Major Baseball League with six saves.

“He’s used to it, he’s mature, he’s calm and used to that situation,” said Dawgs coach Dave Robb. “Why not give him the ball? He hasn’t failed yet.”

Temperament, experience, confidence and moxy, the Las Vegas native has the right makeup for a job not fit for just anyone who steps on the mound.

“I give him the ball, bases are loaded and he says ‘okay that’s not going to bother me, I can’t let that bother me,” Robb added. “He’s got the right temperament to handle it. Nothing bothers him and he’s very confident people aren’t going to get him.”

Burdett is no stranger to late inning relief.

He saw extensive action closing with the Dixie State Trailblazers, picking up four saves in his senior season at the St. George, Utah school.

Closing in Okotoks is new hat for the righty.

“Last year we had Christian Parsons in the ninth and Anthony Balderas in the eighth,” Burdett said. “It’s the same job no matter if you’re pitching in the ninth inning or the seventh inning. Just go out and compete and get guys out.”

The closest the relief pitcher has been to being touched up came in the season opener.

Burdett was victimized by bad bounces and a couple infield errors in a crazy debut as Okotoks looked to close out the Mavericks. Medicine Hat scored two runs in the inning, none of them earned runs, only to have Okotoks walk it off in the bottom of the ninth to give Burdett the win.

It’s been smooth sailing since then.

“It was a weird thing. Baseball happens and you see something new at the ball field every day,” Burdett said. “It was just one of those innings. Awesome we came back, but if the result was different I don’t think it would have changed much.”

The bullpen has been at the forefront of the Dawgs’ strong start to the season where the club ranks a half game back of first place in the Western Division.

Reinforcements Taylor Davis and Brennen Lauffenburger have added to the plentiful options in the pen while set-up man Corey Jackson is in the midst of a seven-game scoreless streak, setting up a shutdown one-two punch in late inning situations.

“It has been a real key for us,” Robb said. “Jackson-Burdett is kind of like Burdett-Balderas, it has been nice to have.”


Remy Greer

About the Author: Remy Greer

Remy Greer is the assistant editor and sports reporter for westernwheel.ca and the Western Wheel newspaper. For story tips contact [email protected]
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