Going Out With A Bang

Posted on by albertadugoutstories

It’s one thing to hit three home runs in one game.

Not only will you get the teammates and fans off their feet, but you will undoubtedly get yourself into the media spotlight.

When we heard of J.T. Patterson’s feat on April 7 for Bellevue University, we knew we had to chat with him. The next day was an off day, so we connected for an interview for the next edition of Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.

There was no way we could have known he would equal that output during the next game.

The Dawgs Academy and Okotoks Dawgs product has been one of the most productive Alberta sluggers during his senior season with the Bruins, hitting .383 with 17 dingers and 66 runs batted in.

That aforementioned interview became a part of Episode #25 of the podcast and here is the transcript of that discussion.

Q: What does it feel like to come out of a weekend like you did, especially on Sunday where you end up with three home runs and eight RBIs?

A: At the beginning of the weekend, the first day out there on Saturday, I kind of struggled. So on Sunday, I was looking to simplify my approach. I mean, although we split on Saturday, it is good to get a win and a split on the road. On Sunday, I was really at the plate trying to simplify everything and just put the ball in play really. I don’t know, it just worked out the way it did. After I hit the first one, I kind of got a little bit of confidence going and then rest is history after that.

Q: It’s funny how a little bit of positive momentum can go such a long way, even from at bat to at bat. Did that open your eyes when you hit that first one, to make you think you were zoned in and know that your swing is supposed to feel like that?

A: Yeah, absolutely. And luckily, the first one came in the first at bat. After I did that, it took off a lot of pressure. That put us up early in the game, it was the first inning, put us up early. It was with two outs and two strikes on me. So, it was a really good feeling to get one up in the air and put it out.

Q: Fantastic to hear, and it’s been great to hear a lot of the success stories that are coming out of Alberta and you happen to be one of them. Talk a little about your season so far and what’s been going well for you lately?

A: Really, I’d say going in and being a senior, my only focus really going into each game is to treat every game like it is my last game. And this being potentially my last season playing baseball, all I’m really trying to do is have as much fun with my teammates and have as much fun playing the game as I can. Honestly, this season has been awesome so far and I’m looking forward to making a playoff run with this team. But honestly, I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as I can and take it all in.

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Q: You’ve had quite the road through baseball and it started as being a Calgary kid and going through the Dawgs Academy system. You’ve played with the summer college Dawgs, as well. What got you into baseball?

A: It’s funny, I always wanted to be a hockey player growing up. I guess if you asked me when I was eight years old what I wanted to, I always told people I wanted to play in the NHL. But, you know, as I kept playing hockey and whatever, I never really took baseball as seriously as hockey. One year, when I was probably 10 years old, baseball really started to make a better impression on me, I guess. I started having a lot more fun playing it. At that point, me and my brother were playing wiffleball in the backyard every day. I think even just doing that made me fall in love with the game and then eventually with hockey, I just kind of decided that I wanted to do baseball full-time. When I was about 13 years old, that’s when I chose to quit hockey and do baseball full-time. I would say that a lot of that had to do with that decision was me, my brother and all my buddies growing up just playing wiffleball every day and having a bunch of fun out there. That kind of translated on the field when I got to play some competitive ball with them.

Q: It’s funny how sometimes it’s the littlest thing when you go from wiffleball to baseball and having that fun. Even in the small amount I’ve watched you play, you always have a grin on your face. What’s up with that?

A: Hahaha! Oh man. I mean every time I’m on a baseball field I’m doing what I love. So, you know, that’s my goal is just have fun. I’ve never NOT had fun on a baseball field and I’ve been in some blowout games on both sides. But, my main goal is to just always have a great attitude out there so my teammates can hopefully feed off of that. I’m always having fun out there.

Q: It’s funny. As an aside, and as we were talking back and forth on Twitter earlier today, your mom has known my fiance’s family for quite some time, so we ended up having a great conversation at the Dawgs banquet a while back. What was great was seeing all of the energy your mother seems to have and it must have rubbed off on you just a little bit.

A: Oh yeah! I definitely get my attitude from my mom. That’s one thing that’s for sure is I get my get my laid back and chilled attitude from my mom, for sure.

Q: When you look through your baseball career and in particular your Dawgs Academy and Dawgs life, any memories that stick out for you more than others or situations where you went, “man, this is for real and this is what I want to be trying to do for the rest of my life”?

A: I would say my senior year in high school. That was when I started to take baseball really seriously. It was kind of after I signed my letter of intent to go play in Colorado, that was kind of when it clicked that I might have a shot at this, so I’m going to try to do what I can to make the most out of this opportunity. I’d say also that senior season that I had with my teammates was one of the most fun seasons I’ve ever had playing baseball, too. I would say it was my senior year was kind of when I realized I would really like to try and do this for the rest of my life.

READ MORE: #1Thru9 – J.T. Patterson

Q: Who’s been the number one influence on you, whether it’s in baseball or in life?

A: I would have to go with my brother Blake, who also came up through the academy. He played a couple solid seasons at shortstop for Spalding University. He led by example really well. He was always one of those guys who always wanted to go outside and play wiffleball. He’s always dragging my butt out of the house to go do stuff like that. I would say overall, in life, that guy is such a really good example of how to go about your day, how to work hard. He has a great work ethic. Yeah, I credit all of that to my brother.

Q: When you look ahead to the year that’s coming up. I mean you still have a lot left in the college year and certainly through the summer and fall. But when you look ahead to the end of the year what do you want to accomplish and what do you want to knock off the bucket list by the end of 2019?

A: Really, the only thing I want to accomplish is I want to win a World Series with this team at Bellevue. I couldn’t think of a better group of guys to do it with, to be honest. That’s my only goal is to hopefully cap off my college career is doing that. So that’s what I’d love to do.

Q: After the college season’s over, have you given any thought to playing pro ball somewhere? What’s next on the horizon for you?

A: Yeah, I have been looking into playing overseas. Maybe go and play a season in Australia or France or Italy …. Or go play some independent ball. I mean, honestly, I’m down to keep playing for as long as I can. I know that right now, I plan on going to play for a month in Puerto Rico, starting in June I believe and then after that, it’s a possibility that I might be coming back to play for the college team in Okotoks. We’re not too sure about that. But that would be be a lot of fun to play some pro ball and just try to just experience that and maybe travel a little bit.

Q: I love that mindset because you talk to different people like Scott Richmond, who was on the podcast a while back and he’s seen basically every country known to mankind when it comes to baseball. He’s just loved every minute of it and so it’s cool to hear that somebody else is thinking the same way, in that “I can go see the world while playing baseball at the same time, I mean, why not?”

A: Yeah, absolutely. That and I mean you can learn so much from those experiences, too. Honestly, I just want to play. That’s my main goal is to keep playing for as long as I can.

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Celebrating baseball - past, present and future - in Alberta, Canada.