By IAN WILSON
He stepped up as a postseason performer last summer and Eric Machej is ready to take another step forward as a member of the Okotoks Dawgs this year.
The middle infielder appeared in five games for the Dawgs during the 2023 Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) playoffs and produced a .438 batting average with five runs, four doubles and two runs batted in (RBI) over 16 at bats.
His contributions helped Okotoks claim their seventh WCBL championship, including the second of back-to-back titles.
With the 2024 season underway, the Dawgs Academy product will look to become a productive regular at Seaman Stadium.
Machej made time for Alberta Dugout Stories to answer a few questions for a feature we call 7th Inning Stretch. Here’s what he had to say:
1. What are you looking forward to most about the WCBL season?
I’m just looking forward to taking it all in one more time. This is my senior year here with the Academy. It’s been some of the greatest years of my life here, baseball and lifestyle included, it’s just been great. I can’t thank the Dawgs enough. I think taking it in, experiencing it with this group of guys and this coaching staff and with these fans, obviously, that’s going to be something that’s really special to me. I’m going to try to give my best on the field. It’s going to be a coming home party for me and I’m just going to enjoy every minute of it.
2. Are there things that you picked up from the 2023 WCBL postseason that you can learn from for this season?
Obviously, the atmosphere when the fans are in it is incredibly special, but I think playing in those big moments, you want the ball all the time, you want to make the play, you want to have that big swing, you want to come through for the team, for the trophy, for the fans. You want to be the guy. I think going in with that mindset that you want to do it every single time you’re at bat, every single time you’re in the field, just wanting to succeed and push the envelope for the Dawgs and for this program.
3. I’m guessing you were asked to sign a few autographs for fans last summer. What was that experience like and how is your legibility in writing on baseballs?
It’s coming along. It’s definitely not up to par with maybe (veteran starting pitcher Graham) Brunner. The fans here are incredible and I remember looking up to big leaguers, college kids wanting to play college ball, and it’s cool to sort of see it flipped around and now the kids come up to me asking for autographs. I think it’s incredibly cool and being able to give back and talk to them about anything baseball related, it’s incredibly special.
4. There will likely be a few more players from Dawgs Academy who will suit up in the WCBL for the summer collegiate team this season. Have any of them asked you for advice?
There’s a few of us, Eric Hartman obviously, we’ve played together for the last two, three years now and we’ve become incredibly close, another one being Benito Bonilla. These are guys that I live with and play with and I see more than my family most of the time. We talk all sorts of stuff, baseball included, and I think my biggest message would just be to take it in and enjoy it. This is going to be one of our last years playing together and to be with this team and step up and play with the big boys, it’s incredibly cool, so I think just enjoy it. We’re here for a reason and our skillset is good enough, so you do you and the results will speak for themselves.
5. Have you set any goals for yourself for this season?
I’m going to try and hit one home run. That’s my goal. You know, who doesn’t love the long ball, so maybe if I get up in the count and he grooves me one, I’ll see how hard I can swing and see if I can put one out.
Obviously, trying to repeat a championship here is the team’s goal and whatever I can do to help that, lay down a bunt or steal a bag or whatever the manager needs, whatever Lou (Pote) needs, I’m game.
6. What is your favourite ballpark food?
I love the churros here … I would always grab two or three, they’re great. And the chicken burgers here are actually impressively good. Usually when the spread comes down after the game, I’m first to grab those, so those are my two.
7. What is your walkup song for this season?
Summer Love, by Justin Timberlake. I went old school with JT. Me and Hartman got into the lab a little and we were looking at walkups. You always want to have a fan pleaser but you don’t want it to be too corny. We were scavenging the internet a little bit there.
It’s definitely something that you want to pick out and have a little swag to as you’re walking up to the plate. At the end of the day, whatever gets you going and whatever gets the results.
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