Turf’s up, dude

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This article was published 09/05/2018 (2950 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Marshall Pautsch has a unique athletic resumé. He’s a two-sport athlete, currently pursuing his love of baseball while he competes for a spot on the pitching staff of the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

But the 23-year-old native of San Clemente, Calif., is also a surfing enthusiast who’s been chasing the perfect wave in far-flung locations around the world for much of the past year. 

In fact, Pautsch recently left his job as a surf instructor in Malibu, Calif., to attend spring training in Winnipeg.   

“I’ve gotten my surfing fix, but there won’t be a day go by that I don’t wish I was surfing,” said the 6-4, 185-pound right-hander prior to the Goldeyes pre-season game with the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Shaw Park on Tuesday night. “But you know what, there’s always going to be waves.”

In Malibu, Pautsch was working with young people who were receiving treatment for drug or behavioural abuse.

“Obviously, there were other things you did beside surfing. But, one of the treatment things we did, was take them surfing and try to find that bright spot,” Pautsch said. “A lot of them have had all sorts of crazy things happen, and so they have such a negative view of things. But some kids, once they get into the water, they’re just amazed.”

Pautsch is a rookie in the American Association, but he received his pro initiation last season in a three-week stint in mid-summer with the Gary SouthShore RailCats following a successful college career, where he led California Lutheran to a NCAA Division 3 championship in May. He pitched well in Gary, posting a 1-0 record in four appearances with a 3.15 ERA, three walks and eight strikeouts in 20 innings. The long college season had taken its toll, and feeling he needed a break, Pautsch received his release.

“I played in Gary last year, and then I decided I was going to go to Africa and surf,” Pautsch said. “I left Gary after a few weeks, and I was in Africa, Indonesia and Hong Kong for a couple months just surfing and exploring the world. Then, I kinda got the bug for ball again. Started throwin’ a little bit and I was like, ‘It feels better, you know.’

“Last year, I was so tired. I threw 100 whatever innings with school and then came through Gary so quick.”

His thrill-seeking travels had a rejuvenating effect.

Pautsch surfed at Jeffreys Bay and Cape St. Francis, popular locations in South Africa where you ride the waves with great white sharks.

“There’s a lot of sharks, but the waves are so amazing, it doesn’t matter,” Pautsch said. “If you’re a surfer, it comes with the territory.”

From Africa, he also surfed in Indonesia and even Hong Kong, a spot not normally associated with the sport.

“We actually got to surf,” Pautsch said. “It was a typhoon 10 and it created the waves, so we were going.” 

Pautsch figured his pitching days were in the past, but he heard from Goldeyes manager Rick Forney just before leaving on his African adventure and then again in late February. He made his decision quickly.  

“I thought, I could do Canada,” Pautsch said. “Let’s see how it goes. All my buddies were saying ‘I thought you were done, all of a sudden you’re back in it.’ So, it’s a pretty crazy little journey.”

Pautsch has already played for a championship team, but would like to do it again. The Goldeyes, having won back-to-back titles, seemed like a good fit. 

“I would love for us to win a bunch,” Pautsch said. “I’m a big team guy. The stats look good when you’re all said and done, but I could care less. I hope we do good and we win, we meet some bitchin’ people and do everything you can remember later on.”

 

Fresh start for Dawson

Shane Dawson is the lone Canadian on Winnipeg’s pre-season roster, and he’s confident he has what it takes to become a regular on the pitching staff. 

“They call you for a reason to come here, right?” said Dawson, a 24-year-old lefty from Drayton Valley, Alta., who is expected to get the start for Winnipeg in Friday’s pre-season game in Fargo. “So, they think you’re going to be an intangible part of the team, and I would like to think of myself that way as well. But I have to showcase my talent, not only on the field, but the way I carry myself in the clubhouse and the way I take care of stuff in the weight room.”

Dawson, a 6-1, 215-pounder chosen in the 17th round of the 2012 major league draft by Toronto, is trying to kick-start his career after being released by the Blue Jays in March. He spent the last two seasons with Toronto’s double-A affiliate in New Hampshire.

In 27 appearances, including 18 starts last year, Dawson went 4-9 with a 6.16 ERA, 48 walks and 62 strikeouts in 111 innings.

“It was a good experience for me,” said Dawson of his six seasons in the Blue Jays farm system, which also included a stint with the gold-medal winning Canadians at the 2015 Pan Am Games. “I got to play against a lot of guys that played in the big leagues that year, and got to showcase my talent against those types of guys.

“It really taught me how to take a loss and come back the next day and act like nothing happened and prepare for my next outing.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14