Red Sox’s Batten relaxed, having fun during team’s hot start

Regina Red Sox pitcher Michael Batten was able to get out of a rough patch on the ball diamond — he just had to fly to a different country to do it.

The 23-year-old from Riverview, Fla., spent the last semester at Warner University in Lake Wales, Fla.

Batten said he had a little rough stretch in the spring, which led to a 4.28 earned run average (ERA) during the season.

“In school, I was kind of stressed out thinking about the (Major League Baseball) draft and whatnot,” Batten said at the Red Sox clubhouse before Tuesday’s 7-1 victory over the Weyburn Beavers.

“I got (to Regina) and I was like, ‘I’m going to give it one last shot and just have fun and get to know some of the guys.’ The guys up here are just fun to be around and relax with, so it’s a good atmosphere.”

Despite speaking with a couple of MLB teams, Batten went undrafted.

Red Sox manager Jason Veyna said he learned about Batten from a former Red Sox player.

“He said, ‘Hey, you need this guy,’ ” Veyna said. “We really trust our former players because they get to see these (prospects) every day. (Batten) really cares about his teammates and he really cares about improving and becoming a better person.”

Batten admitted he was a little hesitant to come to Regina at first.

“I was talking to my girlfriend before I left and she just said, ‘Go up there and have fun and not worry about anything,’ ” Batten said.

It turned out to be a good choice for Batten to leave home and travel to Regina for the summer. He has a 0.57 ERA with the team in 31 2/3 innings pitched. He has posted a win in all four of his starts.

“I got up here and just started to relax and have fun and not try to do too much and it’s just kind of working for me,” Batten said. “I haven’t changed anything. I’ve just been staying with the same routine and staying with the same thing every week so that’s been helping me a lot.”

His play has helped the Red Sox get off to a hot start to the season. They’re in second place in the Eastern Division, trailing only the Beavers.

“I think everybody has bought in on the same process and everyone’s trusting the process,” Batten said. “Everybody knows their roles and even though we’ve only been together for a few weeks, we’re a pretty tight-knit team.

“Some of the guys that are on the team now I’ve actually played against in college and played with.”

Veyna said it’s always tough to get out to a fast start in the WMBL because many teams are without many of their players for the first stretch of games.

“We always build and start these rosters with the hopes of being the champs but you’ve got to prove it every day in this game,” Veyna said. “We had some tough battles with pitchers playing positions and hitting — some of them haven’t hit since high school — just waiting for more guys to show up because of the earlier start.”

The team is to head out on the road for a stretch of games against the Yorkton Cardinals and Beavers. Regina’s next home date is July 15 against the Swift Current 57’s.