Time in ring pays off on diamond

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Time in ring pays off on diamond
06/27/2008 8:08 PM ET
By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com

STOCKTON, Calif. -- Matt Sulentic beat himself up pretty good following a disappointing 2007 season. He figured, though, that one of the better ways to prevent a repeat performance was to let someone else take the beating.
So, as part of his offseason workout regimen, Oakland's former third-round pick (2006) decided to take up, among other things, boxing. Sulentic spent a great deal of time this winter in a boxing gym in one of Dallas' less appealing sections. He trained, he sparred and basically banged away, seeming to take out whatever ailed him on the poor unfortunate person or heavy bag that happened to be in front of him.
Boxing wasn't his only offseason training. He also did yoga and spent the requisite time in the batting cage in an effort to work past a season that saw him start at Class A Kane County but finish up at short-season Vancouver after hitting .175 in 56 Midwest League games.
"I came up with the idea on my own," said Sulentic, who is hitting .299 with 35 RBIs for Stockton of the Class A Advanced California League. "It's something I kind of wanted to do. It's stand-up boxing and I wanted to do it, not because it's a fad or anything. My intention was not to become a great fighter but to use it to become a better baseball player. There aren't too many classic stand-up boxing gyms around anymore, though.
"It's all that candy stuff for soccer moms or the hardcore stuff for mixed-martial arts. I took a couple of shots when I was sparring, but I was careful. I was probably stronger than the guys I was fighting but nowhere near as skilled. I wouldn't go at it too hard or for too long 'cause I got winded. But it was good for my balance and hand-eye coordination. It helped me get tougher mentally."
Sulentic has no plans to enter the ring, even if baseball doesn't work out.
"No shot," he said. "Those guys are unbelievable. I don't think it's in the cards."
It's probably a good thing because it certainly would appear he has a bright future in baseball. Whether it was the boxing, the yoga, the extra batting practice or a combination of everything he's done since last season ended, Sulentic has made the most of the opportunity presented to him by the A's.
Sulentic took an eight-game hitting streak into Friday's game against Lake Elsinore and has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games. That's not a bad stretch for someone who wasn't even sure he'd be in Stockton when Spring Training began. Based on how last season ended, Sulentic was uncertain what 2008 would hold but quickly got a good feeling as the spring unfolded.
He admitted he felt like he had to prove himself every day during the spring and that there was some pressure. But much of it evaporated when he realized he'd be breaking camp with the Ports.
"I really felt like I had to prove myself after last year," Sulentic said. "I proved I could play my first year [2006 in Vancouver]. I came out and I made the squad here and that's important, but I still feel lucky to have started the season here. It was a big surge in my confidence knowing the organization took a chance. I have to work hard every day so everyone feels like they made the right decision."
Stockton hitting coach Tim Garland has been impressed with Sulentic's approach, both at the plate and on the field. He's convinced the A's made the right decision to send Sulentic to the Cal League.
"He's just had to take the pressure off himself," Garland said. "We've been stressing to him about letting the game come to him and slowing the game down. He was so antsy and high energy at the plate and just wanted to do well.
"He's done a great job of letting the game come to him. No one works harder than he does. I've had to run him out of the batting cage. We have a few guys on this team that were studs somewhere before they got drafted. They dominated where they came from, but they needed to learn that sometimes you have to give the other guy [pitcher] credit, too, because where he came from, he dominated, too."
Garland also has been impressed with Sulentic's play in the outfield, noting that the youngster could "play in the big leagues now as an outfielder."
Sulentic likely won't get that opportunity for another year or two. Still, he's shown he can come back from a bad performance, even if it was one that lasted most of a season. In boxing, that's called getting up off the canvas.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.