Friends in the Summer, Rivals During the School Year, Potential Major Leaguers in the Future(?)

(From Left: Rice University's Matthew Reckling, Jeremy Rathjen, and Michael
Ratterree "seriously" face off against Santa Barbara Foresters teammates
and University of Texas Rivals Hoby Milner and Sam Stafford)

Reprinted Article by Mike Takeuchi

Original Photo by Eric Isaacs of EMI Photography (emiphotography.com)


Over the last year, Sam Stafford and Jeremy Rathjen have gone from being mere acquaintances to rivals, to training partners, and roommates during their second stint with the Foresters. They hope to one day be colleagues in the major leagues.

And if Rathjen, an outfielder from Rice University, and University of Texas left-handed pitcher Stafford do make it, they may have each other to thank — much as they would hate to admit it publicly.

"We push each other pretty hard," Rathjen said. "Even though he lifts weights like a pitcher."

"I admit he can lift much more in the upper body, but he makes what, two, maybe three throws in a game?" Stafford said. "I accept that I have to do lighter weights. He's the one with the ego. I just check mine at the door."

The 20 year olds are part of a contingent of Foresters from the Houston area — including Rice teammates Matthew Reckling and Michael Ratterree, Keifer Nuncio, a teammate of Stafford's at Texas, and Texas State outfielder Jeff McVaney.

Stafford and Rathjen hit it off immediately after meeting in 2009. Their love of baseball and desire to get to the game's highest level have produced a strong bond — but one often filled with good-natured trash talk.

This summer Stafford and Rathjen have been counted on by the Foresters to being major cogs in the team's efforts to win the National Baseball Congress World Series. Dos Pueblos alumnus Chris Joyce takes the mound today against the Casa Grande (Arizona) Cotton Kings in the teams' tournament opener, and Stafford is expected to start game on Thursday. Rathjen will start in center field.

"Sam and Jeremy are two of our key guys to help us win this thing," Foresters manager and Angels scout Bill Pintard said. "Because of their talent, positive attitude, and the willingness to work hard, they are also two guys who have a legitimate chance to play at the next level."

In starting all 63 games for the Conference USA regular-season champions Rice, Rathjen hit .317 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. He has followed that by hitting .320 with 26 RBI for the Foresters despite starting the season late due to his team's NCAA Regionals appearance.

"Jeremy has improved by leaps and bounds as a player, and is becoming a star-classed player," Rice coach Wayne Graham said in a phone interview. "We need to get to (the College World Series in) Omaha, and I think he is one lead us there."

Foresters hitting coach Gary Woods raves about Rathjen's skills on the field and in life.

"He is a legitimate five-tool player," Woods said. "But he is also a superstar person, someone you'd want for a son or the type of guy you'd want your daughter to marry. The same with Sam."

Stafford started seven games for the Longhorns and went 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 20 innings pitched. He has ramped up his potential this summer by using a 94 mph fastball and wicked curve to go 3-0 in five starts with an eye-popping 0.33 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 28 innings.

"Sam has the drive, the arm, and the potential to go a long way with us," Texas coach Augie Garrido said earlier this month.

Foresters pitching coach Dan Yokubaitis has seen how that motivation has helped Stafford improve between his two stints with the team.

"Last year, Sam would be pretty good, but he always seemed to have that one bad inning each game," Yokubaitis said. "But this year, he hasn't had one bad inning total. His velocity has jumped up, as has his fire."

While roommates at the home of their host parents, Rick and Cindy Jackson, Rathjen and Stafford make daily workouts where their competitive juices flow.

"Don't let his quiet demeanor fool you. Jeremy is probably the most competitive person I know," Stafford said. "Cards, video games, weightlifting, anything. The guy bench presses 295 pounds... . He is over-the-top."

"I am competitive, especially in the gym because I feel I have to push Samuel," Rathjen replied.

Stafford does have one thing he can boast about to Rathjen — head-to-head match-ups. As Stafford chest pumped up in jest, he recalls the time when he got the best of his roommate. Rathjen's grounder up the middle was picked by current Texas and former Foresters shortstop Brandon Loy to rob him of a hit in a game the Longhorns won, 5-1.

"One at-bat, and it took one of the best shortstops in the country to help him" Rathjen said, rolling his eyes.

While the two joked like those old cartoon crows Heckle and Jeckle and consumed large amounts of food at Petrini's restaurant, their tone changed when talking about playing together.

"On the field he plays as hard as anyone," Stafford said. "In one game I had a guy on first and gave up a single. With the runner going to third, Jeremy charged it and just hosed the guy at third for the out to get me out of a jam. He is as good as they come in center.

"Plus, he has a calm demeanor that helps the dugout. While some guys might get down or mad, he keeps it light."

Rathjen, however, credits Stafford for making defense easy.

"I don't really move in center field when Sam pitches," Rathjen said. "One time I told him I wanted to go an entire game without moving, and sure enough, the only time I ran was from the dugout out into the field and back when the inning was over. That's it.

"I have enjoyed watching him, especially from this side of the field. His other pitches are good, but his fastball is just unfair."

While they don't talk about Rice's elimination at the hands of Texas in the NCAA Regionals in June, they do discuss playing against and with each other.

Wherever they end up, competition will trump friendship ever so briefly.

"The only time I really root against him is we play them," Stafford said. "If he hits the ball hard and it's on the warning track as long as it's an out, that's fine."

"Sam's going to be a weekend pitcher (where teams line up their top pitchers) at Texas this year, I'm sure of it," Rathjen said. "And we will probably only play them in a mid-week game. But if we do meet up in a regional or even the College World Series, I think I may have to take him deep a couple of times."

"We will have to wait and see about that," Stafford said. "Indeed."