Erickson loves his hometown	Matt the magic man
Cold Shoulder, Hot Bat	Erickson fundamentally in line for majors
Matt at Bat

Erickson loves his hometown

Calgary Sun--Thursday, April 19, 2001

By TOM BRENNAN -- Since we asked about it, Matt Erickson will be happy to play tub thumper for his hometown of Appleton, Wisc.

 "About 80,000 people, 20 miles south of Green Bay and yes, I'm a big Green Bay Packers fan," declares the helpful Calgary Cannons rookie infielder. "I love the beer and I love the brats and I guess I really can't get away from that."

 Famous Appleton citizens? "Well, (Pittsburgh Steelers star) Rocky Bleier, I guess he'd probably the biggest sports name. Joe McCarthy. You know, McCarthyism? Willem Dafoe, the actor. (Harry) Houdini.

 "This last winter is probably the first one I've spent in five years in Wisconsin," Erickson says. "People said you must be crazy, it's so cold. But I had a nice time. It's a nice place."

 And don't forget, it's only 20 miles from Green Bay.

 Yes, the Cannons have their very own Cheese Head. Indoctrinated by father and grandfather in the lore of Hutson, Lambeau and Lombardi, Nitschke and Starr, Taylor and Hornung. "My dad (Bruce) says he was at the Ice Bowl," reports Erickson of the famous 1967 NFL title game. "Says he was bundled up in a sleeping bag.

 "He CLAIMS he was there," he grins. "A lot of people claim they were there. I haven't seen any pictures or ticket stubs. Yeah, I used to go to the games. But in those days they were so bad. I don't think they won a home game I went to in about four or five years."

 The Pack, however, came back. Green Bay finally won the Super Bowl again in '96. Erickson pointed to one of the current visitors at Burns, Sacramento third baseman Eric Hinske, another guy from the Appleton area. "I watched it at his apartment."

 Yes, Matt the Packer fan was ultimately rewarded for his patience, and Matt the ball player may be as well. Though in reality, the player has progressed faster than his favorite team was rebuilt.

 Even with spending all of 1999 and 2000 at double A Portland, the 5-ft. 11-in., 190-pounder has reached triple A less than four years after being drafted out of the University of Arkansas (seventh round). And a lot of guys can't say that.

 Although he appears to have moved up because of his bat, Erickson's glove has impressed most in his brief time in Calgary. Starting as the second baseman, the 25-year-old went to short when Josue Espada strained a hamstring on the weekend. With the wind blowing crazily on Monday, he made a catch of popup that had Fresno manager Shane Turner raving afterwards.

 "It was probably more lucky than good," says Erickson, who pursued the ball about 12 feet into the outfield, then back to the dirt, where he snagged it. "I always seem to have been a decent hitter wherever I've been but I take pride in playing good defense."

 That includes at third base, which he saw a lot of time at until recently. His offensive skills, however, stamp him as more of a middle infielder.

 "I like playing third," grins Erickson, whose career high in homers is five, in rookie ball. "But to play third, you have to leave the park on a regular basis.

 "We've got a lot of good hitters on this team, proven hitters at this level and at levels above. Hopefully, I can contribute by getting on base, giving them a chance to drive me in, playing solid defense and being consistent."

SLAM! Sports

Erickson stepping up to the plate to fill any hole in the infield

By ANDREW SMITH -- Calgary Sun  Cannons second baseman Matt Erickson has a lot in common with the famous magician and escape artist Harry Houdini.

 Not only do they hail from the same home town -- Appleton, Wisc., -- but Erickson's career could be compared to that of the master magician.

 Houdini feared no situation, boasting he could escape from any contraption man could contrive.

 While Erickson is not trying to escape from submerged safes, he is making a name for himself as a player capable of playing any position in the infield, and playing it very well.

 "I take a little pride in that," said Erickson.

 "Not many people can play a number of different positions. When I was first drafted, they told me that would be my calling."

 Nice work, if you can get it, but Erickson's natural athletic ability could have sent him in a number of directions.

 There was basketball and the state religion of football, but like his father -- a 25 year high school coach with more than a few state championships under his belt--baseball was in his blood.

 After receiving scholarship offers from several small schools, Erickson decided baseball was the way to go and he accepted an offer to head to the SEC and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, calling it "one of the best decisions I ever made."

 Erickson would play three years in the home of Bill Clinton before getting drafted as a free agent by the Florida Marlins in 1997.

 Not surprising that in his four previous minor league seasons, Erickson has found himself bouncing around the infield as he made the move from rookie league ball, to two seasons with the double-A Portland (Maine) Seadogs through to his current position with the Guns.

 But even with the constant shifts, it has yet to effect Erickson's play, especially when it concerns his batting.

 Typically small for a middle infielder, Erickson bats to his strength, hitting for average with a series of well placed line drives that would seem to make him the catalyst for any team's offense. And when it comes to on-base percentage, Erickson has put up consistently high numbers, including the third highest (.416) last season in the Eastern League

 But even though he extended a 16-game hitting streak on the first pitch he saw in last night's game, as well as batting a solid .323, Erickson can't even nail down a consistent spot in the Cannons' batting order, finding himself either in the one-two or eight-nine spots.

 "To tell you the truth, those four spots are pretty much the same," said Erickson.

 "And I've learned that eighth in the National League is not easy. They know the pitcher is up next, so they can pinch and work you, especially with men on base.

 "But at the same time you have to be aggressive. You might have to try and hit a ball out of the strike zone."

 Since spring training, Erickson has worked with Cannons' hitting coach Sal Rende to improve his swing, in particular his hand direction, allowing him to hit through the ball and keep it low.

 On a team with plenty of power, Erickson sees himself as the perfect compliment to his heavy hitting teammates.

 "I feel I fit in well with this club," said Erickson.

 "There's a number of guys capable of driving me in once I get on base."

 Considering the length of the baseball season, Erickson is not letting his success at the plate effect his game, saying streaks come and go and that as soon as this one ends, another can start.

 Since he arrived in Calgary, Erickson has had little problem adjusting to the cool, spring temperatures mostly because they are similar to those he enjoyed growing up amongst the Packer backers.

 Never ruling out a shot at an everyday position, Erickson would be the perfect bench player for any team needed a Mr. Everything.

 "I'm definitely a utility infielder," said Erickson.

 "All positions have different ways of taking plays but it is fun. I like moving around, but I don't want to count myself out of an everyday spot."

 As long as he keeps getting on base and playing good defense, something is bound to come up. But where that is remains a mystery.

SLAM! Sports

Sunday, July 01, 2001
Winter Off Makes Erickson Hungry To Make It To The Show

By Mike Capshaw
The Morning News/NWAonline.net

CALGARY -- Former Arkansas infielder Matt Erickson took last winter off for the first time since donning Razorbacks pinstripes in 1994.
The break wasn't intentional.
He got a call near the end of last season from a winter-league team in Arizona that was interested in him suiting up.
Winter in a warm climate sounded inviting. But they never called back.
Erickson shook off the chill of the cold shoulder and headed to an even colder climate in his hometown of Appleton, Wisc. The break allowed Erickson to spend some quality time with his family, however, his mind was elsewhere.
"That kind of break always adds a real hunger," Erickson said. "It's been a long time since I spent that much time away (from baseball) and once you get used to playing year-round, I can only go about one or two weeks before I'm ready to play again."
Erickson opened the spring with a hot bat and hit his high point during a 21-game hitting streak for the Calgary Cannons, the Florida Marlins' AAA farm club.
"I had a long conversation with our player development guy Rick Williams," Erickson said. "He told that I was doing all the right things and turning some heads."
He's been turning fastballs around in mid flight as well and has improved his batting average 15 points in the past week to .309. But Erickson knows his key to the next level will be how well the middle infielder can continue making diving plays at grounders in the gap.
"I'm a utility-type player and need to be versatile," Erickson said. "My ticket to the show will be playing solid defense and just be in the right place at the right time."
Erickson was enticed to leave the Hogs after his junior campaign when he was drafted in the seventh round. He spent his "short season" in Utica, N.Y., before playing the next season in A-Ball for the Cain County Cougars in Louisiana. An impressive spring training allowed Erickson to skip past High-A ball to AA in Portland, Maine last season and now finds himself on the doorstep of Major League Baseball at Calgary.
"Things are going pretty good right now," Erickson said. "I fit in pretty well on this team with a lot of veteran guys that can drive you in, because I'm the kind of guy who tries to find anyway I can to get on base by slapping it around."

NEAL SHULENBURGER
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE (8/5/01)

SPRINGDALE -- Former Arkansas Razorbacks baseball player Matt Erickson doesn't have Barry Bonds' power, or the speed of Luis Castillo. But Erickson, the starting second baseman for the Florida Marlins' Class AAA Calgary Cannons, hasn't needed either to get within striking distance of the major leagues.
    "I'm going to have to be a jack-of-all-trades to make it," Erickson said. "Nobody is going to say wow because of any one thing I can do. But I think one day I will make it there."
    Cannons Manager Chris Chambliss thinks that day might come soon.
    "It's his first year in AAA so it depends on the need upstairs [with the Marlins]," Chambliss said. "But he's not far from the majors. He probably needs another solid year at AAA, but he's so good fundamentally that he might even be invited to spring training with the Marlins next year."
    Erickson, Arkansas' career batting average leader (.377), has hit well since being selected by the Marlins in the seventh round of the 1997 draft. He has hit .305 in his first four minor-league seasons. He is third on the Cannons at .315 and leads the team with a .388 on-base percentage.
    "He's very aggressive at the plate and he hits the ball to all fields," said Chambliss, who was the hitting coach for the New York Yankees from 1996-2000. "He doesn't hit with a lot of power, but he is a good fundamental hitter."
    While he has been a consistent hitter, Erickson has never hit more than five home runs in a season. He's also not a major base-stealing threat, with no more than 17 in a season.
    Erickson has earned a reputation for being a good defensive player. He has played three positions in the minors: shortstop, second base and third base. Erickson began the 2001 season by starting the first 40 games at shortstop and then was shifted to second base to accommodate a shortstop prospect.
    While many players prefer to remain at one position the entire season, Erickson's ability to play solid defense at three positions might be the key to him making the major leagues.
    "His value right now is as a utility player," Chambliss said. "He's very good at the little things and he can play a lot of positions. He's very valuable to us as an everyday second baseman, but he can also play very well at shortstop."
    Erickson said he doesn't have a favorite position.
    "I think I'm best playing up the middle," Erickson said. "At either shortstop or second base. But put me anywhere between the lines, I just want to play baseball."
    That desire has been put to the test in the minor leagues.
    "You definitely find out how much you love baseball down here," Erickson said. "You eat sleep and breathe baseball here. And when you aren't playing or practicing, you're traveling.
    "But I've had a great time here. And I've gotten to see a lot of the country."
    Erickson said he isn't too concerned about the young Marlins players, Castillo (second), Mike Lowell (third) and Alex Gonzalez (short), who occupy the positions he plays.
    "I can't worry about those guys," Erickson said. "It's everyone's ultimate goal to get there, and it's definitely what I'm working for. But the only thing I can do is play hard and maybe they'll give me the call."
   
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    AGE 26
    HT 5-11
    WT 190
    HOMETOWN Appleton, Wis.
    POSITION 2B, 3B, SS
    NOTEWORTHY Played for Arkansas from 1996-1997. Drafted in the seventh round by the Florida Marlins as a third baseman. Erickson is the Razorbacks' leader in career batting average (.377), and third in hits with 266. Erickson has batted .300 or better in three of his first four minor-league seasons. He led the Marlins organization in 1998 by batting .324 at Class AA Portland, Maine.

April 19, 2002

By CAMERON MAXWELL -- Calgary Sun
 Calgary Cannons slick-fielding second baseman Matt Erickson doesn't remember when he first picked up a baseball bat.

 But he clearly recalls the fact his dad didn't want any right-handed hitters in the family.

 "I remember my dad putting my left hand on top of my right hand on the bat with it on my shoulder, then he'd get behind me and pivot our left foot to make sure I'd swing left handed. (He) didn't want any right-handed hitters, I guess," said Erickson, who does indeed bat from the left side but is a right-handed thrower.

 Suffice it to say, baseball runs in the Erickson family.

 "Baseball's kind of in the family blood," noted Erickson, 26.

 Erickson's grandfather, Vernon 'Swede' Erickson played professionally in the New York Giants organization before the team moved to San Francisco.

 His baseball mentor and father, Bruce, played college ball at the University of Wisconsin and has coached baseball at the high school level for 26 years.

 Since his formative years in the sport, Erickson has come a long way to where he's now a Florida Marlins prospect at second base.

 A .300 hitter in four of his five years at the minor league level, the Appleton, Wis., native is currently in his second year with the Guns.

 Like all youngsters looking to crack a major league roster, the University of Arkansas grad was disappointed he didn't break in with the Marlins this season after spring training.

 "I thought I had a good shot and a good opportunity at making this year's club but I really didn't get that opportunity in spring training," he said.

 "I felt like I did what I could with the opportunity I had and I had a good conversation with (Marlins manager Jeff Torborg) before I left, so I guess I left spring training with some motivation heading into the season."

 During the pre-season with Florida, Erickson only had 13 plate appearances, getting four walks and four hits.

 "I feel like the opportunity just wasn't quite there but we've talked a few times and I felt better and I'm here and ready if they need me."

 But Erickson doesn't mind it in Calgary, even if it's a bit too cold in the spring, which was the reason why last night's scheduled game against the Tucson Sidewinders was postponed until today.

 "I like the city of Calgary and last year, when the weather got warmer and we got some crowds, it was great," said Erickson, who was named the Cannons' Mr. Hustle and Most Community-Minded Player last season.

 "I live right downtown where you've got Eau Claire Market, a bunch of restaurants and bars, nightlife, if you want it. It's a great place for a young person like myself."

 One way or another, with the Guns leaving Calgary after the season to move to Albuquerque, Erickson won't play here again and would love to give local baseball fans a good season.

 "I'm excited about our last season in Calgary and hopefully we can get into the post season this year, especially with it being the last season,' said Erickson, who is off to a .289 start at the plate.

 The Guns, looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 1998, have gotten out of the gate with a bit of a slow start and a 6-8 record.