Closer playing big role for the Mat-Su Miners

PALMER — As Mat-Su Miners head coach Ben Taylor began putting together the pieces that would make up the 2014 Miners roster, the second-year skipper had a few things in mind.

One priority was solidifying the bullpen.

“This year we wanted proven bullpen arms,” Taylor said, prior to the season. “The whole goal for us is to shorten the games with the quality of our bullpen. Give me six or seven innings out of a starter, give me a 100 pitches, lets get the lead and turn it over to some proven guys in the back end.”

As the season started, the Miners had a few college baseball veterans in line for prominent roles in the bullpen. But there were also some promising up and coming pitchers.

One of those younger players was Pacific University freshman Vince Arobio. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound right-hander may have started the season as a candidate for one of Mat-Su’s important spots in the pen. But now, about two-thirds through the season, Arobio is not only Mat-Su’s closer, but one of the top closers in the Alaska Baseball League.

“He’s our ninth-inning guy,” Tayler said recently. “When we need the lead held down, when we need three outs, it’s his ball.”

Heading into Mat-Su’s date with the Anchorage Glacier Pilots in Anchorage late Monday, Arobio stood at the top of the league with five saves in ABL play and six overall.

Arobio also boasts a 1-0 record with a 1.52 earned run average. He’s made 13 appearances, and has seven strikeouts in 17.2 innings pitched.

“He’s got great stuff,” Tayler said of Arobio.

Tayler said Arobio is sporting a fastball that hits 93, and “a his breaking ball is really good.”

Arobio has only allowed three earned runs this season, and two came in nonleague play, his first two appearances of the summer.

In league games, Arobio has a 0.66 ERA.

The Burlingame, Calif., native last pitched July 10, pitching a perfect inning in a non-save situation during a 13-7 win over Chugiak. But before that, Arobio converted six straight save opportunities. He also earned the win in relief, July 1 in a 4-3 win over the Pilots.

Arabio is a big reason why the Miners are sitting in first place of the Alaska Baseball League National Division with 11 games left in league play. Heading into Mat-Su’s contest with Anchorage Monday night, Mat-Su was 14-9 in league play, two games better than the second-place Pilots.

Arobio and the Miners are down to their final half-dozen games on the home schedule. Mat-Su returns to Hermon Brothers Field Tuesday to host the Glacier Pilots at 6 p.m. The Miners follow with a two-game road trip to Fairbanks to play the Alaska Goldpanners.

The annual ABL/MLB Showcase starts Friday at Mulcahy Stadium in Anchorage. The Miners open with the Panners Friday at 4 p.m. and play the Anchorage Bucs Saturday at 7 p.m.

The ABL Home Run Derby and All-Star Game is Sunday at Mulcahy Stadium.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.