Former Miner returns with a new perspective

June 12, 2007

By JEREMIAH BARTZ/Frontiersman

PALMER - Ryan Heil called his summer with the Mat-Su Miners a pivotal point in his college baseball career.

&#8220It was really kind of a springboard for my career,” Heil said last week while preparing for the 2007 Alaska Baseball League season.

Now, the former Mat-Su pitcher is hoping a summer in the Valley will do the same for his coaching career.

Heil, a member of the 2003 Mat-Su pitching staff, is back in Palmer, this time a member of the Miners' coaching staff.

After a career-ending back injury forced him off the pitchers mound, Heil made a move to the dugout and opted for a future in coaching. He spent the last season at California State San Marcos, and with aspirations of becoming a coach at the Division I level, Heil set out to make the next move in his career.

Knowing what time in the prestigious ABL can do for a player or a coach, Heil sought an ABL job by contacting Mat-Su general manager Pete Christopher.

&#8220I called Pete and said I want to come back to Alaska,” Heil said. &#8220My summer up here was one of my best summers.”

By the time Heil had contacted Christopher, the Mat-Su general manager had already filled the Miners' three-man coaching staff. But Heil was determined. To get the opportunity to coach in one of the most recognized summer amateur developmental leagues in the country, Heil offered to cover his own costs and spend the summer as a volunteer assistant coach. Christopher discussed the prospect of Heil joining the staff with Mat-Su head coach Jeff Pritchard, and both agreed Heil would be a good addition to the Miners' staff.

Considering his time in the minor leagues - Heil pitched in the New York Mets organization - and his experience in the ABL, Pritchard said Heil will be an asset to the team.

&#8220He can let the guys know what it takes to get to (the professional) level,” Pritchard said.

Heil's summer in the Mat-Su Valley started the Redwood City, Calif., native on a path that included a scholarship offer and the chance to play professional baseball.

Before arriving in Palmer, Heil was a hard-throwing right-hander used sparingly at San Diego State. He appeared in only eight games, and logged just 7.2 innings of work.

But Heil showed what he is capable of in Alaska.

In 26 innings with the Miners, Heil finished 2-2 with a 2.81 ERA. He averaged more than a strikeout per inning, and saved a pair of games.

Not only did Heil impress his own coaches, but those in opposing dugouts. Judging by what he saw during the ABL season former Alaska Goldpanners chief Ed Cheff, also the head coach at Lewis-Clark State, lured Heil to his Lewiston, Idaho, program.

&#8220He called me up and said ‘Come to Lewis-Clark State',” Heil recalled. &#8220‘I'll pay for your senior year.'”

So Heil hit the road to Idaho.

In the the year following his summer in Alaska, Heil signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Mets organization.

Heil began his pro career with the Gulf Coast Mets of the Gulf Coast League, and was promoted to Single A Kingsport of the Appalician League before getting hurt.

&#8220I was doing really well, then I got hurt,”Heil said.

Heil appeared in 19 games for Kingsport, and was 4-4 with three saves. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was more than 2-to-1.

A serious back injury led to surgery and eight months of recovery. A second surgery pretty much spelled the end of his pitching career.

Although it was shorter than he would have hoped, Heil said his time in the minors was an unbelievable experience. Not only did he have the opportunity to pitch, but he had the chance to learn from former Major League standouts such as Gary Carter, Brett Butler and Mookie Wilson.

Now Heil is taking everything he learned in his own career - in the pros and in the ABL - and applying that to his future as a coach.

&#8220I definitely come back up with a much different perspective,” Heil said.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com