Nivins has his groove back with Panthers
KITCHENER — Life outside of baseball is pretty good for the Kitchener Panthers’ Tanner Nivins right now. He’s got a new job with the Kitchener Fire Department, his health is back and he just bought a house with his girlfriend.
It’s not too shabby on the field, either.
Nivins, 26, is hitting an Intercounty Baseball League-best .441, and has cranked four home runs in his past two games. The centrefielder looks like the league MVP he was back in 2016, before he was hospitalized last year with ulcerative colitis.
The outfielder says that ordeal, and having stability in his life, gives him perspective that has helped him as a player.
“When big things like that happen in your life, you realize you’re here to have fun, play loose and be with your friends,” he said. “That really translates into playing well.”
On Thursday, Nivins led the way with three homers as the Panthers beat up on the Barrie Baycats 20-7 at home, for their second consecutive victory over the defending champions.
Kitchener, with an 8-3 record going into Friday’s game in Brantford, had hits from up and down the lineup — part of a more balanced offence that Nivins says has also made things easier for him this season.
“Our lineup has been great. There’s zero urgency to feel like I have to be that guy to get a threerun home run or something, because everybody is pitching in,” he said.
“We have guys who can jump in at almost any position and we’re OK. I think that depth has been incredibly valuable.”
New additions like Brian Burton and Keegan Marsden have been contributing some big hits, and Mike Gordner seems to have benefited from the move from
third base to the team’s starting catcher.
Another big part of the Panthers’ depth has been Colin Gordner, a super utility player who has been used around the infield and as a designated hitter. He’s hitting .359, and says getting regular at-bats from manager Luke Baker has helped his approach at the plate.
“Playing consistently helps a lot,” Gordner said. “I’ve always been that guy who plays a lot of different positions. So showing up to the park not knowing where you’re going to play doesn’t really affect me that much.”
The 2018 Panthers are a looser, younger and more relaxed group. Barrie, which prior to this week had won 15 straight games against Kitchener, doesn’t seem to intimidate them anymore.
“Before, I think we looked at them a little timid, almost. Now we go into their ballpark with a little more energy, knowing we can beat them,” Gordner said. “We know we can beat every team in this league.”
Burton, meanwhile, looks like a different player than the one fans might remember from 2013. He’s playing like he’s got something to prove, and has quickly become a leader on this young team, Baker said.
“He approached me in the off-season, and he had some fire in his eyes. He played well with the Panthers before, but he’s come out hungry this time and is really capitalizing,” the skipper said.
“I’ve been very impressed with him.”
Baker, in his first year as manager, has deliberately tried to foster a more easygoing atmosphere with his players. So far, it appears to be working.
“It’s been a good atmosphere. The guys are all relaxed and they’re having some fun,” he said.
“Things have been coming together a lot faster than I expected. This is what I’d hoped for. So we’ll just go with it.”
Kitchener hosts the Guelph Royals — and former Panthers Sean Reilly, Josh Garton, Justin Interisano and manager Dave teBoekhorst — at Jack Couch Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday. For more Panthers stories, visit therecord.blogs.com/panthers.