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Former Ridgewood catcher Mike Rabelo got his first official invite to major-league spring training last month with the Detroit Tigers.
After two seasons with the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League, he moves up a level this year and started his fourth pro season Thursday with a new team closer to home, the Lakeland Tigers of the Florida State League.
Rabelo, 24, took a minute to talk with Times staff writer Greg Auman this week.
GA: You'd made a few cameos in spring training, but this was your first extended stay. What was that experience like for you?
MR: It was great, just being around all these superstar big-leaguers. You look over and see Ivan Rodriguez, you see Al Kaline, Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammell, and they're on the same field, wearing the same uniform you are. Everything about it is unbelievable. You're getting treated like a big-leaguer, everything from the food, the travel, the staff.
GA: You had one spring training at-bat, against the Expos, but you got a single out of it, so you left spring training with as high a batting average as anybody.
MR: Tram told me he was going to get me an at-bat, and he made good on that. I got a little check-swing single, but it was a hit. I've had a few hits in years prior, got one off Mike MacDougal, the Royals closer.
GA: You managed to improve your batting average by 79 points from 2002 to 2003, hitting .274 in your second season with the Whitecaps with five home runs and 40 RBIs. Any goals for your first season in Lakeland?
MR: I don't get caught up in goals. They put a little too much pressure on yourself. At the end of the season, I'll go back and look at my numbers, but statistically, there's not anything in particular I"m shooting for.
GA: You had the chance to play with two veterans in Pudge and former Devil Ray Mike DiFelice. Anything you picked up from watching them?
MR: It's just little stuff. They're doing things we don't always see in the minors, so you want to watch and listen. I can improve myself in just about everything - I'm fortunate that I'm a pro ballplayer, but I'm still in Class A ball, so I know I have a lot to work on.