Stellato Is Ready To Take On the Monster

Mike Stellato has a lot going on in June. He graduates from Lynnfield High School Friday. In a few weeks he'll celebrate his 18th birthday. In between there's the MIAA baseball tournament and make no mistake, Stellato and the nine other seniors on the team are determined to win the school's first state title since 1961.

And then there's his battle with the Monster Saturday. Like many monsters, it's big and green, imposing, and for many downright intimidating. But for Stellato, it's the chance of a lifetime.

Saturday at 6:30 p.m., the Pioneers' third baseman will take the field at Fenway Park in the New England High School Home Run Derby, part of the John Hancock Fenway Fantasy Day to benefit the Jimmy Fund. Stellato won the North title on May 7 to advance to Saturday's final. A pitching machine will toss 65 mph fastballs right down the middle. It's his hope to send as many of them as he can over the wall, over the green monster.

"I'll probably be a little nervous, probably shaking a little bit," said Stellato, who has three home runs this spring and six for his career. "But if I can get that first home run over the monster that will feel good and I'll hopefully get in a rhythm. Just to be there is great, something you always wish as a kid, to play at Fenway. I get to hit home runs at Fenway and hopefully put one over the monster which is just a dream that I've always wanted to do."

If he puts a ball in play, he'll get a point. Off the wall it's five points and a home run is 10. A right-handed hitter, Stellato won't be tempted to go the other way and take aim at the Pesky Pole just 302 feet away in right.

"I'm going to stick with pulling the ball and getting under it and see if I can put it over the monster. I think going opposite field might be a little too risky."

With the MIAA tournament ahead, the Pioneers' captain isn't focusing on individual goals. Besides, how do you practice hitting a home run?

"That's a different thing. During games I'm not swinging for home runs, I'm just trying to get hits and if I get a home run, I get a home run, it just happens," said Stellato, who will attend Endicott in the fall. "But with the home run derby you have to fix up your mechanics just a little bit, because you don't want to hit line drives, because that's not the goal. You really want to do what they tell you not to do, which is drop the back shoulder a little bit and swing under the ball.

"It can definitely mess with your swing. I remember the first practice after the [North] home run derby I was getting under the ball a lot so I did a lot of tee work and went back to the fundamentals. I got it back."

Despite his Fenway fantasy, Stellato is focused on the more important goal, the MIAA Division 3 North tournament and the Pioneers first game Sunday. Lynnfield (18-2) earned the No. 3 seed and will play the winner of the preliminary round game between North Reading and Saugus.

Stellato, who finished the regular season with a .340 batting average, is one of 10 seniors on the Lynnfield roster and each is committed to a long tournament run.

"Ever since we were little, probably 5 years old, we all played baseball and tee-ball together. All of us seniors are just guys who love baseball, love the game of baseball, and love playing it. Over the course of the years playing together and just loving the game, has made a great group of guys for this year. I think everyone is all in to make a run and do something that a Lynnfield team hasn't done in a while."

And if the list of June accomplishments include a few over the Green Monster along with a state title, he won't complain.