Page 10 August 12, 2021 EL SEGUNDO HERALD
Lars Nootbar from page 3
over forty years at the Major League level.
Lars said, “Nolan told me before you step
into the batter’s box look back and say, ‘Hi
Joe, how are you doing today.’ So I took his
advice. Joe looked at me and said, ‘Hi Lars’.”
In his first game, he started in left field and
had a number of putouts and showed off his arm
with a strong throw from deep in the left-field
corner. Lars’ first at bat in the Major Leagues
was a success even though he didn’t get a base
hit. He grounded out to the second baseman on a
ball that had an exit velocity of 109 miles per
hour. In his second at bat, in the fifth inning, Lars
collected his first RBI with a sacrifice fly ball.
Lars got to start in right field the next day,
and he admits the first game jitters were gone.
“It really is the same game I’ve played all my
life, but the stakes are higher.” He added that
someone reminded him, “It’s the same game
with better announcers and bigger cameras.”
In his second game, Lars collected his first
Major League hit in the third inning. He hit
one in the gap to center field for a triple. To
put it into perspective, hitting a triple is the
most exciting hit in baseball and the rarest
to come by. Just two percent of all hits are
triples and for it to be his first hit makes it
even rarer. He also made his first assist in the
sixth inning when he threw a strike to catcher
Yadier Molina, who tagged out Isaac Paredes at
home plate after fielding a single to right field.
When the Cardinals visited San Francisco,
Lars was surprised by more friends attending,
Lars’ first Major League hit was a triple.
including former high school teammates Hunter
Lewis, Connor Underwood, Jacob Richmond,
Parker Blacksten, Willem Mostert, Parshan Soheili,
and Mikey Villa. He said after the game
with the Giants, he was invited, by All-Star
third baseman Nolan Arenado, to go for dinner.
Lars said, “When you go to dinner with Nolan,
it’s not like going to Appleby’s. You have to
have a jacket to go where he goes.” He said
he thanked him for the offer but respectfully
declined. “I told him I couldn’t go because my
mom and friends were taking me to dinner.”
Through his journey from El Segundo Little
League to the Major Leagues, Lars has not
forgotten the special moments. He says there
will be milestones in his life, but it’s the small
moments he cherishes. He says there are a lot
of memories, but one that stands clear from
others was a Little League championship game.
“The Mets were the best team, and nobody gave
us (the A’s) a chance. We were down six runs
in the sixth inning, and we came back with
seven runs and won it with Ethan Swanson’s
RBI single.” He says that he’ll invite Hunter
Lewis over, who pitched for the Mets, to watch
the video. He also remembers winning the
Home Run Derby and his brother throwing
to him. “Nigel made it special, and I’ll never
forget that moment.”
Lars wants to thank everybody for helping
with his path to the Major Leagues. “Truthfully,
I couldn’t have had this opportunity without the
support of all my family, friends, and coaches.”
He says that if he could say anything to a
Little Leaguer about his journey, it would be
to play as many sports as possible, play hard,
have fun, and “Remember the little moments.”
There’s something else you should know
about Lars besides being a gifted athlete and
Major Leaguer. He is a very down-to-earth
and compassionate person with a permanent
smile that lights up a room. He speaks with
his family daily, whether he’s on the road or
at home. And, more importantly, he is a friend
first. When Lars found out I had cancer last year,
he texted me with some encouraging words.
When I was conducting this interview over
the phone, some of the first words out of his
mouth were, “How are you feeling, Mac?” He
was genuinely concerned for my health. Only
after we talked about my condition did he feel
at ease with me asking him some questions.
From T-Ball to USC and now at the professional
level, Lars Nootbaar has played
the game the same way, the right way. And,
through it all, he’s played it with a smile and
remembering where it all started. •
Lars’ friends traveled to San Francisco to watch him play at Oracle Park. From left Lars’ girlfriend Susana Kalish, his mother Kumi,
former ESHS trainer Shizuka Schwartz, Tina Palmer, Linnea Palmer, his sister Nicole and missing is Sandy Mostert. One reason for Lars’ promotion to the Major Leagues is his defense.
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