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February 17, 2008 Baseball in February Pitchers and catchers have reported to Fort Myers. Spring training is underway. And baseball nuts like me couldn’t be happier. But before I get into the Red Sox later this week, there was a little taste of baseball right here in America’s Hometown yesterday.
Not a week goes by - NOT A WEEK - where someone asks me if the River Eels are really coming. Like everyone else in this town, I pretty much shrug my shoulders and say that only time will tell. It’s not so much a knock on what’s happened so far but rather a casual non-committal answer. Please understand that I am just as excited as the next guy when it comes to the concept of having our very own professional baseball team in our own backyard.
And that’s why my father and I were two of the first people to show up yesterday as our very own Plymouth River Eels hosted a Hometown Sports Day at Colony Place in North Plymouth. There was a clinic for kids, promotions from various local businesses, autographs from Boston Bruins player Andrew Alberts, a chance to purchase River Eels t-shirts and hats. And everything was conveniently located inside one room.
Kids from all over town flocked to the side room for a clinic that was hosted by three players. Jason LaRocque, Devon Teeple, and Brian Trupiano (yes, Jerry’s son) led the kids through base running drills, fielding drills, batter’s box drills, and just about anything else to make the kids work up a sweat. LaRocque was previously a bullpen catcher for the Red Sox, specifically catching Tim Wakefield and said that the knuckleball was so baffling that it would keep him up at night. Trupiano used to play for the Brockton Rox and said that as much as he loves the game, $750 a month wasn’t cutting it so he decided to make a move into the real world. Teeple traveled the farthest, hailing from Ontario, and was a standout pitcher in college and has also played in independent leagues.
I particularly enjoyed LaRocque’s drill from the batter’s box. He had the kids hop, swing and make contact, and hop again. The kids didn’t necessarily get the concept of the drill but it was trying to teach them to balance in the batter’s box. Later on, LaRocque put on a talk about the Science of Baseball, which is a program put on by MIT for inner-city youth.
Circuit City, Auction Pal, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Michael’s, New England Hot Dog, and Village Vineyard were also there pushing their stuff for people walking through.
Andrew Alberts showed up. He plays for the Bruins and signed autographs for everyone there. The first thing I noticed was how young he looks. I talked to him for a couple of minutes while he signed an autograph for me. He’s been injured with concussion-like symptoms but seems to be getting back in the swing of things soon.
But the two biggest parts of the day came early on and later on. First, I finally met Stu Kirsch face-to-face. Stu and I have been emailing back and forth for the better part of 18 months but had yet to officially meet. He walked me around and showed me everything that was going on. Later on, President/CEO Tom O’Brien made an appearance. Tom and I have known each other for a long time and it’s an honor when he introduces me to people as his friend and a “bigger Red Sox fan” than him. It’s been awhile since I have seen Tom, so it’s always nice to catch up with him.
So I think that it goes without saying, but the buzz in back. Everyone who’s “in-the-know” told me that the River Eels are coming. I proudly wore my River Eels jersey. I proudly wore my River Eels hat. I can’t wait to be there in person for the groundbreaking. I can’t wait to be there for the opening ceremonies. I can’t wait to be there for the first pitch. I saw firsthand what a professional baseball team did for the city of Brockton. As excited as I was then for them, I can only imagine how excited I will be for the River Eels when they finally come to America’s Hometown. |
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