Classic-bound players inspire at Miami Play Ball event
MIAMI -- This was no ordinary trip around the bases.
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames missed first base by a good 20 feet, taking a shortcut as he playfully circled the diamond with some of the 120 kids who came out on Friday morning for a free baseball clinic hosted by MLB, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade and the Miami Marlins Foundation.
Sporting a fisherman’s bucket hat, a red and blue Dominican Republic jersey, ripped jeans and sneakers, Adames said he had a blast with the Mater Grove Academy kids, who ranged from pre-K to fifth grade.
Adames, a native of Santiago in the Dominican Republic, said it was an easy call when he was asked to participate in Friday’s Play Ball event.
“I feel we have to give back to the kids,” Adames said. “Everything we learn, we have to give it back to them because they’re the next generation. I wish when I was a kid I had big leaguers coming to my town, having fun with me and spending time with me.”
Adames said it wasn’t until he was 16 years old that he met an actual Major Leaguer, former outfielder Carlos Gómez.
By that time, Adames was preparing to sign a pro contract with the Detroit Tigers.
In contrast, the kids at Friday’s event have about a decade's head start on Adames, who was joined at the Boys & Girls Club by Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña and former Major Leaguers Carlos Baerga and Willie Collazo.
The Marlins were also represented at Friday’s event, as Jason Latimer -- the club’s vice president in charge of communications and outreach -- made some brief remarks while addressing the kids.
Latimer said an event like Friday’s helps grow the game for kids he hopes will become life-long Marlins fans. In addition to hosting Pool D play and the final rounds of the World Baseball Classic, the Marlins will also host the 2024 Caribbean Series.
“We know the importance of growing the game and providing access to the game through our T-ball initiative with 250 teams and our RBI and junior RBI programs,” Latimer said. “South Florida is a hotbed for baseball and softball, and we’ve put a great emphasis on making sure those kids have Marlins shirts and hats. They get to learn to love the game and to love their hometown team.
“One of the greatest things for me is to see a kid hold a bat for the first time. They may have their hands in the wrong place when they first pick up a bat, but you can see it click. I don’t know that you can get a better feeling than to see kids embrace baseball.”
Alex Rodriguez-Roig, the president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade, said the purpose of Friday’s event was to motivate youth.
“The more we expose kids to these activities, the more chances they have of finding something that inspires them,” Rodriguez-Roig said. “We want to educate kids, help them grow and impact them in a positive way. These events are fantastic.”
So were the facilities and everything else surrounding Friday’s event -- from the sun-kissed weather to the home-plate shade provided by two gigantic oak trees that appear to have been around since Babe Ruth’s prime.
There was no shortage of talent either, as several of the kids were seen blasting underhand tosses from Adames and Peña.
Several of the kids showed off a bit of that famed 305 swagger, too.
“We have year-round [warm] weather, which means year-round baseball,” Rodriguez-Roig said. “So many great players have come out of Miami -- from Alex Rodriguez to Andre Dawson and many more.
“Maybe one of these kids we saw today will be in the big leagues in 10 or 15 years.”
Collazo, who pitched in the Minors for 12 years and got into six Major League games with the Mets in 2007, said a day spent on a baseball field is a great way to get away from the electronic devices that dominate today’s society.
“When I was a kid, you didn’t have social media,” said Collazo, a 43-year-old native of Puerto Rico. “It’s good for kids today to come back to our roots -- go out and have fun and forget about your phone.”
Baerga, a 54-year-old native of Puerto Rico, was quite possibly the most accomplished athlete at Friday’s event.
He was a three-time All-Star in the 1990s. In fact, Baerga in '93 became the first second baseman since Rogers Hornsby in 1922 to have consecutive seasons with at least 200 hits, 100 RBIs, 20 homers and a .300 batting-average.
But none of that might have happened without youth baseball clinics that inspired him to play. Baerga said shortstop Dickie Thon and outfielder Jose Cruz were the first Major Leaguers he met, and that happened at a clinic in Puerto Rico that was similar to Friday’s event.
“From every person at every clinic," Baerga said, "you always learn something.
“Baseball can help these kids earn college scholarships, even if they don’t make it to the Majors. We just have to open our hearts and help the youth.”
Peña, whose father, Geronimo, played in the big leagues, had a different experience than many others. Because of his father's status, he had met Major Leaguers while he was still a young boy.
Even so, Peña jumped at the chance to spend an hour with the kids on Friday.
“Now that I’m in the position to give back," he said, "that’s what I want to do.
“This is where it starts. This is where you start developing your love for the game. You play the game because it’s fun, and you have to keep that same attitude even as you get older. Just have fun.”
Even if you take a shortcut around the bases.