Empire League pair impressed with Tupper ball field, improvement work so far

by Dan McClelland

During a visit Wednesday Empire League President Eddie Gonzalez and his business partner and major league outfielder Matt Joyce both liked the transformation of Tupper Lake's ball field, despite its cover under four inches of snow. They were also impressed with the welcome their minor league franchise plan has received from the community. This was Ed's second visit to Tupper Lake and the first for Matt.

They were warmly welcomed by some of the local promoters of the River Pigs semi-pro franchise committee here and they showered the baseball facility and its panoramic setting across Raquette Pond and beyond with compliments.

Trustee David “Haji” Maroun told them about the thousands of square feet of new sod that was laid in the infield area since Ed's first visit here in late summer. The new grass was purchased by the village and placed down by crews from the state's shock incarceration center at Moriah, working with the local volunteers. Mr. Maroun showed them the newly uncovered dug-outs, which were recently excavated of clay and sand after decades of idleness. He explained that the two team areas now had new sides and roofs.

The trustee was accompanied by some of his committee members and supporters- Jed Dukett, Rick Skiff (who did the dug-out work with his brother Jay), Mayor Paul Maroun and Tom Callaghan. Committee members missing were Jay Skiff, Trustee Ron LaScala and Royce Cole.

Trustee Maroun also mentioned the new netting that will replace the fencing along the face of the grandstand and the two new seating deck sections planned where the one side of wooden bleachers was removed by the volunteers this fall.

Mayor Paul Maroun introduced to the two the local media members present and Ken Drake, sports announcer for Channel 5.

“Perfect weather right now to get a game going,” Ed Gonzalez joked.

Jed Dukett offered to get a snowblower to reveal the field's base paths.

Someone suggested shoveling off a bit of the infield to show them the new sod.

“We're excited and happy to be here just checking things out...to make this thing happen,” the league president said of the new River Pigs franchise coming to Tupper Lake.

“Tupper Lake is all excited about you coming,” Mayor Paul Maroun told them. “The biggest excitement of all was the name. There were more people who voted in that election (to select the name) than vote for me! -And I run unopposed a lot of the time!”

Because this was the Atlanta Braves outfielder's first visit here, the mayor explained the stadium in Tupper Lake pre-dated World War II and used to host a semi-pro baseball team which was part of the New York Yankees franchise organization. “They actually had several players” who were called up and then came back.

“This is also one of the first lighted stadiums in the North Country!”

The system of tall lights which ring the ball field were upgraded by the village several years ago and are now all computer-run, he explained to Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Joyce.

“The stadium is Yankee Stadium-sized and the lights are geared to that!”

Matt joked the outfield looked a little deeper.

“We're looking forward to make it more appealing to your needs,” the mayor told the visitors.

“The village is putting in some money. We are working with the town and looking for some various grant sources!”

He explained to them that although the River Pigs and their opponents in the Empire League will play here during peak tourist season here beginning next summer when accommodations are at a premium, some sort of housing for the new team “will be worked out.”

Ed Gonzalez said they too are working on the new franchise and the new collaboration with the village for a positive result. “We are also looking at raising funds to meet our needs. Ultimately we're in this to spread love for baseball...we want kids out of their houses” and away from their video games to come down to the park and enjoy the game.

He said his “ultimate dream is to get more kids out playing baseball” on sandlots everywhere.

The mayor told them “Tupper Lake is a baseball town. I've had calls from guys 50 and from guys 20 who want to come to the games and their families want to come. I think you'll do well!”

“The community is ready to do what it has to do to make this happen! This is one more step for us to bring more tourism to Tupper Lake.”

Matt Joyce said this was his visit to the tri-lakes area and he called it “beautiful.” Matt pointed to the vista beyond the ball field as an example.

The mayor told him Raquette Pond was man-made and created to stockpile the logs on their way to the Big Mill, which once stood on that site.

“We're ready for you. We're ready to do whatever the village can to help you!” the mayor told them.

He said he wanted to talk to them afterwards about some housing ideas he is pursuing.

The Free Press publisher asked about the progress on bringing the new River Pigs franchise into this division of the Empire League.

“We're moving in the right direction, finalizing plans for it,” the baseball promoter said confidently. “We want to make this happen. Sometimes we get a little behind, but it's all about making this happen for the kids, for the community. We're willing to work through all the obstacles!”

“If we run out of money, we'll go find more!”

Asked if there were already players lined up to play on the new hometown team, he explained player selection won't happen until try-outs this spring.

“We have a lot of young men interested in trying out!”

Ed explained that because this minor league team is tied to major league baseball, once spring try-outs are over in the majors that's when he starts to get a lot of calls from the guys who did not make it.

“That's when we start putting our camps together in a structure where we may have 100 or 200 guys to a team and we do “a fair draft” from there. He said the managers of the respective teams in each division pick the players they want on their teams.

“It's not all about talent. Sometimes it's chemistry. How well can you work with these guys.” He said the managers do a good job finding the right guys for their teams.

Mr. Gonzalez said the first major step before the team is picked is finding the right coach and manager for the River Pigs. “And then we go from there!”

“Then we have the camp, do and draft and all that is still ahead.”

He said his league has “a main camp in May” after spring training in the majors. Attending that camp will not only be players who don't make the majors, college players and players who may not make teams higher up in the minor programs. “We have a whole new batch of guys every year!”

“Every year we have many players who are trying to pursue professional baseball who don't have a platform. They can't take that first step and gain some experience because many organizations are looking for guys who are already polished” and just released from a major team.

“Often times the guys out of college don't have a place to play and that's why this league has such a major role to play for them!”

“We give them a place to live, we give them a little stipend, a little pay to do something they love” as they try to make it to the majors, he explained.

“Do some players get picked up?” Paul Maroun asked them.

“Absolutely,” both men said.

Mr. Gonzalez said in the three and one half years the league has been in existence we've had over 140 guys get selected to the higher minor leagues including seven affiliated guys. One, Tarik El-abour, who played with what was then the Plattsburgh RedBirds, was signed by the Kansas City Royals. Tarik has autism. A first baseman, Mike Deeb, also from the RedBirds was also selected last year by the Chicago White Sox.

“Every year we have guys going into affiliate ball. We got into this thing hoping to have one kid have an opportunity. That fact we've helped hundreds is a miracle for us!”

Mr. Gonzalez applauded Ken Drake for the news coverage and support he has given in his sportscasts to the Empire League.

Matt Joyce said he has been teamed up with Mr. Gonzalez promoting baseball since they were kids, playing high school baseball together.

He said minor league is very near and dear to his heart, having spent some years there. “It's the ultimate grind. Those 12-hour bus rides to games. You get spoiled in the big leagues and you don't know any better until you get there.”

The former All Star selection in 2011 said “it's a long way up through the minors” to make it to major league baseball. There's lot of ups and downs and it takes a lot of work to make it from one level to another to another and every level the competition gets a little better.”

Matt's first minor league team out of college was Oneonta, N.Y.

Young Luka Dukette, Jed's son, who plays both baseball and hockey here, had a chance to shake their hands that day.

They encouraged him to keep playing both sports and invited Luka to sign up this summer to be one of the River Pigs' bat boys.

Asked by Aaron Cerbone how it was for working with Mr. Gonzalez, Matt Joyce explained it was very satisfying working with someone with so much energy.

“Playing high school ball with Eddie, we go way back. We have a really great friendship. We know each other's families. To see the work that he puts in day in and day out is incredible. I play ball every single day in the summer so I just check in with him every day or so.”

The outfielder and home run hitter said while his primary focus must be on winning ball games, it is a pleasure for him to be associated with someone as committed to promoting the sport as Eddie is, “managing this league and helping these kids get to the next level!”

“I'm excited and honored to be a part of it!”