With Mike Dempsey, Ken Hernandez and Tom Turner in the Yankees clubhouse.
On his second day at Yankees Fantasy Baseball Training Camp, Roy Berger, who was once an aspiring baseball player, shares what he loves about Yankees Fall Fantasy Camp and how he did in his afternoon games. Yesterday, Berger discussed his reluctance to attend Yankees Camp and his doubts about his lack of the physical conditioning required to endure the camp.
Other than the obvious, wearing a baseball uniform and playin’ a kids game way past your prime (if you ever had one), the comradery of baseball guys is the second best thing about Yankees Camp.
You get to brush elbows and eat and drink with the ex-major leaguers, who you’ve put on a pedestal. Now you discover your lot, in many cases, is better than those you once idolized.
The experience is so much more than balls and strikes. It’s the friendships with the other campers that make the week so special. It’s a fraternity with a kangaroo court hazing. This is especially true in Pirates camp, with a more loyal and less transient camper base. But, like anything else, repeat visits create comfort for the Yankees too, and I felt that this week.
So, for this 2014 Yankees week, I went alone. Three of us who played together last November asked the camp brass if we could team up once again. It’s reached a point for me; if I try to contact anyone to join me for the experience, they don’t respond. Four past guests, three of whom were injured during camp, is enough for anyone to get the message. Even I understand. I wouldn’t go with me either.
This week, I am playing with two guys from last November: Tom Turner, 56, a private nurse who lives nearby in St. Petersburg, and Ken Hernandez, 45, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Our team last year, despite being awful, grew really close, and when Tom asked me to play with him and Ken, I jumped at it. Plus, with our 1-7 record last year, we didn’t think anyone would be intimidated.
Pirates camp vet Kevin Kubala visits the Evil Empire!
As a bonus, I get to team with a past adversary, Mike Dempsey, from the Raleigh, North Carolina area. Mike, 43, is a great guy and a great team guy. The KPMG exec robbed me last November of what might have been my one and only chance at a triple, and for some reason he feels the need every now and again to post the clip on Facebook. Glad to be on his side this camp.
Today, I had a visit from a Pirates fraternity brother, as Kevin Kubala drove over to Tampa to say hello, catch the matinee game, and then an early dinner.
Kevin, a retired suburban Pittsburgh police corporal and fire chief, is one of the special ones. During my very first camp in 2010, he reached out to this rookie and showed me the ropes when it was obvious I was alone and lost. It’s something I never forgot and a favor I try to return for others who are clearly walking in rookie shoes.
Our team has – first timers out of 12 guys, so there’s plenty of opportunity to pass along knowledge and tips!
On the field today, the Bucky Dent-Marcus Thames (like the river) Bombers didn’t quite live up to our name in the opener. As is the norm in the first game, we bat alphabetically, so I was the first hitter in the top of the first inning. For about a minute, I lead the camp in hitting, singling to left in my first try.
The Gil Patterson-Jeff Nelson coached squad roared back and bombed the Bombers 19-7. We were 9 1/2 run underdogs and couldn’t even cover. It also ran my Yankees camp losing streak to 10 out of the last 11 games. I am starting to take it personally.
The afternoon game was better against the 1-0 Blanchards coached by Al Downing and Tanyon Sturtze. We rallied for an 8-5 win in a game that, with liberal fantasy camp scoring rules, credits me with the game-winning RBI on a ‘shot’ the second baseman couldn’t handle. At my age, I’ll take what I can get.
That leaves us 1-1 on the day. For me, it’s the first time in three Yankees camps that I have ever been at the .500 mark.
Finally, I know how Horace Clarke felt.
By Roy Berger for PeterGreenberg.com
