It’s feeling good to be back
Little League players return to Hien Field to start season
Little Leaguers return to practice this week
LINCOLN – For 12-year-old Carson Mellen, it was his first day of baseball practice in eight-plus months, but he didn’t seem all that enthused.
That happened to be rather unusual, considering this Monday night at Randy Hien Field has been something he had hoped for, even craved, since last August.
The tall, husky pitcher/shortstop for the Lincoln Little League’s Major Division (10-12) Tigers believed this session would take place back in March in preparation for the regular season, but obviously the unrelenting nature of COVID-19 kept it a mere pipe dream.
That is, until Gov. Gina Raimondo announced last Thursday that – with the start of Phase 2 of her “Comeback” plan – all youth sports teams could return to their teams, as long as their leagues and coaches took the proper safety precautions, they followed social distancing and abided by several protocols.
Long-time Lincoln L.L. president John Sharkey and his coaches wasted little time taking care of that side of business.
As for the players, Carson had just taken a break from this opening workout when he was asked how excited he was to return to Hien’s plush diamond, and he answered almost nervously.
“I really can’t believe it, that we’re here,” he said shyly. “I never thought we’d get to the point where we would even have a practice.
“I never thought we’d get to the point where we would even have a practice. It’s kind of weird to see my teammates because it’s been so long since the last time I saw them.”
— Lincoln’s Carson Mellen
“It’s kind of weird to see my teammates because it’s been so long since the last time I saw them, and some of them are in (Lincoln Middle School) with me. I haven’t seen most of them since March, and now it’s June.
“I’ve been practicing all along, though,” he added. “My dad (coach T.J. Mellen) bought a batting cage for me, so I’ve been facing live pitching, and we’ve been throwing, so that’s helped a lot.
“My dad kept telling me we were going to have a season sometime, so I guess he kept my spirits up. I never thought about not practicing, but I honestly wasn’t sure if we were going to have even a practice.”
To T.J. Mellen, his young players seemed more subdued than usual as they approached the turf on Monday evening, though he had gut feeling as to why.
“I think they were pumped up and excited, but also kind of reserved,” he explained. “I think they were thinking deep down, ‘Don’t get too high. Who knows how long this will last? Maybe it will all be taken away.’
“I always had hope because this was the final year for my 12-yearolds, and I wanted so badly for them to be able to experience it … We had our draft in late March after the tryouts, which were a couple of weeks before, and then everything got shut down. It didn’t appear for quite a while like we were going to have a season, based on everything the governor was saying.
“Then, a few days ago, we became hopeful again when we found out that we were all cleared to practice, as long as followed guidelines and kept 15 or fewer people on the field,” he continued. “The crazy thing was we sent out the message, and the response was immediate – and tremendous.”
He indicated league officials at times there were discussions to “pull the plug” on the campaign, “but I think there’s too much pride and desire in Lincoln for us to do that. It means so much to the kids and the community. Our success rate has been phenomenal.”
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Coach Mellen stated, if everything goes to plan, the entire league, which offers everything from T-Ball for the youngest players to Junior and Senior Divisions for young and mid teens, should begin conducting games in early July.
“That is if we reach Phase 3 on July 1, which is the goal, but we have to wait and see,” he said. “There will be plenty of guidelines to follow.”
Those include, in part, the use of boatloads of hand sanitizer; all coaches and spectators, regardless of practice or contest, must wear masks (optional for players); no sharing of equipment, but if it must happen, it must be sanitized after each use (like a bat); no dugout use (six feet of distance between players and coaches as often as possible); no player/coach handshakes, highfives, fist bumps, etc.; parents must stand along and outside the outfield fence, six feet apart, with no one allowed down either foul line); and no one will be allowed in the bleachers.
In addition, baseballs must change after every two innings, and/ or sanitized with the proper materials.
Despite all that, Joe Lezon, who does a bit of everything for his squad, doesn’t mind a bit. The pitcher/catcher/third baseman/first baseman also seemed more upbeat about this initial workout than the younger Mellen, his long-time pal and fellow Major Division 11-12 All-Star last summer.
“This is amazing, to be out here.
Finally,” Lezon grinned. “I mean, after we had to go to distance learning, nothing was going the way I wanted it to, or thought it would between school and sports. First, they closed school (on Friday, March 13), and our middle school baseball tryouts were to be the following Monday.
“Then, in April, we found out our middle school had no more team; we couldn’t play our games, and then I discovered that my travel team (the R.I. Renegades) was going to have to postpone practices, and it still is. It’s too bad; we had a good season last year, taking seventh at the New Englands.
“I never thought this would come, but I’m very, very glad it did,” he added. “We put in a lot of hard work over the winter – that is, me and my travel team, so I wanted to do great things in both Little League and travel. My primary goal for this year was to improve my accuracy; my velocity was fine, but I was a little wild.
“I’m both happy and excited. can’t wait to play some games.”
According to Trevor McKee, another first baseman, “I’m just glad to get out of the house and play some ball! I’m really happy right now, but I didn’t find out (that we were allowed back to practice) until (Sunday) because my mom didn’t tell me.
“When she did, I knew immediately I needed some gear, like new pants, new batting helmet, and I till need new cleats, but I’ll get those later, I hope. I think I’ve outgrown some of the stuff.”
Then there was 11-year-old Julius Perdomo, who decided to make the leap from Manville Farm League to the Little League just this year.
“I was looking forward to this so much because it was my first year, and I knew I had to prove myself,” he offered. “For a long time, I didn’t think we were going to have baseball, not with everything going on with coronavirus; I mean, it kept being moved back.
“I’ve been working hard, too, so I wanted to see what I could do. My dad (Cesar) bought me a (portable batting training station) where you can hit a moving ball (around a tee) and I’ve been working on keeping my right elbow and swinging through the ball.”
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Once the Tigers exited the field in a timely fashion (another Little League rule in this day and age), the Cardinals’ skipper Ken LaBrie and his kids began trekking their equipment toward the third-base side of Hien Field.
When one player strolled up on crutches, he already knew his story.
It belonged to Luke Marchand, a stellar righthander and shortstop.
“Honestly, it’s the Cardinals’ Curse; the past four years, before the season started, one of our star players has been injured, and it’s driving me crazy,” he laughed. “When his dad texted me (about the injury), I almost fell off my chair!
“The good news is I think he’ll be OK to return in four-to-six weeks, so he’ll play this season if we get to Phase 3,” he added. “I already know he’s going to be one of my all-stars because he’s one of the best players in the league. He’s got all the tools.
“Still, it’s been frustrating, the wait. All I’ve wanted is for the kids to play baseball. I honestly thought the season was going to be canceled; I didn’t think we stood a prayer. I also thought the restrictions would be tough to give the kids the kind of experience they need. This isn’t just about skill but being with your friends, interacting and having fun.”
“Honestly, to me, this is all gravy. I’m so happy for the kids.”
As for Marchand’s plight, he suffered a broken left tibia while riding his bike in a cul de sac next to this home about a month ago, and he knew as soon as it happened he was in trouble, as was his upcoming campaign, this time for another reason.
“I turned the handlebars too hard, lost my balance and fell, and I landed on top of (the shin),” he sighed. “As soon as I did it, I thought about baseball, and I wasn’t too happy. Hopefully, after (Tuesday), the doctor will say I can wear a boot, and then it should be four-six weeks.
“What made me so mad was I thought (the season) was going to come back all along. I never gave up hope. I figured if we all follow the rules and keep six feet away from each other and use hand sanitizer a lot, they’d say it’s OK to come back.
“Now, here it is. This makes me want to come back even more.”
If you were wondering: Dan Rose, the Minor Division commissioner of the Cumberland Youth Baseball & Softball League, explained that some of their teams will begin practice sessions next Monday at, he hopes, all CYBSL locations, including Garvin Field.
He indicated its board of directors met Monday night to discuss the protocols they must follow, first for workouts, then for games, if Phase 3 does start up as slated on July 1.
Likewise, the Darlington American’s Cosmini Field home on Monday evening was empty, but DALL President Sean Robinson and that board are still finalizing plans, too. Burrillville and Woonsocket are discussing how to return to action and are hoping to practice later in the month.