Pandemic baseball worked
Gold Sox complete season as champions without any issues of COVID-19
The Yuba-sutter Gold Sox were one of the first teams in the country to reopen live baseball in a pandemic, giving their fans and the community something to cheer about during a time of uncertainty and global health and economic struggle.
In preparation for the season, the Gold
Sox put in place several safety protocols that included limiting game attendance to 100 fans, facial coverings worn by all and proper social distancing at Colusa Casino Stadium.
It was a challenge at the beginning, as field manager Brock Stassi noted this week, but the team worked out a way to properly execute the protocols.
“Having to enforce the importance of keeping a mask on when we were in the dugout or down in the bullpen was a challenge, but after a few weeks the guys got the hang of it,” Stassi said in an email this week. “I thought the condensed season was cool and anything to get some baseball in, regardless of the length of the season, was huge for the current world that we live in. The players held up great and hopefully they learned something throughout the summer.”
John Cassidy, part of a 30-member ownership group that dates back a couple hundred years according to Cassidy, said that one of the themes of the season was to shut down COVID-19.
“We did, we shut it out (and) proved it can be done,” Cassidy said. “People did the right thing and we had no issues with COVID.”
Cassidy said during the initial restriction phase when the Gold Sox season was postponed, the owners were adamant that they did not want to see 140 years of baseball in Yuba-sutter stopped.
With proper input and safety restrictions put in place, Cassidy said the Gold Sox were finally able to reopen.
“We’re going to get through this and have some sense of normalcy,” said Cassidy, as he recalled early conversations with management. “(General Manager) Tommy Lininger deserves all the credit. He was working night and day to make sure that facility was safe.”
With a safe stadium, the players were able to improve and shine on the field for Stassi and company.
Stassi witnessed a lot of progression from his small roster as the team eventually went on to win half its 28 games and capture the Sierra Central-montna Farms Summer Series league championship.
“I saw improvement from top to bottom … It was nice to be able to let guys play everyday and have somewhat of a rotation so everyone got their (repetitions) in,” said Stassi, a former big leaguer with the Philadelphia Phillies. “It was important to keep the roster size small because these kids lost their regular seasons, so I wanted to make sure they got as many game reps as possible to get them ready for fall ball at their schools.”
A few local players shined for the Gold Sox, most notably former multi-sport Sutter High star Cory Mcintyre, who manned third base and outfield this summer. Mcintyre signed with Cal State Northridge earlier this year.
“Cory was a late addition after we had a couple of injuries during the middle of the season,” Stassi said. “His speed will play at any level of the game and I was impressed with how he handled himself in the game and around his teammates that are already in college.”
There was also a dominant pitching staff, anchored in part by Ryan Harvey who won several games for the Gold Sox.
Former Washington Nationals pitcher Ryan Mattheus coached Harvey and the staff, using several key strategies to keep the hurlers fresh and effective all summer.
“The pitching staff was a challenge to manage initially because no one was built up, pitch count-wise, like they would be during a normal summer,” Stassi said. “My pitching coach Ryan Mattheus did a great job getting guys on throwing programs and making sure guys were able to reach pitch counts and pitch in a competitive atmosphere.”