Fort Lee Spring Training Already in Full Swing

Volunteer coaches with the Fort Lee American Little League have been providing winter baseball instructional clinics at the Fort Lee Community Center on the fundamental skills of baseball since early this year. Throwing, catching, hitting and repetition of all of these skills have been the order of the day for young baseball players since the winter clinics began on Jan. 4.

The ongoing clinics, which run through March 2, are designed to work on baseball-specific drills and prepare the players for the upcoming little league season. The players, ranging in age from five to 12, receive instruction on throwing the baseball properly, catching the ball and hitting.

“This is a baseball skills clinic,” said coach Will Mattei. “There is instruction and drills on specific skills needed to play baseball safely and successfully. Each player is taught the correct movements for throwing, catching and batting through a series of alternating drills and repetitions. There are no games played inside.”

This week was the first chance for the volunteer coaches to work with the kids in the newly installed indoor batting cages.  In between throwing pitch after pitch to batters in the cage Wednesday, Mattei said they were delayed this year in putting the cages up because of the unusually snowy weather the area has experienced.

“If I could [throw batting practice] year round, I’d do it, but I can’t,” Mattei said. “Usually it’s the first week of January. DPW sets [the cages] up for us, but they were really busy with all the snow. I like to get them in as early as possible, because the more reps they get, the better they’re going to be. “

How many pitches Mattei throws each batter depends on their individual needs and progress as hitters.

“The better hitters, I get them less [pitches],” he said. “The ones who need the work more, I try to get them more.”

Mattei’s wife and clinic coordinator Tracy Mattei, who one player told Patch the kids call “Coach Tracy,” gave all the credit for the continued success of the winter baseball clinics to a core group of volunteer coaches from the Fort Lee American Little League, who Mattei says are “committed to making the league better.”

“These men are generous with their time and knowledge and are giving these children more than they think,” she said.

That generosity and the chance to play baseball indoors during the winter months is not lost however on 9-year-old Abraham Horowitz, who says that baseball is “by far” his favorite sport.

“First of all, I’m not going to get so much attention from coaches like this. In this sport, the coaches are really encouraging,” Abraham said. “[Playing baseball in the winter] is one of the advantages [of the clinics]. Unlike in many other places, there’s a clinic where you come every week. And it’s really amazing that the coaches come and volunteer their time.”

He also said he’s looking forward to getting outside for the upcoming season.

“I remember last year every week we’d have two or three games a week, and every day that would be my priority for the day,” Abraham said, adding that on game days he would repeat to himself,  “Hey, today’s the game! Today’s the game! Today’s the game!”

When the real games do begin in April, the Mets fan whose favorite player he says is Ike Davis, hopes to play catcher, his new favorite position after learning to play it last year, “if the coaches let me,” he said.

Meanwhile, 9-year-old Sammy Morell, was working on throwing drills and catching fly balls, but what he was really looking forward to was getting into the batting cages.

Baseball, he said, is his favorite sport because “it’s active, and you get to hit,” yet his favorite position is outfield (he says he can play all three outfield positions) “because if they’re going to hit a home run, you can catch it.”

“I’m like a pro at baseball,” he said.

At just 7-years-old Brian Picinic, who’s already been playing baseball for two years, is one of the younger players in the league. Last year Brian played the outfield, some second base and pitcher. This year he expects to split time between pitcher and second base but says that while he’s “a pretty good fielder,” he’s got some work to do on his pitching.

Awaiting his turn in the batting cage, Brian said his favorite team is the Yankees and that his favorite player is Mark Teixeira “because he hits a lot of homeruns.”

Brian, who credits his father and coach Marty with instilling in him a love of baseball and teaching him the finer points of the game, says he’s not hitting a lot of homeruns himself just yet, but also said proudly that he “can hit the ball to the outfield.”

In 2010, the Fort Lee American Little League celebrated its first year playing baseball on its newly renovated, state-of-the-art field on Anderson Ave. The league hosted the 11/12-year-old tournament for the District 6 finals, with Fort Lee’s own 11/12-year-old All-Star team winning the title. The new field is also home to championship teams from 2009 and 2010.

“The field is gorgeous,” said league president Richard Radoian . “I can’t brag enough about it. The only speck of dirt on the field is the pitching mound, and that’s little league rule, so the rest of it’s Astroturf. It’s a lot less work for the coaches and the guys. Last year we didn’t have one rainout. If the rain and the lighting stops, we’re playing.”

Try-outs are March 6 at the Middle School Gym from 8 to 11 a.m. Opening day for the Fort Lee American Little League is Saturday, April 9.

For more information visit Fort Lee American League Baseball online.