''OK, let's get some water,'' said one of their coaches, Ernesto Bonilla.
''One more, one more!'' said a determined Jason Del Castillo, 9, the next boy in line.
Bonilla laughed and continued to throw baseballs at them.
For these boys, it's never too hot to play baseball or to dream about the major leagues. But if playing baseball in the majors is a boy's dream, then perhaps being coached by a former major-leaguer is the next best thing.
And in South Florida, where the influx of Latin American players meets the all-American stars, baseball dreams aren't easy to achieve. The competition is fierce, and parents look for a way to give their kid an edge or to get a scout to look at them. But finding a summer camp with major-league instructors can be as rare as the No. 1 draft pick.
From Palm Beach to Miami-Dade counties, a look at listed baseball camps only comes up with a handful whose names include former major-league players: Bucky Dent Baseball School in Delray Beach, Tony Fernandez Academy in Miami Lakes, Rene Arocha Baseball School in Kendall and now Oropesa Baseball in West Kendall.
Jim Morris' Baseball Camp at the University of Miami and Red Berry's Baseball World in West Kendall also may include instructors who made it to the minors and/or majors.
This particular group of boys in the sun was the first to try out the new summer baseball camp headed by Eddie Oropesa, 36, who pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.
Unlike in some camps, where the celebrity player lends his name only, Oropesa works at the camp daily teaching boys 7 to 14 about the sport he loves. He was recently hired as the baseball coach for Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School, where the summer camp is held, so boys from the high school (ages 14 to 18) -- including his namesake son who begins his freshman year at the school -- also practice there.
Born in Cuba, Oropesa played for the Cuban national team that won the 1993 World University Games. It was there, at Sal Maglie Field in Niagara Falls, N.Y., where he made headlines when he jumped over a fence and claimed political asylum. Another baseball player, Rey Ordonez, also jumped in a separate instance.
That move, however, didn't come without consequences. The Cuban government detained Oropesa's pregnant wife in retaliation and let him know that they would not see each other for three years. He didn't meet his son, the one he is now coaching at the high school level, until the boy was 2 ½.
Those were tough years for Oropesa, living in a new country with a different system where he knew few people. Going to the grocery store was an experience as was driving a car. He had to learn it all -- and get his U.S. baseball career off the ground.
After several years in various leagues and reuniting with his family, Oropesa made it to Triple-A in 1999 and then in the major leagues from 2001-04 as a left-handed relief pitcher. In 2005-06, he returned to Triple-A and then played in the Netherlands in 2007. He would have continued there this summer, but a family emergency pulled him home and that's when he decided to retire from professional ball.
Shortly thereafter, Oropesa's agent, Alex Marin, spoke to him about the summer camp and high school coaching job. Marin is at the camp daily as well.
Today, the 6-foot 3-inch, soft-spoken Oropesa hopes to teach the boys about the curve balls that life will throw.
''I'm asking them to be disciplined because for everything in life, you need discipline,'' Oropesa said in Spanish. ``Don't get frustrated, just keep working.''
Oropesa hopes to mold the young boys into better players.
Kendall homeowner Gil Diaz, an owner of Lil Giant Landscaping, enrolled both his sons in the camp -- Matthew, 13, and Ryan, 10 -- for various reasons, including allowing them to get some exposure with the high school team. The boys get quite a workout from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
''I had heard a lot of good things about the coaching staff and I wanted to see for myself their techniques and drills,'' Diaz said. ``Since I coached them for many years, I wanted to put them in the hands of someone else so that they can be receptive to other people.
``The caliber of coaches here has more experience than I may have. I played in high school but not the level that they've had.''
That caliber he mentioned includes a lineup with more than 30 years of cumulative baseball experience. Perhaps the coach with the most experience there is Pedro Prado, who has taught pitchers from as far away as Colombia; helped the Atlanta Braves; and has helped as a scout for the Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants.
The others include Ihosvanny Garcia, who was recruited professionally as a college freshman but left after colon surgery and has since taught kids around the county; Luis Padron, who also has been involved over the years with both kids and adult leagues in the county and has coordinated tournaments; and Bonilla, who played on the Cuban National Team with Oropesa.
In addition to batting, catching, running and fielding, the boys receive some pitching and classroom instruction. They also watch the older kids and learn by observing.
Bonilla, who came from Cuba only nine months ago, said he is impressed with the interest he sees from parents. ''They call you, they look for you,'' Bonilla said in Spanish. ``That's what has most impressed me.'' |
