On Deck Sports facilities with big-league connections

Once their playing careers are over, many professional baseball players turn to coaching as a way to stay in the game. While some stay at the professional level, others work with college, high school, or youth baseball, either coaching entire teams or giving one-on-one instruction.

On Deck Sports has worked with several former major-leaguers to develop their own indoor training facilities, helping players of all ages throughout the country improve their baseball skills.

New Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine (left), who also piloted the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and the Japanese major league’s Chiba Lotte Marines, worked with On Deck to develop Bobby Valentine’s Sports Academy in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Valentine designed many of the drills and training methods used at the facility, which offers year-round baseball and softball instruction, as well as weight training in the facility’s separate gym.

Brian Turang, who played for the Seattle Mariners in 1993 and 1994, is the owner and an instructor at Turnin 2 Training Center in Corona, Calif. Mike Diaz, a first baseman with Pittsburgh, the Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago White Sox from 1983 to 1988, is also an instructor at the facility. On Deck designed and provided the premium nylon netting for the facility’s eight batting cages at the 13,000-square-foot facility.

Darren Bragg, an outfielder for nine different major-league clubs in 11 seasons, is the Head of Player Development at The Hit Club in Thomaston, Conn. Currently the outfield coordinator for the Cincinnati Reds’ minor-league system, Bragg is an instructor at The Hit Club during the off-season. On Deck Sports provided the facility with 1,200 square feet of PM34 turf, as well as premium nylon netting for The Hit Club’s batting cages.

17-year major-league veteran Rudy Seanez (left) owns and operates the Seanez Sports Academy in Imperial, Calif. The 15,000-square-foot facility features full-service, enclosed cages with state-of-the-art automated equipment, as well as cable-mounted retractable netting so that the batting cage area can be opened up into an indoor practice field. On Deck Sports also provided Premium Series L-Screens, ProMounds clay mounds, and the Jennie Finch Pitching Lane Pro.

In Bradenton, Fla., the Big League Experience is owned by two former Pittsburgh Pirates teammates, catcher Mike LaValliere and pitcher Don Robinson. The facility includes three ProMounds, six Iron Mike automated pitching machines, one Jugs machine and seven 67’ x 15’ tunnels on an artificial turf field. The hitting tunnels can be pulled back at any time to allow for team or individual fielding practice.

For the complete facility portfolio, visit OnDeckSports.com.

Facility Profile: Rams Athletic Complex, North Reading, Mass.

On Deck Sports recently outfitted the new Rams Athletic Complex in North Reading, Mass., which opened in October 2011.

The 30,000-square foot facility features eight batting cages, a full playing field that can accommodate youth-league games, and a dedicated weight-training area. The building is equipped with OD Plus artificial turf, #36 nylon netting for the cages, ProMounds Pro Model green mounds, ATEC Casey 2 pitching machines, and custom wall padding.

The Rams Athletic Complex is staffed by several coaches and players with ties to the area. The project was developed by Cary McConnell, the head baseball coach at Suffolk University in Boston, and Jeff Mejia, Suffolk’s assistant coach. The two founded the Boston Junior Rams AAU program in 2007; the club’s numerous teams call the facility home during the off-season.

Two of the facility’s instructors played professional baseball during the 2011 season. Matt Antonelli, a native of nearby Peabody, Mass, spent the 2011 campaign with the Washington Nationals’ AAA affiliate in Syracuse, N.Y., and played part of the 2008 season in the majors with the San Diego Padres. Currently on the Baltimore Orioles' major league 40-man roster, he was a first-round draft pick of the Padres in 2006 out of Wake Forest. Steve Palazzolo, originally from Winchester, Mass., pitched with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League in 2011, his eighth professional season. Palazzolo also pitched collegiately at nearby UMass-Lowell.

Instructor Roberto Valdez also played professional baseball in the California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers' systems, and spent over 15 years as a coach for several major-league organizations.

The complex is already busy, hosting a variety of five-week baseball clinics in several different disciplines (catching, hitting, fielding, arm strength) for 13- to 18-year olds, as well as camps for 6- to 12-year olds. Antonelli recently led a Thanksgiving Weekend camp for players age 8 to 15 which included video analysis of each player, and will host infield range and quickness clinics over winter break. Area youth football teams also use the indoor facility during inclement weather, while hour-long strength training lessons take place three times a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Based in Brockton, Mass., On Deck Sports is the leader in designing, installing, and supplying indoor sports facilities throughout North America. For more information, visit the Facility Portfolio page on OnDeckSports.com.