Getting recognized at professional tryout camps
Joel Rivera will enter his senior year at Hoboken High School in the fall, but it’s never too early for the 16-year-old to start thinking about his future.
After a highly successful baseball season for the Red Wings, where he led the team in batting with a .356 average, Rivera has taken to the road this summer, with the hope of being discovered by either pro scouts or college recruiters.
Thanks to the dedication of friend James Monaco, Jr., Rivera has been on a whirlwind tour, participating in professional tryout camps all over the East Coast.
Rivera participated in a tryout with the Kansas City Royals in Wilmington, Del., in Blue Rocks Stadium there, which is the minor league affiliate of the Royals. Rivera also had a tryout with the San Diego Padres and has workouts scheduled with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds in the coming weeks.
At first, Rivera was extremely nervous, playing on the same field with aspiring professionals, some as many as seven years older than him.
"It was a little intimidating at first," Rivera said. "I didn’t know what to expect. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to compete, because the guys were all older and bigger than me. But after a while, I felt like I fit in. I felt comfortable. I felt like I could play with them."
Monaco said that he found out about the tryouts off the internet and decided to take Rivera, just to see how well he stacked up against the older competition.
"But right away, he was outstanding," Monaco said. "He ran well, threw the ball very well and hit pretty well. The idea was to try to get his name out there, but this idea [going to the tryouts] pretty much came out of the blue. The Padres’ tryout was with grown men, but Joel held his own. He really could have been intimidated, but he fit right in. It was impressive."
Added Monaco, "He’s getting some exposure, while setting himself up well for next year. We’ll see what happens and see where the chips fall."
Hoboken High School head baseball coach Buddy Matthews agreed.
"I think these tryouts are definitely going to help with getting exposure for Joel, but it’s definitely going to help his confidence as well," Matthews said. "In the past, if things didn’t go well for him, he would put his head down and walk away. But now, he’s getting the chance to see that he is as good as anyone. It really has to help him."
Matthews credited the efforts of Monaco.
"It’s all the doing of James Monaco," Matthews said. "He does a tremendous job in getting the kids recognized and he does it all on his own."
Even Rivera thanked Monaco for his efforts.
"No one else really took the time to help me like this," Rivera said. "I’m very happy that he’s doing it for me."
Rivera has spent the summer, playing for the Hoboken Mickey Mantle team that was eliminated from the state tournament as the host team last week. But he will never forget the experiences of participating with the professionals, even as a teenager.
"It has definitely helped me a lot, especially in boosting my confidence," Rivera said. "I feel like I can play pro ball someday now. It’s my dream to do so."
With the experiences he has already enjoyed in the tryout camps, Rivera said that he’s ready for the next challenge.
"I feel like they’re all the same now," Rivera said. "I don’t feel intimidated anymore."
"Joel is very young, but he seems to be maturing very well," Matthews said. "I think he’s going to mature into a very solid player. This summer is only going to help him lead us to a nice year next year. Going to these tryouts have helped other players in the past and I think it has already helped Joel’s confidence."
Which is always the first obstacle, one that Joel Rivera has already mastered. Now, it’s up to him to have that confidence carry over into a fine 2003 high school season – and beyond. – Jim Hague
The EXTRA INNINGS feature runs weekly throughout the summer months, featuring local baseball and softball teams outside of the high school season. If you have any noteworthy information to contribute to the EXTRA INNINGS, feel free to contact Jim Hague by voice mail at (201) 798-7800, ext. 751, by general mail at 1400 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, or via e-mail at OGSMAR@aol.com. Please include a telephone contact name and number, in order to secure further information for a possible story.