Negron: Batboy Tales

By Ray Negron

Opening Weekend For Little League:

While the New York Yankees were taking care of business beating the Cleveland Indians 5-3 in the Bronx, Yankees super scout Ceasar Presbott and me were in Brooklyn at the opening of the little league season. Over one thousand kids were celebrating the the day sporting their new uniforms from their different teams. Ceasar and I took pictures with the Junior Yankees and Junior Sox and Baby Mets etc.
Quebradilla little league is Brooklyn’s biggest little league with their most famous  graduate being the Yankees own Dellin Betances. I must also add with pride that many of my Hanks Yanks players came from this program. Carlos Feliciano the league president has given this program his heart and soul for the last 20 years. I must also empathize that so many of the parents also have volunteered their time and service for the true love of their kids and the game.
I had the honor of throwing out the first pitch. When they introduced me they said ‘ throwing out the first pitch, Mr George Steinbrenner’s first batboy Ray Negron.’ The kids went crazy with that. I naturally was quite flattered, because to this day I still say that being a Yankee Batboy is the best job I ever had in baseball. If you have ever been a batboy you know what I mean. At the end of the day it was a beautiful day for all the kids and their parents and of course Ray Aguila of Puerto Rico USA who does so mush for the children of the great city of New York. I look forward to attending the other city programs that I have been invited to.
George Steinbrenner always said that the more you help the children of our society, the better chance they will have in life!
Jack Candy Maldonado A Quiet Star:
Every night when I leave the stadium l always hear the great Yankee radio announcer John Sterling say This Yankee broadcast is produced by Jack Candy Maldonado. One day my curiosity got the best of me so I went to the broadcast booth to see who this mystery man was.
I went there a few times to see exactly what a producer really did. I was curious as to how Maldonado could take care of two stars like Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. How does he remember every note for pre game game and post game information?
He really is just like the musical directors that prepare the big concerts. Let’s not forget that every Yankee broadcast is a big production and the thing I admire about Mr. Maldonado is that like Rene from the WADO Spanish Yankee broadcasts, they handle the pressure like the true professionals that they are. Simply The Best.
#1 On ESPN DEPORTES
I’m very proud to be able to say that I’m a part of El Mundo de las Grandes Liga.
‘The World of the Big leagues ‘which is on every Sunday at 7-8 pm on ESPN Deportes. The number One show on the weekend.
Thanks to the hard work of my co host and Showtime personality Felix Dejesus Telemundo producer Sadiel Labron and Dominican baseball personality Kevin Cabral, like the Yankees we just keep beating the competition.
Ray Negron is also a contributing writer with Newsmax and NYsportsday.com
Print Friendly, PDF & Email