By Paul Post
Brett Rodriguez wants to level the playing field for local kids who dream of playing in the big leagues someday.
A three-sport star at Queensbury High School, he reached Triple-A with the Seattle Mariners, a teammate of Cal Raleigh who set big league records this year for most home runs by a catcher and a switch-hitter.
But Rodriguez can’t help wondering how far he might have gone, given the opportunity to play ball year-round like kids from California, Texas, Florida and the Caribbean islands.
“Where you come from matters,” he said. “When I was a senior in college, my coach said, ‘Think how many more reps this freshman has had, being from Southern California compared to you from upstate New York.’ I asked the kid, ‘How many sports did you play?’ He said, ‘What do you mean? I play baseball all year round’.”
“My big vision, what I want for this community, is something I didn’t have,” Rodriguez said. “I want to give kids a chance. This gives them a place where they can come and get high-level development during our harsh winter months.”
His new baseball training center, On Deck Athletics, opened this month at Aviation Mall, filling a 10,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Sears Auto Center. He’s sub-leasing the site from Jeremy Treadway, owner of a new entertainment complex, ADK Karting Experience, in the mall’s former Sears store.
“I thought about this for a long time,” said the 27-year-old Rodriguez. “It was a big step for me, if I wanted to do this or continue playing because I do have a couple more years left on my contract in Puerto Rico. I’ve already told the general manager and players, I’m not going to be able to start my business, my baby, and go play this winter. I want them to win, but I have this going on right now.”
