For most people, the idea of Spring Break brings to mind frolicking on the beach every day and drinking excessively each night. For Wesleyan’s varsity baseball team, break not only includes two weeks off from classes, but a chance to travel to Arizona to play on the same fields as the San Diego Padres. Jed Hoyer ’96, the general manager for the Padres, has invited the baseball team to play in Arizona for spring training.

“Jed’s doing a great thing for his alma mater and I’m thrilled that these guys get to have this experience,” said Mark Woodworth ’94, head coach of the varsity baseball team, whose friendship with Hoyer goes back to playing together on the University baseball team in 1994.
The team will travel to Peoria, Arizona to play for a week on the Padres’ training complex, which consists of six separate fields. Hoyer was the Assistant General Manager for the Boston Red Sox until last year, when he moved to the position of General Manager for the San Diego Padres.

“We relish the opportunity to compete on the West Coast and use the experience to develop our team chemistry and identity,” wrote Jeff Bizinkauskas ’10 in an e-mail to The Argus. “Our goal is to establish momentum out west, maintain it upon return to campus, and play to keep winning.”

The baseball team normally travels to California for Spring Break, but this year Hoyer was able to invite the varsity baseball team to Arizona.

“Jed has been continually supportive of Wesleyan in various ways over the years,” wrote Gemma Fontanella Ebstein, Associate Vice President for External Relations in an e-mail to The Argus. “The baseball spring training connection is simply the most recent example of his generosity—and something he’s looking forward to.”

Hoyer has remained connected with the University since his graduation, returning to campus as a guest speaker, volunteering as co-chair of his 10th reunion, and participating in the Athletics Advisory Council, an alumni group which works with the Athletics Department to enhance University programs.

“Given his background and career, I think it’s natural that Jed would remain connected to Wesleyan through athletics—particularly baseball, since it’s his passion,” Ebstein wrote. “As an undergraduate he was a standout player on the baseball team and a teammate of Coach Woodworth.”

The team is also going to be accompanied by Professor of Government Giulio Gallarotti. Although faculty members are invited on team trips each year, this is the first year that a professor has accepted the invitation.

“This is a chance to foster the bonds between faculty and athletes,” Gallarotti said. “It’s an opportunity to get to know the guys and I enjoy that.”

Each varsity sports team has a faculty advisor who helps cultivate relations between the University and the prospective students.

“Sometimes I help in recruiting if the coach asks me to call a prospective student and talk to them about Wesleyan,” Gallarotti said. “This gives faculty the opportunity to get involved in something they took part in as a youth. When I was a little younger, I was quite athletic… baseball, tennis, golf, and basketball.”

For the team, this means the added presence of a professor who is attending neither for academic support nor for educational purposes, but mainly as a link in the circle of athletics and academics.

“The integration of athletics and academics is very exciting,” Woodworth said. “Giulio’s presence I believe will complete the circle for the guys on the team. This is serious hardcore baseball for two weeks, but at the same time they are in the middle of getting this great education.”

Gallarotti, who has had many of the team members in his classes, sees his role on the trip as that of a faculty mentor.

“I stand ready to give academic advice if needed, or to talk about the future and give advice on classes,” Gallarotti said. “They will need me more for that than the workouts. I’m looking forward to starting new relationships with the team.”

The baseball team has seen two standouts among its recent graduates. Drew Dominguez ’09 was the first Wesleyan graduate to sign a pro-baseball contract since 1966. He recently signed with the Boston Red Sox, playing for their Minor League team, the Lowell Spinners. Louis Gabel ’08 also signed with an independent pro-baseball team, the Brockton Rox.
“The talent, confidence, and expectation within our program is at a level not seen at Wesleyan for several years,” Bizinkauskas wrote. “This season we have a clearly defined mission that we have been preparing for since our playoff loss to Tufts last May.”