LIHUE — There was an event T-shirt, a post-clinic snack, and a baseball autographed by Major League Baseball Players Alumni stars Ron Robinson, Albie Lopez, Rene Gonzales, and Kauai’s own Tyler Yates and former Dodgers pitcher Glenn Mickens onWednesday at
LIHUE — There was an event T-shirt, a post-clinic snack, and a baseball autographed by Major League Baseball Players Alumni stars Ron Robinson, Albie Lopez, Rene Gonzales, and Kauai’s own Tyler Yates and former Dodgers pitcher Glenn Mickens onWednesday at Isenberg Park.
Everything was free, courtesy of Hawaii’s Chevy dealers who brought the clinic to Kauai for at least the past five years, said Devon Thrasher, the MLBPA special events manager who flew in from the mainland for the Hawaii tour.
The clinic was open to youth between 6 through 14 years old and offered hands-on instruction in areas such as base running, pitching, fielding and catching as well as getting a feel of baseball through the antics of the former MLB players.
Glenn Mickens, a former UCLA and Dodgers alumni, looked at the field of young players, wishfully thinking the clinic should have been open to high school players who could have gotten some benefit from the coaching being offered by the professional players.
Tyson Moises, who recently celebrated success with his youth baseball team, sat on the sidelines, watching the young players go through their exercises.
“Tyler Yates,” Moises said. “We have to come and support because he’s our boy. I remember when he and I played together at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. My baseball days are done, I just coach, and when you see people like Tyler give back to these young kids, you gotta support.”
