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2021 offered special moments in local sports (Part Two)

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This past year levied countless memories in the local sports scene — from shattered records and career achievements for individuals and teams, to several major events and showcases in the area.

Here is a look back at some of the moments in sports in 2021, from across Pasco and Hillsborough counties, in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

(This is Part Two of a two-part series.)

Bishop McLaughlin baseball coach brings major league pedigree
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School tabbed a decorated big-leaguer to lead its pedigreed baseball program, back in August.

His name is Rob Ducey, and he spent parts of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1987 to 2001 — playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, California Angels, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos.

Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School has tabbed former major-leaguer Rob Ducey, pictured, to lead its baseball program. (File)

A left-handed hitting outfielder, Ducey played over 700 games in the majors, posting a .242 batting average, .331 on-base percentage, .396 slugging percentage, with 309 hits, 190 runs, 146 RBIs, 31 home runs and 22 stolen bases.

Ducey later served as a hitting coach in the minor leagues for the New York Yankees, Expos and Phillies; and was a talent scout for the Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

This baseball lifer status — and one of the very few Canadian big-leaguers — has Ducey enshrined into both the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame (2006) and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (2013).

All told, Ducey has been involved with professional baseball in some shape or form for over 37 years.

And now, the 56-year-old Tarpon Springs resident is taking his varied experiences to the Hurricanes varsity baseball program, which has won five district championships and two regional championships, and has made a pair of state final four appearances

Ducey has clear expectations for the area team he takes over.

“Obviously, I want the pitchers to throw strikes, I want the defenders to handle the baseball, and the hitters to be able to situational hit,” he said, in an exclusive interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“We may not have the most ability on the field, but you’re going to know that you’ve got to fight, and if we do that every single day we come out and work improves in those areas, then it’ll be a successful year.”

Future NHL stars showcase skills in Wesley Chapel
For a few days, the National Hockey League’s (NHL) next generation of talent skated into Pasco County —  showing puck fans and pro scouts their skills in shot-making, blocking, toughness and teamwork.

AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel was the site of the 2021 NHL Prospect Showcase, held from Sept. 18 through Sept. 21.

Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, goalie Hugo Alnefelt, No. 60, blocks a shot by Carolina Hurricane prospect Blaker Murray, No. 85, during action at the 2021 Lightning Prospect Showcase at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel. (File)

Hosted by the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, the event also welcomed prospect teams from the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers.

With it being the Lightning’s turn to coordinate the event, the Wesley Chapel-based facility provided an ideal locale.

The 150,000-square-foot complex — the largest ice sports facility in the southeastern United States — is known for having four full-sized ice rinks and a mini-rink housed under one roof.

Aside from sheets of ice, the facility was designed to meet various NHL specifications, all the way down to specific railings and glass around the boards.

The facility also features an on-site sports medicine clinic with an evaluation and treatment room; a fully equipped fitness center with over 2,000 square feet of space; and a 90-yard indoor track turf.

Those features, plus the accessibility to on-site hotels and restaurants, as well as nearby Saddlebrook Resort, were other selling factors for the Lightning and other franchises, officials said.

Each prospect team featured a couple players who’ll likely see time in the NHL this year, which only added to the event’s allure.

Twenty-year-old Panthers goalie Spencer Knight fit that description.

Last year, Knight became the first goaltender to ever have played both in the Stanley Cup playoffs and NCAA (at Boston College) in the same season.

Meantime, Lightning fans received a glimpse of the franchise’s wave of younger talent over the course of the four-day competition.

The Lightning’s 24-man prospect squad finished the tournament as the only team with a perfect 3-0 record. They never trailed in any of their three tournament wins against the Hurricanes, Panthers and Predators.

Zephyrhills football volunteers receive permanent honor
Greg First and Kerry Ryman have witnessed their fair share of Zephyrhills High School football games over the last 40 years or so.

They’ve played a notable role over that time, too, with First providing play-by-play as stadium announcer, and Ryman operating the clock and scoreboard.

In many ways, the friendly pair were synonymous with Zephyrhills High athletics.

Friends and family watch as Kerry Ryman and Greg First receive plaques and recognition for their 40 years of voluntary service providing play-by-play and scoreboard duties for the Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs football team. Here, principal Dr. Christina Stanley makes the honor official, during a pregame ceremony. (File)

Because of those varied efforts, the Zephyrhills High press box at Tom Fisher Field in Bulldog Stadium officially was named the First-Ryman Press Box — during a pregame ceremony in October.

The press box dons the volunteers’ names in large black font with an orange backdrop — the school’s signature colors; Zephyrhills students designed and painted the press box’s new look, as a show of gratitude.

Year in and year out, First and Ryman built their respective Friday nights in football season around Bulldog football.

First had to be locked in on all aspects of the game — taking cues from spotters and properly pronouncing players’ names on a particular offensive or defensive play, all while peppering in various school announcements and sponsorships throughout the game, as his voice was heard by everyone from the stadium’s booming sound speakers.

Ryman, meanwhile, had to pay rapt attention to the game’s head official, monitoring various starts and stoppages in action and other game situations, while simultaneously following specific clock and scoring procedures.

As a part of the action for so long, First and Ryman were in on many highs, some lows and countless unforgettable occurrences. “There’s so many memories over the years that you really could write a book,” First told The Laker/Lutz News.

The two men relinquished their press box volunteering duties this season, after serving for some four decades.

Their press box presence may be gone, but it won’t soon be forgotten.

Freedom High swimmer wins state title
Local athletes and teams performed well at the 2021 FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Swimming and Diving Championships.

But it was Freedom High senior Michelle Morgan who registered the best individual showing among all area swimmers.

The Division I University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill verbal commit took gold in the 3A 200-yard individual medley, clocking 2:01.06 to finish ahead of Gainesville High senior Katherine Sammy (2:01.90).

Morgan also won the event last year, posting a 2:00.92.

The Freedom High swimmer collected additional individual hardware in 2021, taking silver in the 3A 500-yard freestyle.

Her time of 4:53.78 trailed only Chiles High senior Stella Watts, who swam in 4:46.86 in the event.

Morgan also was a leg on the Patriots’ medal-earning 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle relay teams, which finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Other Freedom relay members were seniors Carly Joerin and Alexa Valdez Velez, and freshman Alex LaBohn.

Altogether, Morgan helped pace Freedom to arguably its best showing in program history. The girls squad finished fifth at states, won its first-ever regional title, and also claimed district and conference crowns.

“We had a phenomenal season,” Freedom head swim coach John Olewski wrote in an email to The Laker/Lutz News. “Assistant Coach Catherine Wright and I are so proud of the Freedom swimmers and divers. The administration, faculty, staff and students of Freedom High School applaud the Freedom Swim & Dive team members and join them in celebrating their many successes this season.”

Lutz native Kevin Cash claims second-straight manager award
Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash — a Lutz native and Gaither High product —  became the first American League (AL) manager to win Manager of the Year twice in a row, announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) in November.

The Freedom High School girls swimming and diving team finished in fifth place at the 3A state championships last month in Stuart. The squad collected seven medals, including the 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay. From left: freshman Alex LaBohn, senior Carly Joerin, senior Michelle Morgan and senior Alexa Valdez Velez. (File)

Also, Cash is only the second manager to win such a BBWAA Manager of the Year Award in back-to-back seasons — joining Bobby Cox, who did so with the National League’s Atlanta Braves in 2004 and 2005.

Cash was recognized for steering the Rays to a franchise-best 100-62 regular season mark in 2021. (However, the Rays playoff dreams ended sooner than expected, losing to the Red Sox in four games in the AL Division Series in October).

He did so under weighty circumstances, with one of the sport’s lowest payrolls, a bevy of injuries (33 different players being placed on the injured list) and a competitive division that featured three other teams that won 90-plus games (Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays).

Besides wins and losses, Cash receives high marks for his ever-changing batting orders, unconventional pitching usage, and ability to maintain a positive culture in the team clubhouse.

Locally, Cash grew up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood across from Lake Park in Lutz, along North Dale Mabry Highway.

His baseball notoriety began as a young boy.

Some three-plus decades ago, he was a 12-year-old second baseman on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.

He later would star at Gaither High and Florida State University through the mid- and late- 1990s before enjoying an eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher.

Published January 05, 2022

Lutz native Kevin Cash claims second straight manager award

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Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash earned an early — yet well-deserved — birthday present this year.

He became the first American League (AL) manager to win Manager of the Year twice in a row, which was announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) on Nov. 16, mere weeks before his 44th birthday on Dec. 6.

The Lutz native/Gaither High School alum was honored for steering the Rays to a franchise-best 100-62 regular season mark in 2021.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash became the first American League manager to win the
Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) Manager of the Year Award twice in a row. The 44-year-old Cash grew up in the Lutz area and is a Gaither High School alum. (File)

Cash received 19 first-place votes, three second-place votes and five third-place votes for a total of 109 points in the 5-3-1 scoring system. He won the award over Seattle Mariners’ Scott Servais (71 points) and Houston Astros’ Dusty Baker (33 points), respectively.

Cash also is only the second manager to win such a BBWAA Manager of the Year Award in back-to-back seasons. He joins Bobby Cox, who did so with the National League’s Atlanta Braves in 2004 and 2005.

The seventh-year manager humbly said he shouldn’t be listed in the “same sentence” or “same conversation” as the retired Cox, who ranks fourth all-time in managerial wins with 2,504 and is enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“When you think of major league managers, but really, the greats in this game, Bobby Cox is going to find himself at the top of many lists,” Cash said, during a Zoom media briefing after the award announcement. “I’ve crossed paths with Bobby one time, years ago, but to hear the stories about him…you can appreciate and understand the quality of person and impact that he had on our game.”

Overcoming expectations, adversity
Despite coming of a World Series appearance during a pandemic-shortened 2020, expectations were relatively tame in the latest campaign.

Not only did the Rays again roll out one of the game’s cheapest payrolls, but they traded former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and let sage veteran pitcher Charlie Morton walk, declining the player’s $15 million option.

Before the season, Baseball Prospectus’ widely cited PECOTA (Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm) sabermetric system forecasted the Rays to finish 86-76 with an 11% odds to win the division. (PECOTA forecasts the MLB standings and individual player performance. PECOTA takes teams’ depth charts and projects the playing time and stats for all their players, then simulates the season to come up with estimated win totals and playoff chances for every team.)

The projections didn’t appear far off at the onset, as Tampa Bay had a so-so start to the first month of the season, going 13-14 in April.

The Rays launched into another gear in May, going 22-6, then reached the All-Star break with a 53-37 mark.

The club would go on to secure the AL’s best record, while also leading its division for 98 straight days.

The team’s postseason run ended sooner than expected, however, losing to the Boston Red Sox in four games of a best-of-five AL division series in October.

Adversity hit along the way, over the course of the six-month season.

The Rays weathered 33 different players being placed on the injured list (totaling 43 stints).

That list included ace flamethrower Tyler Glasnow, who went down in mid-June with a season-ending partial UCL tear and flexor strain.

The injured list reached a club-record 17 players at various points throughout August.

Adding to the level of difficulty was a highly competitive AL East division, whereby three other star-powered teams posted at least 90 wins — Red Sox (92-70), New York Yankees (92-70), Toronto Blue Jays (91-71).

Mixing smarts with personality
The reputable manager put his own twist on game strategy.

He used a club-most 61 players and 38 pitchers.

He used 14 different pitchers to record a save —  setting a major league record.

He used 158 different batting orders in 162 games — the most in the majors and a club record.

Aside from all his tinkering, Cash deflected credit for the team’s feats this past season: “Well, I’m most proud of the players and the team, and the accomplishment of the regular season. One hundred wins in the American League East, with the talent level that was top to bottom in our division — pretty remarkable.”

Along with shrewd, if not sometimes head-scratching maneuvers that buck traditional baseball trends, Cash is regarded for bringing an even-keeled approach to his players and staff over the course of a trying season.

“I think you feed off your players, you feed off your staff, and we all work really hard to be as consistent as possible,” he said. “We want to do everything we can to put them in the best position.”

The Tampa Bay Rays won a franchise-record 100 games en route to its second straight AL East pennant in 2021. (Courtesy of Tampa Bay Rays communications)

He’s also famous for his self-deprecating humor within the clubhouse, often joking with players about his own substandard .183 career batting average across eight big league seasons from 2002 to 2010.

“You try not to take yourself too seriously,” Cash said, “and you appreciate how challenging this game is, whether it’s hitting, pitching, playing defense, running the bases — it’s really tough.”

He continued, “There’s enough outside pressures right now that are going on…we’ve got to do a good job of trying to keep it loose to where they have their clubhouse, their dugout, to where they can go and just be themselves.”

While advancing through the coaching ranks, Cash followed a protocol “to be all ears, and listen a lot more than speak, and learn as much as possible.”

It was especially true in collaborating with the Rays top baseball minds in the front office. “They’re a lot smarter than I am, and (I) value the perspective of the front office, and certainly value the perspective of the player development group,” he said.

Over the years, Cash said he’s strived to “find that balance” between befriending players, while still mentoring them along through a coaching methodology that focuses on consistency, communication and authenticity.

Looking forward, Cash is quite bullish on the team’s trajectory, given the vast number of young stars who contributed to recent successes, including AL Rookie of the Year Randy Arozarena, 20-year-old wunderkind Wander Franco, and a youthful pitching staff paced by 24-year-old lefty Shane McClanahan, among others.

The manager believes the franchise’s proverbial arrow is pointing “up, maybe straight up.”

He put it this way: “It’s a pretty exciting time to be a Tampa Bay Ray. We’ve got some really good players that were here…and there certainly is more to come, but a lot to be excited about.”

Local roots
Long before becoming one of the sport’s more recognizable figures, Cash grew up in the Valley Ranch Drive neighborhood across from Lake Park in Lutz, along North Dale Mabry Highway.

His baseball notoriety began when he was young.

Some three-plus decades ago, he was a 12-year-old second baseman on the 1989 Northside Little League team that reached the 43rd Little League World Series.
He later would star at Gaither High and Florida State University through the mid- and late- 1990s before enjoying an eight-year MLB career as a journeyman catcher.

As a pro, he spent time on the then Devil Rays (in 2005), along with the Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, respectively.
Upon the end of his playing career, Cash became a scout for the Blue Jays (2012) and then bullpen coach for the Cleveland Indians (2013-2014), before landing the Tampa Bay gig in December 2014.

Published December 15, 2021

John Gant settles into major leagues

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At least one Major League Baseball player calls Wesley Chapel home during the offseason.

With pleasant weather and local ties, it’s a no-brainer for St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Gant.

After all, the 26-year-old Gant spent half his childhood being raised in the area — moving there with his family from Savannah, Georgia, when he was 11 years old.

The major leaguer has been back in town since December, following the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Before he became a standout pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, John Gant starred on the Wiregrass Ranch High School baseball team from 2008 to 2011. He was 11 years old when his family moved to Wesley Chapel, from Savannah, Georgia. (File)

He’s used the downtime to catch up with family and some old friends from Wiregrass Ranch High School, where he starred on the varsity baseball team all four years (2008-2011) before being selected by the New York Mets in the 21st round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

He’s also made a point to stay in general shape in advance of the 2019 season. He works out with local trainer BB Roberts about once a week, splitting time between old high school stomping grounds and the Seven Oaks clubhouse fitness center.

Gant, surprisingly, is able to mosey about town in relative anonymity, both in Wesley Chapel and St. Louis.

“Nobody really recognizes me at all,” Gant said in a recent interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

And, he likes it that way. “I’m kind of an undercover, under-the-radar type guy,” Gant said.

In baseball circles, however, Gant is anything but under the radar.

The 6-foot-4 righthander, who sports a five-pitch arsenal (sinker, changeup, four-seam fastball, curveball, slider), will embark on his fourth MLB season when pitchers and catchers report for spring training in February.

There, he’ll look to build off last year’s breakout campaign in which he posted a 3.47 earned run average and 95 strikeouts in 114 innings pitched, with a record of 7-6 in 26 appearances (including 19 starts).

While Gant’s efforts weren’t enough to help the Cardinals reach the playoffs, he was front-and-center at times throughout the season.

He pitched a seven-inning, one-hit shutout gem on June 26 against the Cleveland Indians that happened to be the historic franchise’s 10,000th victory as a member of the National League.

He made national headlines at the plate, too.

Gant’s first two hits in his MLB career — and only two hits thus far — are home runs.

Wiregrass Ranch High School product John Gant is entering his fourth MLB season. Presently with the St. Louis Cardinals, the right-handed pitcher also has spent time in the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves baseball organizations. (Courtesy of MLB.com)

According to MLB.com, Gant is believed to the only player in Major League history to hit at least two home runs while never having reached base safely by any other means.

The first dinger came on Aug. 14 in a home game against the Washington Nationals.

Gant entered the game 0 for 30 in hitting for his career before he drove a 1-1 pitch from Gio Gonzalez (who had never allowed a home run to an opposing pitcher) over the left field wall in the second inning — a two-run shot that measured 398 feet.

“Hitting that first home run was pretty cool,” Gant said. “That was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Gant also drew notoriety for his unconventional, yet impactful Vulcan changeup — gripping the ball between the middle and ring fingers, garnering its name from the Vulcan salute used by Spock in the Star Trek series.

“Some people think it’s weird; some people think it’s normal,” Gant said of the pitch.

“You’ve got to be able to change speeds as a pitcher or else you probably aren’t going to have too much success at all, really,” he said.

Gant has had a circuitous route to baseball’s highest level.

Since being a mid-round draft pick out of high school, Gant toiled in the minors for five years before making his debut in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves. He’s also battled injuries and has been traded twice — from the Mets to the Braves, then to the Cardinals.

After finally coming into his own this past season, Gant is self-assured he has staying power in the big leagues, for many years to come.

Said Gant, “I’m calm and confident to play at that level, and I feel like that’s where I belong. It definitely took some settling in, but I feel settled and comfortable.”

And, he certainly wouldn’t mind staying long-term with his current ball club.

“I think I’m in the right place now, with the Cardinals. I’m happy where I’m at. I really want to stay with this group of guys and this organization,” Gant said.

Aside from maybe hitting a few more dingers, Gant’s chief focus is on the mound — working to improve his control to pare down the 57 walks he allowed in 2018, one of the few blemishes on his resume last season.

“I’m going to try to hone in on that strike zone a little better,” Gant said. “Throw some more strikes. Fill up the zone. And, just work hard. Try to win some baseball games for this ball club.”

Meanwhile, those in tune with the sports scene in Pasco County may know of another John Gant  — head coach of the Wiregrass Ranch varsity girls basketball team, who’s won at least 20 games every year but one since being hired in 2011.

Well, it’s the pro ballplayer’s father.

The younger Gant described his father as “very” influential toward his success in professional baseball — mentoring him to excel in academics and athletics.

“He’s always pushing me in doing everything I’ve done,” Gant said. “He’s always told me, ‘If you do something, do it right.’”

Likewise, his father’s coaching achievements over the past decade don’t come as a surprise to the major leaguer.

“He works hard at his craft, and he’s good at it,” Gant said. “Just behind the scenes, he spent so much time on it, just watching video and just making sure he has everything that he wants and all the tools are there, and he’s using them all. He just goes out there and wins games.”

Like father, like son.

Q-and-A with St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Gant

On playing baseball at Wiregrass Ranch High School: “It was a blast. I had a lot of fun, and it kind of led me to where I am now.”

On his emergence as an upperclassman at Wiregrass Ranch that drew attention from pro baseball scouts: “Just (got) bigger and stronger. Grew into my body a little more and started to throw a little harder. That’s really it.”

On when he realized he might have a chance to play baseball professionally: “I was by no means a Little League prodigy or a child prospect or anything like that. I think things kind of started to click for me when I was probably a junior or senior in high school, and I started getting some college attention. I wasn’t really thinking, ‘Hey I’m going to be a big league pitcher,’ obviously, but we knew that I was going to go play baseball in college, and then if I had success there, then maybe a role at the professional level. But, there was never a real moment where I said, ‘Oh, I’m going to do this’ before I was drafted or anything like that.’”

On playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the MLB’s most revered and historic organizations: “It definitely means a lot to be able to put on that jersey and all the history that comes with it, and, everything that the St. Louis Cardinals have accomplished throughout the years and are still accomplishing. It’s pretty unreal the success they’ve had and the pride that they have in all their successes, and, just how they care about people’s attitudes and people’s character is very important. …I think they’re really going about their business the right way.”

On his favorite player growing up: “I wouldn’t say I modeled my game after this person in any way, but as a kid I was a pretty big (Atlanta) Braves fan and my favorite player was the catcher, Javy Lopez.”

On the best hitter he’s gone up against: “I guess, maybe my rookie year in 2016, facing Big Papi (Boston Red Sox great David Ortiz) at Fenway Park was a pretty cool moment.”

On his career options if he wasn’t playing professional baseball: “Hard to say. I’ve never really seen myself coaching. I was going to school to be an athletic trainer. Now seeing all the behind-the-scenes things that they’re responsible for, I don’t think that I’d really like to do that. Honestly, I’d probably be working some type of manual labor job somewhere — outside, hard work with my hands, getting dirty every day.”

Published January 9, 2019

Vision still needed for Wiregrass sports complex

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Pasco County commissioners were introduced to a study that recommends building a multi-use indoor sports complex on parkland near The Shops at Wiregrass.

But a more in-depth review between the Tourism Development Council and the commissioners will have to wait for a public workshop slated for late October or early November.

At the Sept. 22 commissioners’ meeting, Charlie Johnson, president of Chicago-based Johnson Consulting Co., spent a few minutes going over the firm’s report, officially released in August.

“Economically, you’re healthy,” Johnson told commissioners. “I think it’s (indoor facility) very positive and trends are very supportive of this.”

In addition to the indoor complex, ball fields also would be built outdoors, but the focus, at least initially, would be on such indoor sports as volleyball, basketball, wrestling, cheerleading and martial arts.

Johnson cited facilities in Round Rock, Texas, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, as examples of municipalities with successful indoor facilities.

The Porter family donated more than 200 acres near the Wiregrass mall in 2012 with a stipulation that if a sports complex didn’t happen, then a park would be developed.

But, just what to put on the land has eluded the county ever since.

Last year, a proposal from Pasco Sports LLC, a partnership between James Talton and former major league baseball player Gary Sheffield, fell apart over financial issues. The project would have included a youth baseball camp, with 20 ball fields and on-site dormitories.

The feasibility study, however, dismisses baseball as a good option.

“This site is very attractive. The market is robust enough to support some type of facility.” Johnson said. “But, baseball and soccer are really quite built-out throughout the state.”

The study suggests that Pasco would be competing, for instance, with a $27 million complex proposed in Seminole County. The complex would include 15 ball fields for baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse.

Within the past week, a proposal to build an Atlanta Braves training facility in St. Petersburg has emerged. The project also would include a youth baseball component. The Gary Sheffield Sports Foundation is one of the partners in the project with the Atlanta Braves.

Some commissioners have suggested that the Porter family has concerns about the feasibility study.

“I think there is going to be some negative feelings on this by the Porters,” said Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano.

Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker said she had spoken with family members, and they would be invited to participate in the upcoming workshop.

“We’re committed to a very engaged and active dialogue,” Baker said.

Published September 30, 2015

Staples closing leads searches on LakerLutzNews.com

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Thousands of Web travelers found their exit off the Information Superhighway to LakerLutzNews.com thanks to search engines this past year, but what exactly lead them here in the first place?

Apparently, it was all about the closing of Staples.

Not long after LakerLutzNews.com started publishing daily stories to complement the print stories found each week in our papers, reporter Michael Hinman published a story March 6 about the closing of 225 Staples stores by the end of 2015. That could include two stores locally — the Staples at 7910 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills, and another at 6260 Commerce Palms Blvd., in New Tampa.

It was a rather significant chunk of the Staples chain, which has 1,500 stores in the United States and employs more than 50,000 people.

But what else led the list of top search terms that led to the LakerLutzNews.com in 2014? Check out our list, just in time for us to start it all over again in 2015.

1. Staples closing stores
The good news, however, is that both the Zephyrhills and New Tampa stores continue to remain open by year’s end, with no public announcement of their fate made at this point.

2. Angela Madonia Tampa
Who is Angela Madonia you might ask? Well, she’s a co-owner — along with mother Josephine Argento — of what was then a new farmer’s market called The Family Farm on 41 that opened May 23.

Reporter B.C. Manion shared the news of this market for the first time on June 12, based on a story that appeared the day before in the Lutz News.

“The concept is providing the freshest and healthiest fruits and veggies to our customers,” Madonia said at the time. “We will be growing strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, carrots, corn, radishes, pumpkins and okra. We will start harvesting in late August or early September.”

At the beginning of the year, the site where the outdoor market would eventually open was just an empty field south of County Line Road on U.S. 41. But that changed quickly throughout the spring as what appeared to be a barn went up, and the Family Farm opened for business.

3. Sanders Elementary School
A lot has happened on the former campus of Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes in the past year, everything from the announcement of it becoming a magnet school to the opening of enrollment earlier this month.

Through reporter B.C. Manion, The Laker has stayed on top of all the developments regarding the school, including the November announcement that Lake Myrtle Elementary School principal Jason Petry would be the head administrator at the new Sanders school.

It is set to open in August, just in time for the 2015-16 school year.

4. Cypress Creek Town Center
With all the development taking place in Pasco County, it’s surprising to see one project get more attention than others. Yet that seems to be happening with the Cypress Creek Town Center area in Wesley Chapel, right where State Road 56 and Interstate 75 meet.

With everything from the construction start of Tampa Premium Outlets to plans to open a Costco on the site, there’s been plenty to talk about on the property. In fact, in the past year alone, LakerLutzNews.com has posted six stories about the project. It would be hard to find any other topic, outside of the failed elevated toll road project, the paper wrote about more.

5. Atlanta Braves
Believe it or not, the elevated toll road didn’t make our list of the top five search terms — probably because that project died last July.

However, people were interested in the Atlanta Braves, especially some teasing from former Major League Baseball star Gary Sheffield, who told Wesley Chapel business leaders in September that he wanted to convince his former team to set up spring training in Pasco County once a massive baseball complex he was involved in was built.

Except there’s one problem: At the moment, it doesn’t look like the baseball project is coming. Last week, the Pasco County Commission terminated the contract it had with Sheffield and business partner James Talton after they failed to secure funding for their 19-field project.

Could Sheffield and Talton come back with a revised plan? Talton thinks so. But they would likely have to compete with other would-be developers to turn that part of Wiregrass Ranch into a sports megaplex.

Are you curious to what the most-read online stories were on LakerLutzNews.com this past year? Find out in the Dec. 31 print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, and get a great recap of all the stories that moved readers over the past year as well.

And be sure to visit LakerLutzNews.com for daily stories every day — sometimes before you even have a chance to read it in print. Find out why more and more people are making sure The Laker/Lutz News online is a regular stop on their Web journeys.

Money raised: Major baseball complex one step closer to reality

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It’s not as expensive as he pitched to business leaders in Wesley Chapel late last month, but James Talton is moving forward with his proposed baseball complex in the Wiregrass Ranch area he says will put Pasco County on the baseball map.

Talton secured $23 million to build the 19-field complex, and once paperwork is finalized, will add another $11 million from Pasco’s tourist tax to make the project near Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel a reality.

The deal is specifically with a corporation called Pasco Sports LLC, a partnership between Talton’s Blue Marble Strategic Pasco LLC, and retired professional baseball star Gary Sheffield.

The project will be constructed in two phases, according to documents Pasco Sports submitted to county officials, including player dormitories, a 2,500-seat stadium, and concession areas that can serve multiple playing fields at the same time.

Talton had hoped to expand the complex in early phases to $70 million, but reportedly was unable to close a deal with an investor interested in putting up $50 million of the cost. That forced Talton to scale back the plans a bit in order to meet a county-imposed deadline that would make the additional $11 million available.

Once completed, the fields could still help Pasco take a big bite of what’s become a $7 billion youth sports industry, Talton said last month.

“We could make between $18 million and $20 million, and that’s just in the summertime alone,” Talton said to business leaders in September. “If we took the 13- or 14-year-olds, and we did nothing else, I could pay down my debt service of $54 million.”

That debt service, however, will now be half that as Talton moves forward with his plans.

It’s not clear if the fields will try to attract a Major League Baseball team for spring training. Sheffield suggested last month that one of his former teams, the Atlanta Braves, might be interested in leaving its current home in Lake Buena Vista and possibly coming to Wesley Chapel. The lure of a new facility, and being closer to other major spring training teams including the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, could be enough to bring them to Pasco, Sheffield said.

“That is an easy commute for them,” Sheffield said last month. “All those fans could come straight here, plus go to other places like Disney and Clearwater Beach, since they would be close by. That is a possibility that is pretty much there for the taking.”

County officials will need at least a week to review the documents before the final stamp of approval is applied. But that should happen before Oct. 24, barring any complications.

In Print: New baseball, new schools, a new rivalry?

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On a Wiregrass Ranch site where Pasco County officials had once dreamt about a massive tennis complex, developer James Talton has put together a new dream. And with a little help from the county — about $11 million worth — he might be able to make plans for a massive baseball complex come true instead.

Talton is ready to take on more than 100 acres not far from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel to build 20 baseball diamonds, a dormitory and other amenities, to make Pasco a true destination for developing baseball players.

“We could make between $18 million and $20 million, and that’s just in the summertime alone,” Talton told members of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, according to a story by reporter Michael Hinman. “If we took the 13- or 14-year-olds, and we did nothing else, I could pay down my debt service of $54 million.”

Talton expects to need $70 million total to build the complex, with a lot of that money coming from private sources. Even baseball legend Gary Sheffield is ready to be involved, and has been working to bring in the likes of Bo Jackson and Cal Ripken — who already are running their own youth baseball programs in other parts of the country.

“It won’t be a Cal Ripken facility, or a Bo Jackson facility, but we can always integrate all of those things into what we’re doing,” Sheffield said. “What it does is give us the ability to probably have 20 to 30 (Major League Baseball) players that (at) any one time your kid might bump into, and that ups the brand.”

Want more details on the project? It’s all in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, which is available right now everywhere, as well as online by clicking here. And don’t forget to check out our previous story about how this complex could attract a Major League Baseball team like the Atlanta Braves. Read all about that by clicking here.

Pasco County is about to get its first magnet school, and a meeting introducing some details of that new campus attracted more than 200 students and parents to learn more about Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

The furniture in Sanders Memorial Elementary School will be easy to move around, so students and teachers can easily cluster together in groups to work on learning projects.
The furniture in Sanders Memorial Elementary School will be easy to move around, so students and teachers can easily cluster together in groups to work on learning projects.

Sanders will be different from other schools in many respects, reporter B.C. Manion writes. For one thing, the school’s design includes large spaces next to classrooms, intended to encourage collaboration between students, between teachers and students, and between classrooms.

The school’s furniture also will accommodate a greater degree of teamwork. The chairs and desks will move easily to accommodate clusters of learners tackling various tasks.

Want to learn more about Sanders? Pick up a copy of The Laker/Lutz News, or read our online e-edition by clicking here.

And finally, the Zephyrhills Bulldogs football team started out the season strong, dominating teams and looking a lot like division foe South Sumter High School played last season.

The roll continued, until the Bulldogs ran into South Sumter, and discovered that not much has changed with that team since last year.

“We knew that we can’t make mistakes with that team and survive, and we did that,” Bulldogs head coach Reggie Roberts told reporter Michael Murillo.

Those mistakes included a muffed punt, and being forced into a field goal instead of a touchdown early on that allowed the Raiders to jump out to a 28-10 lead, instead of a more manageable 21-14 or 21-10 lead.

“That’s tough to do against a very good football team,” Roberts said. “I think that was a turning point.”

What does it all mean for Zephyrhills as it looks to make the postseason? Find out in this week’s print edition of The Laker/Lutz News, or read it online right now by clicking here.

All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s The Laker/Lutz News, available in newsstands throughout east and central Pasco County as well as northern Hillsborough County. Find out what has your community talking this week by getting your local news straight from the only source you need.

If The Laker/Lutz News is not coming to your door, call us to see where you can get your copy at (813) 909-2800, or read our free e-edition by clicking here.

Sheffield pitching Wesley Chapel to the Atlanta Braves

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The Atlanta Braves aren’t making a trip to the postseason this year, but could they instead be planning a trip to Pasco County in a few years? Like for spring training?

Retired Major League Baseball player Gary Sheffield, left, listens as Blue Marble Strategies owner John Talton shares his vision of a new 20-field baseball complex in Wesley Chapel's Wiregrass Ranch area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)
Retired Major League Baseball player Gary Sheffield, left, listens as Blue Marble Strategies owner James Talton shares his vision of a new 20-field baseball complex in Wesley Chapel’s Wiregrass Ranch area. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

Gary Sheffield, the retired Major League Baseball star who hit 64 home runs when he played two seasons for the Braves more than a decade ago, believes his old team will come. And if not them, maybe the Houston Astros or Toronto Blue Jays — both which have expressed interest in looking for new spring training homes — instead.

Regardless, the former outfielder says the proposed $70 million baseball complex planned on 100 acres in the Wiregrass Ranch area will be so attractive, it would be impossible for any Major League team to turn it down.

“They don’t want to be second to Disney,” Sheffield told a group of business leaders recently at a Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce economic development meeting. “The problem they are having is that the fans coming to the games there are not Braves fans. They are there for Disney, and that is a problem for them.”

The Braves have played spring training at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex near Disney World in Orlando since 1998, but have been unofficially considering other options in recent months since their lease there is set to expire in 2017.

Wesley Chapel could be perfect for the team, Sheffield says, since many might consider the Interstate 75 trip between there and Atlanta a straight shot. It also makes sense as a second home for the team without making it inconvenient for its fan base.

“That is an easy commute for them,” Sheffield said. “All those fans could come straight here, plus go to other places like Disney and Clearwater Beach, since they would be close by. That is a possibility that is pretty much there for the taking.”

The sports complex was proposed by James Talton, owner of Blue Marble Strategic, and would supply 20 baseball and multipurpose athletic fields, as well as dormitories for players and other amenities. It’s a way to tap into the lucrative youth baseball market, he said.

Talton is raising $54 million in private funding, and looking for $11 million from Pasco County tourist tax money, to make such a project a reality.

Even without a major stadium component, Talton feels his sports complex could play a role in creating 8,000 jobs in the county, and produce $318 million in annual economic impact, as well as a direct revenue stream of $9 million each year to the county government. But if the project could attract a Major League team, there’s no telling how big of an impact that would have in the Wesley Chapel area, Talton said.

Creating a separate field for spring training would not be anywhere near the headache the Tampa Bay Rays are experiencing with its efforts to get out of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. In fact, spring training fields are typically much smaller than regular season venues, Talton said, where average attendance usually holds around 6,700.

“We would want to put in up to 12,000 seats, but that could be a little ambitious,” he said. “A lot of what we hear from the league is that they want to have no more than 8,000 seats, because they want to make sure they are filled.”

Yet, just from his own youth baseball operations, Talton believes he can fill 3,000 of those seats with his players and families that might be using the rest of the facility during spring training time. He wants to be open for business by January 2017, which would be just ahead of when the Braves’ lease with Disney expires.

But are the Braves even looking to stay in this part of the state? Braves president John Schuerholz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in March that staying in Central Florida could be tough.

Many teams that used to participate in spring training are looking for other parts of the state, especially south, and it could be tough for Atlanta to travel around if its only nearby opponent is the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland.

The Braves want to stay in Florida, however, and have waved off any suggestions the team could move to the other popular spring training state of Arizona. But if the Astros move out of Kissimmee, and the Washington Nationals leave their home in Viera, that could leave the Atlanta team rather isolated in Lake Buena Vista.

Yet moving to Wesley Chapel could be a good move in that respect. The Tigers would still be available in Lakeland, joining five other teams in quick driving distance — the New York Yankees in Tampa, the Blue Jays in Dunedin, the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater, the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, and the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.

The Braves also would be a lot closer to the Tampa Bay Rays, who play its spring training games in Port Charlotte.

A request to the Braves for comment is still pending.

Sheffield, who was born and raised in Tampa, says he has been spending a lot of time in Pasco County, especially since his kids are members of the Pasco Predators youth athletic teams. Once tourists start discovering the area, they won’t be able to stay away.

“There is something about Tampa and Pasco County,” he said. “People can’t leave. They can’t leave the water, or the beautiful places here. It’s totally community-driven.”