LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jordan Basile's college career ended in 2009. He set nearly every hitting mark at Fredonia State. Basile could hit for sure. He had the "sweetest swing in the SUNYAC".
What Basile lacked was blinding speed, a rocket arm, and home run power. None of his 158 hits at Fredonia State went for the distance. An opportunity to move on to the professional ranks was not in the offing -- at least not as a player.
Basile, however, has moved on to pro baseball via a front office position. He began an internship with the Detroit Tigers in January at the team's spring training home in Lakeland, Fla. He signed on for a 10-month internship, but is hoping it will lead to something more.
"The biggest thing I have learned being down here," Basile said, " is how difficult it (pro ball) actually is. Once you get to the minor leagues, it is almost like starting all over again but much harder. Most of these guys get thrown around for three or four years, then out of the blue they get released.
"Another thing that amazes me is how many guys dream to be a professional ball player, then retire and realize the work ethic involved is just too much for them. They are tired of getting thrown around to different affiliates every week just to fill in for someone that [gets injured]. An unbelievable amount of guys retire each year from each organization.
"The behind the scenes stuff is amazing."
When someone is sent from the major league club to Triple-A, that sets a domino effect into motion. A player from Triple-A gets sent to Double-A, a player from Double-A goes to Single-A, and so on. It's up to Basile to coordinate it all, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning.
"That means at 2 a.m., after a West Coast game, I get a phone call that someone is going to the airport [to be reassigned]. It's amazing how much money is spent through UPS, gas mileage, and flights, let alone the obvious stuff."
Basile's other responsibilities include:
-- Coordinating flights and travel arrangements. Preparing checks for players and sending them out, including money for baggage at airport, weekly meal money, etc.
-- Preparing disposition forms. These forms to be sent out as players move -- when a player transfers from one affiliate to another, goes on the disabled list, is activated from disabled list, gets released or retires, etc. He prepare on average about 20 forms per week.
-- Updating weekly statistics. Updating every player in the organization (the Tigers have affiliates in Toledo, Ohio; Erie, Pa.; Lakeland, Fla., West Michigan; Connecticut; the Gulf Coast Rookie League; the Dominican Summer League; and the Venezuelan Summer League). Basile helps to maintain a spreadsheet that indicates how the Tigers acquired each player, their age, the level they are playing at, and their position.
-- Game reports. These go out every morning to every person in the organization, including the major league coaches. These are sent to me via e-mail and summarize each affiliates' game. Basile also sends out reports on pitchers and hitters through voicemail.
-- Rookie ball roster. Basile is responsible for updating the roster every morning and sending it out to all the Rookie League teams and to Minor League Baseball headquarters. Whenever someone is added or removed from the roster, or put on the disabled list, Basile records and attaches the change to the team roster.
