Pros, fans unite at fantasy camp
Though a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Richard Daniels is cherishing the time spent this week with former professionals at the Minnesota Twins Fantasy Camp in Fort Myers.
Over the past few days, Daniels, a Fort Myers resident, has received baserunning tips from Milt Cuyler, who once swiped 41 bases in a season. He also has picked the brain of players he watched growing up, like former all-stars Frank Viola, Tony Oliva and Jim “Mudcat” Grant.
Of course, talking to Bert Blyleven is always a highlight.
“He’s one of the main reasons I come back,” said Daniels, who is attending the camp at the Lee County Sports Complex for the second year. “(Blyleven) should be in the Hall of Fame. He’s a riot. It’s great just getting to know him.”
The fantasy camp began last Saturday and concludes Saturday.
The week-long event gives baseball fans like Daniels the chance to meet and get instruction from the former pros.
The event also serves as a reunion for both the campers, who return each year, as well as the former pro teammates.
This year’s camp includes individuals from all across the country.
“There are a lot of campers from the upper midwest, but there also are people from the east coast and as far as California,” said former major league pitcher Eric Rasmussen. “It’s a really good time and a chance to meet people from all walks of life.”
Rasmussen, who resides in Cape Coral, pitched for eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals. More recently, he was the pitching coach for the Fort Myers Miracle from 1996 to 2008, with the exception of one season.
Rasmussen has taken on a new position as the Twins’ minor league pitching coordinator.
Rasmussen said one thing that stands out during the fantasy camp is the diversity in skill level of the campers.
“You get players of all different abilities. All sorts of physical shape,” he said. “Some of the first-year campers might not be in the best shape and then the next time they come you can tell they trained a little bit more before they got down here.”
Shelli Tayman of Naples is in her fourth year attending the camp.
She said the first couple of days are spent working on drills, such as batting and infield practice, then they play up to two games each day the rest of the week.
The week also includes an opening-night reception and dinner, a closing-night banquet and a game against the former professional players.
“I’m a baseball fan. I just love it,” Tayman said of the experience. “I got hooked into it with other people in the area and it’s become a yearly thing. It’s great for the camaraderie.”
One of Tayman’s coaches has been former Twins pitcher Juan Berenguer, who went 8-1 during the 1987 season that ended with a World Series championship.
Berenguer said he enjoys working with the campers and watching them play the games, wearing the Twins uniform.
“It’s neat,” he said. “You see a couple guys here who are 65 years old. They may run slow, but they have it in their heart, they have a dream to play professional baseball, and that’s what it’s all about at the fantasy camp.”