I’ve always felt that baseball is in my blood, the love and passion for the game has been passed on to me from my father, a Brooklyn native, who got it from my grandfather; so when it came down to picking a career path and the opportunity to cover the Brooklyn Cyclones for The Brooklyn Paper presented itself, it was a no-brainer.
And, yes, may name is Brooke Lynn.
My love for the game started as a young girl playing tee-ball and softball, where I quickly learned the ins and outs of the game — and I know it better than a lot of the guys my age. But this was my first look into the world of sports reporting, and anything new and unknown is scary. I’ve been covering the Cyclones for about a week, and to say I was nervous to attend my first event as a member of the media would be an understatement.
Thankfully, I’m a beach bum at heart, and stepping out of my car to be greeted by the smell of salt water and a breeze coming off the water really helped calm me down.
Walking into MCU Park I noticed that not only is it home to who will hopefully be the future of the Mets organization, but it is also peppered with hints of the past. As you look out onto the field from behind home plate on the right is the Parachute Jump, which has been part of the Coney Island skyline since 1941, if you look to left field you see Luna Park, formally Astroland. Peeking through the loops and hills of the new Thunderbolt roller coaster is the team’s namesake the Cyclone roller coaster, a beloved landmark of Coney Island.
But enough about Coney. It’s my job to cover the team.
The first thing that jumped out at me about these kids on the roster is that they are big — stupid-big. I’m talking 6-foot-4 and taller. Much taller.
I mean, right-handed pitcher Casey Meisner, who is just 19 years old, stands 6-foot-7 — and is probably still growing!
Of course, he sees his height as an advantage.
“I throw way up top, not side arm or three quarters,” he said, pointing out that to opposing hitters his pitches appear to be shot from a mountain top. “I think that what helps me the most.”
He proved it during the Father’s Day double-header against the hated Staten Island Yankees, when he pitched four-and-a-third innings and gave up only one run.
Josh Prevost is another one of these stupid-big players, topping out at 6-foot-8, Prevost was drafted as the Mets’ fifth round pick this year out of Seton Hall University in New Jersey.
It will be interesting to see how hitters react when he gets into a game.
One thing is certain, just talking to these guys did calm me down.
Prevost, for instance, is a local whose dad grew up a Mets fan, who lives so close he could come to a game.
“It’s great, it’s nice being so close,” he said.
This was my first time being a professional on a professional baseball field with a bunch of professionals, and I quickly realized that many of these stupid-big Cyclones were in the same, well, ballpark. Being part of the baseball media is something I have dreamed about since I was in high school, and I can’t think of anything better than having a job writing about the sport I love. So, as this season progresses, not only will I be watching the Cyclones grow and improve, but I will, too.
Because it’s my turn at bat.
