A struggling minor league team trying to make their way up in the rankings.
FerryHawks mascot ‘Frankie’.
A stadium with empty seats, a digital scoreboard missing pixels, and a public address system that farts at foul balls. Welcome to Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, home to the Staten Island FerryHawks, and a picture perfect view of New York City.
The FerryHawks are based in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent league. The team was originally named the Staten Island Yankees. Affiliated with the Yankees prior to 2021, the team then rebranded to the FerryHawks and moved from MiLB to the ALPB.
The steep skill gap in player talent between the major and minor leagues is echoed in the stadium’s beleaguered environment, and the scant resources for players.
“These guys live a really hard life,” said Eric Shuffler, the 54-year-old owner of the FerryHawks.
Long Island Ducks, Nick Heath, dropping his bat after hitting a home run against the FerryHawks.
According to the National Federation of High School Associations, only 9% of NCAA Division I baseball athletes end up going pro. Making the minor leagues can be looked at as a remarkable accomplishment, but the difference between unaffiliated and affiliated leagues such as the MiLB and MLB athletes are substantial.
The Staten Island FerryHawks provide their players transportation via a team bus that takes them to all of their ALPB games.
When traveling for an away game in the ALPB, the home team makes arrangements for the visiting team to stay at a local hotel. The home team also provides a pre and post game meal. On top of the assigned meal, the players also receive a per diem.
In the ALPB, players make a maximum salary between $3,000 and $4,000 per month. According to Statista, the lowest paid MLB players are making $720,000 a year, $60,000 a month.
ALPB players find it hard to juggle a second job during the season due to the intense game schedule. Living in Staten Island is not cheap, so meager salaries do not go as far. After the four month season, most players need to secure a second job. FerryHawks with two jobs must then balance supporting themselves financially and maintaining peak physical shape.
Teams in the ALPB find host families to house the select athletes who can't afford to pay for their own housing. The Long Island Ducks, a fellow northern division team, make it very easy to become a host family. The Ducks only requirements are: a private bedroom, and the ability to use a bathroom, washer and dryer, and a kitchen. The host families for the Ducks receive special recognition during their fan appreciation day at the ballpark. Families can also watch a Ducks game from a luxury suite for free.
Though the families aren't paid, they are given the opportunity to give back to the community and help out a player in need. This is what drives many familes to host Ducks players.
Athletes in the ALPB almost uniformly share an economic struggle while also grinding daily to get a shot at making it one step higher. Most of these athletes will not make it to the next level--they share that too.
Pablo Sandoval pre-game in the dugout with his son.
Players stereotypically start out in the minor league, and then make their way up in the ranks. Pablo Sandoval, 2012 World Series MVP with the San Francisco Giants, is taking a different approach. Sandoval’s love for the game has landed him a roster spot on the FerryHawks. Sandoval had a 16-year MLB career, in his most productive years he was earining up to $18,455,000 a year. Sandoval is not here for the money.
“He's the first guy at the ballpark everyday,” said Mark Minicozzi, the 41-year-old FerryHawks manager.
Sandoval is a positive influence on his younger teammates. Having a seasoned player like Sandoval is a gift for his minor league teammates. Sandoval’s MLB career has set him up comfortably financially. He’s now playing not only to continue his baseball career, but to start the coaching side of his return to the major leagues. Competing in the minors gives Sandoval a closer look at players and coaches, and what makes a winning (and losing) team in the lower level.
“It's all about having fun. If we can't have fun then, we can create fun,” said Gary Perone, the 51-year-old FerryHawks general manager.
The FerryHawks are a struggling team in the Atlantic Division. They sit in 4th place in the northern division as of July 31st, with a record of 35-48. The northern division has 5 total teams. Perone preaches that a good time at the ballpark, is as important or more important than a good game.
A scintillating game is rare to come across at the Staten Island University Hospital Community park. Recently, the FerryHawks played game number 82 and took on the Long Island Ducks, in a 10:35 AM first pitch.
Staten Island lost the game 10-3, despite the explosive lead off a home run by FerryHawks outfielder Kolby Johnson.
There's a minor league feeling to the Staten Island University Hospital Community Park. The 7,171 bright blue seats blended in with the Hudson, and the orange on the logo mirrored the orange on the Staten Island Ferry. The piercing sun punished the unfortunate victims sitting in the stadium's shadeless seats. A majority of the blue seats were visible due to the early morning start time. The limited filled seats were occupied by kids from select summer camps, and adults promoting their businesses on the FerryHawks promotional day.
The tough life of a minor league baseball player might not seem worth it to the civilian eye, but these athletes are living out their dream: playing baseball at the next level.
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