Diamonds Polished

By KEITH MORELLI The Tampa Tribune

Published: Sep 26, 2007

TAMPA - The West Tampa Little League complex, spawning ground for baseball talent sprinkled across the major leagues, has gotten a big-time renovation thanks to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and a handful of local businesses.

Officials view the six-month project as a "minirenaissance," designed to reignite interest among the region's talented young ballplayers, so they injected about $100,000 in money and work to make improvements.

The hope is that the new complex at 2000 N. Jamaica St. will bring some of the old glory back to West Tampa baseball. Over the years, the area has produced talent from Al Lopez in the 1930s to the players and managers of today, including Luis Gonzalez, who got his start in the West Tampa Little League, Tino Martinez, Tony La Russa and Lou Piniella.

West Tampa always has embraced its baseball heritage, inspired by Hall of Famer Lopez, who played his high school baseball at Jesuit. La Russa, Gonzalez, Martinez and Fred McGriff played ball at Jefferson High School. Steve Garvey learned his skills at Chamberlain. Piniella, Dave Magadan and Brad Radke also played at Jesuit.

Perhaps a dozen others less known got their starts in West Tampa and earned major-league paychecks. Many played on the West Tampa Little League fields.

The complex, however, rimmed by red brick streets and 100-year-old oak trees, fell into disrepair, said Carlos Teijelo Jr., president of the 240-player league. There were ruts in the outfield, the pitching mounds were sunken and lumpy, and the bases didn't conform to new Little League regulations.

The concession stand was a mess, to the point people wouldn't go watch the games, and players were heading to other leagues.

The renovations will bring people back, Teijelo said. It already has helped increase sign-ups for winter league by 70 players over spring league.

Teijelo stood and beamed Tuesday on a newly leveled field of fresh sod, a manicured infield and whiter-than-white bases around him.

"This," he said, "is a godsend."

He talked about baseball and what it means to West Tampa residents.

"To us, it's a legacy," he said. "We have a lot of pride over here."

The complex has four fields, including two baseball fields, a softball and a T-ball field. The land is leased from the city, but the league is responsible for maintenance, Teijelo said. That includes mowing, lining and painting.

The fresh start was unveiled Tuesday morning. Well, almost. With the winter season's first games scheduled for Saturday, the new concession stand still needs kitchen equipment.

The donations will improve the four fields, replace a rusty roof over the home plate bleachers and install a new concession stand replacing one built more than 40 years ago.

The Devil Rays sent a grounds crew to help with the work. The punch list was long: Remove 25 tons of sod, install 5,300 square feet of new sod, add 40 tons of clay to the infields, use 5 tons of clay to rebuild bullpens and field mounds, use 1 ton of infield top dressing from Tropicana Field on the main field, use an additional 3 tons of top dressing material on the remaining fields, and install breakaway bases that conform to 2008 Little League rule changes.

J.O. DeLotto and Sons construction company built the concession stand. Metro PCS and Bryant Heating and Cooling also contributed to the project.

The Devil Rays began their community field renovation program last year, and the West Tampa complex is the second Little League center to get a facelift. The first was Oliver Field at Campbell Park in St. Petersburg.

Devil Rays President Matt Silverman and all-star outfielder Carl Crawford were among the dignitaries on hand Tuesday for the dedication ceremony.

"This is a proud day for the Rays franchise," Silverman said. "We want to put smiles on faces of children and bring families together. Nothing better says what the Rays organization is about than this field here."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 kmorelli@tampatrib.com.