Flashing their brand-new Bluefish baseball caps and t-shirts, the kids lined up patiently at the batting cage, jostling for position to be first in line.  The anticipation to touch the coldness of the aluminum baseball bat ran wild among the young players.  One by one they stepped inside the batting cage and were once again greeted with a cheek-to-cheek smile from Lopez.

Michael Lau played for the Giants at camp and during the home run derby in right field he blasted two home runs on five pitches.  One of which sailed onto the train tracks behind the rightfield wall.  The 7-year-old credits Lopez and the rest of the Bluefish players with helping him hit the ball better.

“I had a lot of fun,” said Lau.  “It landed all the way on the train-tracks!”

“As long as they get one thing out of camp then we know that we have done our job,” said Lopez.  “We just try to give them something from the great coaching that we have gotten during our careers.”

Lopez has coached in many baseball camps during his career and back home in Nebraska he’s done a lot of one-on-one lessons.  He really enjoys the interaction with the kids and sees the importance in it.

“I want the kids to realize that we’re [the players] regular people just like them. We are just grownups,” said Lopez.  “We are always put on a pedestal, especially when were playing in the big leagues.  We’re sometimes viewed as untouchable and I want them to realize that I’m just a regular guy.”

Lopez has taught this message to many Major League players during his days in the Toronto Blue Jays organization.  The Bronx native developed a good connection with the young Latin-born players in the system.  Some of those players included Alex Rios, Felipe Lopez and Cesar Izturis.

“I tried to help them out as much as I could,” said Lopez.  “I told them to be good citizens and to not get caught up in all of the temptations out there.  I knew they were going to be big league players.  I saw that the talent was there.”

In 1997, Lopez met current Bluefish teammate Luis Rodriguez when they played for Hagerstown (A, Blue Jays) of the South Atlantic League (SAL).  If it were not for Rodriguez, Lopez may never have developed such good friendships with the Latin players as he did not know how to speak much Spanish.

“I remember for the first couple of months he didn’t speak Spanish,” said Rodriguez. “Coming from South America, I didn’t know much English so he would help teach me English and I would teach him Spanish.”

During the same year, Lopez broke onto the scene for the Blue Jays as he was named the Southern Atlantic League’s Most Valuable Player.  The then first baseman/designated hitter led the league with 180 hits, a .358 batting average, a .430 on-base percentage and was named a SAL all-star.

It was a huge year for Lopez, being an undrafted free agent out of Coastal Carolina University.  The 35-year old continued his steady ascent through the Blue Jays organization until finally reaching the top of the mountain on April 29, 2001, making his Major League debut.

“When I finally got called up to the big leagues all of my teammates started hugging me.  It was a different kind of reception for a call-up,” said Lopez.  “Everyone knew what I had been through.  Me not being a draft pick and how I started off in the independent league.  I didn’t sign with Toronto for money.  I signed for a glove and two pairs of spikes.  I just wanted a chance.”

“I was excited for him,” said Rodriguez.  “This is our job.  You want to see your friends go higher and higher.  He called us, and was like ‘the stadium is awesome!”

Lopez played in a total of 41 games for Toronto that year and then made one last stint in the Major Leagues in 2004 as a member of the Montreal Expos, appearing in 11 games.

Tuesday night, Lopez showed off what he was teaching the kids in the batting cage by hitting the eventual game-winning RBI against the Camden Riversharks when he drilled a Josh Brey two-out pitch down the left field line in the bottom of the fifth inning to score Adam Greenberg.

As Lopez stepped on first base, he once again flashed that confident smile.

On June 12, athletic director Jim Spartano named Weimer the head baseball coach of Utica College.  Weimer, now in his fifth season of professional baseball and second with the Bluefish, is ironically amidst the best season of his career.  In 13 games, Weimer is 1-0 with a team-best 0.98 ERA and 10 strikeouts.  The new head coach has held opponents to a .217 batting average and has given up just two earned runs.

It was a tough decision, but he is confident that he has made the right choice.

“Obviously I want to keep playing because I’m pitching so well,” said Weimer.  “But at the same time, if I can’t get picked up with the numbers I’m putting up and the success I am having now then I guess it’s a good sign that the time is right.”

Coaching was something that Weimer always planned on getting involved in after his baseball career.  Despite playing professional baseball for the past five years, he has found time to be the assistant coach at Mohawk Valley Community College from 2004-2009 and he has been an instructor at the Field of Dreams athletic facility in Utica since 2003.

The Pioneers certainly can use Weimer’s pitching knowledge, as the team compiled a 7.10 ERA and a 5-27 record this year.  Junior captain and starting pitcher Chris Pallas is excited to play for the current Bluefish next year.

“I am extremely excited,” said Pallas.  “During the interview I felt he had a world of baseball knowledge and experience.  He is a great candidate for the job and I am 100% positive that he will help our pitching staff in every aspect.”

Weimer believes that his professional baseball experience is one reason why he was chosen for the job and he plans on basing his baseball philosophy on a strong pitching staff with a good defense behind them.

“I believe that if we turn the blowout games into competitive games then that’s a matter of two or three wins instead of losses next year,” said Weimer.  If we build at that rate every year then we should be a good program in the next few years.”

Assistant Coach Chris Parkinson has been in constant contact with Weimer since he took the position nearly three weeks ago.  Parkinson met with Weimer this past Monday and came away with a “great vibe.”

“He has a very calm and collective, intelligent demeanor,” said Parkinson.  “He doesn’t seem like he is going to be overly taken back or surprised by anything.”

The six-foot-two inch relief pitcher has been accustomed to getting out of jams or troublesome situations throughout his career.  Weimer was selected out of Le Moyne College in the 15^th round (428^th overall) by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 2003 Major League Baseball draft.

At Le Moyne, Weimer was 20-7 with a 2.13 ERA with 22 saves in 85 career appearances.  As a senior, he went 7-1 with a 0.74 ERA and seven saves as the Dolphins won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and earned a bid to the NCAA tournament.   Part of his success was a result of his sidearm pitching style on the mound.

Growing up, Weimer always threw sidearm when he played baseball at the park or on the playground.  It just felt natural to him.  When he arrived on campus, Weimer was not sure if he would be a shortstop or a pitcher after playing varsity baseball at New Hartford High School.

“I was a shortstop growing up so I would always throw the ball across my body,” said Weimer.  “When I pitched, I would throw more of a three-quarters angle.  The coach convinced me to throw sidearm and I picked it up immediately with instant success.”

The sidearm approach helped Weimer become a powerful closer for the New Haven County Cutters of the independent Can-Am League in 2006 and 2007 as he racked up 20 saves both years.

With the season-long struggles at the back-end of the bullpen, Weimer may begin to see more save situations the rest of the season.  For now, Weimer is just focused on finishing his last season the best he can and possibly getting one last shot at affiliated baseball.

“I never got the opportunity to play at Double-A or Triple-A which is something I really wish I had done,” said Weimer.  “But who knows, maybe in the next few months something might happen and I will definitely pursue the opportunity if given.”

Parkinson is assured that the experience Weimer is getting this year on the mound for the ‘Fish will gain him immediate respect in Utica’s clubhouse next year.

“I can assure you that he will be respected immediately just by in the way I saw his presence during the interview process, from meeting and talking to him daily and from seeing the letter he wrote to every player,” said Parkinson.