MASPETH, NYC – On a cold Friday morning, with slush covering the roadways there were a bunch of hungry baseball players who made their way into the Routine Performance Management cage in Maspeth, Queens. Greg Modica, the owner of the cage, was waiting for them. Modica is a 45-year-old semi-retired righty pitcher who is still pitching. He will try to dissect home plate with his repertoire of pitches while these pro hitters stand in the box.
The first batter is 17-year-old Carey H.S. Junior Antonio Comparetto, who was quickly humbled after striking out on a slider. Modica was now ready to face a trial of hungry ballplayers starting with the Seattle Mariners 2024 10th round draft pick, Anthony Donofrio, Alex Ungar, a Sacred Heart standout who’s looking to hook up with a pro
team and EJ Cumbo, the firecracker outfielder from the Atlantic Leagues, Lexington Legends.
Nothing seems to fade Modica as he gets his work in hoping that some team needs a bonafide pitcher and gives him a call. Despite his age, Modica, who pitched for the L.I. Ducks, and then took a hiatus due to a rotator cuff injury before making a comeback at age 40 with the Rockland Boulders, has a method to his madness. His burning desire is to have his 2 year old son, Maddux and 4 year old daughter Sunny witness their daddy on a pro mound.
Greg’s age should not hinder any team looking for a strike thrower. While Greg stays ready for a call, he lands his skills to help the youngsters who want to better their game. By setting up simulated games and inviting pro batters and pitchers to get their work in for the upcoming season, Greg is killing two birds with one stone by working on his skills and hoping the word gets out that he still has game.
You never know who you might run into when you enter these doors. Players like free-agent pitcher, Nicholas Padilla, who’s pitched in the show for both the Chicago Cubs and White Sox was getting his work in.
The former Cardozo H.S. standout and N.Y. Tech infielder, Chris Campbell, who’s now a business entrepreneur, was there to offer moral support for his former Tech teammate, EJ Cumbo. The last time I saw Chris, he was a 16-year-old hitting balls in a cage.
While Modica’s wife Toni plays mommy to Maddux and Sunny, daddy does the right thing in helping others achieve their dreams, as he continues his dream.
