By Andy Furman
NKyTribune reporter
Twenty-five youngsters refer to him as “Dad.” But he’s not their father. He’s not even a relative – but Craig Massey might just be more than that.
He’s their leader.
The 6-2, 215-pounder, who plays first base for the Florence Y’alls is 34-years-old. In the Frontier League, well, that’s ancient.
In fact, Frontier League rules limit teams to three “veterans” – players older than 29 years as of October 1st – with a minimum of ten of the 24-man roster are required to be rookies.
Craig Massey (Photo by Andy Furman/NKyTribune)
Typically, teams play a 96-game regular season from May to September. The y’alls season concludes Sunday, September 3rd when they host the Joliet Slammers.
For Massey, a native of Bells, Tenn., it will close the curtain on his sixth season in the league – his third in Florence.
And what a season it’s been. He’s been named to consecutive Frontier League All-Star teams, and get this – he leads the y’alls with a batting average of .352.
He’s a three-time batting champion in pro baseball and perhaps he should be playing in Great American Ball Park instead of Thomas More Stadium.
He won his batting titles in remote baseball stops like Santa Fe, New Mexico in the Pecos League, the Sommerset Patriots in the Patriot League, and in 2020 with Florence.
“Yup, I’m the oldest on the team, and maybe in the league,” he told the Northern Kentucky Tribune before a ballgame the other day. “As for a shot at the next level, we’ll see. Will I continue – sure, I love it.”
Massey attended – and played baseball – at Bethel University in Tennessee and Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama.
“My last year of college was 2012,” he said, “I didn’t turn pro until 2014.”
Without an agent getting a shot in the Big Show is difficult, Massey admits. “Most of the agents I talked to wouldn’t sign me until I was situated with a high-minor league team,” he said.
But that’s not even the most difficult part for the striving 34-year-old. “I’m married,” he said, “Been married five years with two kids. It’s pretty tough – that’s the hardest part.”
Massey says his family remains in Bells, Tennessee, and adds: “I’d never stop playing if I could have them (my family) with me.”
He says his wife “gets it.” She knows my motivation and love for baseball, he said.
After the curtain falls on the 2023 y’alls season, Massey plans to return to Tennessee where he operates a hitting Athletic Facility. “We have batting cages, and serve all ages.”
What he won’t miss– the bus rides during the long season. “Our longest ride was over 18 hours, and that was last season,” he said. “This year we had a 12-hour trip.”
With three teams in Canada, two in New York and one in New Jersey there’s plenty of time to bond and “hang-out” with his teammates.
And for friends – he says “they’re jealous. Even those who make great money. They’d love to trade places with me.”
At this year’s Frontier League All-Star Game at Windy City, Massey won the Hitting Accuracy event. “There were five events,” he said, “This one was a precision hitting contest. We were given targets to hit – and I did.”
In fact, if you’re a student of analytics, when Massey swings on a pitch in the so-called “zone” — statistics say he will make contact 94 percent of the time.
Another claim to fame —in Winter Baseball, 2018-19 Craig Massey played all nine positions in a game in Australia.
Now we know how he got his nickname – like any good Dad – Craig Masey gives advice.
Good baseball advice.
