Ray Navarette is the face of the Long Island Ducks and owns virtually every offensive record for the defending Atlantic League champions.
The Port Washington resident can also be credited with Kraig Binick’s career with the Ducks.
“Him and I ran into each other at a batting cage with no lights on one day,” Navarette said. “He happened to be playing for another team and we started working out together and I remember saying, ‘This guy would be perfect for us.’”
Navarette told Ducks general manager Michael Pfaff and manager Kevin Baez about Binick, a former Chaminade and New York Tech standout now in his third year with the independent minor league club.
“Thank God or else this would not be a story,” Binick said of the meeting. “We met at the batting cage. I heard about him and I wanted to show off my swing and he put in a good word and he got me on the team.”
Binick had been playing for the Sussex Skyhawks in the Can-Am League, but the New Jersey-based team folded. He considered playing for the New Jersey Jackals, but thanks to the chance meeting with Navarette, he continued his professional career back home.
“I gave myself a time frame,” Binick said. “I felt like I was going to play one year with the Long Island Ducks and quit at 26. I had a good year and gave myself until 30 to do what I had to do. It’s going as planned. My expectations aren’t MLB, but I’m having fun.”
Binick, 28, did more than have a good first season. He batted .343 and led the Atlantic League with 42 stolen bases and a .429 on-base percentage.
“I was just going with the flow, didn’t have expectations and ended up winning the batting title,” Binick said.
Baez, a former Mets player, is certainly appreciative of Navarette’s keen eye for talent.
“He brings speed, clutch hitting, he’s a solid center fielder, he gives you everything,” Baez said of Binick. “He plays the game hard and he’s a good kid to have on the team.”
Last year, Binick exploded during the postseason, batting .405 to help guide the Ducks to their second Atlantic League title.
Binick, who was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 27th round of the 2007 draft, reached Double A Bowie before injures resulted in his release in 2009.
“I felt like I could have went higher if I didn’t get injured so much, but what are you going to do?” Binick said.
Binick is still playing professional ball, finding a new home in the Atlantic League. He’s also a role model for Long Island kids who aspire to play ball.
“That’s the one thing I want to preach to people when I do clinics, just learn the game,” Binick said. “There’s a lot of athletes on Long Island, but you just need to learn the game, keep going at it, get experience and you can play pro.”
Binick spent the winter and the early portion of this year in the Mexican League, playing for Piratas de Campeche and Acereros de Monclova.
“The Mexican League was fun, it’s a different kind of baseball,” Binick said. “It’s crazy. Outside the park, inside the park you’ve got bands playing, people drinking and having a good time.”
But Binick is back on Long Island, back with the Ducks for the second half of the Atlantic League season. Navarette said it’s no coincidence the Ducks are currently in first place in the Liberty Division.
What Navarette saw in the batting cage that one day, the entire Atlantic League is noticing now.
“I’m not always right, but this one I could say I was right,” Navarette said. “We brought him in and this kid won the batting title and been a great asset to the team ever since.”
