A hometown pitcher on the mound, and climbing

LACONIA — When a flutist played the National Anthem on July 4 at a baseball game at Robbie Mills field, spectators stood, their eyes fixed on the flag. But when the heartfelt performance ended, their thoughts turned to the Winnipesaukee Muskrats game — including the team’s hometown pitcher, Ryan Dee.

Ryan has been playing baseball since he was old enough to toss a ball and carry a bat. The Laconia native started as a bat boy for the American Legion team when he was five or six — steeped in the sport that his father Joe Dee, a coach, also adored. Playing baseball became part of life, a pastime and calling with meaning and purpose. For Ryan, it quickly eclipsed other athletic pursuits, such as football and basketball.

“His goal was to coach me as soon as I was old enough. I grew to love the game from it being a part of my whole life,” said Ryan, taking a break from warming up before the July 4 game against the Mystic Schooners. “I love the competitiveness of baseball. It takes a lot of skill. It’s a game of seconds and you have to be perfect.”

As soon as he and his two younger brothers “were old enough to come to the dugout, they tagged along,” said Joe, who started coaching before they were born, and brought his boys when he traveled to games. “When the boys got involved, they took to it quickly. I’m extremely proud of where Ryan’s at right now. Just the type of kid he is. To earn a Division I scholarship is pretty impressive.”

Now, at age 20, the economics major at the University of Hartford plays nearly year-round in college and for the Winnipesaukee Muskrats, a summer team comprised of college players throughout the Northeast, part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In the back of his mind looms a larger prize — a vision of professional ball one day. For aspiring players of many ages, that’s an appealing dream. For now, Ryan is pursuing it to the best of his considerable abilities, and making the most of strategic opportunities.  

In September, it looks like he’ll transfer to SUNY Binghamton, a highly regarded university in the New York state system, and a top performer in collegiate baseball, and winner of the America East this year. 

“They saw me play and they reached out to me,” he said. It was a chance to spend his senior year working intensively with coaches who recognized his potential. “I feel they wanted me.”

Ryan’s story is not unlike many baseball hopefuls who through the ranks of one of America’s favorite sports, with countless years of practice and training and loyal fans at local levels. Throughout high school he played infield and pitched. Now success hinges exclusively on throwing.

“Once I got to college, it was strictly pitching. For pitching it’s personal. It’s you versus the other guy. You’re able to be so competitive when you’re in the moment. I’m able to think only of me versus the guy” at bat. “The adrenaline you get is amazing. When you’re throwing on the mound, there’s no better feeling. All eyes are on you,” he said. “It like a quarterback in football. It’s cool seeing what you can accomplish when there’s many more fans and you can push even harder.”

Right now, his right-arm pitches clock at 88 to 90 mph. What drives Ryan to perform on the mound? “Just being a competitor. I hate losing. Just fearing that. Doing anything I can to win separates me from other people, even if losing is inevitable.”

Now his goal is to work and play hard, with professional baseball not far in the back of his mind. “The odds aren’t in my favor, but if I can get in front of the right people at the right time, hopefully someday that will happen. Even if it’s a long process, that’s my goal.” He admits to being an ardent Red Sox fan, “but if I get the opportunity, I’ll go wherever I can."

Focused now exclusively on pitching, he hasn’t touched a bat in two years. When he’s not playing or at practice, he works out lifting weights and doing mobility exercises to stay flexible. “Having a good schedule, throwing every day and resting when needed. Lift, throw, recover,” is how Ryan describes his recipe for boosting performance.

Right now, his summer game schedule is a continuous workout, with 40-plus games from June 8 through the end of end of July, on fields throughout New England, coming right after a 52-game season at college. In two years with the Muskrats, he’s played in Montpelier, Vermont; Sanford, Maine; North Adams, Massachusetts; Danbury, Connecticut, and will play in Rhode Island and on Martha’s Vineyard before the end of this month.

“In summer ball, I’ve been able to work on stuff I wasn’t able to during the school season,” he said. “It’s a great time to meet players from all schools throughout the country. You’re able to pick their brains for what they’ve learned at their school. Playing college baseball is one of the best memories I’ve had,” and it includes the friendships he’s made on the journey.

To aspiring players, including the youngest, Ryan advises, “If you really love the sport of baseball, work as hard as you can at it, and learn as much as you can. Everything I’ve learned or done has been on my own, through research, or from my dad” — plus maybe a smattering of key coaches along the way.

Is Joe Dee proud of his son’s baseball career thus far, his opportunities and dedication?

“He loves it,” said Ryan. “And that’s one of my favorite things.”