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Boardman native Saluga to ref Scappers game
By Greg Gulas
NILES
The buzz around Eastwood Field the past several days has been about Cleveland Indians All-Star pitcher Danny Salazar and his rehab appearance tonight against the Brooklyn Cyclones.
A quieter buzz, albeit just as loud amongst members of the Mahoning Valley’s baseball-softball, football and basketball officials’ organizations, is about the first ever professional appearance of New York-Penn League arbiter Drew Saluga.
Saluga is a Boardman native who is currently in his second season as a professional umpire — his first in the New York-Penn League — and drew the home plate assignment for the series’ opening game.
While Salazar peers in to get his signal from the Scrappers’ receivers, Saluga looks forward to returning the verdict on his delivery.
“Last year was my first as a professional umpire and I had the opportunity to work the Arizona Rookie League. In addition to rookies, some big league pitchers were sent there on a rehab assignments so I’ve already been exposed to that portion of the game,” Saluga said. “It’s humbling to watch a Major League pitcher at work, but once I take my place behind the catcher it will be business as usual.”
While this will be his first appearance at Eastwood Field as a professional umpire, Saluga has already worked multiple high school and YSU non-conference baseball games.
He heads “home” with crew mate Jen Pawol, one of two women working as officials in the minor leagues.
“I have worked with women officials in the past in multiple sports and Jen is very, very good,” Saluga said. “We’re just two umpires trying to advance our careers and once we hit the field. It’s all business. We have a job to do and absolutely work well together.”
Saluga started umpiring at age 13 when he worked his younger brother’s Little League game at the Fields of Dreams Baseball Complex on McClurg Road.
He credits fellow umpire and current Ohio District 2, Little League district administrator Chet Cooper with believing in him and his passion for the game.
Cooper said his balls and strikes colleague is definitely a diamond in the rough.
“He’s always been a terrific, dedicated and disciplined official,” Cooper said. “His greatest strength however, is his character and that is the main reason he will be assured success in whatever endeavor he chooses. He’s a wonderful, compassionate individual who just happens to be an excellent umpire.”
Saluga then started working high school baseball games while a junior in high school, working his first college game in his sophomore year of college.
He then added his first Division I baseball contest — Pitt at Kent State — two years later.
A product of the Umpire Academy, which is located at the old Dodgertown Complex in Vero Beach, Florida, Saluga said the five weeks that he spent there in January, 2016 was key in shaping his career path.
“It’s a four-week course, goes six days a week with four hours of classes in the morning and five or so hours of situational drills in the afternoon,” Saluga said. “When you are invited back for the fifth week, that’s when the jobs are handed out and I was ones of the fortunate ones to get to the final week.”
Saluga will work 76 games in 80 days this summer with his partner, traveling at least once to all 14 NYPL cities while spanning locales in seven states.
When the season is over he’ll resume working high school football and basketball, adding Divisions II and III hoop contests as well in order to stay in shape.
In January, he’ll find out his assignment for the next baseball campaign.