Willie Baker isn’t a typical Cape League superstar. He isn’t even a typical Cape League player. For the Falmouth Commodores, however, he’s nothing short of a hero.
Now in his second season with the Dores organization, Baker is one of the few players to return from last summer. He officially wears the title of bullpen coach and catcher, but his contributions to the Commodores go far beyond the catcher’s mitt.
Baker works tirelessly before every home game: raking the field, lining the batter’s box, putting out the bases, helping interns and volunteers to set up shop. Once the field is prepared and the game underway—or sometimes even before the first pitch is thrown—he puts on a full set of gear and catches warm-ups for the day’s rotation of pitchers.
At the end of each night, it’s much of the same—he assists with the breakdown of operations, the covering of the field. Wherever he’s needed, Baker is there to offer a helping hand. His presence is a constant at Guv Fuller Field, and his dedication is displayed in a dozen different ways, from the clean white lines he draws on the diamond to the steady stance he takes at the back of the bullpen.
“I like to just be helpful wherever I can,” said Baker. “I try to do everything that I can to help the team.”
Baker lines the batter’s box. Photo by Jack Moreland.
Many people would likely view a workload such as this one to be excessive, even onerous. Baker, however, doesn’t see it that way. A Mashpee native born and raised, he grew up attending Commodores games, where he developed a deep love for both the team he watched so loyally and the game of baseball itself.
Sitting behind home plate with his father, watching games every summer, a young Baker looked out across Guv Fuller Field and dreamed of someday playing for the Commodores. Little did he know that over a decade later, he would be working on that same field, under the same lights, wearing the same uniform.
Baker is all smiles at the Guv. Photo by Jack Moreland.
Baker began his baseball career early, playing youth tee ball and coach pitch before progressing to Little League. He went on to play for Mashpee High’s baseball team, primarily as an outfielder, as well as Sandwich’s Post 188 team in the American Legion league.
Baker’s time with Post 188, which brought him to both the state and regional tournaments for American Legion, also paved his route to the Commodores. It was through Post 188 ball that Baker got to know general manager Chris Fitzgerald, who later brought him to the Commodores and signed him on as their bullpen catcher.
This connection to the Commodores was a way to stay in the game for Baker, who walked onto the varsity baseball team during his freshman year at Georgetown University and was later released at the end of the fall.
“Being told it was over was hard,” Baker admitted, when asked about his release. “But knowing that I was comfortable with staying and working hard—doing everything I can where I’m at, and never giving up—I think that’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from baseball.”
Baker’s career in college baseball ended with the fall; his involvement did not. He stayed on with the Georgetown team, albeit in a different capacity, by swapping his spot on the roster for a position as the student manager. This position, as it turned out, was not dissimilar to the one he now holds for the Commodores.
“I do a lot of the same stuff here [in Falmouth] that I do at school,” Baker explained. “Some operations things, field maintenance, game day ops. They definitely go hand in hand.”
Baker, mic’d up. Photo by Jack Moreland.
Although the casual fan in the Commodores’ bleachers might not recognize him as anything other than the bullpen catcher, Baker is a familiar face to those at the heart of the organization. He is one of the most well-loved players to ever set foot on the diamond at Guv Fuller Field, known for the unwavering dedication and upbeat attitude that he brings to the park each day.
“It’s been an awesome experience for him, but it’s also been great for us,” said manager Jeff Trundy. “He’s been so extremely helpful. His attitude alone is such a great addition to the team. He’s just a fun person to be around, and when you have people like that, it makes everybody else happier.”
Baker is indeed a fun person to be around, and the connections he’s forged and strengthened through his involvement with Falmouth are tangible proof of this fact. His friends and family are his biggest supporters, routinely turning up to home games and sitting by the bullpen to support him, but he’s also formed new bonds since he started on this journey. To this day, he remains in contact with many of the players he worked with last summer, some of whom were recently drafted to the major leagues. He is emblematic of all that the Cape League stands for: a local boy playing summer ball, not on the roster but still undeniably a part of the team. Still a part of the community, which is the true heart of any baseball organization.
“It’s kind of a full circle moment, being here with the people I grew up with,” Baker said. “Having grown up here and having rooted for these guys all these years, to [now] be able to be a part of it and help the team win has been great.”
Baker isn’t yet sure where he’ll be next summer—maybe he’ll return to the Commodores, or maybe he’ll head to Atlanta, where his sister will also be staying, and get involved in a league down there. He isn’t yet sure of his post grad plan either, but he knows one thing: it will involve baseball, in one form or another. The game is everything to Baker, and he wants to remain a part of it for as long as he possibly can. For the people who know and love him, there are no doubts that he will find a way to do exactly that.
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