HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - It still remains unclear if Major League Baseball will be played this year. Although both sides have resumed discussions, no agreement has been made.
With the MLB lockout still looming, big leaguers have the perfect place to train, and like everyone else, they all come to the 305.
Hidden in Hialeah, Team Sosa is one of the premier places for MLB players and potential future pros to train through the off-season.
“If it’s not the best facility in Miami, it could be the best facility in Florida ’cause all the big leaguers come,” said former Marlins shortstop Alfredo Amezaga.
With over 1,200 square-feet of space, the Team Sosa facility is a do it all field of dreams.
“It’s a one-stop shop type of deal,” said Red Sox outfielder J. D. Martinez, “it’s cool. For us, as athletes, we always feel like we’re bouncing around everywhere. It’s kind of cool, it’s a secluded area. Not many people know about it and you’re able to come here and do it all in one place.”
“This is becoming my second house here in the off-seasons because I’m coming here every day, I’m here for like four hours a day,” said Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas. “I’m more than just grateful that Sosa got this place for us.”
With the ongoing lockout, players from Rojas to former Marlins legend Miguel Cabrera love having a one-stop shop in their backyard.
“Back in the day, we only had a gym and we worked out and we had to go drive 30 minutes, one hour to find a cage or stadium to hit but right now we do everything in one facility and I think that’s really good for us and the young guys,” said Cabrera.
“We’ve got a facility that’s close to home, that is a great facility, like five star facility,” said Marlins Minor League outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. “We’re really thankful to work here.”
The name behind the brand is Ricardo Sosa.
“I started the process because I have two kids so I don’t want my wife to be around everywhere so I’m trying to make everything in one place,” said Sosa.
Sosa fell short in making it to the majors, but his baseball IQ is off the charts, something the players relish.
“Having the opportunity to get a relationship with Sosa throughout these years and seeing his growth, that’s one of the things that I value the most. Being with him since the times that he was in a little cage,” said Rojas.
While the Team Sosa facilities have come a long way, the players’ trust in his teaching abilities have never wavered.
“That just goes to show his ability and his understanding of the game when it comes to hitting and instruction, you know, when you have guys at the highest level, especially guys who are Hall of Famers trusting in him, I think that says a lot,” said Team Sosa manager/ hitting coach Sebastian Diaz.
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