Ducks' Navarrete, Baez reunite at charity event

Their paths first crossed at a summer baseball camp in the early 1990s when Ray Navarrete, a high school prospect at the time, received an autographed baseball from Kevin Baez, a guest major league instructor.

"It's funny how I remember that," Navarrete said. "Then I got a chance to come back to New York to play for him and now he's my manager."

The two reunited Saturday at Suffolk County Sports Park, collecting toys to be distributed by Bud Harrelson, Baez and Ducks players to children at three local hospitals on Dec. 20. Come April, they will reunite as player and manager when the Ducks' season gets under way.

Baez was named to replace Dave LaPoint as Ducks manager last month. After a long minor-league career, three brief stints in the majors with the Mets and years in the Ducks' organization as player and coach, the 43-year-old will make his managerial debut.

"I'm a Long Islander. I live here now," Baez said. "I know how these fans are here. I played here, I coached here. It's a passion of mine to be around the game of baseball and be involved with the Ducks. So it's definitely a dream come true."

Baez says his focus will be on making sure his team plays the game the right way and is fundamentally sound. Although he preaches being on time and showing respect for the game, he doesn't intend to be a disciplinarian or over-manage. Considering his familiarity with the players, the transition should be an easy one.

"If they were going to make a change, I was hoping that they were going to hire my man KB," Navarrete said. "I think the world of him. Not only is he a great coach but he's earned it."

Baez's job now includes guiding the Ducks back to the postseason, which they missed last season for the first time in seven years.

"The goal is obviously to get to the playoffs and win a championship," Baez said. "With the team we are going to put together and the guys we have coming back, there's no reason that shouldn't be our goal."

The healthy return of former MVP Navarrete, coming off a five-week stay in Puerto Rico for winter ball, would go a long way toward helping Baez accomplish that goal.

"I want to get back out here and show the Ducks and the league that I'm still one of the better players in the league," Navarrete said. "If I can go out there and do what I've done in the past, I know it will give our team a chance to compete for a championship."

The focus yesterday, however, wasn't on assembling a championship-caliber roster and coaching staff, which will take place over the next few months, but on helping brighten the holidays for children in need.

"To help out during the holidays is great," Navarrete said. "I know it means a lot to a lot of families and a lot of kids, and I'm just grateful that they asked me to be a part of it."