McGugan Trades Shin Guards For National Guard

Brian McGugan reads the Sunday local sports section and reads familiar names in the chart chronicling statistics of minor league baseball players from southeastern Connecticut.

He sees the names of peers roughly the same age (24) as him, but not his name. At times, he wonders if he should be there.

"It's tough because I played with all of them," McGugan said.

Norwich Free Academy's Eric Campbell (Class AA Mets) and Zach Zaneski (Class A Rangers); Montville's Anthony Giansanti (Class A Cubs); Fitch's Matt Browning (Class A Mariners). All are talented hitters who shone scholastically and in college, but none of them carried the thunder in their bat that McGugan did.

"No knock on them, but nobody could hit like Brian," said Tom Doyle, former Fitch basketball coach and father of McGugan's Falcon baseball teammate Todd Doyle. "Matt Browning is a heckuva hitter, but not as good as [B]."

McGugan earned Connecticut Player of the Year honors after batting .590 with 50 hits and 40 RBI as a catcher in Fitch's Class LL state championship season in 2005. Yes, 50 hits and 40 RBI in 27 games. He followed that onslaught with a junior college third-team All-America season at UConn-Avery Point.

But while his peers are playing pro ball, McGugan plays Twilight League amateur ball for Goldy's Restaurant in the Eastern Connecticut Major League.

And down deep, he couldn't be happier; nor prouder.

McGugan's dreams of pursing a pro baseball career are quickly replaced by the reality of working to make a living to support a young son. McGugan fathered a child with his girlfriend as a Fitch High junior. Aside from the year at Avery Point, he postponed college and baseball opportunities to work full-time and support Cameron, now 7.

"I had a lot of different things to take into account than the other guys," McGugan said. "I took a different route. I couldn't just take off to college. I could have, but that is not what I believe in. I hung around and did the best I could."

McGugan and his girlfriend are no longer a couple, but share custody of Cameron. McGugan spends countless hours with his son and actually developed a sore arm this year after daily batting practices and father-son catches with him.

"He's a great player," Brian said of Cameron. "He can hit pitching and catch anything."

While Brian has always been a devoted father, he's elevating his stock as a provider. He's now making more money than the average rookie or Class A minor leaguer as an Army National Guard helicopter repair mechanic at the Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot (Connecticut Avcrad) at the Groton-New London Airport.

"It was a spur of the moment decision to join," he said. "In 2008 I wasn't really doing anything, working at a dead-end job trying to support my son. I heard about the Guard, got a nice bonus to sign up and went away for seven months to boot camp and training for helicopters. It was tough, but well worth it."

McGugan still has baseball in his blood, serving as an assistant Fitch coach in the spring and rocking line drives at Washington Park during the summer for Goldy's, the ECML's top team that leads the best-of-three title series, 1-0, after a 3-2 victory Monday.

At times, he takes a chance by attending a Major League tryout cross state once or twice a year. Even though his National Guard training has put him in the shape of a pro athlete now, hitters are usually overlooked at those talent evaluations. Scouts usually look for tremendous throwing arms and speed.

"I went to an Astros camp with Yohendy Gonzalez and Mike Evans of Goldy's," McGugan said. "It was a good experience, but I could just tell by being there that it was an uphill battle. The biggest look I ever got was 12 swings and five throws to second base."

Now that he's developed his craft as a helicopter mechanic, starting at pro baseball entry level doesn't make as much sense.

"My best opportunity for pro ball would be to sign with an Independent League team, but the money would not be close to what I'm making now," McGugan said.

McGugan also realizes the odds of making a livelihood in pro baseball are slim. Eventually, 99 percent of minor league baseball players are going to look for a job doing something else than baseball later or sooner.

"I love the game, but I love what I'm doing now," McGugan said. "It's a big industry. Our facility is full-time. We repair the helicopters for 13 other states. It's a great gig."