Some of the top baseball talent to come out of Merced County will be on hand next week at the Merced County Fairgrounds.
Dave Nannini has put together a fund-raiser for the Merced Youth Baseball and Softball Leagues by hosting a dinner Thursday, Jan. 26 that will feature Oakland Athletics pitcher Brian Fuentes and Detroit Tigers hurler Doug Fister.
"We have two guys who played in the Merced Youth Baseball program who are both pitching in the Major Leagues," Nannini said. "They went through our program. To have two guys like that in a town our size is awesome. I want them to convey at the dinner that it can be done."
The dinner will also feature other players with Merced ties who are working their way through the minor leagues, including Eddie Gamboa, Dusty Ryan, Jake Sisco, Matt Stabelfeld, Curtis Partch and Bradin Hagens.
"They were all excited when they were asked to help out," Nannini said. "I wanted to bring in people with local connections to Major League Baseball."
Tickets have been sold by athletes from Golden Valley, Merced College and Merced High. Some of the proceeds from the ticket sales have gone toward those programs.
Nannini has also invited 48 middle school students who won essay contests to attend the dinner. The players will answer questions submitted by the students.
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Tire World, McNamara Sports and the Valley Sports Academy.
Nannini said they've sold about 400 tickets and have about 240 tickets remaining.
The money raised will help offset some of the rising costs of operating the youth leagues.
"I don't want to see the kids' programs hurt," Nannini said. "I've been on the board for 32 years. This is the first time we've really struggled. Up until last year it was always 'We'll work something out.'
"Now with the downturn in the economy these programs are feeling the pinch."
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