Dani: is so exciting because I have been asked to host a podcast for the Cape Cod Baseball League. ⁓ And not only is the league so prestigious ⁓ for so many reasons, for the players who through, ⁓ for the managers and the coaches come through and the people who cover the sport like Gamins. A massive thank you to Mike Monaco and Riley Pei for spending time with us on the Codcast to reflect back on their time in the Cape Cod League, spending time in the broadcast booth and being a part of the very special community in Cape Cod. A huge thanks to my producer, Sarah Lang, who put this together. And don't forget, we've got more to come this season. but also for the people who call the games. And often they get their starts, many of them in the Cape Cod League or it's a platform or a lily pad for them. And one of those incredible people is Mike Monaco who's joining us now. My friend, my colleague, thank you for joining us.
Mike Monaco: Danny, my pleasure. I'm not sure us broadcasters hold a candle to the players and coaches and managers you mentioned, ⁓ but I know I speak for many of us. We are very grateful for what the Cape League afforded us at the time and continues to. So yes, very happy to join you and talk all things Cape and whatever else.
Dani: we'll catch you next time ⁓ on the Codcast. Yeah, we have a lot to dive into, but I want to go back all the way back, like a decade plus when you were in the Cape League and you're calling games. We're talking about 13 and 14 and you're just a young guy getting your start and finding your voice, I bet. And figuring out your style. How did you, how did you get to the Cape League to call games to begin with? Like, let's just start there.
Mike Monaco: First of all, feels like you're calling me old. We'll take it. ⁓ And no, no, in all seriousness. So I was in college at Notre Dame and I had kind of stumbled into broadcasting during my sophomore year and started to figure out that that's what I wanted to do. ⁓ one of my best friends, kid Jack Vizzino, his brother ⁓ Vizzino had done broadcasting for Falmouth in the Cape League. And Jay now not.
Dani: Ha ha ha ha!
Mike Monaco: a broadcaster, I believe a lawyer, but he loved the experience. They'd go to the Cape every summer. And so my buddy Jack said to me like, hey, you're interested in broadcasting. Like we're walking around the dorm one day. He's like, you should try to broadcast in the Cape league. Of course I knew what the Cape league was. I'm from Massachusetts, ⁓ but I had no idea that there was this, you know, broadcasting set up in the Cape. So I emailed, I don't know if I emailed every team, but certainly emailed a bunch of them.
Dani: Welcome back to the Codcast. your host, Dani Wexelman, and we've got a great episode on tap for you as we get you set for another season ⁓ on the Cape, for the Cape Cod. Ha ha ha ha. Baseball League this episode features two former broadcast alum Riley pay and Mike Monaco We start with Riley pay who got a call to come to Cotu it in 2022 She applied just like everybody else, but it ended up being a life-changing experience for her She got her start in college at UNLV She ended up taking online classes to finish school so that she could elevate her broadcasting career in minor league baseball It's always an honor when you get to welcome in another person who has paved the way has put in the work and is continuing to shatter ceilings not only for broadcasters but for women who will come after her and that is Riley pay who's joining us now Riley welcome to the Codcast How are you?
Mike Monaco: Just trying to see if there was an opening, if they hadn't been filled yet. And I was very fortunate to hear back from Wareham and from Tom Gay, who ran the Gaetman for many years and was just awesome. And yeah, that set forth to amazing summers and got to meet so many great people, either on the field or off the field associated with the team and around the league. So yeah, that's how it started.
Rylee Pay: I'm great, thank you for having me. I'm so excited to talk about the Cape Lake. It's one of my favorite places.
Dani: with Emma Tiedemann and the Portland Seedog. She's now with Tacoma in season two and shared just how instrumental the Cape Cod League was for her and all the people around her who have supported her throughout her career. And we also get a chance to catch up with Mike Monaco. He is one of the leading voices at ESPN. He not only calls college football, college basketball, the NHL, he does tennis, he does college baseball, one of the leading voices. Yes, we're gonna talk about the Cape. We're gonna talk about where you are now and a little bit of your journey before that. And also just what is going on in your life. Like there's so many things happening, but we should start with the Cape League. And back in 2022, I think that what people don't realize is that when you get an opportunity, whether or not you are ready, we've all been in these specific shoes. You say yes, because you never know what can happen. And if it doesn't scare you, And that's honestly a lot of great stories start that way. And you make a call, you're not a hundred percent sure. And you're probably feeling a lot of emotions. I would guess there's some adrenaline, there's nerves, there's a lot of different feelings. When you, when you finally arrive, describe the experience of actually being immersed in a place that has such rich history, rich tradition, those who have come before you and the guys who have played on the Cape. for the men's college world series in Omaha. He really is a jack of all trades. And back in 2013 and 2014, he was on the Cape calling games, wide-eyed, young, still finding his voice. He wasn't the Mike Monaco he is today, but the Cape was a huge part of him having the opportunity to learn how this works, what happens in a booth, how to call a game, how to ask great questions, and helped him become the storyteller and the broadcaster. then it's not big enough. It's not important enough in my opinion. And it feels to me like that was the case for you in 2022 when you got the call to come to Cotu'it and be a broadcaster and call games. So take me through that phone call and what the emotions are when you get an opportunity like that.
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I think it opened my eyes there to just how rich the history was. Again, I was familiar with it, but I didn't grow up spending summers on the Cape. So it's not like I was going to a lot of my own games growing up. ⁓ Again, so with the league, but ⁓ then being allowed me to really appreciate ⁓ what the was and just hearing who was on each team and all these big leaguers and these amazing careers.
Rylee Pay: Yeah, it was kind of a whirlwind. My collegiate career started out thinking I wanted to be a sports agent, started in business classes, and then quickly did the pivot after accounting and knew that I always wanted to work in sports in some form. I grew up dancing, danced through college, so that was it for me. But from there, I just figured like it's time to start internships and just fully immerse myself and get those opportunities wherever I could. So my first internship, I moved to Wisconsin Rapids in the Northwoods League for one summer and I was a
Dani: that he is today. So this episode featuring some of the voices of the Cape Cod League now on the next part of their careers. We get excited, we get to talk and start with Riley Pei. Let's go.
Mike Monaco: that were in part launched down there was really cool. So yeah, growing into a huge appreciation for it. And then, you know, every new team that we would play and trying to kind of dig into, ⁓ know, what the long time history of each opposing team was, the recent history, just the last few years, that sort of thing. I love kind of draft and prospects. So like ⁓ that of it was super exciting for me too, in the more recent past, like, ⁓ this guy was a top 10 pick and he played for born. ⁓
Rylee Pay: Marketing and MC intern there and that's kind of where my ⁓ interest in broadcast really started to develop. I shadowed our radio broadcasters there and my ⁓ intern coordinator at UNLV said when you come back, let's let's get you going in student radio and and we can kind of see what this can become. So I came back and I started doing student radio at UNLV a little bit and
Dani: So Riley spent 2022 in Cato it and now she is the lead play by play voice of the Tacoma Rainiers. That's AAA for the Seattle Mariners and she continues to not only pave the way for every young woman who comes behind her, but also for herself and all of the time and all of the hard work that she's put in to build a career that she wants for herself with a little help along the way and a lot of women who have supported her.
Mike Monaco: those types of things.
Dani: Let's go back to like a little nitty gritty to like peek inside the booth when you're figuring things out and learning how to do your prep and who these guys are. Cause it's an enormous amount of work. know, there's not necessarily a ton of information that you can gather. So like, what did that process look like for you? But was it exciting trying to figure these things out? We go to Mike Monaco now, and if you've ever turned on your TV to ESPN, you probably have heard Mike's pipes. He has one of the best voices in broadcasting, and this is somebody who has put his head down and worked so hard for every opportunity he has earned for himself. But when he got to the Cape, he didn't have the voice and he didn't know everything that he does now. The Cape just a stop on the way, but a really important one for him. Let's listen to Mike Monaco.
Rylee Pay: there, the Cape League popped up. had some friends ⁓ from Las Vegas that I grew up with in school and they were going to play in the Cape League. And they said, why don't you go and apply there and ⁓ kind of continue that trajectory. So that's where it all came about. just found ⁓ the website, like everybody does, and I went and applied and originally applied to be their sideline reporter. And ⁓ that, after they had offered me that
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I mean one of the reasons I like doing play-by-play in general not even just necessarily baseball is the storytelling aspect of it as I know you can relate to and well, thank you. Thank you as are you And that's you know, one thing I I love so like learning these players ⁓ whether it's what they were like in high school ⁓ how their college season went or What they're working on at the batting cage this summer during you know
Dani: Yeah. You're very great at. Yes, you're very great at that.
Rylee Pay: ⁓ position, they also kind of tabled something that they hadn't done before. And they wanted to know my thoughts on if I was willing to also hop on and do some play by play or color commentary, because the two broadcasters that we had that year, ⁓ Tim Crowley, Jake both of which I still stay in touch with ⁓ now, ⁓ they kind wanted another voice to break things up. And obviously my voice was going to be different than theirs for sure.
Mike Monaco: early, early work, that sort of thing. I loved all of that. So trying to get to know these guys and get to know our staff and tell those stories was really cool. I remember one thing we did that we as kind of broadcasters for the team pushed for was at the beginning of the season, either I forget when we did it, like maybe a day or two, like before our first game, because guys are showing up whenever after their college season ends We pushed for trying to get time.
Dani: Ha
Rylee Pay: ⁓ And so just something that they kind of tabled, Leah Rithpath just said, we want you to just hop on and kind of create like that extra conversation, ⁓ maybe some humor and just kind of bring it all together and see what this can be. ⁓ And so with that, I knew I was gonna be likely doing some play by play, but it was more so that color commentary at first. ⁓ So continue to just really teach myself every way that I could.
Mike Monaco: with every player on the team and they would come up to the broadcast booth at Spillane Field, home of the Gaetman, and we would sit down in the booth with them for, I forget what it was, maybe we tried for 10 minutes with every player. you and I have done this in Omaha at the Men's College World Series, ⁓ deal, just trying to, yeah, run these guys through a car wash, learn a little bit about them. Because like, especially, and now I'm aging myself, but especially, you know, 12 years ago or whatever it was.
Dani: The car wash.
Rylee Pay: And then with that, of course, once you get to the Cape, you're immersed with all of talent on the field with the broadcasters, everybody that is coming out ⁓ to be there for the summer.
Mike Monaco: There's not like that much coverage sometimes about all these players throughout their college season. And we have so many more resources now that do cover the game. And there were plenty great ones back then, but like there's not always this like treasure trove of information on certain players, especially if some of the guys are coming from smaller schools and those are some of the great stories that emerge on the Cape. That time was really valuable. And like I can remember sitting with, you know, guys who are in
Rylee Pay: And ⁓ I'll never forget, ⁓ I was ⁓ doing the games like we had planned and then all of a sudden, day my broadcast turned to a ⁓ game two of a doubleheader in Orleans. And they said, why don't you take the next ⁓ two innings of play play? And ⁓ if anybody has ever done play by play, know that ⁓ that's.
Mike Monaco: currently big leaguers. Like I remember sitting up there with Anthony Kay, a left handed pitcher, was a big time draft pick out of Yukon. And I Anthony had just finished like his freshman season at Yukon. And like, all right, like, let's get to know each other. Let's learn what pitches you throw. Like, let's learn how your ⁓ season went. So so much cool stuff like that, that that, ⁓ yeah, helped with storytelling and then standing on the field like during batting practice, that was really big for me.
Rylee Pay: terrifying because you want to be absolutely prepared in every single way that you can. And so it was trial by fire is what I always say. After that experience, I remember sitting there and thinking I can do that ⁓ so better and I want to keep ⁓ getting at it. So really, I think it was the challenge that hooked me where ⁓ after that first time was like, I know I can do this and I just to continue to conquer it.
Mike Monaco: ⁓ every day, like literally every day, just standing at the cage when we had a home game just being a fly on the wall, respectfully, and then like picking your spots, whether that's to ask a player or something, ⁓ more ⁓ like had a great relationship with our manager, Cooper Ferris, and ⁓ know, he's a kind of a quiet guy at the time, but we would these little moments where I'd just say, hey, like, what were you working on with this guy? Like he was a hitting guru.
Dani: there's a lot of things I want to get into and directions I want to go because it is such an incredible path and journey that's so unique to you and isn't duplicated. You can't duplicate what you've done. ⁓ the fact that you made the most of ⁓ of these stops and all of the opportunities right even if you weren't ready for them, you you came a far way. ⁓ had the experience of going really far away from home ⁓ one of my first jobs after school. ⁓ I didn't know anybody and
Mike Monaco: And he taught me so much about hitting. So like that was a real special relationship for me and a really cool way ⁓ get a sense of what these players were working on during the course of a summer.
Dani: I didn't know the city. was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and it you're there's a lot going on and you're trying to do a really good job. How did the people around you make sure that you felt at least a little bit at home or that you had a second family there? Yeah, I think that the inside baseball you're talking about are things that people never see. They don't they'll never see those moments that that allow you to bring the story to life or the moment to life, right? Like context is so important. But I always think about storytelling in layers and being able to just add one more note or have something that you wouldn't be able to find on the internet. It's just something that it's that extra work that you're talking about. I think that you go the extra mile and you take pride in for your
Rylee Pay: Yeah. truly some of the best people and I stay in touch with them all the time. think summer ball is such a unique experience for a lot of reasons, but the people being one of them. So we were living with host families. It was the first year that we were also with host families as interns. So I was with another gal who was our social media intern at the time and I still stay in touch with her too all the time. We plan trips in the off season to come and see each other. She's with the Texas Rangers and their events department. And so
Dani: storytelling. So like your memory bank is amazing and your recollection and the way that you detail stories is one of the best in the game. And you can't don't throw back a compliment because I'm making I'm going to make you blush for a second because I got to be on the field for games in Omaha and for ACC baseball and whatnot and listen to you tell stories and weave things in and out. So, you know, there had to have been a moment throughout your two years on the Cape. Maybe it was something you didn't expect to happen or was a memory.
Rylee Pay: We coordinate throughout season to ⁓ touch base And ⁓ with that, I think the people that are coordinating these internships on the Cape are really mindful and excited for you and want to help you take that next step and get that experience ⁓ in the process. But also, you said, moving far away from home, I'm from Las Vegas, born and raised. And so that's a long flight up to Massachusetts. So it was ⁓ one of those things where
Dani: or a story that was maybe more touching than another? What do you have in that regard?
Mike Monaco: Well, yeah, okay, I won't throw anything back at you, but I really appreciate that. Thank you. I don't know if it's true, but thank you. ⁓ So I guess the most like like, wow, this says a lot about a player story that I have ⁓ Kyle Schwaber. So my first year was 2013, as you said, ⁓ and year before, Wareham had won the title.
Dani: Don't do it. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Thank Ha ha!
Rylee Pay: It's really, it takes a village and village of Catoot really is all of those things. It is just great people that really care about ⁓ the the baseball there, ⁓ and people that are coming there for the summer. So ⁓ they me ⁓ feel acclimated early on and just get settled for success to enjoy summer there.
Mike Monaco: And Kyle Schorber was on that team in 2012, the year that preceded first year. And then he goes back to Indiana. He has an awesome season in Indiana. He's going to be a top 10 draft pick. I think he ended up going fourth overall. And he's to play for Team USA, which is something that a lot of these Cape League players, most of our listeners might know this.
Dani: I feel like there's a uniqueness and a magic to the Cape and to the village and the people who are there and people who come to watch those games. But you mentioned the host families, which is one of coolest things I think that exists in sports are people who are just so giving ⁓ loving and want to make it easier for you. Like, again, you picked up your life ⁓ move to a place for an opportunity, ⁓ knowing where it would take you. ⁓ the
Mike Monaco: You know, some of the best players are dealing with that. Like I'm going to Team USA. Okay, do I still come to the Cape for some amount of time? For no amount of time? How does that work? So, Kops Schwerber had played with Team USA and by the time that was over, Wareham was out of it. We were so far out of it during that 2013 season. And yet he still came to the Cape. For I forget what it was. Maybe the last five games of the season, something to that effect.
Dani: magic of the summer and the magic of, you know, the guys who are coming to the Cape are some of the best of the best. At what point did you have a chance to kind of stop and say, Whoa, this is so cool.
Rylee Pay: Yeah, I think especially now you see it in the minor leagues where I'm interacting and encountering a lot of them throughout the way. So I'll see them in AA where I was for the last couple years and then now in AAA, a lot of the guys that were with the the Kets my summer are now in the big leagues or in AAA or right there and can have kind of continued on around that same pace. So I see guys like Ryan Ritter that has been in the PCL for the last couple years and
Mike Monaco: And the first game he came to, we were playing at YD, at Yarmouth Dennis. I believe it was a game tying home run that he hit in his first game back, like fresh off a plane, late in the game. And I remember asking him after the game, like, ⁓ did you come back? And he was like, he at me like I was crazy. Like, of course I would come back. Like, ⁓ this means a ton to me. Like what we did last summer. And he said, like, what Cooper Ferris as a hitting guru has done for my swing, again, that's going to help Kyle Schwarber be a top five overall pick. Like, I'd be crazy not to come back here and like have this experience, honor my word receive the coaching from that sort of coaching staff. And I just think that has stuck with me over time. Like it says so much about the Cape and how special it is, but it really says so much about Kyle Schwarber and person and the teammate he is. So ⁓ that has always stuck with me.
Rylee Pay: now with Colorado and you see Harrison Cohen who just through falling too. just, it's such a small world that it's been cool to ⁓ of see them again. And it's always one of my favorite things that a talking point that you can bring up. And it like that is the best icebreaker because everybody knows the Cape and everybody loves the Cape. it's fun to have those experiences. And I think ⁓ now I'm just with everybody that's in the major leagues and how they've continued on in their careers. think is the time where you really sit and think, ⁓ this is really cool that we were all kind of starting out at the same spot and look at where everybody is now. But ⁓ the time being, it was equally as exciting. You see so much talent on the field every single day. you're seeing, especially even before the draft, and everybody sits down in July, watches the draft. ⁓
Mike Monaco: I'm probably a little bit foggy right off the cuff on some of the details, but it was YD, I'll never forget that, like sun setting out there and you're racing against the clock on a field that doesn't have lights and Schwaber does Kyle Schwaber things.
Dani: No, that's great. I love stories like that. Yeah. I think it speaks to the magic. Like every time I think about this place or the people that have come through or the stories that you hear, it just feels magical to me. And I was telling Peter Gamans, I think it's so impressive and important that the Cape League has sustained while baseball's evolved a lot and changed a lot. And so has the technology. And, you know, these guys have trajectory machines all over the place and force plates and advanced analytics. But the Cape is pure.
Rylee Pay: sees where everybody goes and we're all just excited to see ⁓ kind of how all of it unfolds. So ⁓ there's so many moments during the summer and it goes by fast, then and then especially now it's really cool to have those moments.
Dani: Yeah, I think you kind of get a real taste of what it takes to quote unquote, make it or get the chance to make it right. Your, your path is very parallel to minor leaguers and to guys who want to make it. You are working your way up and you're going through the same kind of grind, especially now with Tacoma, but just the long days and, and there's a lot of things you don't control throughout your day and you still have to be on and you still have to deliver very similar to those guys. But I want to, I want to take a little reflection back. So UNLV.
Rylee Pay: Right.
Dani: The Cape is the exact story that you're telling is that Kyle Schorber knew how special it was, important it was to have that relationship and came back. so magic comes up for me. Like when you were in it, did you feel it or did it take leaving and doing other jobs to realize the specialness of it?
Mike Monaco: No, I think I felt it while I was there. Like, you know, like how cool is it to spend your summer on the Cape and you know, you're driving through the Cape to get to Chatham and you're like, wow, this is like quintessential New England, quintessential Cape Cod. Like this is what I picture the Cape Cod League being like. And then yeah, like in terms of the talent, like you're recognizing it in real time too. Like, like you knew in the moment, Kaush Hauber is gonna be a big time draft pick and is gonna be a big leaguer.
Dani: You go to Kitu it. You also have the opportunity to work with Emma Tiedemann and the Portland Seedogs. I've heard you talking about seeing Melanie Newman and understanding that women can call a game and that it wasn't any different to you. That's the opposite of my experience and that I didn't see women doing it. I didn't know that that was something that I could do. I would have, you know, asked my high school baseball coach to do that back in St. Louis. But I'm curious how Kitu it Okay. I
Mike Monaco: you know, stuff like that. So yeah, ⁓ think you've realized how special it is ⁓ ⁓ nice people. again, our players and our coaching staff, but then like ⁓ people off the field, like people volunteering to be a part of the Wareham-Gateman and how much it means to them ⁓ people who were host families or were ⁓ internship coordinator or who did the 50-50 raffle and truly like lifelong friends of mine, like ⁓ whose weddings I go to. ⁓
Dani: shape your voice because I know finding your voice ⁓ something we all kind of still work through as we grow and maybe we never stop learning but how did it shape your voice at that stop?
Rylee Pay: That's a great question. it's so many ways. think just the belief early on was something that went a long way. knowing now, ⁓ like said, that it's, it's a small group, that there's not a ton of women that are doing it, back then. And even still the situations that I've been in, the coaching staffs and the players that I've been around, it never felt abnormal to me. And I think that was a big thing that could do it.
Mike Monaco: It's just really cool. Yeah, felt how special it was for sure in the moment.
Dani: Okay, I'm glad you went down that road because I do think there is there's this air of mystery, but ⁓ are so many parts. that don't get seen or talked about because they're not the superstar player or the broadcaster, right? It is the people in the background who are the most important people and they make it go and the fans make it go and the families, but the volunteers as well. Like, what would you tell people who haven't been there to see it what that experience is like with all of those incredible people?
Rylee Pay: really bred early on was just that there wasn't really anything abnormal about it. That ⁓ there was no situation where I was treated differently or approached differently. And I think ⁓ went ⁓ a long way, just having that in the back of my mind and that kind of foundation going forward, because it just instilled that confidence and ⁓ belief in that I knew that
Mike Monaco: Yeah, it's just people who pour their heart into something that they love and are asking for very little or nothing in return. And they're like stewards of the league in a way historians of the league too and of baseball. And just really kind of people who ⁓ yeah, are their time and energy and resources to make it ⁓ a special for an 18 or 19 or 20 year old. And then yeah,
Rylee Pay: there was a place for me in the game for lack a better way to explain it, but it's truly how it was. So I think just the people around there that really ⁓ believed in early on and ⁓ kind of something ⁓ in myself I originally didn't see. I grew up watching the Orioles like I ⁓ talked about and ⁓ I remember watching the summer prior when I was in Wisconsin when she made her debut and that was.
Mike Monaco: you meet amazing people. Like there were interns in my sort of, you know, intern class, I guess if you would call it that, who like have gone on to be major league scouts or have gone on to be broadcasters doing other things. And then plenty of people who not go into that and who are lawyers now that I know not having anything to do ⁓ sports. So yeah, it's a really special place and it's fun staying in touch with people there. I ⁓ haven't back to a game in a few years, but
Rylee Pay: So cool for me because growing up watching these games, it was like, wow, that's awesome. Just one of those cool moments. And so for me, I think I never really thought that it was abnormal. But at the same point, it was one of those things where I think just having that foundation of people that believed in you made it feel like it wasn't something that was out of the ordinary. And I think that is.
Dani: You
Mike Monaco: would always try to go in my downtime in the summer, if, you know, like a minor league baseball schedule aligned where we had an all-star break and I could sneak back. I'm very grateful. were... ⁓
Rylee Pay: help me now, especially in the minor leagues, ⁓ just navigate the day to day. And like you said, the long season, there's a lot that goes into it and moving away from family and just those ⁓ things behind the scenes that a lot of people don't realize are a huge factor in it and adapting to ⁓ just the way of the lifestyle. It's really untraditional and in a lot of ways it kind of pushes you for sure mentally some days more than others. And so having those people that
Dani: I like that you talk about downtime, all that downtime you've got in your busy schedule, my friend. mean, that truly like I know that you would and I know that you have, but I think to like the schedule that you've got, are, I mean, you're working, you're prepping, you're flying. Like you have so much going on. It's Really. We're going to talk about that in a second, but ⁓ I want to ask you, what, what did you learn? What's the biggest thing you learned?
Rylee Pay: saw something in me early on and believed in me to kind of take this challenge and run with it, I think was huge.
Dani: from your time, maybe as a broadcaster and then also just as someone who loves the sport. What did you learn? But you mentioned that there were so many people supporting you on the Cape ⁓ and the of the people that are out there are men. ⁓ I have such male allies in my life. Is there somebody who ⁓ went above beyond or maybe it was a coach or a player who ⁓ told asked a great question or you had a great call or ⁓ like they're glad that ⁓ you're there that just made you feel even more just
Mike Monaco: think the biggest thing for me was just learning how to do baseball every single day. So from a broadcasting perspective, you need different material. If you're doing 44 games in, I forget what it was, maybe 49 or 53 days ⁓ that time, you have to bring different stuff to the table. And for in the really bolt seasons, the team's record wasn't great, so even more so. And no disrespect, had.
Dani: and that you belonged there.
Rylee Pay: Honestly, there are so many. think going back to the Cape League, my internship partners, my broadcast team, Jake Sar, Tim Crowley, those were two guys that were vouching for me and wanted me to get that experience. ⁓ Will another one too, who is the ⁓ liaison summer would kind of help me ⁓ continue to out ways that I could frame questions or ⁓ ask a question or ⁓ maybe this is something that I didn't see, but this is.
Mike Monaco: awesome, talented players, like it just didn't happen for whatever reason. But that helped me learn how to like do the craft even more so. Like if you're not doing a super close, thrilling walk off game every day, okay, like what other ways can you make this interesting and compelling and how can you serve these players whose family members are your listeners and your viewers and how can you do right by them? I think that's probably what I learned in a lot of ways and the relational aspect of, you know,
Rylee Pay: something that you could kind of run with. so having his eyes too, from that standpoint of the analytics and the data and what he saw was really, really beneficial and something that's still helpful to me now, just kind of reframing your mindset. And then to go even further from that in my time in the minor leagues, it was huge getting to work with Emma and ⁓ Epperson, who's the manager for the last couple of years in Portland, having her there, he is ⁓ awesome. ⁓ another who...
Mike Monaco: doing right by players and talking to players and learning what their experiences have been and what they're working on, like I said earlier, and that I think served me well in professional baseball, ⁓ when I then kind of transitioned immediately to minor league baseball because it was very similar. And then not for nothing, like you have relationships that will last you throughout baseball. Like I mentioned guys like Anthony Kay, who like ⁓ I've to on the field at Wrigley Field before Red Sox Cubs or
Rylee Pay: It was never ever abnormal and that's exactly how she she told me it would be too that it's just business as usual. I'm a part of the staff and just the same way as everybody else that's there. And so he was awesome and always ⁓ gracious his time. And then now fast forward to here where I am in Tacoma, John Russell, ⁓ who's been the last couple of years as well. An awesome, awesome to lead this group and very traditional comes with a wealth of
Mike Monaco: Jason Richmond, who was a pitcher on our team and is now the director of pitching at Georgia Tech. It's one of the best college baseball teams in the country. like, I've covered them in the regular season and been able to catch up with him after all these years. And we might end up seeing them in Omaha this year. So I think then just the relationship aspect of it has been great too.
Dani: Yeah Yeah, love to hear that. I think like I think back to some of my early baseball experiences and interning and ⁓ not that I was surprised, but I you know, you don't always know what the experience is going to be like. And you don't always know the people who will be there. I feel like the people ⁓ elevate the experience to levels that you can't predict. Who are some of the people around you that you got to work with Anybody that still in your close circle of work? I know you're
Rylee Pay: knowledge baseball wise and so I get to pick his brain every Sunday I get to sit down with him and do our interview pregame and he's gracious with his time to just explain things to me and give me great insight that helps me with my broadcast now and and beyond and there was a time last year that I thought was really fun it was one of our walk-offs in Tacoma ⁓ and was still fairly early on in this season ⁓ our bench coach here Eric Ferris
Dani: still connected to so many people in your personal relationships but anybody work wise?
Rylee Pay: Lots of energy. He's awesome. He's been in the Seattle system for a long time. And I remember at we were standing around and he's like, that was a pretty good call last night. He's like, do you ever like go back and listen to those things? Like that was pretty electric. I liked that one. He's like, what do you think about? Like, how do you, ⁓ then started to, we just talked about it. Like, what are you, do you listen to him back or like what are, what's your process? And so it was really nice of him
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I mean, like I said, great, great friends. I'm trying to think of other people like in in Major League Baseball or different sports that I come across. Like my second year, our sideline reporter was a good friend of mine named Megan O'Brien, and she's done a number of things in broadcasting. Currently is ⁓ of the lead broadcasters for ⁓ So like she's everywhere when it comes to wrestling. And she was like a, you know, traditional like
Rylee Pay: So there are so many people and I've been fortunate. I know ⁓ that there ⁓ are some awesome people the game I've been lucky to ⁓ encounter a lot of them that are ⁓ super easy going about it and ⁓ ⁓ super gracious with their time to explain and then also just pick their brain.
Mike Monaco: huge baseball fan football and basketball and has her career has taken her into that which she loves. So that was cool. Like that was our broadcast team ⁓ of it my second summer along Sean Malone, my second summer, my buddy Austin Pollock, my first summer, Hilary Bushway, our first summer was our sideline reporter, ⁓ just people. So yeah, like people like that stand out. There's yeah.
Dani: Yeah, I think that it's something we we probably don't get the time to talk about enough because there's so many other things to talk about when we we we get together and you know, we get to share stories like this, but like the the people who raise you up or give you that confidence when you haven't made it or you haven't had all of the reps and the experience that maybe you would want, but they give you those little fist bumps and those little like positive affirmations that really do change the trajectory, I think of the direction you're
Rylee Pay: Right.
Mike Monaco: really cool to see where it has taken people. ⁓ of the announcers for a different team in the league at the time was a guy named Sam Levitt, and Sam's a buddy of mine who does the San Diego Padres ⁓ and one of their radio broadcasters and pre post game hosts. His partner Kevin Fitzgerald, who's one of our colleagues at ESPN. There's ⁓ plenty people I'm forgetting too, before, during, and after my time, but ⁓ there's a long
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Dani: Yeah. going and when people who are in the game, because I think people know this, but in baseball, they're not giving out compliments to give them out for free. Like no one's blowing smoke because nobody needs that. You don't need anything sugar coated. And so for them to do that and lift you up, like I, get like a little emotional, not really like a crier. I almost never cry, but hearing that there are so many people who did that for you. And that side does exist. And Emma Tiedemann in particular, let's, let's
Rylee Pay: Right. Right. No.
Dani: The the space that you take up ⁓ is so earned right every every move that you've Accumulated in every place that you've gone like you start with the cape I know you did other things too, but that feels like a really important note in the resume and you know big 10 network ⁓ you're doing baseball ⁓ add hockey you've got college football college basketball ⁓ have tennis that you add like you've ⁓ just been able to be ⁓ this variety guy
Rylee Pay: Yeah, yeah.
Dani: into Emma for a quick second. I know how impactful that she's been for you. She's been covering baseball for a very long time, calling games for a decade. She's been with the Portland Seedogs. She got called up with the Boston Red Sox. Like she has debuted in that way. And she she has made it so welcoming for women, for anybody who wants to come through. And it's a unique quality because there aren't as many seats at the table. And often we are making our own seats. because you've got great pipes, you do your homework, you're a great human, people want to work with you, and you're just, kind of doing it all right now, but I'm curious if it is special to you, and I know the answer is yes, but maybe the better question is why is it special to be a part of, because it is an exclusive group of people who get to broadcast Cape Cod baseball. Why is that special to be a part of such a small group? or we hope that somebody helps us pull up the chair right to the table. And it sounds to me and it seems to me, everybody that I talk to says that Emma Tiedemann is always pulling up the chair and saying, sit right next to me, let's do this thing. What was that experience like working with her?
Mike Monaco: The history of it, the fact that I love baseball. Like, yes, to your point, I'm ⁓ in different sports at ESPN, but like I've always ⁓ baseball and been a baseball guy. And then the fact that like, you know, Tom Gay and everyone else with Wareham gave me a chance. Like ⁓ my that whatever I sent them, like if I even had a tape at that point was not good. And like my broadcasting, especially my first year on the Cape.
Dani: Yeah.
Rylee Pay: She's the best and I know people say that but truly like she is the best. Just one of those people that I'm so fortunate to have learned from in that capacity. think going into it, ⁓ was I saw that job pop up to be assistant, I was just excited to do anything that I could to get out there and just learn from her. think when you have that.
Dani: Hahaha Yeah.
Mike Monaco: was also not good. Like I was whispering, I tell this story all the time, but like, I wasn't like super confident in being a broadcaster. Like I kind of stumbled into it, like I said in college. So it's not like I was, you know, this kid who went to Syracuse, and there are so many great broadcasters who've gone to Syracuse and all the credit to people who know they want to do that with their career when they're in high school or middle school. That was not me. So like, I was really learning this all as I went.
Rylee Pay: kind of situation where it's an opportunity to go and learn from somebody that sounds like you. It's not something that you're gonna have all the time, you know? So that was the thing for me. Maine, again, nowhere near Las Vegas, but I was like, you know what, I'm gonna make it happen and I have to go. And so that was it for me. I needed to just learn from her and she is 100%, like you said, just takes you under your wing and such a patient teacher too, especially. I was still in the midst of graduating from college at the time. finished school online so I can move out there and be her assistant. so just ⁓ first taste of minor league baseball and professional baseball, she was so patient to explain things and kind of just show everything. The ins and outs, the ⁓ life of minor leagues and all of it. And still ⁓ even to day, her and her husband, ⁓ Jesse Scaglione he's the GM there. They're just awesome people that
Mike Monaco: and was like, yeah, like you're broadcasting very often outside, like right behind home plate. I didn't want to be like yelling on like a great play by the shortstop. So I was like nervous and kind of quiet and kind of reserved and like this guy, Sam Levitt, mentioned, he was like, dude, you like whispered when you were on the Cape. ⁓ So anyway, all the more reason to say like, I'm very appreciative ⁓ I was afforded the chance to learn and quite literally find my voice there.
Dani: Yeah you
Rylee Pay: like we talked about earlier, take you under their wing, So many fun experiences Emma.
Mike Monaco: And not that I was a finished product by the time I left or that I am now, but like ⁓ I got the chance to grow ⁓ ⁓ not be good, but to be learning, you know, just like a player who might go there and struggle, but like gets an amazing experience out of it ⁓ ⁓ that back to college and maybe has a great year and ends up getting drafted and like, Hey, maybe the results weren't there on the Cape. But paid off, you know, over time and ⁓ helped part of your, your evolution. and improvement. So that's why it's special to me.
Dani: I so appreciate by the way, you're always honest sharing and ⁓ the same in that I didn't grow up thinking I'd have a microphone in my hand ⁓ that this would be the path. Like it really was ⁓ storytelling, but ⁓ appreciate you sharing that because I think people need to know it's okay if you don't know it right away ⁓ that you can put the work in to be great and to be one of the greats. You know, it doesn't have to be that you knew the whole time ⁓ I think it's I just think it's important to know those stories and that's my story too. So I always appreciate you sharing those things and being able to reflect a little bit on, you know, what those opportunities gave you and that it wasn't sunshine and rainbows. Like this was really a learning experience and I bet you were uncomfortable some of the times and you had to push through that and figure some things out. So, you know, there've been there've been a lot of people who have come after you now. And, you know, I was just saying, like 100 plus years in there's definitely 100 more to go. And more after that. But what what's your hope for the league? Let's start there. What's your hope for the Cape League?
Mike Monaco: Good question. I haven't really thought of that. I would just say that they can continue in the ever-changing world of technology to preserve what, for 100 plus years, people have loved about it, and that it can maintain that purity. And I know it will, but maintain the purity of baseball that everyone loves. that, yeah, in an ever-changing world where people have the chance to go to Team USA and do whatever else and we got the transfer portal in the summer and all that. That like it is still a destination and I know it is and I know it always will be and that's so comforting. But yeah, that it always can be that place and that can be the launching pad for whoever it is, someone who wants to be a general manager someday or ⁓ the great sideline reporter or the next great play by play announcer, whatever it is. Yeah.
Rylee Pay: she ⁓ is so willing and ⁓ wanting to help the next ⁓ generation of broadcasters, whoever that is, ⁓ and to get to have the opportunity to call games with somebody who sounds like you is that ⁓ I'll forever grateful for.
Mike Monaco: that it can kind of continue to do that as the rest of the sport and world evolves around it.
Dani: Okay, and last one would be your advice to those who maybe haven't found their voice yet, but want that experience What would your advice be to them? Yeah, it doesn't work unless there's somebody like an Emma and ⁓ also she's a mom now too, which is ⁓ doubly as to me. I truly ⁓ can't even I have so many friends who are at the major league level or friends who are in other sports who are moms too. And ⁓ I truly know how they do it. They are super women. They are angels on this earth to be able to do both of these jobs because to your point, you just want to do the job. I think that
Rylee Pay: Yes.
Mike Monaco: Well, a couple of things, give yourself some grace. Like, you don't need to be a finished product when you're 20. I certainly wasn't. You don't even have to know what you want to do at that age. I say that to college students all the time. Like, it's okay to not know. Like, even if you're about to graduate, you know, if you do know, great, go for it. And then just work really hard at trying to get better, you know, knowing that you're not a finished product. That's fine. Like I said.
Dani: We want to show up and we want to do it often. I forget I forget I'm a woman doing the job I just am going to work and I love it so much and I feel so passionate about getting to do this and I forget those things and we just want to be there and exist like everybody else like while we have this time This is what we've decided to do with it. And by the way Like dream chasing is expensive and that's the that's the other layer that doesn't get talked about a lot to your point You left home you
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Mike Monaco: But work really hard at trying to get better. Like listen back, if you're a broadcaster on the Cape, listen back to your games afterward or whatever amount you can. I was commuting from my hometown of Cohasset, Massachusetts to the Cape every day. So I would either listen to part of my game the next day driving down from the night before. And then the night of driving back after games, I would listen to the Red Sox and I would listen to Dave O'Brien and Jocasta Gleone. And I've told both of them that like.
Rylee Pay: Yes.
Dani: very far away, essentially across the country. And you've, I'm sure spent a lot of money and a lot of time. Time is money. Time is valuable. late nights, early mornings, like just scrambling to do the job and to do it to the best of your ability. So.
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Mike Monaco: That for me was again like, okay, like they're using these verbs and this is how they're describing a pitch. And Dave always says swing and or swung on, you know, like he's never missing a step. Like he is painting every picture of it. So like, yeah, ⁓ a great time. And there's also so much fun stuff to do on the Cape and make sure you do that too. But like really try to get better every game. Cause it is a great chance and it's gonna go by fast. Like the summer.
Dani: Emma is a necessary piece to this. want to touch on Melanie really quick to one of my dearest friends for her to debut with the Orioles. She had paid her dues in the minor leagues ⁓ well, put her head down and worked ⁓ then got the opportunity with Baltimore to come up and show, know, Susan Waldman is really like the godmother. I think of everybody here ⁓ the side of ⁓ major league games with the New York Yankees. But ⁓ I know she's important to Melanie. Why was Melanie important to you? ⁓
Mike Monaco: does go by fast, you know, it's two months, at least it was our schedule at the time. So make the most of it.
Dani: You're so wonderful. Thank you for giving us so much time and sharing all these great stories and wisdom and insight. It means a lot.
Rylee Pay: I think just of those things where ⁓ if can see it, ⁓ you be it. Like one of those those quotes that really is true where just growing up watching the Orioles, my dad is from that area. so that's what was was the Orioles games. And so that was just something that was fun for me. I love to just go to games ⁓ when I was And so then when you see a woman who's calling the game and
Mike Monaco: My pleasure, Danny. Thanks for having me. It's a special place. I hope everyone has an awesome season. yeah, you're a wonderful person to bring these stories to life for everyone.
Rylee Pay: kind of taking on this role, was one of those things that was just super cool to see because like you said, like I have never approached it in the sense of like it was super weird for me to enjoy baseball or anything like that because I just love the game, you know? And so I think when you see that it's just happening, it's something that doesn't make it feel all that abnormal. And I think it's so good to have role models ⁓ in any profession or anything.
Dani: Yeah.
Rylee Pay: Just people that you can see that have done ⁓ things that you want to do because then you know that it's possible ⁓ and ⁓ even if it hasn't ⁓ done yet that it's something that ⁓ is definitely within reach. I got a chance to meet Melanie too when I was with Emma. We were up at ⁓ Fenway a couple seasons ago when I was with Emma prior to that game and she was just so kind and definitely even from afar. I remember seeing like ⁓ her Instagram one day of her score book. and I loved like the template of her scorebook. And so I messaged her and just asked like if she wouldn't mind like sharing her template or anything. ⁓ she sent Emma the PDF Like just so nice, you know, like it's such a small, small community. And so those little things that people kind of go out of their way to be kind and ⁓ be welcoming, I think goes along.
Dani: Yeah. Yeah, I love it. I love it. You nailed it and Mel is a one of one. So is Emma. I want to go back real quick to the experience because you're with Tacoma now and you are continuing to work your way up. This is your second season
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Dani: with them. the Cape's been around for 100 plus years. For you to have had that experience, you know, just before that 100 year mark in 2022, and to now be where you are. What is your hope? for, you you're talking about women who have been there and done that and are still climbing, right? Still, you talk to either of those women, they wouldn't tell you that they're settled in there, they're great, like they're still climbing and pushing for more in their careers.
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Dani: What's your hope for the next group of women who ready to shove the door down and are ready to ⁓ themselves and be able to be a voice because it's such a privilege to be a voice ⁓ a team. It's the ultimate privilege to get to be that soundtrack ⁓ the summer. What's your hope for that next group of women coming through and hopefully coming to the Cape to do it?
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think just knowing that there's ⁓ place for you and knowing that it's % if ⁓ it's something that really want and you're willing to work for, then absolutely there's way to do it. think, I hope that it's at some point as publicized as is always and that people have to like that not be the leading headline. ⁓ know, like when there's a new job of ⁓ woman to do this, first one to do that. I'm just hopeful for the day. I know Emma's talked about this too, where that's not the leading headline. And it's just that ⁓ get to go in and call a game at Fenway on a Tuesday I just hope that
Dani: Sure.
Rylee Pay: There are women who have similar experiences that I have. The girls that are coming up that also to chase this dream, that they are fortunate to kind encounter those people that build you up and ⁓ make it feel like it's something normal. Because it definitely is and definitely ⁓ will be in the future. So I'm hopeful that there's that experience where people feel. ⁓ like they have that support coming into baseball because it's such a special community ⁓ it's really a dream job and getting to watch baseball every single and ⁓ being around for the long season getting to experience these stories is super So I'm excited for ⁓ whoever ⁓ will come in the future, my or ⁓ whatever other positions they're hoping to get.
Dani: Well, we are great steward of the game. And I know that the Cape Cod League was a place that kind of elevated you and also made you feel like you could do it. And that's why we wanted to have a chance to catch up with you, but also because you have put in the work and the time and you're still you're still doing that. And I know how much how much work it takes and the time and the energy to do it. So I hope you feel all the love and support. And I'm so thankful that we had a chance to talk to you. and you're so gracious with your time to us here. So thank you so much.
Rylee Pay: Thank you, I appreciate you having me. It was great to chat.
Mike Monaco: Danny, my pleasure. I'm not sure us broadcasters hold a candle to the players and coaches and managers you mentioned, ⁓ but I know I speak for many of us. We are very grateful for what the Cape League afforded us at the time and continues to. So yes, very happy to join you and talk all things Cape and whatever else.
Dani: we'll catch you next time ⁓ on the Codcast. Yeah, we have a lot to dive into, but I want to go back all the way back, like a decade plus when you were in the Cape League and you're calling games. We're talking about 13 and 14 and you're just a young guy getting your start and finding your voice, I bet. And figuring out your style. How did you, how did you get to the Cape League to call games to begin with? Like, let's just start there.
Mike Monaco: First of all, feels like you're calling me old. We'll take it. ⁓ And no, no, in all seriousness. So I was in college at Notre Dame and I had kind of stumbled into broadcasting during my sophomore year and started to figure out that that's what I wanted to do. ⁓ one of my best friends, kid Jack Vizzino, his brother ⁓ Vizzino had done broadcasting for Falmouth in the Cape League. And Jay now not.
Dani: Ha ha ha ha!
Mike Monaco: a broadcaster, I believe a lawyer, but he loved the experience. They'd go to the Cape every summer. And so my buddy Jack said to me like, hey, you're interested in broadcasting. Like we're walking around the dorm one day. He's like, you should try to broadcast in the Cape league. Of course I knew what the Cape league was. I'm from Massachusetts, ⁓ but I had no idea that there was this, you know, broadcasting set up in the Cape. So I emailed, I don't know if I emailed every team, but certainly emailed a bunch of them.
Dani: Welcome back to the Codcast. your host, Dani Wexelman, and we've got a great episode on tap for you as we get you set for another season ⁓ on the Cape, for the Cape Cod. Ha ha ha ha. Baseball League this episode features two former broadcast alum Riley pay and Mike Monaco We start with Riley pay who got a call to come to Cotu it in 2022 She applied just like everybody else, but it ended up being a life-changing experience for her She got her start in college at UNLV She ended up taking online classes to finish school so that she could elevate her broadcasting career in minor league baseball It's always an honor when you get to welcome in another person who has paved the way has put in the work and is continuing to shatter ceilings not only for broadcasters but for women who will come after her and that is Riley pay who's joining us now Riley welcome to the Codcast How are you?
Mike Monaco: Just trying to see if there was an opening, if they hadn't been filled yet. And I was very fortunate to hear back from Wareham and from Tom Gay, who ran the Gaetman for many years and was just awesome. And yeah, that set forth to amazing summers and got to meet so many great people, either on the field or off the field associated with the team and around the league. So yeah, that's how it started.
Rylee Pay: I'm great, thank you for having me. I'm so excited to talk about the Cape Lake. It's one of my favorite places.
Dani: with Emma Tiedemann and the Portland Seedog. She's now with Tacoma in season two and shared just how instrumental the Cape Cod League was for her and all the people around her who have supported her throughout her career. And we also get a chance to catch up with Mike Monaco. He is one of the leading voices at ESPN. He not only calls college football, college basketball, the NHL, he does tennis, he does college baseball, one of the leading voices. Yes, we're gonna talk about the Cape. We're gonna talk about where you are now and a little bit of your journey before that. And also just what is going on in your life. Like there's so many things happening, but we should start with the Cape League. And back in 2022, I think that what people don't realize is that when you get an opportunity, whether or not you are ready, we've all been in these specific shoes. You say yes, because you never know what can happen. And if it doesn't scare you, And that's honestly a lot of great stories start that way. And you make a call, you're not a hundred percent sure. And you're probably feeling a lot of emotions. I would guess there's some adrenaline, there's nerves, there's a lot of different feelings. When you, when you finally arrive, describe the experience of actually being immersed in a place that has such rich history, rich tradition, those who have come before you and the guys who have played on the Cape. for the men's college world series in Omaha. He really is a jack of all trades. And back in 2013 and 2014, he was on the Cape calling games, wide-eyed, young, still finding his voice. He wasn't the Mike Monaco he is today, but the Cape was a huge part of him having the opportunity to learn how this works, what happens in a booth, how to call a game, how to ask great questions, and helped him become the storyteller and the broadcaster. then it's not big enough. It's not important enough in my opinion. And it feels to me like that was the case for you in 2022 when you got the call to come to Cotu'it and be a broadcaster and call games. So take me through that phone call and what the emotions are when you get an opportunity like that.
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I think it opened my eyes there to just how rich the history was. Again, I was familiar with it, but I didn't grow up spending summers on the Cape. So it's not like I was going to a lot of my own games growing up. ⁓ Again, so with the league, but ⁓ then being allowed me to really appreciate ⁓ what the was and just hearing who was on each team and all these big leaguers and these amazing careers.
Rylee Pay: Yeah, it was kind of a whirlwind. My collegiate career started out thinking I wanted to be a sports agent, started in business classes, and then quickly did the pivot after accounting and knew that I always wanted to work in sports in some form. I grew up dancing, danced through college, so that was it for me. But from there, I just figured like it's time to start internships and just fully immerse myself and get those opportunities wherever I could. So my first internship, I moved to Wisconsin Rapids in the Northwoods League for one summer and I was a
Dani: that he is today. So this episode featuring some of the voices of the Cape Cod League now on the next part of their careers. We get excited, we get to talk and start with Riley Pei. Let's go.
Mike Monaco: that were in part launched down there was really cool. So yeah, growing into a huge appreciation for it. And then, you know, every new team that we would play and trying to kind of dig into, ⁓ know, what the long time history of each opposing team was, the recent history, just the last few years, that sort of thing. I love kind of draft and prospects. So like ⁓ that of it was super exciting for me too, in the more recent past, like, ⁓ this guy was a top 10 pick and he played for born. ⁓
Rylee Pay: Marketing and MC intern there and that's kind of where my ⁓ interest in broadcast really started to develop. I shadowed our radio broadcasters there and my ⁓ intern coordinator at UNLV said when you come back, let's let's get you going in student radio and and we can kind of see what this can become. So I came back and I started doing student radio at UNLV a little bit and
Dani: So Riley spent 2022 in Cato it and now she is the lead play by play voice of the Tacoma Rainiers. That's AAA for the Seattle Mariners and she continues to not only pave the way for every young woman who comes behind her, but also for herself and all of the time and all of the hard work that she's put in to build a career that she wants for herself with a little help along the way and a lot of women who have supported her.
Mike Monaco: those types of things.
Dani: Let's go back to like a little nitty gritty to like peek inside the booth when you're figuring things out and learning how to do your prep and who these guys are. Cause it's an enormous amount of work. know, there's not necessarily a ton of information that you can gather. So like, what did that process look like for you? But was it exciting trying to figure these things out? We go to Mike Monaco now, and if you've ever turned on your TV to ESPN, you probably have heard Mike's pipes. He has one of the best voices in broadcasting, and this is somebody who has put his head down and worked so hard for every opportunity he has earned for himself. But when he got to the Cape, he didn't have the voice and he didn't know everything that he does now. The Cape just a stop on the way, but a really important one for him. Let's listen to Mike Monaco.
Rylee Pay: there, the Cape League popped up. had some friends ⁓ from Las Vegas that I grew up with in school and they were going to play in the Cape League. And they said, why don't you go and apply there and ⁓ kind of continue that trajectory. So that's where it all came about. just found ⁓ the website, like everybody does, and I went and applied and originally applied to be their sideline reporter. And ⁓ that, after they had offered me that
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I mean one of the reasons I like doing play-by-play in general not even just necessarily baseball is the storytelling aspect of it as I know you can relate to and well, thank you. Thank you as are you And that's you know, one thing I I love so like learning these players ⁓ whether it's what they were like in high school ⁓ how their college season went or What they're working on at the batting cage this summer during you know
Dani: Yeah. You're very great at. Yes, you're very great at that.
Rylee Pay: ⁓ position, they also kind of tabled something that they hadn't done before. And they wanted to know my thoughts on if I was willing to also hop on and do some play by play or color commentary, because the two broadcasters that we had that year, ⁓ Tim Crowley, Jake both of which I still stay in touch with ⁓ now, ⁓ they kind wanted another voice to break things up. And obviously my voice was going to be different than theirs for sure.
Mike Monaco: early, early work, that sort of thing. I loved all of that. So trying to get to know these guys and get to know our staff and tell those stories was really cool. I remember one thing we did that we as kind of broadcasters for the team pushed for was at the beginning of the season, either I forget when we did it, like maybe a day or two, like before our first game, because guys are showing up whenever after their college season ends We pushed for trying to get time.
Dani: Ha
Rylee Pay: ⁓ And so just something that they kind of tabled, Leah Rithpath just said, we want you to just hop on and kind of create like that extra conversation, ⁓ maybe some humor and just kind of bring it all together and see what this can be. ⁓ And so with that, I knew I was gonna be likely doing some play by play, but it was more so that color commentary at first. ⁓ So continue to just really teach myself every way that I could.
Mike Monaco: with every player on the team and they would come up to the broadcast booth at Spillane Field, home of the Gaetman, and we would sit down in the booth with them for, I forget what it was, maybe we tried for 10 minutes with every player. you and I have done this in Omaha at the Men's College World Series, ⁓ deal, just trying to, yeah, run these guys through a car wash, learn a little bit about them. Because like, especially, and now I'm aging myself, but especially, you know, 12 years ago or whatever it was.
Dani: The car wash.
Rylee Pay: And then with that, of course, once you get to the Cape, you're immersed with all of talent on the field with the broadcasters, everybody that is coming out ⁓ to be there for the summer.
Mike Monaco: There's not like that much coverage sometimes about all these players throughout their college season. And we have so many more resources now that do cover the game. And there were plenty great ones back then, but like there's not always this like treasure trove of information on certain players, especially if some of the guys are coming from smaller schools and those are some of the great stories that emerge on the Cape. That time was really valuable. And like I can remember sitting with, you know, guys who are in
Rylee Pay: And ⁓ I'll never forget, ⁓ I was ⁓ doing the games like we had planned and then all of a sudden, day my broadcast turned to a ⁓ game two of a doubleheader in Orleans. And they said, why don't you take the next ⁓ two innings of play play? And ⁓ if anybody has ever done play by play, know that ⁓ that's.
Mike Monaco: currently big leaguers. Like I remember sitting up there with Anthony Kay, a left handed pitcher, was a big time draft pick out of Yukon. And I Anthony had just finished like his freshman season at Yukon. And like, all right, like, let's get to know each other. Let's learn what pitches you throw. Like, let's learn how your ⁓ season went. So so much cool stuff like that, that that, ⁓ yeah, helped with storytelling and then standing on the field like during batting practice, that was really big for me.
Rylee Pay: terrifying because you want to be absolutely prepared in every single way that you can. And so it was trial by fire is what I always say. After that experience, I remember sitting there and thinking I can do that ⁓ so better and I want to keep ⁓ getting at it. So really, I think it was the challenge that hooked me where ⁓ after that first time was like, I know I can do this and I just to continue to conquer it.
Mike Monaco: ⁓ every day, like literally every day, just standing at the cage when we had a home game just being a fly on the wall, respectfully, and then like picking your spots, whether that's to ask a player or something, ⁓ more ⁓ like had a great relationship with our manager, Cooper Ferris, and ⁓ know, he's a kind of a quiet guy at the time, but we would these little moments where I'd just say, hey, like, what were you working on with this guy? Like he was a hitting guru.
Dani: there's a lot of things I want to get into and directions I want to go because it is such an incredible path and journey that's so unique to you and isn't duplicated. You can't duplicate what you've done. ⁓ the fact that you made the most of ⁓ of these stops and all of the opportunities right even if you weren't ready for them, you you came a far way. ⁓ had the experience of going really far away from home ⁓ one of my first jobs after school. ⁓ I didn't know anybody and
Mike Monaco: And he taught me so much about hitting. So like that was a real special relationship for me and a really cool way ⁓ get a sense of what these players were working on during the course of a summer.
Dani: I didn't know the city. was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and it you're there's a lot going on and you're trying to do a really good job. How did the people around you make sure that you felt at least a little bit at home or that you had a second family there? Yeah, I think that the inside baseball you're talking about are things that people never see. They don't they'll never see those moments that that allow you to bring the story to life or the moment to life, right? Like context is so important. But I always think about storytelling in layers and being able to just add one more note or have something that you wouldn't be able to find on the internet. It's just something that it's that extra work that you're talking about. I think that you go the extra mile and you take pride in for your
Rylee Pay: Yeah. truly some of the best people and I stay in touch with them all the time. think summer ball is such a unique experience for a lot of reasons, but the people being one of them. So we were living with host families. It was the first year that we were also with host families as interns. So I was with another gal who was our social media intern at the time and I still stay in touch with her too all the time. We plan trips in the off season to come and see each other. She's with the Texas Rangers and their events department. And so
Dani: storytelling. So like your memory bank is amazing and your recollection and the way that you detail stories is one of the best in the game. And you can't don't throw back a compliment because I'm making I'm going to make you blush for a second because I got to be on the field for games in Omaha and for ACC baseball and whatnot and listen to you tell stories and weave things in and out. So, you know, there had to have been a moment throughout your two years on the Cape. Maybe it was something you didn't expect to happen or was a memory.
Rylee Pay: We coordinate throughout season to ⁓ touch base And ⁓ with that, I think the people that are coordinating these internships on the Cape are really mindful and excited for you and want to help you take that next step and get that experience ⁓ in the process. But also, you said, moving far away from home, I'm from Las Vegas, born and raised. And so that's a long flight up to Massachusetts. So it was ⁓ one of those things where
Dani: or a story that was maybe more touching than another? What do you have in that regard?
Mike Monaco: Well, yeah, okay, I won't throw anything back at you, but I really appreciate that. Thank you. I don't know if it's true, but thank you. ⁓ So I guess the most like like, wow, this says a lot about a player story that I have ⁓ Kyle Schwaber. So my first year was 2013, as you said, ⁓ and year before, Wareham had won the title.
Dani: Don't do it. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Thank Ha ha!
Rylee Pay: It's really, it takes a village and village of Catoot really is all of those things. It is just great people that really care about ⁓ the the baseball there, ⁓ and people that are coming there for the summer. So ⁓ they me ⁓ feel acclimated early on and just get settled for success to enjoy summer there.
Mike Monaco: And Kyle Schorber was on that team in 2012, the year that preceded first year. And then he goes back to Indiana. He has an awesome season in Indiana. He's going to be a top 10 draft pick. I think he ended up going fourth overall. And he's to play for Team USA, which is something that a lot of these Cape League players, most of our listeners might know this.
Dani: I feel like there's a uniqueness and a magic to the Cape and to the village and the people who are there and people who come to watch those games. But you mentioned the host families, which is one of coolest things I think that exists in sports are people who are just so giving ⁓ loving and want to make it easier for you. Like, again, you picked up your life ⁓ move to a place for an opportunity, ⁓ knowing where it would take you. ⁓ the
Mike Monaco: You know, some of the best players are dealing with that. Like I'm going to Team USA. Okay, do I still come to the Cape for some amount of time? For no amount of time? How does that work? So, Kops Schwerber had played with Team USA and by the time that was over, Wareham was out of it. We were so far out of it during that 2013 season. And yet he still came to the Cape. For I forget what it was. Maybe the last five games of the season, something to that effect.
Dani: magic of the summer and the magic of, you know, the guys who are coming to the Cape are some of the best of the best. At what point did you have a chance to kind of stop and say, Whoa, this is so cool.
Rylee Pay: Yeah, I think especially now you see it in the minor leagues where I'm interacting and encountering a lot of them throughout the way. So I'll see them in AA where I was for the last couple years and then now in AAA, a lot of the guys that were with the the Kets my summer are now in the big leagues or in AAA or right there and can have kind of continued on around that same pace. So I see guys like Ryan Ritter that has been in the PCL for the last couple years and
Mike Monaco: And the first game he came to, we were playing at YD, at Yarmouth Dennis. I believe it was a game tying home run that he hit in his first game back, like fresh off a plane, late in the game. And I remember asking him after the game, like, ⁓ did you come back? And he was like, he at me like I was crazy. Like, of course I would come back. Like, ⁓ this means a ton to me. Like what we did last summer. And he said, like, what Cooper Ferris as a hitting guru has done for my swing, again, that's going to help Kyle Schwarber be a top five overall pick. Like, I'd be crazy not to come back here and like have this experience, honor my word receive the coaching from that sort of coaching staff. And I just think that has stuck with me over time. Like it says so much about the Cape and how special it is, but it really says so much about Kyle Schwarber and person and the teammate he is. So ⁓ that has always stuck with me.
Rylee Pay: now with Colorado and you see Harrison Cohen who just through falling too. just, it's such a small world that it's been cool to ⁓ of see them again. And it's always one of my favorite things that a talking point that you can bring up. And it like that is the best icebreaker because everybody knows the Cape and everybody loves the Cape. it's fun to have those experiences. And I think ⁓ now I'm just with everybody that's in the major leagues and how they've continued on in their careers. think is the time where you really sit and think, ⁓ this is really cool that we were all kind of starting out at the same spot and look at where everybody is now. But ⁓ the time being, it was equally as exciting. You see so much talent on the field every single day. you're seeing, especially even before the draft, and everybody sits down in July, watches the draft. ⁓
Mike Monaco: I'm probably a little bit foggy right off the cuff on some of the details, but it was YD, I'll never forget that, like sun setting out there and you're racing against the clock on a field that doesn't have lights and Schwaber does Kyle Schwaber things.
Dani: No, that's great. I love stories like that. Yeah. I think it speaks to the magic. Like every time I think about this place or the people that have come through or the stories that you hear, it just feels magical to me. And I was telling Peter Gamans, I think it's so impressive and important that the Cape League has sustained while baseball's evolved a lot and changed a lot. And so has the technology. And, you know, these guys have trajectory machines all over the place and force plates and advanced analytics. But the Cape is pure.
Rylee Pay: sees where everybody goes and we're all just excited to see ⁓ kind of how all of it unfolds. So ⁓ there's so many moments during the summer and it goes by fast, then and then especially now it's really cool to have those moments.
Dani: Yeah, I think you kind of get a real taste of what it takes to quote unquote, make it or get the chance to make it right. Your, your path is very parallel to minor leaguers and to guys who want to make it. You are working your way up and you're going through the same kind of grind, especially now with Tacoma, but just the long days and, and there's a lot of things you don't control throughout your day and you still have to be on and you still have to deliver very similar to those guys. But I want to, I want to take a little reflection back. So UNLV.
Rylee Pay: Right.
Dani: The Cape is the exact story that you're telling is that Kyle Schorber knew how special it was, important it was to have that relationship and came back. so magic comes up for me. Like when you were in it, did you feel it or did it take leaving and doing other jobs to realize the specialness of it?
Mike Monaco: No, I think I felt it while I was there. Like, you know, like how cool is it to spend your summer on the Cape and you know, you're driving through the Cape to get to Chatham and you're like, wow, this is like quintessential New England, quintessential Cape Cod. Like this is what I picture the Cape Cod League being like. And then yeah, like in terms of the talent, like you're recognizing it in real time too. Like, like you knew in the moment, Kaush Hauber is gonna be a big time draft pick and is gonna be a big leaguer.
Dani: You go to Kitu it. You also have the opportunity to work with Emma Tiedemann and the Portland Seedogs. I've heard you talking about seeing Melanie Newman and understanding that women can call a game and that it wasn't any different to you. That's the opposite of my experience and that I didn't see women doing it. I didn't know that that was something that I could do. I would have, you know, asked my high school baseball coach to do that back in St. Louis. But I'm curious how Kitu it Okay. I
Mike Monaco: you know, stuff like that. So yeah, ⁓ think you've realized how special it is ⁓ ⁓ nice people. again, our players and our coaching staff, but then like ⁓ people off the field, like people volunteering to be a part of the Wareham-Gateman and how much it means to them ⁓ people who were host families or were ⁓ internship coordinator or who did the 50-50 raffle and truly like lifelong friends of mine, like ⁓ whose weddings I go to. ⁓
Dani: shape your voice because I know finding your voice ⁓ something we all kind of still work through as we grow and maybe we never stop learning but how did it shape your voice at that stop?
Rylee Pay: That's a great question. it's so many ways. think just the belief early on was something that went a long way. knowing now, ⁓ like said, that it's, it's a small group, that there's not a ton of women that are doing it, back then. And even still the situations that I've been in, the coaching staffs and the players that I've been around, it never felt abnormal to me. And I think that was a big thing that could do it.
Mike Monaco: It's just really cool. Yeah, felt how special it was for sure in the moment.
Dani: Okay, I'm glad you went down that road because I do think there is there's this air of mystery, but ⁓ are so many parts. that don't get seen or talked about because they're not the superstar player or the broadcaster, right? It is the people in the background who are the most important people and they make it go and the fans make it go and the families, but the volunteers as well. Like, what would you tell people who haven't been there to see it what that experience is like with all of those incredible people?
Rylee Pay: really bred early on was just that there wasn't really anything abnormal about it. That ⁓ there was no situation where I was treated differently or approached differently. And I think ⁓ went ⁓ a long way, just having that in the back of my mind and that kind of foundation going forward, because it just instilled that confidence and ⁓ belief in that I knew that
Mike Monaco: Yeah, it's just people who pour their heart into something that they love and are asking for very little or nothing in return. And they're like stewards of the league in a way historians of the league too and of baseball. And just really kind of people who ⁓ yeah, are their time and energy and resources to make it ⁓ a special for an 18 or 19 or 20 year old. And then yeah,
Rylee Pay: there was a place for me in the game for lack a better way to explain it, but it's truly how it was. So I think just the people around there that really ⁓ believed in early on and ⁓ kind of something ⁓ in myself I originally didn't see. I grew up watching the Orioles like I ⁓ talked about and ⁓ I remember watching the summer prior when I was in Wisconsin when she made her debut and that was.
Mike Monaco: you meet amazing people. Like there were interns in my sort of, you know, intern class, I guess if you would call it that, who like have gone on to be major league scouts or have gone on to be broadcasters doing other things. And then plenty of people who not go into that and who are lawyers now that I know not having anything to do ⁓ sports. So yeah, it's a really special place and it's fun staying in touch with people there. I ⁓ haven't back to a game in a few years, but
Rylee Pay: So cool for me because growing up watching these games, it was like, wow, that's awesome. Just one of those cool moments. And so for me, I think I never really thought that it was abnormal. But at the same point, it was one of those things where I think just having that foundation of people that believed in you made it feel like it wasn't something that was out of the ordinary. And I think that is.
Dani: You
Mike Monaco: would always try to go in my downtime in the summer, if, you know, like a minor league baseball schedule aligned where we had an all-star break and I could sneak back. I'm very grateful. were... ⁓
Rylee Pay: help me now, especially in the minor leagues, ⁓ just navigate the day to day. And like you said, the long season, there's a lot that goes into it and moving away from family and just those ⁓ things behind the scenes that a lot of people don't realize are a huge factor in it and adapting to ⁓ just the way of the lifestyle. It's really untraditional and in a lot of ways it kind of pushes you for sure mentally some days more than others. And so having those people that
Dani: I like that you talk about downtime, all that downtime you've got in your busy schedule, my friend. mean, that truly like I know that you would and I know that you have, but I think to like the schedule that you've got, are, I mean, you're working, you're prepping, you're flying. Like you have so much going on. It's Really. We're going to talk about that in a second, but ⁓ I want to ask you, what, what did you learn? What's the biggest thing you learned?
Rylee Pay: saw something in me early on and believed in me to kind of take this challenge and run with it, I think was huge.
Dani: from your time, maybe as a broadcaster and then also just as someone who loves the sport. What did you learn? But you mentioned that there were so many people supporting you on the Cape ⁓ and the of the people that are out there are men. ⁓ I have such male allies in my life. Is there somebody who ⁓ went above beyond or maybe it was a coach or a player who ⁓ told asked a great question or you had a great call or ⁓ like they're glad that ⁓ you're there that just made you feel even more just
Mike Monaco: think the biggest thing for me was just learning how to do baseball every single day. So from a broadcasting perspective, you need different material. If you're doing 44 games in, I forget what it was, maybe 49 or 53 days ⁓ that time, you have to bring different stuff to the table. And for in the really bolt seasons, the team's record wasn't great, so even more so. And no disrespect, had.
Dani: and that you belonged there.
Rylee Pay: Honestly, there are so many. think going back to the Cape League, my internship partners, my broadcast team, Jake Sar, Tim Crowley, those were two guys that were vouching for me and wanted me to get that experience. ⁓ Will another one too, who is the ⁓ liaison summer would kind of help me ⁓ continue to out ways that I could frame questions or ⁓ ask a question or ⁓ maybe this is something that I didn't see, but this is.
Mike Monaco: awesome, talented players, like it just didn't happen for whatever reason. But that helped me learn how to like do the craft even more so. Like if you're not doing a super close, thrilling walk off game every day, okay, like what other ways can you make this interesting and compelling and how can you serve these players whose family members are your listeners and your viewers and how can you do right by them? I think that's probably what I learned in a lot of ways and the relational aspect of, you know,
Rylee Pay: something that you could kind of run with. so having his eyes too, from that standpoint of the analytics and the data and what he saw was really, really beneficial and something that's still helpful to me now, just kind of reframing your mindset. And then to go even further from that in my time in the minor leagues, it was huge getting to work with Emma and ⁓ Epperson, who's the manager for the last couple of years in Portland, having her there, he is ⁓ awesome. ⁓ another who...
Mike Monaco: doing right by players and talking to players and learning what their experiences have been and what they're working on, like I said earlier, and that I think served me well in professional baseball, ⁓ when I then kind of transitioned immediately to minor league baseball because it was very similar. And then not for nothing, like you have relationships that will last you throughout baseball. Like I mentioned guys like Anthony Kay, who like ⁓ I've to on the field at Wrigley Field before Red Sox Cubs or
Rylee Pay: It was never ever abnormal and that's exactly how she she told me it would be too that it's just business as usual. I'm a part of the staff and just the same way as everybody else that's there. And so he was awesome and always ⁓ gracious his time. And then now fast forward to here where I am in Tacoma, John Russell, ⁓ who's been the last couple of years as well. An awesome, awesome to lead this group and very traditional comes with a wealth of
Mike Monaco: Jason Richmond, who was a pitcher on our team and is now the director of pitching at Georgia Tech. It's one of the best college baseball teams in the country. like, I've covered them in the regular season and been able to catch up with him after all these years. And we might end up seeing them in Omaha this year. So I think then just the relationship aspect of it has been great too.
Dani: Yeah Yeah, love to hear that. I think like I think back to some of my early baseball experiences and interning and ⁓ not that I was surprised, but I you know, you don't always know what the experience is going to be like. And you don't always know the people who will be there. I feel like the people ⁓ elevate the experience to levels that you can't predict. Who are some of the people around you that you got to work with Anybody that still in your close circle of work? I know you're
Rylee Pay: knowledge baseball wise and so I get to pick his brain every Sunday I get to sit down with him and do our interview pregame and he's gracious with his time to just explain things to me and give me great insight that helps me with my broadcast now and and beyond and there was a time last year that I thought was really fun it was one of our walk-offs in Tacoma ⁓ and was still fairly early on in this season ⁓ our bench coach here Eric Ferris
Dani: still connected to so many people in your personal relationships but anybody work wise?
Rylee Pay: Lots of energy. He's awesome. He's been in the Seattle system for a long time. And I remember at we were standing around and he's like, that was a pretty good call last night. He's like, do you ever like go back and listen to those things? Like that was pretty electric. I liked that one. He's like, what do you think about? Like, how do you, ⁓ then started to, we just talked about it. Like, what are you, do you listen to him back or like what are, what's your process? And so it was really nice of him
Mike Monaco: Yeah, I mean, like I said, great, great friends. I'm trying to think of other people like in in Major League Baseball or different sports that I come across. Like my second year, our sideline reporter was a good friend of mine named Megan O'Brien, and she's done a number of things in broadcasting. Currently is ⁓ of the lead broadcasters for ⁓ So like she's everywhere when it comes to wrestling. And she was like a, you know, traditional like
Rylee Pay: So there are so many people and I've been fortunate. I know ⁓ that there ⁓ are some awesome people the game I've been lucky to ⁓ encounter a lot of them that are ⁓ super easy going about it and ⁓ ⁓ super gracious with their time to explain and then also just pick their brain.
Mike Monaco: huge baseball fan football and basketball and has her career has taken her into that which she loves. So that was cool. Like that was our broadcast team ⁓ of it my second summer along Sean Malone, my second summer, my buddy Austin Pollock, my first summer, Hilary Bushway, our first summer was our sideline reporter, ⁓ just people. So yeah, like people like that stand out. There's yeah.
Dani: Yeah, I think that it's something we we probably don't get the time to talk about enough because there's so many other things to talk about when we we we get together and you know, we get to share stories like this, but like the the people who raise you up or give you that confidence when you haven't made it or you haven't had all of the reps and the experience that maybe you would want, but they give you those little fist bumps and those little like positive affirmations that really do change the trajectory, I think of the direction you're
Rylee Pay: Right.
Mike Monaco: really cool to see where it has taken people. ⁓ of the announcers for a different team in the league at the time was a guy named Sam Levitt, and Sam's a buddy of mine who does the San Diego Padres ⁓ and one of their radio broadcasters and pre post game hosts. His partner Kevin Fitzgerald, who's one of our colleagues at ESPN. There's ⁓ plenty people I'm forgetting too, before, during, and after my time, but ⁓ there's a long
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Dani: Yeah. going and when people who are in the game, because I think people know this, but in baseball, they're not giving out compliments to give them out for free. Like no one's blowing smoke because nobody needs that. You don't need anything sugar coated. And so for them to do that and lift you up, like I, get like a little emotional, not really like a crier. I almost never cry, but hearing that there are so many people who did that for you. And that side does exist. And Emma Tiedemann in particular, let's, let's
Rylee Pay: Right. Right. No.
Dani: The the space that you take up ⁓ is so earned right every every move that you've Accumulated in every place that you've gone like you start with the cape I know you did other things too, but that feels like a really important note in the resume and you know big 10 network ⁓ you're doing baseball ⁓ add hockey you've got college football college basketball ⁓ have tennis that you add like you've ⁓ just been able to be ⁓ this variety guy
Rylee Pay: Yeah, yeah.
Dani: into Emma for a quick second. I know how impactful that she's been for you. She's been covering baseball for a very long time, calling games for a decade. She's been with the Portland Seedogs. She got called up with the Boston Red Sox. Like she has debuted in that way. And she she has made it so welcoming for women, for anybody who wants to come through. And it's a unique quality because there aren't as many seats at the table. And often we are making our own seats. because you've got great pipes, you do your homework, you're a great human, people want to work with you, and you're just, kind of doing it all right now, but I'm curious if it is special to you, and I know the answer is yes, but maybe the better question is why is it special to be a part of, because it is an exclusive group of people who get to broadcast Cape Cod baseball. Why is that special to be a part of such a small group? or we hope that somebody helps us pull up the chair right to the table. And it sounds to me and it seems to me, everybody that I talk to says that Emma Tiedemann is always pulling up the chair and saying, sit right next to me, let's do this thing. What was that experience like working with her?
Mike Monaco: The history of it, the fact that I love baseball. Like, yes, to your point, I'm ⁓ in different sports at ESPN, but like I've always ⁓ baseball and been a baseball guy. And then the fact that like, you know, Tom Gay and everyone else with Wareham gave me a chance. Like ⁓ my that whatever I sent them, like if I even had a tape at that point was not good. And like my broadcasting, especially my first year on the Cape.
Dani: Yeah.
Rylee Pay: She's the best and I know people say that but truly like she is the best. Just one of those people that I'm so fortunate to have learned from in that capacity. think going into it, ⁓ was I saw that job pop up to be assistant, I was just excited to do anything that I could to get out there and just learn from her. think when you have that.
Dani: Hahaha Yeah.
Mike Monaco: was also not good. Like I was whispering, I tell this story all the time, but like, I wasn't like super confident in being a broadcaster. Like I kind of stumbled into it, like I said in college. So it's not like I was, you know, this kid who went to Syracuse, and there are so many great broadcasters who've gone to Syracuse and all the credit to people who know they want to do that with their career when they're in high school or middle school. That was not me. So like, I was really learning this all as I went.
Rylee Pay: kind of situation where it's an opportunity to go and learn from somebody that sounds like you. It's not something that you're gonna have all the time, you know? So that was the thing for me. Maine, again, nowhere near Las Vegas, but I was like, you know what, I'm gonna make it happen and I have to go. And so that was it for me. I needed to just learn from her and she is 100%, like you said, just takes you under your wing and such a patient teacher too, especially. I was still in the midst of graduating from college at the time. finished school online so I can move out there and be her assistant. so just ⁓ first taste of minor league baseball and professional baseball, she was so patient to explain things and kind of just show everything. The ins and outs, the ⁓ life of minor leagues and all of it. And still ⁓ even to day, her and her husband, ⁓ Jesse Scaglione he's the GM there. They're just awesome people that
Mike Monaco: and was like, yeah, like you're broadcasting very often outside, like right behind home plate. I didn't want to be like yelling on like a great play by the shortstop. So I was like nervous and kind of quiet and kind of reserved and like this guy, Sam Levitt, mentioned, he was like, dude, you like whispered when you were on the Cape. ⁓ So anyway, all the more reason to say like, I'm very appreciative ⁓ I was afforded the chance to learn and quite literally find my voice there.
Dani: Yeah you
Rylee Pay: like we talked about earlier, take you under their wing, So many fun experiences Emma.
Mike Monaco: And not that I was a finished product by the time I left or that I am now, but like ⁓ I got the chance to grow ⁓ ⁓ not be good, but to be learning, you know, just like a player who might go there and struggle, but like gets an amazing experience out of it ⁓ ⁓ that back to college and maybe has a great year and ends up getting drafted and like, Hey, maybe the results weren't there on the Cape. But paid off, you know, over time and ⁓ helped part of your, your evolution. and improvement. So that's why it's special to me.
Dani: I so appreciate by the way, you're always honest sharing and ⁓ the same in that I didn't grow up thinking I'd have a microphone in my hand ⁓ that this would be the path. Like it really was ⁓ storytelling, but ⁓ appreciate you sharing that because I think people need to know it's okay if you don't know it right away ⁓ that you can put the work in to be great and to be one of the greats. You know, it doesn't have to be that you knew the whole time ⁓ I think it's I just think it's important to know those stories and that's my story too. So I always appreciate you sharing those things and being able to reflect a little bit on, you know, what those opportunities gave you and that it wasn't sunshine and rainbows. Like this was really a learning experience and I bet you were uncomfortable some of the times and you had to push through that and figure some things out. So, you know, there've been there've been a lot of people who have come after you now. And, you know, I was just saying, like 100 plus years in there's definitely 100 more to go. And more after that. But what what's your hope for the league? Let's start there. What's your hope for the Cape League?
Mike Monaco: Good question. I haven't really thought of that. I would just say that they can continue in the ever-changing world of technology to preserve what, for 100 plus years, people have loved about it, and that it can maintain that purity. And I know it will, but maintain the purity of baseball that everyone loves. that, yeah, in an ever-changing world where people have the chance to go to Team USA and do whatever else and we got the transfer portal in the summer and all that. That like it is still a destination and I know it is and I know it always will be and that's so comforting. But yeah, that it always can be that place and that can be the launching pad for whoever it is, someone who wants to be a general manager someday or ⁓ the great sideline reporter or the next great play by play announcer, whatever it is. Yeah.
Rylee Pay: she ⁓ is so willing and ⁓ wanting to help the next ⁓ generation of broadcasters, whoever that is, ⁓ and to get to have the opportunity to call games with somebody who sounds like you is that ⁓ I'll forever grateful for.
Mike Monaco: that it can kind of continue to do that as the rest of the sport and world evolves around it.
Dani: Okay, and last one would be your advice to those who maybe haven't found their voice yet, but want that experience What would your advice be to them? Yeah, it doesn't work unless there's somebody like an Emma and ⁓ also she's a mom now too, which is ⁓ doubly as to me. I truly ⁓ can't even I have so many friends who are at the major league level or friends who are in other sports who are moms too. And ⁓ I truly know how they do it. They are super women. They are angels on this earth to be able to do both of these jobs because to your point, you just want to do the job. I think that
Rylee Pay: Yes.
Mike Monaco: Well, a couple of things, give yourself some grace. Like, you don't need to be a finished product when you're 20. I certainly wasn't. You don't even have to know what you want to do at that age. I say that to college students all the time. Like, it's okay to not know. Like, even if you're about to graduate, you know, if you do know, great, go for it. And then just work really hard at trying to get better, you know, knowing that you're not a finished product. That's fine. Like I said.
Dani: We want to show up and we want to do it often. I forget I forget I'm a woman doing the job I just am going to work and I love it so much and I feel so passionate about getting to do this and I forget those things and we just want to be there and exist like everybody else like while we have this time This is what we've decided to do with it. And by the way Like dream chasing is expensive and that's the that's the other layer that doesn't get talked about a lot to your point You left home you
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Mike Monaco: But work really hard at trying to get better. Like listen back, if you're a broadcaster on the Cape, listen back to your games afterward or whatever amount you can. I was commuting from my hometown of Cohasset, Massachusetts to the Cape every day. So I would either listen to part of my game the next day driving down from the night before. And then the night of driving back after games, I would listen to the Red Sox and I would listen to Dave O'Brien and Jocasta Gleone. And I've told both of them that like.
Rylee Pay: Yes.
Dani: very far away, essentially across the country. And you've, I'm sure spent a lot of money and a lot of time. Time is money. Time is valuable. late nights, early mornings, like just scrambling to do the job and to do it to the best of your ability. So.
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Mike Monaco: That for me was again like, okay, like they're using these verbs and this is how they're describing a pitch. And Dave always says swing and or swung on, you know, like he's never missing a step. Like he is painting every picture of it. So like, yeah, ⁓ a great time. And there's also so much fun stuff to do on the Cape and make sure you do that too. But like really try to get better every game. Cause it is a great chance and it's gonna go by fast. Like the summer.
Dani: Emma is a necessary piece to this. want to touch on Melanie really quick to one of my dearest friends for her to debut with the Orioles. She had paid her dues in the minor leagues ⁓ well, put her head down and worked ⁓ then got the opportunity with Baltimore to come up and show, know, Susan Waldman is really like the godmother. I think of everybody here ⁓ the side of ⁓ major league games with the New York Yankees. But ⁓ I know she's important to Melanie. Why was Melanie important to you? ⁓
Mike Monaco: does go by fast, you know, it's two months, at least it was our schedule at the time. So make the most of it.
Dani: You're so wonderful. Thank you for giving us so much time and sharing all these great stories and wisdom and insight. It means a lot.
Rylee Pay: I think just of those things where ⁓ if can see it, ⁓ you be it. Like one of those those quotes that really is true where just growing up watching the Orioles, my dad is from that area. so that's what was was the Orioles games. And so that was just something that was fun for me. I love to just go to games ⁓ when I was And so then when you see a woman who's calling the game and
Mike Monaco: My pleasure, Danny. Thanks for having me. It's a special place. I hope everyone has an awesome season. yeah, you're a wonderful person to bring these stories to life for everyone.
Rylee Pay: kind of taking on this role, was one of those things that was just super cool to see because like you said, like I have never approached it in the sense of like it was super weird for me to enjoy baseball or anything like that because I just love the game, you know? And so I think when you see that it's just happening, it's something that doesn't make it feel all that abnormal. And I think it's so good to have role models ⁓ in any profession or anything.
Dani: Yeah.
Rylee Pay: Just people that you can see that have done ⁓ things that you want to do because then you know that it's possible ⁓ and ⁓ even if it hasn't ⁓ done yet that it's something that ⁓ is definitely within reach. I got a chance to meet Melanie too when I was with Emma. We were up at ⁓ Fenway a couple seasons ago when I was with Emma prior to that game and she was just so kind and definitely even from afar. I remember seeing like ⁓ her Instagram one day of her score book. and I loved like the template of her scorebook. And so I messaged her and just asked like if she wouldn't mind like sharing her template or anything. ⁓ she sent Emma the PDF Like just so nice, you know, like it's such a small, small community. And so those little things that people kind of go out of their way to be kind and ⁓ be welcoming, I think goes along.
Dani: Yeah. Yeah, I love it. I love it. You nailed it and Mel is a one of one. So is Emma. I want to go back real quick to the experience because you're with Tacoma now and you are continuing to work your way up. This is your second season
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm.
Dani: with them. the Cape's been around for 100 plus years. For you to have had that experience, you know, just before that 100 year mark in 2022, and to now be where you are. What is your hope? for, you you're talking about women who have been there and done that and are still climbing, right? Still, you talk to either of those women, they wouldn't tell you that they're settled in there, they're great, like they're still climbing and pushing for more in their careers.
Rylee Pay: Yeah.
Dani: What's your hope for the next group of women who ready to shove the door down and are ready to ⁓ themselves and be able to be a voice because it's such a privilege to be a voice ⁓ a team. It's the ultimate privilege to get to be that soundtrack ⁓ the summer. What's your hope for that next group of women coming through and hopefully coming to the Cape to do it?
Rylee Pay: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I think just knowing that there's ⁓ place for you and knowing that it's % if ⁓ it's something that really want and you're willing to work for, then absolutely there's way to do it. think, I hope that it's at some point as publicized as is always and that people have to like that not be the leading headline. ⁓ know, like when there's a new job of ⁓ woman to do this, first one to do that. I'm just hopeful for the day. I know Emma's talked about this too, where that's not the leading headline. And it's just that ⁓ get to go in and call a game at Fenway on a Tuesday I just hope that
Dani: Sure.
Rylee Pay: There are women who have similar experiences that I have. The girls that are coming up that also to chase this dream, that they are fortunate to kind encounter those people that build you up and ⁓ make it feel like it's something normal. Because it definitely is and definitely ⁓ will be in the future. So I'm hopeful that there's that experience where people feel. ⁓ like they have that support coming into baseball because it's such a special community ⁓ it's really a dream job and getting to watch baseball every single and ⁓ being around for the long season getting to experience these stories is super So I'm excited for ⁓ whoever ⁓ will come in the future, my or ⁓ whatever other positions they're hoping to get.
Dani: Well, we are great steward of the game. And I know that the Cape Cod League was a place that kind of elevated you and also made you feel like you could do it. And that's why we wanted to have a chance to catch up with you, but also because you have put in the work and the time and you're still you're still doing that. And I know how much how much work it takes and the time and the energy to do it. So I hope you feel all the love and support. And I'm so thankful that we had a chance to talk to you. and you're so gracious with your time to us here. So thank you so much.
Rylee Pay: Thank you, I appreciate you having me. It was great to chat.
