- You're from Neenah, WI. How much does that mean to
you that you're a part of the organization that I assume you followed
and watched?
When
you work in Minor League Baseball the last thing you’re concerned with
is the MLB affiliation. Deep down you have your wish list and hope for a
team that you love, but in reality you work for the Minor League club
first and support the MLB team no matter what the affiliate. Sometimes
that’s tough as I grew up in Wisconsin and took a job with a Chicago
Cubs affiliate. My parents almost disowned me for that one. In
fairness, the Cubs do a great job and I enjoyed the three years in that
organization. There are a lot of friendships between organizations,
believe it or not, the Cubs and Brewers organizations have some friendships
off the field. But being a part of the Brewers organization is really
special. I’m not saying that because I’m from Wisconsin; I’d be saying
it if we were a Royals or Angels team. The front office of the Brewers
are people oriented first. It really is a unique organization to be a
part of; to watch things evolve. I hope the people of Wisconsin never
take for granted the Brewers organization and how hard they work to be
competitive in a smaller market. It really is a special situation. But
I have to admit that watching Don Money play as a kid and then working
with him now is fun. The Bambi’s Bombers, Harvey Wallbangers, and teams
along the way make the relationship more enjoyable because you know how
long Wisconsinites have waited for playoff teams and now you get to see
‘em before they get to the show.
- Who on the Stars roster excites you the most to watch in 2014?
I
have to hold out here because I don’t know who will be on our roster.
It’s easy to assume that certain guys will be here, but spring training
injuries change lineups real quick, e.g., Mat Gamel.
- To elaborate more, who do you see/have you seen recently that could make a quick climb in the minors to the Milwaukee Brewers?
There
have been quite a few guys in the past couple years, if I name anybody
I’ll catch hell from those I don’t name. When you get to AA the players
know that they have crossed the hump and if they play their cards right
they can make it. There will be hills and valleys and as long as the
guys realize that and not get discouraged they’ll make it. The downside
is that we can root for the guys but know that deep down they could be
the player-to-be-named later. For example, the CC Sabathia trade in
2008 had us losing Michael Brantley and Mat LaPorta, two guys on the
rise. You originally picture them at Miller Park, but in the end there
they are in other uniforms. But you have to salute Doug Melvin, Gord
Ash, and the guys for pulling the trigger on those decisions to get a
playoff team. Last season we had a number of younger guys, and while we
didn’t have a lot of wins, there was personal improvement. To me,
watching guys move up, getting the call from Scott Martens with the
roster changes is heartbreaking at first, but once they hit Milwaukee
it’s all worth it.
- What
is the hardest part about dealing with a roster that can change in an
instant because of trade/injury/promotion? (from Jason Jenson)
To
me, trades are the hardest because you have a player that everybody
loves and now you have to tell him to clean out his locker and get out
of our clubhouse. In Brevard County we had a pitcher named Steve
Garrison who was best friends and roommates with Lorenzo Cain his whole
baseball career. Steve was part of the trade with Will Inman and Joe
Thatcher sent to San Diego for Scott Linebrink. When our manager (John
Tamargo) told Steve he was traded Steve went into the clubhouse and
broke down. Lo Cain did also. The clubhouse was stunned because Steve
was family. He cleared out his locker and said his goodbyes to the
team. He sat in the crowd for the game because he was no longer part of
the organization and wasn’t flying out until the next day. I think we
got shelled that night as everybody was down. He personally worked the
seating bowl all night giving hugs, shaking hands, thanking fans for
their support. I thought it was one of the classiest moves by a
player. Steve was with the Mobile BayBears this past season and I had
the chance to get caught up with him after a game.Watching a player who is driven day-in, day-out, get hurt is tough. You get to see these guys pour their heart and soul into the game and an injury can end it all. I never want to see a career end on our watch; we want all players to move up the food chain, but every now and then a player retires and it’s really emotional as you try to console a guy on the ride to the airport or as you help him pack up his things. There is life after the game, but you don’t want to explain that to a player whose career just ended. It’s tough.
- How is the job of running a AA/minor league ballclub different from that of a major league team? (from Joey Grundl)
Great
question. I couldn’t begin to tell you how many people think I have
control over our roster. I had a player’s girlfriend rag on me one
night because I hadn’t promoted her boyfriend. She didn’t understand
that all player moves are done by the Brewers. The Minor League
Baseball GM is not involved with transaction decisions, training, etc.
Our job is the business of running the organization, the stadium
operations, logistics, etc. The MLB GM’s role is completely different.
Doug Melvin is not going to be concerned if an outfield wall sign gets
hung in the right location or is PA announcements are broadcast in the
right inning. The MLB GM has way more on his plate; it’s all baseball
related where the MiLB GM is business related.
- How
do you decide to groom prospects. Is it your call or are there
instructions from above that a guy needs to improve in a certain area.
Are there mandates on certain things, for example "no cutters" (from
Derek Harvey)
Like
above, all training and grooming is the responsibility of Doug Melvin
and his plan. It’s worked through Gord Ash, Reid Nichols, the rovers, and
our coaching staff. They have years of experience and know that a game
in Huntsville won’t be in anybody’s memory bank for long unless they
push a player too hard and he has a career-ending injury. In 2002 in
Daytona Beach we had a pitcher named Carmen Pignatiello. Piggy was way
past his pitch count one night and had a no hitter going. Our farm
director (Oneri Fleita) was called and gave the OK for Piggy to go no
more than 20 more pitches. Piggy got thru the 8th inning
intact and our manager (Dave Trembley) finally had to pull him. The
crowd went berserk. But it was in Piggy’s best interest. The closer
came in (Jared Blasdell), walked the bases full before retiring the side
to thankfully complete the no-hitter. Big sigh of relief as it averted
a mutiny in the stands. But Piggy’s future trumped the no-hitter.
Farm directors, managers, all rovers all have the big picture in mind
and that always supersedes whatever is happening in the game. Nobody
will remember that no-hitter, but everybody will remember the
career-ender.
- Most unique player you've ever coached. (from Alec Dopp)
I’ve
never coached baseball, but there have been a few I’ll never forget
watching and enjoying having them on our roster. I want to apologize in
advance to some of the guys that I’ll think of later and forget to
mention here. With an Expos team in North Carolina in 1998 we started
the season 15-0, the best start to this day in affiliated MiLB or MLB
history and surpassing the ’87 Brewers 13-0 start. It was magic for two
weeks and a day as every call, every swing, every hop, every throw,
every bounce, every fly ball went our way. We had a lineup with Jorge
Julio on the mound, Brian Schneider behind the plate, (a very polite of
the field) Milton Bradley in center, and a couple more guys…15-0 and we
didn’t even clinch the first half pennant, but what a run. In 2000 I
had Brandon Phillips and Cliff Lee, polar opposites that really pushed
themselves. I had Brewers Pitching Coach Rick Kranitz as our manager in
Daytona Beach (yep, Kranny was with the Cubs) in 2003 in one of the
most tumultuous situations I’ve ever had to deal with and he was the
total professional. We had a Korean player who threw a baseball at an
osprey overlooking batting practice. I won’t get into the details but
Kranny helped us thru a very difficult week that included death threats
from fanatics, lawyers, fish and game personnel, and more. The event
train-wrecked the season and all the goodwill that the players did, but
Kranny kept the ship afloat in a very difficult situation. In Brevard
County Tim Dillard busted out a guitar and sang some very interesting
tunes that kept the guys loose. Alcides Escobar…to this day I can’t
confirm that he even had a skeleton the way he bent and twisted at SS.
Darren Ford ran down a deep fly ball in CF while at Palm Beach one
night. The Cardinals’ runner at first took off for 2nd, then 3rd
and was rounding for home when Darren surprised everybody and caught
the ball running towards deep centerfield. Then the weird happened,
Darren realized that he could have an unassisted double play if he ran
the ball to first. The runner started back around the base path and
Darren was sprinting towards first. You have to understand that Darren
was probably the fastest guy in the Brewers entire organization at that
time. Him and Lo Cain used to run sprints and it was neck and neck, but
Darren always was a couple inches ahead at the end. But it was clear
Darren would reach first before the runner and the runner just gave up.
Darren played it classy and flipped the ball to the 1B for the out even
though he could’ve pulled it off and stuck it in the guy’s face. I’ll
never forget Hunter Morris and his feats of the 2012 season (Gold Glove,
League MVP, etc.). Darnell Coles as manager and his total appreciate
for all parts of the game. There are more. Unique? I couldn’t pick
one. That’s the beauty of Minor League Baseball, it happens every night
right in front of you.
- Talk
about your involvement in the move from Huntsville Alabama to Biloxi
Mississippi. Seems like there is a lot upside in the Biloxi community.
The
team was just sold a week ago and will transition to Biloxi at season’s
end. At this point we are really focused on the upcoming season as
they still haven’t broken ground on the new stadium in Biloxi. I know
the new owner (Ken Young), as his company ran our concessions at Space
Coast Stadium in Brevard County. Once we get together we’ll get the
game plan for the move, but our focus now is the 2014 season here. As
most teams do, we have a lot on our plate.
- Favorite memory you'll take away from Joe W. Davis Stadium?
The
2010 All-Star Game was memorable. The city really came out and showed
their support. We had 7,700 here for a wonderful game that saw the
South Division give up a pitcher (Arizona’s Josh Collmenter) because the
North Division was down two bodies. Josh started the game in a gray
road jersey for the north (home white jerseys) pitching against his
teammates and got the win. The crowd was wondering what the heck was
going on as they had never saw anything like this before. Bizarre
situation, but it was an exhibition game when you get right down to it.
Then League President Don Mincher was still alive then and he got to see
one last All-Star game in the stadium where he was the GM and owner
before becoming league president. Don was a fantastic guy and the
baseball world misses him and I’ll never forget that night.
- Any current talks to extend the player development contract passed the 2014 season?
The
discussion for renewing the PDC is between the Brewers and Ken Young,
the team’s owner. I said it before and I’ll say it again: the Brewers
are easiest going, happy-go-lucky organization I’ve ever been affiliated
with. They treat all their Minor League affiliates with respect,
courtesy, and friendship. If I have a problem a phone call fixes it.
If there’s a situation coming up like a trade that will affect our club,
the Brewers always keep us in the loop. I would hope that we continue
on with Milwaukee for years to come; there’s no better organization in
baseball. I wish everybody that has sat down to watch a Brewers game at
Miller Park could have an inside view – just for a day – of what the
Brewers do to build that roster…all the work from the draft thru the
Minor Leagues, the travel, training, caring, patience, everything that
happens to compete. You’d really appreciate the Brewers more than
ever. Don’t take my word for it, ask the guys in Helena, Appleton,
Brevard County, and Nashville. But from the top to the bottom the
organization really is phenomenal and I’d hate to think of being in
another organization.
- Your thoughts on the whole Alex Rodriguez situation...
Honesty
is the best policy. Nobody’s perfect. But there are posters in all
the clubhouses explaining the gambling, tobacco, and drug guidelines.
Players sign statements saying they have read and understand the
policies set forth. Read ‘em, learn ‘em, live ‘em. Nobody is above the
game of baseball. Nobody.
- If
you can speak on it, what are your feelings on Major League baseball
posterizing it's talent for using PEDs and ultimately turning the fans
on the players who are caught and test positive.
My
feelings are simple: rules are for everybody. Nobody’s above the law.
It’s black and white, cut and dried. Respect the game, do the right
thing, and don’t mess with stuff you shouldn’t touch. That’s what we
preach to our kids, right?Until next time, Beers, Brats, and Championships.
-Andrew Vrchota
Follow us on Twitter (@WISportsBlog) for up to date news on the Packers, Brewers, Badgers, Bucks, and Golden Eagles. We feature live in-game commentary, breaking news, rumors, previews, and post game discussion. Follow the entire writing team on Twitter: @AndrewVrchota, @jheldred, @JoeP_Norton, @olewr7, @Stevie2Westside, and @10iskristin
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