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Rob Antony Discusses University Of Minnesota: MLBTR College Series

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MLBTR continues a series where we interview top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, their path to a big league front office and more. 

Thus far, we’ve already chatted with Tigers GM Al Avila, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, Phillies GM Matt Klentak and Reds GM Dick Williams. Next up in our question-and-answer series is Minnesota Twins Vice President and Assistant General Manager Rob Antony – a graduate of the University of Minnesota.

* * * * *

Hi Rob! Thanks for talking to MLBTR. Just like me, you began your baseball career in media relations before moving into baseball operations. Tell me about your start.

“I grew up in Minneapolis, about 15 minutes from the Metrodome. I went to high school in Minneapolis. When I graduated, I was all set to go play baseball at Minnesota Morris, which was 2 ½ hours away – and I was excited. I wasn’t a Division I player by any stretch of the imagination, but I was looking forward to being able to keep playing while getting a good education. Of course, the summer before I went there, I got a call from the head coach – and he told me he just got fired, and a new guy was taking over and that he’d be in touch. Well, he did get in touch, and he let me know he was going to recruit his own people. It was understandable, but at the time, it was disheartening. Now, as you get into the business and you see everything, you understand how that goes. I just opted to stay home and go to the University of Minnesota. I was done playing. I didn’t play college ball. I focused my sights on becoming a sports journalist. I just wanted a career in sports, whether it be writing about hockey or baseball – which were my two preferences. When I went to the University, I started on the journalism path. After about a year, when they started telling me I needed to take magazine layout and editorial classes and all these different things, I started thinking to myself – ‘I just want to write.’ I wanted to cover the Twins or the North Stars. So I shifted gears into speech communications and broadcasting. And that was a good move for me. The journalism classes have helped me throughout my career. But I just felt more comfortable in communications. It ended up leading to an internship with an NBC affiliate here in Minneapolis – KARE TV – in the sports department.”

Rob Antony

And that led you to the Twins, correct?

“I got a large break in 1987. They recommended me to the Twins; they needed somebody in the media relations department. The guy who was their intern in the summer had to go back to school in August. At the U. of M., we were on a trimester system and didn’t start until the end of September. I was available to come in and work all day every day. And the Twins of ’87 were marching their way towards the playoffs – which was an unbelievable experience. I was then fortunate enough to intern in media relations all of 1988. There was some movement, and I was hired after I graduated … My time in media relations was great. Some of the things I learned were the continued development of communications – which is so important in our business. I think that’s the case in any business. And the ability to write, and to speak to people, and in front of people has been invaluable as my career has progressed.”

Let’s talk about your time at the University of Minnesota, which is a big commuter school. Did you live at home, or were you able to live on campus?

‘“I lived at home, and I did not have that ‘great’ college experience. A lot of my friends from high school went there as well and lived at home, too. It was an economic thing as much as anything. We could drive 20 minutes. We carpooled together. But we didn’t have a lot of money and we couldn’t afford to just live on campus. I have two kids now that are in college, and one of the things I told them was, ‘You pick where you want to go. You decide what you want to do. But whatever you do, you’re going to go and live on campus and get the entire college experience. That’s something I wish I could have had that I wasn’t able to do, and I want you guys to have that.’ For me, it was a different deal. It was about getting the degree and learning as much as I could – and then moving on to a professional life.”

But there must have been college learnings that have become part of your day-to-day work life, correct?

“Most definitely. Some of that just comes from going to a major university the size of the University of Minnesota. There were 60,000 students. When you had to register for classes, you’d get up there and say you’d want this class, and you’d get ‘Sorry, full.’ You’re now at the front of the line, so you’d get ‘What’s your next choice?’ and you’d have to react on the fly. You needed to know exactly what you needed to take and everything else to make adjustments. Some of the logistics of dealing with those things … I had to learn how to study. I had to learn how to organize and manage my time – especially when I was interning, when I was working 30-4o hours as well as going to class, trying to get my homework done. As it turned out, it probably couldn’t have worked out better with me staying home. I probably wouldn’t have had the opportunity with KARE TV, which wouldn’t have led to my opportunity here. So it’s funny how things can work out for you. I met a lot of good people at school. You do some things with them, but it’s altogether different when people can live on campus. That’s just a whole different lifestyle.”

Did you have favorite professors or influential classes that really helped prepare you?

“Even though I moved out of journalism, I think some of the introductory journalism classes really set the tone for me to know that communication is an important part of things. It became a strength because, during the rest of my college career, I really leaned toward writing-intensive classes. In your article on Jed (Hoyer), he mentioned that he got his degree in American History. I guess if I had to do it all over again, I would have taken more statistics classes and some other things that might have helped me out. I know I would have focused on Spanish; I would have taken Spanish for four years and done everything I could to become well-spoken and bilingual. In this game, it would be such an advantage – and it is for those people who are.”

That sounds like something you tell students who are seeking college advice.

“I give advice to a lot of kids who call and write letters – asking for advice how to get into the game. What are the best ways to get into the game? It’s not an easy thing to do. But there are so many different avenues. My recommendation is – go to college and get your degree in what you have the most interest in. If you put all your eggs in one basket and you go for sports management, there’s a chance that will work out quite well for you. For some clubs, that’s a big separator – and you might get the nod over somebody else.”

On your transcript, what does it say? Bachelor of …

“Speech communication, with a minor in English.

Growing up, were you a Twins fan?

“Absolutely. And I’ve always been a Gopher fan. I continue to cheer for them.”

If you had the choice to do it all over again, would you have stayed at home and gone to the University of Minnesota – or would you have left the area?

“I don’t have any regrets about staying in the area. Minnesota is home for me. Not a lot of people get to grow up cheering for a team and then work for that team. So many people in baseball work where they can – because there’s an opportunity. I was just fortunate to have the opportunity here. If I wouldn’t have stayed at home, I don’t think it would have all fallen in line the way that it did. I don’t know anything other than Minnesota. I don’t know anything other than the Twins. I’ve been fortunate enough to be with them since 1987. I like talking with people from other organizations to see how they do things and get other ideas. I don’t regret staying at home; I’m a Minnesota guy. I’m very appreciative of everything I’ve gotten from the Twins – and I’ve been able to stay home and be where I want to be and do what I want to do. And with this organization, we’ve had so much continuity. There’s always been a definite structure in the hierarchy. Everybody gets their voice heard.”

* * * * *

Chuck Wasserstrom spent 25 years in the Chicago Cubs’ front office – 16 in Media Relations and nine in Baseball Operations. Now a freelance writer, his behind-the-scenes stories of his time in a big league front office can be found on www.chuckblogerstrom.com.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Al Avila Discusses St. Thomas University: MLBTR College Series

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MLBTR continues a series where we interview top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, their path to a front office and more. 

Thus far, we’ve already chatted with Cubs GM Jed Hoyer, Phillies GM Matt Klentak and Reds GM Dick Williams. Next up in our question-and-answer series is Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President, Baseball Operations and General Manager Al Avila – a graduate of St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens, FL).

* * * * *

Al, first off, thanks for talking to MLBTR. You have taken a different path than most – in that you played professionally before going to college. Can you talk about the initial college steps after your playing career?

“I went to St. Thomas University for both undergrad and graduate school. Both majors were the same – Sports Administration.”

How did you arrive at St. Thomas?

Al Avila

“I graduated high school when I was 17, and that fall I went to Miami-Dade Community College for a year. The following summer, I was signed by the Dodgers’ organization as a non-drafted free agent. I played with their rookie team, but was released the following spring. I didn’t go back to school until I was 24. I went to St. Thomas as a student and as a coach for the baseball team. The head baseball coach was Paul Mainieri – who is now the coach at LSU. So I went to school and worked for free as a coach. After I graduated, I did an internship with the Dodgers in Vero Beach during spring training of 1986. The Dodgers actually then sent me to Latin America to help out in the building of their baseball complex in Las Palmas (Dominican Republic). In 1987, I worked for the Daytona Beach Admirals, an expansion franchise in the Florida State League. That team didn’t last very long. Lucky for me, Paul Mainieri called me back and offered me a full-time assistant coaching job at St. Thomas University.”

So basically, once you got to college, you stayed in college for quite a while.

“Yes. I went back there working for him as an assistant coach. After the 1988 season, he got the head coaching job at the United States Air Force Academy, and the university hired me as their full-time baseball coach. The following year, they made me the athletics director. I was the athletics director and baseball coach there until I joined the Florida Marlins when they first came into existence.”

Can you tell me why you picked St. Thomas when you decided to go back to school?

“There were two reasons. First, they had the Sports Administration program. At that time, they were only the second school in the entire country with that program. The first one was at Ohio University. Back in those days, Sports Administration was pretty much a brand new program. Now, every school pretty much has it. Second, I grew up in the game. My dad (Ralph Avila) worked as a scout with the Dodgers. I played baseball; it just didn’t work out for me as a player. It was about the shortest career you could imagine. So in order to stay in the game, I felt I had to get that degree in Sports Administration. At the same time, what made it perfect for me was that Paul hired me as an assistant coach. I was able to get coaching experience at the college level. That, with the degree, helped me tremendously.”

Can you tell me about some of the other important connections you made at St. Thomas that led to your eventual front office career?

“Being in Miami, I established relationships with Ron Fraser at the University of Miami. I was around Don Shula, the Miami Dolphins coach, since St. Thomas University was their training camp – and Don had an office there. Those relationships helped me get my job with the Marlins. Ron Fraser was one of the guys helping spearhead trying to get a Major League franchise in South Florida. And Don Shula worked for (Dolphins owner) Wayne Huizenga, who was buying the Marlins. They both put in a good word for me. I had other relationships in the game, like Tommy Lasorda through my dad. Peter O’Malley was the Dodgers’ owner at the time – and I had interned with them. So I had some good references.”

While your biggest route to where you are now came on the college baseball field, can you tell me about things you learned in the classroom that apply to what you do today?

“At St. Thomas back in those days, they had a lot of adjunct professors who were in the sports business. At the time, there was a Miami Grand Prix, and they had people come in and do a class. There was a guy who worked for the Dolphins who was an adjunct professor there. We had a guy from CNN who was there. So we had people who worked in different parts of sports who came in to teach for a semester. They brought in people working in the sports industry who gave you a realistic perspective of the day-to-day operations of working in sports. A lot of it had to do with marketing … sales … budgeting … things of that nature. And we also learned the legal aspects of sports – another area that it was great to get familiarized with. And of course, communications. For me, the uniqueness of it was that Paul Mainieri also taught a Sports Administration class. So I was on the field as a coach and going to school at the same time – which was very helpful. Then, when I became the athletics director, I gained actual work experience in budgeting, hiring and firing, and managing people. And as a baseball coach, I was recruiting players and coaching players. All those things were huge for me in building up the experience needed to run a department.”

Do you ever get back to visit your alma mater?

“It just so happened that we opened this season in Miami, so it was a homecoming for me. When I was there, St. Thomas University reached out to me. They want to put me in their Hall of Fame. I haven’t talked to them yet about it, but I’d like to think I’ll be going back there in the fall for that.”

Your road to being the Tigers’ general manager is pretty different from just about everyone else in the game. You have a different perspective than most. What type of advice do you give students who are looking to one day work in a Major League front office?

“I get asked that a lot. One thing I tell people is that everybody’s path is different, period. Not one path is the same. The biggest thing I can tell people is … whatever job you can get – go get it, and do that job as if it were your first and last job and the job you want to do forever. What you leave behind in that job is going to dictate the next job – and if you’re going to get the next job. My first internship was with the Vero Beach Dodgers – but I also helped in media relations with the big league club during spring training. After that, I worked at Daytona Beach. That job didn’t have anything to do with baseball operations; it dealt with sales, marketing, ticket operations, and the day-to-day operations of running a minor league baseball team. I wanted to be on the field, but that was my start – and that’s what I did. And I was lucky I did that. A couple years later, Paul (Mainieri) asked me to come back to coach. What I initially told Paul was I didn’t want to coach in college; I wanted to work in pro baseball. Paul said, ‘Hey listen, you don’t know how things will work out. I could be moving on, and you can be the head coach of this school someday. Or, this job can lead to another job – like scouting. So you don’t know where this job will take you.’ I took his advice and took the job. And I loved it. It was probably the best job I had my entire life, as I thoroughly enjoyed coaching in college. I tell people that I didn’t plan on being a college coach. I didn’t plan on working in minor league baseball selling advertising. I didn’t plan for it. I just took the route where the door was open – that’s the route I took. Wherever you go, work your butt off. Don’t go there as a stepping stone job. Work it like it’s your last job. And if you do a great job, people will take notice.”

What other advice can you give?

“What people call networking – to me, it came natural. In college and the jobs I had, I just met people. You don’t have to send out 100 letters and 100 emails. Go out and meet people. That’s how relationships are established. And when the timing is right, things will happen. You can’t force timing. Just put yourself in a position where someone will want to hire you when the timing is right. I know how hard it is to get a job. I’m 57 years old. You see how fast and how young some of these guys are who have become GMs. I’m the opposite. It took me a long time.”

But you earned it.

“That’s right. And I can say Paul Mainieri really helped me the most. It was tough going back to school at an older age. I was already married. My wife was working. I wasn’t making any money. The beginnings were very humble and there was a lot of sacrifice. Sometimes you started to think, ‘Where is this taking me? Where is it going? Is it all worth it? And Paul was very helpful to me – almost as a mentor, and he’s only a couple years older than me. He was always very helpful, always very encouraging, always teaching. Having a guy like that was very important – and he helped me a lot. And his dad was the same. Doc Mainieri helped many people in the same way during his long tenure at Miami-Dade, guys like Jim Hendry and Randy Bush, to name a couple.”

Safe to say your college experience is a little more unique than most of your colleagues.

“Everybody gets to different positions in a different way. No two routes are the same.”

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Chuck Wasserstrom spent 25 years in the Chicago Cubs’ front office – 16 in Media Relations and nine in Baseball Operations. Now a freelance writer, his behind-the-scenes stories of his time in a big league front office can be found on www.chuckblogerstrom.com.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Kyle Lewis (Mercer University) Interview: Draft Prospect Q&A

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MLBTR continues its Draft Prospect Q&A series in order to give our readers a look at some of the top names on the board in this year’s draft. MLBTR will be chatting with some of the draft’s most well-regarded prospects as they prepare for the 2016 draft on June 9-11; we’ve already spoken with Oklahoma’s Alec Hansen and Louisville’s Corey Ray.

Centerfielder Kyle Lewis is doing everything he can to put himself and Mercer University on the baseball map. The 6’4”, 210-pound junior has scouts flocking to Macon, GA, to watch the Southern Conference star play – and was named to the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List this week.

Undrafted out of high school, the Snellville, GA, product burst onto the scene during the summer of 2014 by earning Great Lakes League Player of the Year honors. Last year, he nearly won the Southern Conference Triple Crown (batting .367 with 17 homers and 56 RBI) before putting together a stellar summer in the Cape Cod League.

Lewis entered the 2016 season ranking as the No. 8 overall prospect for the draft according to both MLB.com and Baseball America. Last week, ESPN.com’s Keith Law listed him as the seventh-best prospect for the draft, calling him “an athletic centerfielder with real power in his wrists. That’s a rarity in the draft for a position player who projects to stay up the middle.”

Lewis began this week ranking in the national Top 5 in homers, total bases, RBI, slugging percentage, walks, on-base percentage, runs scored and batting average. He took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with MLBTR:

Chuck Wasserstrom: Let’s start out by talking about Mercer – which isn’t exactly a baseball hotbed. You have the chance to become the first 1st-round pick in school history. Is that important to you?

Kyle Lewis: “Yes it is. It would be something exciting to say that I came from a small school and accomplish that type of thing. I take a lot of pride in being able to represent my school and be one of the faces for the school. So that would be something definitely exciting for me.”

Can you tell me a little bit about your baseball background? You went undrafted out of high school. Is it safe to say you played other sports growing up?

“I played baseball, but I played a lot more basketball. That was kind of my big thing – playing basketball coming up. I played baseball as well during the season, but I never played any summer baseball or anything like that until going into my senior year of high school. That year, I played my first year of full travel baseball – and I was able to have some success in that. So going into my senior year, I started picking up training and things like that in order to start working on my skills and be able to pursue a college scholarship and potentially get drafted.”

Lewis.Kyle

What types of things were you doing during the summer instead of playing travel baseball?

“I played basketball in the summer time. So I had to make a choice which one I wanted to play in college. After talking to some people around the baseball world, they told me if I was to practice more year-round and hone in on my skills, that I’d be able to be a pretty good player. That’s when I decided to commit to it.”

You had decisions to make in high school between pursuing paths in either basketball or baseball. How serious were you about going the basketball route in college?

“We had received interest calls in basketball. The Naval Academy was one of the bigger ones who wanted me to play for them. I did some workouts for mid-major schools. But after the season I went ahead and told my basketball coach to cancel those. At that point, I wanted to concentrate on baseball.”

So now you’ve decided you were going to play baseball in college. What other schools were showing you interest?

“Furman … Georgia State … Kennesaw State … Savannah State … and the University of Miami came on kind of late.”

It sounds like mostly schools closer to home.

“It was just a lot of local schools. By the time I got on the scene, most schools were already working on their next class and were done with my class. So it was tough to get interest from the major schools unless I would pursue a walk-on spot. But I wanted the scholarship, so I settled for the mid-major.”

Nothing wrong with that. You had your opportunity and ran with it.

“I tried to go where I’d be able to play and be able to get on the field and be a priority guy. That’s the biggest thing as far as picking a college. Where are you going to be able to learn and be able to pick up on stuff? Where are you going to be able to play? And I felt like Mercer presented a good opportunity for that as well as being able to potentially make regionals and play on a national stage.”

Your freshman year, you went through the typical first-year growing pains. Then things kind of exploded for you last year – and you never looked back. What happened?

“Going into my freshman year, I had to learn to sit on the bench and watch. I never had to do that before. A lot of that stuff was a mental challenge for me. I had to figure out how to learn and how to observe games from the sideline. I had to figure out what to do when my number was called. I got a lot of pinch-hit opportunities and a lot of pinch-running opportunities. Towards the end of the year, I started to figure it out – and I was able to start the last ten games. Going into that summer, I had a lot of momentum – and I was able to carry that momentum into the summer. I played in the Great Lakes League after my freshman year, and I was able to do really well up there. And I got called up to the Cape Cod League to play in the playoffs. That just gave me the confidence that I needed going into my sophomore year – when you saw the explosion.”

I’d have to think that sitting and watching as a freshman helped you learn the game, although I’m guessing you hated it at the time.

“(Laughing) Yeah, yeah, yeah. I definitely hated it. But from talking to people and talking to my family, they just said I should just see what guys ahead of you are doing that you’re not doing. Or what are they doing as far as preparation and extra work and things like that. And I was fortunate to watch a lineup full of seniors, so I was able to look up to guys who were 23 years old and had been through it. And they had made it to regionals. I was able to pick up on their tendencies and see what they do, and I was able to apply it to my own game.”

Growing up in Georgia, were you a big Braves fan?

“Yes I was – back when they had Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones.”

Those were your guys?

“Those were definitely my guys.”

Anybody growing up that you tried to model yourself after?

“The biggest person in high school that I watched was Adam Jones. I started watching him my junior year … just sit there watching YouTube videos of him. Then I’d try to embody myself after that as much as I could. I like the way he plays. I like the way he carries himself.”

Is he someone you want to be compared to?

“I think it’s kind of comparable as far as an athletic centerfielder with a smooth swing. I wouldn’t say that I try to be exactly like him, because I want to be my own person. But I can say that would be a nice comparison to have.”

I’ve also seen you called a right-handed version of Jason Heyward.

“I can see that. I like to take pride in my defense as well, and I think it’s overlooked sometimes. But I definitely take pride in my defense.”

[Continue reading after the break for more.]

Photo courtesy of Mercer University.

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Matt Klentak Discusses Dartmouth College: MLBTR College Series

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MLBTR continues a series of interviews with top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, etc.

We’ve already spoken to Reds GM Dick Williams and Cubs GM Jed Hoyer. Next up in our question-and-answer series is Philadelphia Phillies Vice President and General Manager Matt Klentak – a graduate of Dartmouth College.

* * * * *

Matt, thanks for talking to MLBTR. You earned an economics degree from Dartmouth College in 2002. Why did you choose Dartmouth?

“There were a few things about Dartmouth that jumped out right away. No. 1, just walking around campus – it’s one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. On top of that, it obviously had a very strong academic reputation. And Coach (Bob) Whalen did an excellent job recruiting me and selling me on their baseball program. So it was really a combination of the three factors – the campus and the community environment, the academics, and the baseball program.”

What other schools were you considering?

“I looked at a few different schools. I initially looked at some schools down south with top baseball programs, but I ultimately realized I wasn’t going to play much there. I might have been able to go there and make the team, but I wasn’t going to see a lot of action on the field. Once I realized that, I started to shift my focus to programs in the northeast where I might be able to play more regularly. I looked at a variety of the schools in the northeast, but ultimately settled on Dartmouth.”

Apr 15, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies general manager Matt Klentak before a game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Being in an Ivy League school, academics definitely took precedence over athletics. What was it like playing in that type of an environment – where it was school first?

“My dad always talked to me about the fact that baseball wasn’t – by itself – going to open up doors for me. It was going to be a combination of baseball and academics. He said it to encourage me to take school seriously back in junior high and high school. It turned out that he was right. Ultimately, my success at Dartmouth was a combination of baseball and academics. Managing the Dartmouth workload and playing Division I baseball – that was a challenge. It really forced the student-athletes to be disciplined and to prioritize their time management. The academic demands required a great deal of studying and homework. And the baseball program had its own demands. But I think that the student-athletes learned about the importance of time management.”

Thinking back to your freshman campaign, what do you remember about your first year on campus?

“It was exciting. It was the first time I was living away from home, and everything was new. Meeting lots of new people. Learning about what it takes to play baseball at the Division I level. Learning how to manage academics and baseball at the same time. Everything was new. Everything was exciting. And there were challenges you were facing for the first time in your life that you never experienced living at home. Ultimately, it can be very satisfying when you find you achieved some success.”

You earned your degree in economics, and that has suited you well in baseball. If you had to choose all over again, would that have been your major – or would you have gone another route?

“I think I would have chosen economics. I think any major is going to teach a student to think critically and to improve their writing skills. There were a lot of majors that would have interested me. I think economics was the right balance for me of objective thinking and mathematics. It was the right balance for my interests and my skill set.”

What important connections did you make at Dartmouth that helped you as moved forward into a baseball career?

“First and foremost, I’m still to this day very close to my college coach, Bob Whalen – and I stay in touch with him. Whenever I can, I get out to see the Dartmouth baseball team play. While I was there, I was teammates with Bryn Alderson – who works for the Mets. His father is Sandy Alderson. I had a chance to get to know the Alderson family, and they have been helpful to me in my baseball career. I met Jim Beattie while I was there; at the time, he was a general manager. As importantly as anything, I became friends – and in many cases, best friends – with my teammates, who I’m still in touch with to this day. A number of them work in the baseball industry.”

Any players on opposing teams that you came across that went on to become important connections for you?

“There’s a nice group of baseball executives that played in the Ivy League at the same time. I’m not trying to just name GMs, but there’s (Colorado GM) Jeff Bridich, who played at Harvard. (Cleveland GM) Mike Chernoff played at Princeton. (Oakland GM) David Forst was at Harvard. (Boston GM) Mike Hazen was at Princeton. (Oakland assistant GM) Dan Kantrovitz was at Brown. And (MLB senior VP) Peter Woodfork was at Harvard as well. That’s a pretty good group.”

***Read more after the break …

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Alec Hansen (Oklahoma) Interview: Draft Prospect Q&A

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MLBTR continues its Draft Prospect Q&A series, which gives readers a look at some of the top names on the board in this year’s draft. MLBTR will be chatting with some of the draft’s most well-regarded prospects as they prepare for the 2016 draft on June 9-11.

University of Oklahoma right-handed pitcher Alec Hansen hasn’t played up to his potential in 2016, but remains an intriguing prospect. At the beginning of the spring, he was rated third on MLB.com’s Draft Prospect Watch and No. 9 on Baseball America’s Top 100 in March. But ESPN’s Keith Law recently wrote that “Hansen was a potential 1-1 guy (top draft pick) going into the school year, missed fall ball with a forearm injury, lost his rotation spot after a dismal start to the season and now could slip out of the first round.”

Hansen says he’s healthy – and that his junior year struggles could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. He’s still going through the growing pains of pitching – as he’s still getting bigger. Despite an uneven season, teams are interested in pitchers who stand 6-foot-8 and can throw 99 MPH. He took some time out of his busy schedule to talk with MLBTR earlier this week and was honest about his 2016 campaign – after a little family talk:

Chuck Wasserstrom: I’m going to start out by throwing some names at you. Nick Hansen swam at Iowa State and later coached at Wisconsin. Debbie Hansen swam at Wisconsin. Eric Hansen swam at Iowa State and later coached at the University of Arizona. Brooke Hansen is a freshman swimmer at Texas. Obviously, if Dad, Mom, Uncle and Sister have all done it, then it’s a family business. How did you miss out on that?

Alec Hansen: “I was a big-time swimmer growing up, and when I got to middle school I was playing other travel sports, too. I started liking the other sports better. I played baseball. I played basketball. I played football. Swimming was one of those sports where it’s the same thing every day. It was monotonous. So by the time I was in middle school I just was more interested in football, basketball and baseball.”

Back in 2013, you were selected by the Rockies in the 25th round of the draft, but you’re the son of a pair of one-time Division I athletes. Was there ever really a chance you would have turned pro, or did Mom and Dad sort of make it a slam dunk that you would be going to college?

“With them both being college athletes, they got to experience it. That’s what they wanted for me – to experience going to college and being part of a team. That’s why they wanted me to go to college. That’s an experience that lasts a lifetime, and you learn a lot from it. I’m really glad that I went to college after high school. Especially OU. I love OU.”

Did you really give much consideration about signing out of high school?

“I talked to my parents about it. We came up with an amount of money that – if I got that offer – that I should take it and play professionally. It would have been worth it if I got that much money. If I didn’t that offer, I would go to school. I didn’t get the amount of money that I was asking for, so I went to school. Now that I went to school, I see why they wanted me to go to college. Now that I look back at it, I should have asked for even more money, because you can’t put a dollar amount on the experience and the people you meet in college.”

Hansen.Alec2

Why did you pick Oklahoma?

“Of all the choices I had, the one that stood out to me was Oklahoma. It was a school that I always liked and wanted to go to growing up. Things just fell into place and worked out. Once I came out and visited OU, I made my decision pretty quickly.”

Turning to 2016 … obviously, this hasn’t been the easiest year for you.

“Not everything is always perfect. I’m not a person who gets too up or down about anything in life. Yes, it’s been frustrating. But it hasn’t changed who I am. I still work hard. I know this is all a process, and I’m still going to get a lot of opportunities to develop. My overall goal is not to be a first-round draft pick … it’s to make it to the big leagues.”

Can you talk about this year, and how much you’ll be able to grow off it?

“I think this is just something a lot of guys go through at any level. I know it happens at the professional level. You have expectations, but you’re not performing. It just becomes a battle – and you have to learn to overcome it. Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise. It could be a good thing for me. I haven’t pitched a lot now, so I’ll be able to go out and throw a lot this summer.”

I’d like to talk about your game a little bit. The scouting report is a plus fastball sitting 94-97 and touching 99, plus slider, above average curveball, makings of average changeup. How accurate would you call that report?

 “I’d call that accurate. I’ve always thrown hard. My off-speed has always been pretty good. It’s just a matter of putting it all together. I think the more opportunities and experience I get to pitch in game settings, then it will all fall into place.”

[Continue reading after the break for more.]

Photo courtesy of OU Athletics Communications.

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Jed Hoyer Discusses Wesleyan University: MLBTR College Series

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MLBTR continues a series where we interview top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, and more.

We’ve already spoken to Reds GM Dick Williams, and next up in our question-and-answer series is Chicago Cubs Executive Vice President and General Manager Jed Hoyer – a graduate of Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT).

* * * * *

Hi Jed, thanks for taking the time to speak with MLBTR. You have a little different path than some others, as you were an athlete, pitcher AND pitching coach at Wesleyan University. What led you to Wesleyan?

“The over-arching goal of my college search was to combine three factors – great academics, the ability to continue playing baseball, and a campus environment that would broaden my limited horizons. I looked at a lot of different schools and the best combination of those factors was Wesleyan. In hindsight, I was less intense and strategic about that decision than I would have been later in life. I simply had a great feel for the school, loved my interactions with the baseball coach (Pete Kostacopoulos), and could picture myself on campus. I had a wonderful four years at Wesleyan and will always be thankful that my instincts were right.”

Jed Hoyer

When you look back at your Wesleyan days, what special moments can you share?

“My favorite moments from Wesleyan come from our baseball team my sophomore year. We advanced to the (Division III) College World Series and ended up losing in the national title game to Jarrod Washburn (Wisconsin-Oshkosh). Despite the disappointment of losing at the end, it was an incredible experience. We were already a close-knit group, but the intensity of the postseason that year only brought us all closer.”

I’m going to get to some student-athlete questions, starting with the academic side. But first, can you tell me about your immediate post-graduate career? I know you initially stayed in school, so to speak.

“My first job after college, I worked as an assistant director of admissions at Kenyon College (Gambier, OH). I also was an assistant baseball coach. I left Kenyon after a year and returned to Wesleyan in a similar capacity. I was really fortunate that my bosses at both schools allowed me the time away from the office to coach. At the time, I simply did it because I wanted to stay on the field. In hindsight, it was an invaluable experience for me to learn about the game from a different angle. I had never thought about how to teach fundamentals or how to motivate players prior to coaching. The three years I spent coaching has benefited me in ways I never would have imagined at the time.”

What was your college major?

“American History.”

I didn’t know that! Have you been able to apply your major to baseball?

“I loved being a history major. I loved the professors I had. I really enjoyed the reading material. Even today, if I get a chance to sit down and read a book, I’m going to grab a biography or something about a historical period. But I will say if I knew I’d be where I’m sitting right now, I certainly would have angled myself more towards economics or something more quantitative.  I do think that’s important when you start your life after college to know that every move you make doesn’t have to be planned so specifically. I was kind of referencing that before in regards to coaching. I coached baseball because I loved being out there, and I wanted to stay involved with the game. It gave me an awesome perspective on the game that I never had. I worked for a couple consulting firms later on, and that really helped me learn how to build business models and advanced my quantitative skills. I think every job I’ve had has provided me with different skills or knowledge that I can use every day in baseball.”

You might have a different perspective on this question as a former admissions official and former coach. What advice do you give high school and college students who want to work in a front office someday?

“I always tell aspiring baseball people the same thing – get involved in baseball in every way you possibly can. For me, it was playing until I wasn’t good enough to play anymore and then coaching. Baseball was my athletic love, and now I’m fortunate enough to be able to come to work every day and apply that. Ultimately, when I come into work, my entire day is spent dealing with baseball in various forms – whether it’s contractual, whether it’s rules, whether it’s player evaluation. Sports science … analytic stuff … whatever it might be, it’s all baseball all day. If you don’t absolutely love baseball, this is never going to work for you.”

Were there lessons you learned at Wesleyan that you utilize today as part of this day-to-day routine?

“I think the two things that come to mind right away are – No. 1, there’s nothing better than team sports. The camaraderie that’s built among a group of people fighting for a common goal is really something special. I know I experienced that playing in college. I don’t think that’s any different when you’re getting paid to play in the big leagues. Creating a great culture in the clubhouse, getting everyone pulling in the same direction, there’s no doubt that the teams that do that best have a big advantage. The second thing, on a more academic level, is that lifelong learning is something that’s exceptionally important. The most impressive thing about Wesleyan to me was that there was this eclectic group of intellectually curious 19-22 year olds– and those were the type of people I wanted to be around on a day-to-day basis. The school was filled with people that are constantly learning, always curious, and consistently pushing the boundaries. Those are the type of people I wanted to be surrounded by when I was 20 and they are the same people I want to fill our front office with at 42.”

As you reflect back on Wesleyan and being a student there, did you have a favorite professor?

“The most vivid memory of the classroom at Wesleyan – and I think back on this quite a bit – there was a professor named Richard Slotkin, and he taught American Literature. His classes were incredibly hard to get into because he was such an amazing lecturer. I remember sitting in his lectures and thinking … I hope someday I can be as good at my job and as passionate about my job and as knowledgeable about the field of study as this guy is. Candidly, I think I’m still trying to get there. I think it’s great when you see anyone in any walk of life that so dominates their field – and you can tell that it brings them so much joy to share it.”

Baseball-wise, did you make any important connections at Wesleyan that helped you in your baseball career?

“Ben Cherington played at Amherst, and they were our rival. My closest friend from high school played at Amherst with Ben, so I got to know those guys very well. It was a really fun and great rivalry. When I tried to get an internship with the Red Sox a few years later, the connection with Ben really helped me. Ben is an incredible talent.  I was really fortunate to get to know him at age 19 in a setting that neither of us ever would have imagined would have led to a professional relationship and friendship.”

You set Wesleyan’s all-time school saves record – and were also the everyday shortstop. Can you talk about your playing days?

“If I had any strength in baseball at all, it was that I was really versatile. My sophomore year, I played left field and was the closer. My junior year, I played shortstop, was a starting pitcher, and even played catcher a few games when our catcher got hurt. My senior year, I played shortstop and was the closer. In general, I felt comfortable moving around the diamond. I knew I wasn’t going to play in the big leagues.  I was self-aware enough to realize that.  I played in the Cape Cod League after my junior year and was teammates with Mark DeRosa, John McDonald and Dan Reichert. It was a great experience and also a humbling experience. I realized that if I was going to have a future in baseball, it wasn’t going to be playing on TV.”

Do you ever get a chance to go back to visit campus?

“I’m actually going back soon. My 20th reunion is in the middle of May, so I’m going back for that – which will be fun. When I was with the Red Sox, I went back often; it was only a three-hour drive. I could get down there for a game or to visit people. But after I left the Red Sox, I haven’t been back since. I’m excited to be back on campus.”

Final question, as we tie together your college major and your professional career. Did obtaining a history degree pique your interest in learning more about the histories of the Red Sox and the Cubs?

“No doubt. I’ve been fortunate that two of the three teams I’ve worked for have incredibly rich, deep histories. Those two teams are more than just baseball teams to their cultures … they’re a way of life that’s passed down generation to generation. I think I’d be doing a disservice to the job if I didn’t completely embrace the history of the Red Sox or the Cubs. There are so many similarities between the two teams.  The Red Sox ended their long suffering.  Now we get the incredible opportunity to try to do the same thing in Chicago.”

– – –

Chuck Wasserstrom spent 25 years in the Chicago Cubs’ front office – 16 in Media Relations and nine in Baseball Operations. Now a freelance writer, his behind-the-scenes stories of his time in a big league front office can be found on www.chuckblogerstrom.com.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Corey Ray (Louisville) Interview: Draft Prospect Q&A

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MLBTR is re-launching its Draft Prospect Q&A series in order to give our readers a look at some of the top names on the board in this year’s draft. MLBTR will be chatting with some of the draft’s most well-regarded prospects as they prepare for the 2016 draft on June 9-11.

University of Louisville center fielder Corey Ray is rated among the top position players available in this year’s draft. In a recent mock draft, Baseball America has Ray going sixth overall.

At 6’0″, 200 pounds, Ray made a name for himself in 2015 with a strong sophomore season for Louisville, recording a .325/.389/.543 batting line with 11 homers and 34 stolen bases. Over the summer, the left-handed batter led the U.S. collegiate national team in extra-base hits (nine), OPS (.971) and steals (11). After Louisville’s weekend series against ACC rival Florida State, the 21-year-old is hitting .331/.396/.624 with 20 extra-base hits (including nine homers), 38 RBI and 28 steals as the Cardinals’ leadoff batter.

According to MLBPipeline.com’s Jonathan Mayo, Ray is “the epitome of the college performer. He just hits. He’s got some power. He’s performed well. If he continues to do that, he should be a guy who easily can go in the Top 10.” Keith Law and Eric Longengagen of ESPN.com rated Ray third among draft prospects yesterday, praising his blend of power and speed.

Ray arrived on the Louisville campus after a stellar prep career at Simeon Career Academy in Chicago. Over his own objections, he went the college route after being selected in the 33rd round of the 2013 draft. Ray was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk with MLBTR this week.

Chuck Wasserstrom: I know the draft is a couple months away – and you’ve been through the draft process before – but is it hard not to think about the draft right now?

Corey Ray: “No, it’s not hard, because I’m in a college season. As a high Division 1 program, we have goals. And we want to accomplish those goals first and foremost. I put the team before myself.”

Corey Ray

I like that answer. Let’s go back to 2013. You were selected by the Mariners in the 33rd round of the draft, but your dad (also named Corey Ray) put his foot down and said you were going to college. Can you talk about how those conversations went down?

“They were intense. As a baseball player and as an African-American from the south side of Chicago, you love playing sports. The idea that you get paid to do it is a dream come true. That dream was knocking on my door, and those were some pretty tough conversations with my father. He told me I wasn’t ready. All I was seeing was the dollar amount and not the big picture in the long term.”

How hard was it for you to say ‘No’ to the Mariners?

“Very hard … I think I may have teared up a little bit.”

You have said your dad was right. Can you tell me how the Louisville experience has changed you?

“I think it’s made me a baseball player. I came here and I had some talent, but I didn’t know how to play the game. I didn’t know what hard work was. Being here under Coach Mac (Dan McDonnell) has taught me what hard work was. The players I have played with here have taught me what hard work was – and they taught me the game as well. It has also made me a more mature person – being in college … being on my own … finding out what it takes to be successful at this level.”

Why did you choose Louisville?

“It was close to home, but not too close. My grandparents and my father can come and see me play when we have weekend series, but they can’t come up here every day. They can’t surprise me. I have enough distance between my parents and here that I feel like I’m on my own, but I see them enough not to get homesick.”

For people who haven’t seen you play, how would you describe Corey Ray as a baseball player?

“Versatile … can play all three outfield positions … can steal a base … can hit the ball in gap … if you make a mistake, can hit the ball over the fence. But I also can grind out at-bats and see pitches. Whatever that needs to be done, I can do it.”

You made the huge jump forward your sophomore year, and then had a big summer campaign. You’ve followed up on that with a strong junior season. What do you see as the turning point in your college career?

“I think the turning point for me was, at the end of my freshman season, just being able to play and being able to get reps. But I think one of the best things for me was going to the Cape Cod League after my freshman year. I wasn’t as successful as you’d like to be as a hitter, but the reps … I saw the best pitching that college baseball has to offer day in and day out. You learn what you can and cannot do on the baseball field. You learn the flaws and the advantages of your swing. I think I learned a lot about myself as a baseball player from just being unsuccessful in the Cape.”

But you also got to see a lot of quality players and use a wood bat, so you were learning how the pro game is played.

“You’re playing with some of the best players in college baseball and you’re playing against some of the best players in college baseball. So I tried to pick up some things that other players do that I didn’t do that could possibly help me with my game.”

The old speed or strength question … Do you see yourself as more a leadoff hitter or a middle of the lineup batter?

“Leadoff hitter… I love leadoff. I practically had to beg Coach Mac to lead me off this year. Just being that table setter … I think in the leadoff spot I can be more dangerous because when I’m on base and there aren’t any out, I can pick which pitches to steal and what situation I want to steal in.”

Being a leadoff hitter all the time now, have you taken a different approach to the plate? Your strikeout total (17 in more than 150 plate appearances this season) rivals your walk total (16).

“Definitely. Not just because I’m the leadoff hitter, but because I want to grow as a hitter. I think I’ve become more mature. I’m starting to learn what pitches I hit best and what pitches I can’t hit. And what pitches to swing at early in the count and which pitches not to. I also think that can be attributed to being more comfortable hitting with two strikes. Last year, I wasn’t as comfortable and I’d swing early in the count. I would get myself out sometimes, or with two strikes – I’d sometimes swing at anything thrown. Now, I’m able to work counts with two strikes and get a better pitch to hit.”

Defensively, if you’re given a choice, what position do you think you should play?

“Center field.”

Why center field?

“I think it’s the easiest of all three positions, but there’s more ground to cover. You’re the leader of the outfield. That’s the premier position to play. I think my speed and my jumps and my defensive ability profiles better in center field than the corners.”

But you’ll play anywhere they tell you.

“Yes sir. As long as I’m in the lineup.”

As a Chicago native, I have to ask you this question: Cubs fan or White Sox fan?

“I like them both. Growing up, I lived close to [U.S. Cellular Field] and went to a lot of White Sox games – and I like the White Sox. But before my senior year in high school, I was blessed with the opportunity to play in the (Under Armour) All-American Game at Wrigley Field. Just being in that clubhouse and playing on that field … the history from that ballpark, you can’t not like a team like the Chicago Cubs. It doesn’t hurt that they could win the World Series this year.”

What was it like being on a Major League field?

“I’ve been on a few different Major League fields before, but the two that stand out to me most are Fenway Park and Wrigley, just because of the history. They’re old, but they have that historic feel. You can just tell you’re in some place special.”

Speaking of Fenway, I know you’ve listed former Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury as someone you model your game after. Are there other players that you look up to?

“Yes, Jacoby Ellsbury … definitely. Oregon State … two national championships … first round pick … Boston Red Sox. He’s made a lot of money in his career, and he’s done it in many ways. By stealing bases. By defending. He also hit third for the Yankees one year. He can hit the long ball. He’s very versatile. And then there’s Curtis Granderson. He’s from Chicago. I’ve talked to him a lot. He’s a mentor of mine. He’s a great guy. If I can have the career Curtis Granderson has had, I’d be pretty happy. I’ve also been watching a lot of videos on Tony Gwynn. One of the best hitters to ever play … the way that he did it was amazing.”

Your Louisville bio includes the phrase “the greatest influence on his career is his grandfather because of his support.” Tell me about your grandfather (Earnest, his paternal grandfather).

“Growing up, I can probably count on two hands the number of games my granddad missed. And that includes playing out of the state and all over the country. He’s the reason I started watching baseball more. I’ve always liked playing it, but I’ve learned a lot about baseball by just watching it. I remember times when I was younger when we’d just sit down and watch whole White Sox games on back-to-back days. I could always count on him to be in the stands if I had a baseball game, cheering me on, telling me to hit the ball. He made it known from an early age that, if you want to do this, you have to work hard to do it. It’s possible if you work hard enough.”

I’ve read stories about your dad getting you started in baseball at a young age.

“His co-worker started a baseball team, and they needed one extra player. My dad signed me up and they stuck me in center field. The rest is history. My dad always told me that whatever it is you want to do, you’ve got to work harder. You’re not only going against the people in your area in Chicago or even the Midwest, you’re going against everybody else in the country. He always told me that there’s someone out there trying to take your spot. And that guy’s working hard, so you have to work harder to keep up. He would tell me to go and run the hill. The ironic thing is he would never watch me. He said ‘if you’re working hard and you’re really doing what you’re supposed to do, it will really show on the field. So I don’t have to watch the process. I want to watch the result.’ ”

If you don’t mind, tell me a little bit about this legendary hill (a 40-foot-high hill at Robichaux Park in Chicago).

“There’s a hill that was basically behind my house that I would run on. I would run sprints up it and run sprints down it. Do some push-ups. And then run a 50-yard sprint. At the end, run up the hill and sprint down backwards. Some agility, some speed, some conditioning.”

Did you do it by yourself or with friends?

“I did it by myself. Sometimes I would take my puppy to run with me (laughing).”

There hasn’t been a city of Chicago product picked in the draft’s Top 10 since 1989. Do you think about that at all? Is that a goal for you?

“I think a goal for me is to play the game of baseball as long as I can and to give back to Chicago baseball as much as I can, whether that be as a Top 10 pick or being just a draft pick at all. To be able to get into professional baseball and hopefully to get into Major League Baseball and leave my mark on Chicago baseball – to be an ambassador for Chicago baseball.”

So if you are a high draft pick, will your dad be OK if you turn pro?

(Laughing) “Definitely. I don’t think he’s the decision maker this time.”

Does he know that?

“Yes. He knows.”

– – –

Chuck Wasserstrom spent 25 years in the Chicago Cubs’ front office – 16 in Media Relations and nine in Baseball Operations. Now a freelance writer, his behind-the-scenes stories of his time in a big league front office can be found on www.chuckblogerstrom.com.

Photo courtesy of University of Louisville Sports Information.

Tyrone Brooks And MLB’s Diversity Pipeline Program

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Tyrone Brooks has been preparing for his current job since joining a Major League front office more than 20 years ago. Brooks, who was named Senior Director of MLB’s Front Office and Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program earlier this year, has long been known for the work he has done in trying to help people land careers in baseball. Back in 2009, he founded the Baseball Industry Network – a networking group designed to assist individuals working in and/or connected to the game. One of the goals of the network – which now has over 29,000 members – is to develop mentoring relationships between people in the sport and individuals attempting to enter the industry.

Brooks, 42, got his start in baseball by landing an internship with the Atlanta Braves. He didn’t come from a baseball pedigree – as he double-majored in accounting and marketing at the University of Maryland, where he also spent time as a photojournalist. He took the internship opportunity and parlayed it into a full-time position. His resume – with stops in Atlanta (1996-2006), Cleveland (2006- 2009) and Pittsburgh (2009- 2016) – shows slow steady progress through different departments and roles en route to leadership positions. In essence, Brooks was the first member of his own pipeline.

“With the Front Office and Field Staff Diversity Pipeline Program, the goal is to help increase the pool of minority and women candidates for baseball operations positions,” Brooks said. “The main thing is developing a pipeline both to the front office and for potential managers at the big league level. We’re starting from the bottom. We’re not looking to bring somebody in and try to make them assistant GMs for a club right away. We’re trying to bring new people in through internships and entry level jobs and create a path for that person. And as the person goes through the pipeline, that’s how we can help develop that person. Looking at it from a long-term perspective, that’s how we can make this game better … by giving individuals opportunities, and from there, helping develop them as they go through the process.

“We’re putting programs in place where we can help individuals make the next step from entry level to mid-manager to higher levels within an organization. It’s a continual process as you make your way through the pipeline. You need to have things in place that are going to help an individual grow and work their way toward the top of an organization.”

The type of path Brooks talks about directly mirrors his own course, beginning with the aforementioned Braves internship. Brooks got that position through that organization’s Career Initiative Trainee Program – a program developed by Braves executives Hank Aaron and Stan Kasten to help create opportunities for minorities and women in baseball. He spent just a couple months as an intern before a full-time position opened up – and he was hired as an administrative assistant in scouting and player development. Brooks bided his time and put in nine full years before being promoted into his first titled position – as the Braves’ Director of Baseball Operations.

“You can look at my own career as a little bit of a model for the program,” he said. “I came in as an intern out of college – that was my way in. I got my feet wet. I was very fortunate to get hired later that summer full-time. From there, I continued to grow and expand in the duties I was given. At that time, I wanted to learn how we evaluated talent. The Braves were a very scout-driven organization, so the opportunity to get exposed to that area was important. I just tried to balance as much as I could – both on the administrative side in order to do my job effectively and to grow on the evaluation side as well.

“I started in the office as an administrator … became an area scout … went back into the office … did more of the administrator stuff – contracts, arbitration … went back into the field as a pro scout (with the Indians) … then came back into the office with the Pirates and basically did the duties of an assistant GM day-to-day … and from there, Director of Player Personnel.”

In his new role at MLB, Brooks will play a part in the way baseball front offices are constructed moving forward. He was asked what it was like knowing that he was involved in changing future front office landscapes.

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Dave Stewart Interview, Part II

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Over four decades in baseball, Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart has done nearly everything in baseball. He was a solid pitcher for 16 years, with 168 wins and a 3.95 ERA. Over four superstar seasons with the Oakland A’s, he collected 17.8 bWAR and four straight top-four Cy Young Award finishes. Upon retirement, he was a pitching coach and an assistant GM for multiple teams, and was a finalist to manage the Milwaukee Brewers upon Davey Lopes’s firing in 2002.

After failing to ascend to general manager in Toronto (with the Blue Jays instead hiring J.P. Ricciardi), Stewart formed a player agency and represented several stars, including Eric Chavez, Matt Kemp, Chad Billingsley and Chris Carter.

Years after Stewart had admittedly given up hope of ever being a big-league GM, Tony La Russa was hired to run baseball operations in Arizona and selected his former ace as the Diamondbacks GM.

Last week, we spoke to Stewart about his Diamondbacks team. This week, Stewart reflects on his career and his path to the big chair in this exclusive conversation.

 —

You were drafted in the 16th round by the Dodgers in 1975, but you also had a ton of football scholarship offers, and played some pretty good basketball, too. Why did you choose baseball?

[Laughs] It was the sport that I was least likely to get hurt playing. There are obvious injuries that happen in baseball, but in football, even at 6’2”, 210 pounds, that’s not big enough to play the sport, for me. In basketball, there were some size restrictions as well. What’s great about baseball is that anybody can get on the diamond and show their skills. At the time, among the three sports, baseball was not my favorite, and probably not my best sport. But it’s just funny how things turn out.

Did you have any idea L.A. was going to convert you from catcher to pitcher?

No clue whatsoever [laughs]. Once I reported to [rookie ball in] Bellingham, Washington, the picture became clear what they were going to do with me.

You blossomed into stardom in front of your hometown Oakland fans, with four straight seasons for top-four Cy Young finishes. Meanwhile, your A’s teams made it to three straight World Series and not afraid to put somebody on their backsides to get there. But Oakland was under .500 in 1986, your first year in Oakland, and just .500 in Tony La Russa’s first full year as manager in 1987. When did the A’s develop their swagger?

We had a good group of players, [Mark] McGwire, [Jose] Canseco, Carney Lansford, Dave Henderson, Rickey Henderson. And you look at the pitching staff of myself, [Bob] Welch, Mike Moore, Curt Young; our rotation was good, we had Dennis Eckersley on the back end, and Rick Honeycutt and others in the pen.

But what really makes the team is the guy who leads the team, the manager. Tony was a great example of what we should be and how we should play the game. His message went through our clubhouse. We believed we could win, and when we stepped on the field, we were going to win. That all started with Tony and his coaching staff, and the things they brought to us day-to-day as players.

Since retiring, you’ve been a player agent, a pitching coach, in the front office, and even have gotten consideration as a manager. You seem to have your choice of baseball gigs. Why GM?

The general manager has the most impact on an organization and a franchise. I get the opportunity to pick the manager and put the players in place. It’s the biggest responsibility in an organization. I like that kind of pressure. I like being in that situation. I’ve won championships as a player, now I want to win a championship in the front office. In this capacity now, I want to be able to shape and form an organization, and build a tradition during my tenure.

You’ve been outspoken about the role of race in your goal to become a baseball GM. Was there ever a point when you thought it just wasn’t going to happen?

No, there wasn’t a single point, because by a certain time I definitely didn’t think it was going to happen. But the thing about baseball, especially at the upper levels of management, if you get the right person in the right position, it can affect your life immediately, as this did for me. Tony La Russa is a guy I’ve had a relationship with for over 30 years, and once he was put in a position where he could hire me, he did. If Tony would not have gotten his opportunity, I wouldn’t haven’t have gotten mine.

As you say, in many ways you learned how to play winning baseball under Tony, have been friends for decades, have discussed your futures in baseball together. Is it ideal to be working toward a championship in Arizona with him?

I know enough about Tony to say that our friendship had nothing to do with giving me the opportunity to do this job. But having a friendship makes it easier to do the job. Our communication is wide open. We feel free to talk with each other about anything. Most of the time our conversations are good conversations. Sometimes they’re not so good. We both have some fire. And that’s the great part about it, whether it’s a good conversation or a bad one, we walk out of the room united.

You were fresh-faced in 1981, winning your first title with Los Angeles. You were a pitching stud in 1989 when you won a second title, with Oakland. A few years later, you got a third in Toronto. Is there a favorite?

They were all good, because they were all at different points in my life. In 1981, I was just a rookie coming into the game, so I had an opportunity to win one right off the bat, which was great. I wasn’t of great impact to the Dodgers, but I was able to help them get there. In 1989, as you said, I was in the middle of it, and I made a difference in winning that World Series. In 1993 it was my last one, at the tail end of my career. I was on my way out of the game, contributing any way I could, but still having impact. I was ALCS MVP that year. But they were all significant and good because they were all different parts of my career and my life.

MLBTR College Series: Reds GM Dick Williams (University of Virginia)

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MLBTR is beginning a series where we interview top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, etc.

Leading off the question-and-answer series is Cincinnati Reds Senior Vice President/General Manager Dick Williams – a graduate of the University of Virginia.

* * * * *

First off, sorry about the basketball game Sunday. Why did you choose Virginia?

Jul 2, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cincinnati Reds vice president of baseball operations Dick Williams before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

“I’m still reeling from the loss. Feel free to put that in the article. It was tough. I was so bummed. It’s been a while since we’ve gone to the Final Four. Why Virginia? It’s tough to pinpoint exactly. I went to boarding school in the northeast and I loved it. After two years in the northeast, I thought I would try a different part of the country. I’ve always been a bit of a wandering soul, and I wanted to try something new. So I applied to some northeastern schools, but I also applied to schools in the southeast and on the West Coast. I kind of had it in my mind that I was going to try a new part of the country.

The real tipping point was that I was a finalist for an award called the Jefferson Scholar, and they award a handful of these each year to incoming freshman. It’s a prestigious academic leadership award. They invite the finalists down their senior year to participate in a multi-day forum. They interview you and they have you participate in activities … and take tests … and they observe you. Then they award the scholarships for the next year. I didn’t get picked as a Jefferson Scholar, but I got to go down there for three days in March of my senior year in high school. And I spent three days on the Charlottesville campus – which was more than I spent on any other college visit. I think I just got more familiar with it. It didn’t hurt that it was St. Patty’s Day while I was there, so they had all these fraternity parties and all of the social activity going on. This beautiful campus … it was spring … it was gorgeous … and we’re just running around having the time of our lives. I really got a good feel from being there. I think that just gave it a leg up over other great schools that I was looking at. I think going there for that long weekend made all the difference.”

Although you weren’t selected a Jefferson Scholar, you did decide to go to UVA. Did you end up going there on an academic scholarship?

“They have another program called the Echols Scholars, and that’s for the top incoming freshmen academically. It is not a monetary scholarship. What it allows you to do is it gives you academic freedom when you get there. And I was an Echols Scholar. It gives you priority to sign up for any classes. Instead of classes based on age or what your major was, if you were an Echols Scholar, you got a free pass into any class you wanted to take. That really shaped my experience there, because I made it a point of trying to take classes in every discipline. I took a class from the engineering school. I took classes from the nursing school. I took classes from the architecture school. I did a little bit of everything – just because I was given that freedom. You didn’t have to meet typical major requirements as an Echols Scholar. You could build your own field of study. So you could really spread it around, and I took full advantage of it. I just took a lot of things that interested me that I would never get a chance to study again. When I look back on my transcript, it wasn’t all finance or all politics. It really was a melting pot of things I was interested in.”

So, what was your major?

“Well, my diploma says Echols Scholar Interdisciplinary Studies. So I had to explain that in job interviews for years. Just telling people that I really didn’t have a major. But I majored in being a liberal arts student – taking a little bit of everything.”

Looking back, should you have focused on a specific major – or are you comfortable with the route you took?

“I’m really comfortable with the route I went. I loved doing it the way I did. And when I got out of college, I went right into investment banking on Wall Street – and they put us through a training program of accounting and finance. I had a very good base in that. I learned plenty there and on the job. I ended up getting my chartered financial analyst designation – my CFA – a few years later, and that was self-study. Once my career took me on a path, then I began to do a lot of that follow-up work on my own.”

 Did you have a favorite class or favorite professor?

“I would have to say my favorite class was what they called ‘Bice Psych.’ Professor Bice. Everybody took that. It was Intro to Psychology. Every class was like a Broadway show. He always brought something very interesting to class. A lot of practical examples. A lot of funny stories. A lot of interactive exhibits. It also didn’t hurt that it was a pretty easy ‘A’ … For me, you got out of high school and you get to college – and you don’t know what to expect. I received some good advice to sign up for this class. It reminded you that academics could be fun and interesting. Not every class was big textbooks that you can’t read and worrying about copying down notes. ‘Bice Psych’ was like going to recess.”

 Can you share any memorable moments from your college days?

“I went abroad for a semester. I went to Australia; that was one of my formative experiences. I had a great time going down there. It’s kind of different being on the other side of the world. It was more about the travel and being able to travel around Australia and New Zealand. I kind of cheated a little bit … I went abroad, but there was no language barrier. That made it easier to meet people.”

Any college learnings that you utilize today?

“Statistics and probability – I took them there and really got a good understanding of them. I was surprised at how much that played into my business career, both in baseball and investment banking. Just the foundation for statistics and probability. It really affects everything you do in your daily life.”

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