Every time the Lansing Lugnuts players step on the field it’s like a job interview for the Major Leagues.
Each player hopes something they do during the game catches the watchful eye of a scout, and helps them navigate throught the Chicago Cubs farm system.
It’s like the longest interviewing process a person could imagine. Most players take a full season or more to get through single A, double A and triple A baseball before hitting the majors - if they make it that far.
For players, it’s easier to grab the attention of scouts with gaudy numbers or great defense - that is, compared to coaches.
Just like athletes they guide, coaches too must have patience when trying to move through the minors.
Lugnuts second-year manager Julio Garcia plays the waiting game as well. Players may get moved up during the middle of the season, however, that is not likely for a coach.
“We don’t know from year to year where we’re going to go,” Garcia said. “The organization makes that decision and then they let us know. At the end of last year, I didn’t know if I was coming back here or not, until later on. And it’ll probably be the same thing this year.
“I won’t know if I’m back here next year or going some place else.”
The only thing certain for Garcia this off-season is that he’ll be fishing somewhere in Texas.
“I really like to fish,” he said. “I have a friend of mine that lives up the road from me and we’ll go down to the Gulf of Mexico and fish for trout. That’s mainly what I like to do.
“It’s just for sport. We catch them and throw them back. It’s fun to catch them, let them run and reel them in. If you catch a big one, you take a picture of it, and send it back. Or you keep it and eat it.”
With his wife, Tracey Ann, expecting their second child Aug. 21, Garcia said he probably won’t be as frequent a fisher as in past off-seasons.
“With the new baby, it might be a little bit different,” he said.
After the off-season, it’s back to the job - no matter where it may be.
“I’ve been all the way up and down the ranks in the league,” he said “If it does happen, if we go somewhere else, it would be fine.
“There’s no way of telling the future.”
In his first season in the Midwest League and as the Lugnuts coach, Garcia posted a 65-75 record and the Lugnuts missed the playoffs.
He said the first year at Oldsmobile Park, 505 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, was different.
“I had never been to this league,” he said. “And none of my staff had ever been here either so we were a little tentative.”
This season, the Lugnuts are 67-52 through Aug. 11, and are likely to garner a second-half playoff spot.
The ultimate goal for any manager is to reach the major leagues, however, the goals for a big league and staff and a minor league staff differ. It helps players like Midwest League All-star right-fielder J.J. Johnson become important all-around players.
“The staff is cool,” he said. “Julio and (batting coach Mike Micucci) have helped me with a lot of things this season.”
At the major-league level, winning takes precedent over everything. At the minor-league level, a manager must find a balance between winning and developing players. Garcia said his No. 1 objective is to get players experience - playing the percentages is pretty much thrown out the window.
“I won’t put the game before the player,” he said. “I very rarely pinch hit for guys. If I start him in a game, I let him go because it is important for them to get their at-bats.
“Who’s to say that they’re not going to be able to face lefties if they’re left-handed or righties if they’re right-handed.”
Garcia is hesitant to speculate on the future, but said as long as he’s managing he’ll be content.
“In 10 years - I don’t know,” he said. “It’s something that I haven’t thought of much really. With the situation being what it is these days in baseball, I’m hoping to have a job in 10 years.
“In 10 years, you would think it would be somewhere a little bit closer to the major leagues. Who knows, I might still be in A-ball in 10 years. Either way it’s fun to be doing this.”
