If baseball can be saved, and that’s a big if, it will be baseball men like Dave Trembley who do the saving.
Trembley has spent a lifetime in the game. He has coached and managed at every level, high school, college, minor leagues and major leagues and this year decided to go back to the new Appalachian League, now a college summer league, to teach the game the right way to college kids playing for the Bristol State Liners in Bristol, Virginia.
He first coached in the Appalachian League when it was a much different league in 1985. He has held nearly every job in the game. His is a baseball soul.
“I agreed to do this,’’ Trembley told BallNine, “if we could teach baseball fundamentals and MLB and USA Baseball said, ‘Yeah, that’s what the premise of this league is all about.’ It’s college freshmen and sophomores and we are emphasizing old-school player development.’’
Imagine that. Teaching baseball to baseball players and getting MLB’s endorsement.
This October, Trembley will turn 70, but the game has kept him young. His smile is bright and his energy level is off the charts, all with one goal in mind, to make players the best they can be … and he still throws batting practice.
Trembley has been in the game 42 years.
“I have managed at every league in the minor leagues with the exception of the Midwest League and the Cal League,’’ Trembley said. “I’ve managed in Instructional League 16 years. I did Winter Ball in Mexico and Venezuela. I’ve been to the Dominican. I was a field coordinator in the minor leagues. I was a major league field coordinator, a third base coach, a bullpen coach, a bench coach and a manager in the big leagues. I was a farm director, director of player development. I coached at the high school level, I coached at the college level. I think we bring a framework of reference.
“WATCH THE GAME, LEARN FROM IT. THROW STRIKES, MAKE THE ROUTINE PLAYS, GET A GOOD BALL TO HIT, MAKE GOOD DECISIONS ON THE BASES AND COMPETE. THAT’S IT. THAT’S BASEBALL.’’
“Instead of sitting back and criticizing the way the game is played right now I decided to try and help it and do something about it. Because we can all say we don’t like the way the game is played, and the way things are going. When the opportunity presented itself, I took it because I care about the game and the future of the game. The opportunity to teach it and also to have young guys appreciate how the game is played. The grind. It’s a tough business. These guys are playing six days a week. We take batting practice every day, we do infield, we do fundamentals. I think it’s the time of their lives.’’
There are no shortcuts. He learned that managing 3,254 games in the minors and majors.
Lessons must be learned on the field. To learn to bunt you have to practice bunting. To learn to hit the ball the other way you have to practice hitting the ball the other way. To be a good fielder you have to work your position. PFP is a big part of his pitching world, too.
“I called all the pitchers, catchers and position players when I got the roster,’’ Trembley explained. “I told them we would not have any wrist bands on their wrists. We wouldn’t call pitches. They wouldn’t have cue cards in their hats. Wouldn’t have those cards in their back pocket out in the field. We were going to teach guys and prepare them how to play and maybe help them develop some baseball instincts and learn how to make decisions on their own. It’s been very well received by our players.’’
My one word reaction: HALLELUJAH!
No comments:
Post a Comment