Helping World Series Phenom Buster Posey

    Ken Joycewas talking mile a minute.  He had input for any of my questions, many times offering more than I knew to ask.  How he got started in baseball, his time in the Florida Marlinsand Toronto Blue Jaysorganizations, the big names he has worked with, his years managing and coaching in  Independent leagues.

      He had every reason to be excited.  Who wouldn’t be?

       Joyce is now part of the San Francisco Giantsbaseball operation.  The World ChampionGiants.

      To say he had an interesting season as the hitting coach for the Giants’ Triple-A team, the Fresno Grizzlies, would be an understatement.  Game 4 pitching hero Madison Bumgarnerwas 7-1 at Fresno, rookie catching phenom Buster Poseyplayed nearly 50 games for the Pacific Coast Leagueteam before taking over behind the plate and eventually hitting cleanup for the parent Giants.  World Series MVP Edgar Renteria, Pat Burrelland standout second baseman Freddy Sanchezall made brief appearances with the top farm club.

       And the capper was that the Giants brought Ken Joyceand his 11-year-old son Tommy, now a very popular sixth grader at home in Portland, ME, to Games 1 and 2 of the Fall Classic. 

       Oh, and all of this for a man now trusted to help the likes of the 23-year-old Posey, a likely franchise star for the next decade, with their hitting even though Joyce did not play a single game of professional baseball.  He did play in the NAIA College World Seriesrepresenting Southern Maine, and he spent time in the Northeast League,which preceded today’s Can-Am League. He was a coach at the remote village of Mountaindale, NYfor the Catskill Cougarsin 2000 and he spent part of the next season managing the Adirondack Lumberjacksin Glens Falls, NY.

        “Van Schleyhired me as the hitting coach in Catskill”, Joyce recalled, with obvious joy when he returned my telephone call from Portland.  Schley has been in various ownership roles since the Independent game started in 1993, most recently as primary boss of the Can-Am’s Brockton, MAfranchise.   The Catskill gig took place after Joyce’s six-year run with the Marlins ended, during his time as a middle school physical education teacher and before his 2002-09 tenure with Toronto.

      A year later Adirondack was in turmoil in mid-season, about the time Joyce’s school year ended, and “I agreed I would take the (managing) job as long as Darryl Motley(who had been managing) stayed as designated hitter.”

Posey Was Not ‘Driving the Ball’

      Ken Joycedid not take any special credit in helping to mould Buster Posey, even though he hit a career-high .347 with an on-base percentage of .442 for his 47 games in Fresno.

     “That young man is way ahead of his time,” the hitting coach praised.  “I told him, no offense, but the best hitting coach you will ever have is yourself.  He knows how to make his own adjustments.”

       Modesty aside, Joyce said the Giants’ line when Posey reported to Triple-A after spring training was “he’s not driving the ball; and he needs to cover the inside better”.  That became the project. 

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  Bridgeport Manager Also Remembers Giants Fondly

       One present day Independent manager also has fond memories of his days as first base coach and as minor league hitting coordinator at San Francisco. The onetime major league slugger Willie Upshaw, who manages Bridgeport, CTin the Atlantic League, especially recalls the first time he saw No. 2 starter Matt Cainas one minor league spring training was winding down.

      “Oh my, look at his arm and his stuff”, Upshaw related, with similar enthusiasm a few years later. 

  Top ‘Prospects’ Getting Jobs

      It almost seems that methodically, one by one major league organizations are purchasing the contracts of prime Independent Baseball players.  Baseball America came out with its list of top 10 prospects, and the first three already have departed.

      Bostoninked outfielder Matty Johnson (Gateway, Sauget, IL, Frontier League), Atlantacame after right-handed pitcher Wes Alsup (Joliet, IL, Northern League)and the Bravesalso took first baseman Chris Garcia (Shreveport-Bossier, LA, American Association)which leaves righties Ryan Sheldonand Bobby Pritchett, both with Normal, ILof the Frontier on the bubble as Nos. 4 and 5.            

           (This is an excerpt from the column Bob Wirz writes year round on Independent Baseball.  Fans may subscribe at www.WirzandAssociates.com, enjoy his blogs, www.AtlanticLeagueBaseball.com and www.IndyBaseballChatter.com , or comment to RWirz@aol.com .  The author has 16 years of major league baseball public relations experience with Kansas City and as spokesman for two Commissioners and lives in Stratford, CT.)