Champions embracing small ball
Former MLB manager Hal Lanier takes old-school approach to Can-Am League
At the tender age of 75, more than five decades into his professional baseball career, the sparkle is still in Hal Lanier’s eyes as he talks about getting started yet again.
“Opening day is something special,” says Lanier, who will kick off his fourth season as manager of the Can-Am League’s Ottawa Champions on Friday against the Trois-Rivières Aigles at the RCGT Stadium.
“Every opening day, I mean if you don’t get the jitters ... I don’t care how long you’ve been around. You get your first at-bat and then you’re going to settle down after that. Your first pitch, if you’re the starting pitcher and then (you’re into it). It’s exciting. I still get excited opening day. I enjoy my players getting introduced and everything before the game.”
As is the nature of independent league baseball, change is a given. Champions fans have said goodbye to a few familiar names from the past — there are nine returning players and 13 newcomers on the 2018 roster — but as is typically the case before the first pitch is thrown, Lanier is optimistic about what lies ahead.
He hopes the home crowd will embrace a new-look, speedy squad. Fittingly, perhaps, given the manager’s history in the game, there will be old-school approach for the 100-game 2018 season.
The Champions will employ small ball as much as possible — including an emphasis on stealing bases and basic offensive fundamentals — in order to achieve success.
Lanier, who embraced the speed movement while winning a World Series title on Whitey Herzog’s staff with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, and later as Houston Astros manager from 1986-88, says he’s trying to take advantage of the confines of the RCGT Stadium.
“The coaching staff and I designed the team around this ballpark,” says Lanier, who proudly wears his 2016 Champions championship ring. “We play in the biggest ballpark in the Can-Am League, so we went to getting guys that can run.”
The new leadoff hitter is left fielder Willie Earvin-Lee (Coco) Johnson, who stole 57 bases last season for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the Frontier League. Who doesn’t like minor-league nicknames? And if everything goes according to plan, Ottawa’s baseball fans could be calling him GoGo Johnson by the end of season.
“He looked very good during spring training,” says Lanier. “Not just with his speed, but he’s got a good, compact swing.”
Incoming centre-fielder Chase Harris also promises to bring speed. He stole 27 bases with the Gary SouthShore Railcats of the American Association in 2017.
The lineup movement will also include putting 36-year-old outfielder/hitting coach Sebastien Boucher in the cleanup spot. Boucher has typically hit third during his career.
In that regard, Lanier is reaching way back into his own history, remembering the days when the top of the speedy St. Louis lineup set the table for slugger Jack Clark.
“Maybe we can do the same thing here, with the idea of getting guys in scoring position for our fourthplace hitter,” he says.
Pitching-wise, the Champions will lean on 6-7 newcomer Jake Hale, in more ways than one.
Hale, 32, who went 11-6 with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Atlantic League last season, will start Friday for the Champions. He’s also serving as pitching coach for the staff.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re at, opening day is opening day,” says Hale. “It’s the start of the season. It’s the start of your new year, as a player to put up your numbers. So, it’s always a rush, no matter what level you’re at.”
Hale also had some influence in bringing reliever Scott Maine to Ottawa from Sugar Land. Maine, a left-hander, spent part of the 201012 seasons in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland.
The coaching staff and I designed the team around this ballpark ... we went to getting guys that can run.