Harbour Cats coach busy in off-season
To use a baseball metaphor, Brian McRae is in town this week to touch base.
“It’s to say ‘hi’ and see where we are at,” said the Victoria Harbour Cats head coach, as he made the rounds Wednesday meeting with team officials, sponsors and fans.
The 10-season former majorleaguer guided the Harbour Cats to within one game of the West Coast League championship last summer in his rookie season as the Victoria skipper. It was also his first year managing in university/college summer ball.
“I was surprised we did as well as we did, because last season was on the fly and I didn’t think we would have that kind of success in my first year,” McRae said.
“I didn’t understand a lot of things about how the league worked, but I was able to survive. Now I understand how the league works, from the umpires to the conditions in the road stadiums, and I feel a lot more comfortable.”
So much so that the Harbour Cats are in negotiations to add another two years to McRae’s original two-year deal, which expires this season.
“We’re agreeable on a two-year extension. I’m fully aware we’re in danger of losing him to a significant pro job, and one MLB team has talked to him about a hitting coach job,” Harbour Cats managing partner Jim Swanson said.
Victoria has become a go-to destination in the WCL because of the opportunity to play under McRae in front of the large crowds at Royal Athletic Park.
“It’s looking good for this season with a lot of enticing players recruited,” said McRae, who is based in Kansas City.
But this is university/college summer ball and plans can change quickly for a lot of top NCAA players.
“We had 45-50 guys on our list at this time last year, too, and half of them didn’t make it to Victoria,” McRae said.
“If we get 30 percent of our guys on this year’s list, I’ll be happy and we’ll be in good shape.”
McRae has used the off-season to continue finishing off his bachelor of psychology degree online from Park University.
“I never thought I would go back to school, but this was an opportunity to cross that off the list, even if I will be 50 in March when I finish,” he said.
McRae chuckled and didn’t disagree when it was mentioned by a reporter that a psychology degree should come in handy for anyone who gets into coaching.
His eventful first year in Victoria included a clutch player from Taiwan, Po-Hao (Bernie) Huang, who didn’t speak English. It also saw pitcher Claire Eccles become the first female player in WCL history.
Huang was named to Taiwan’s long list for Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying and won’t be back. So the Harbour Cats this week went back to the well by signing Taiwanese pitchers Hao Chun Cheng, Po-Jui Huang, Ping-Chun Ho and infielder Chang-Chi Yeh. They were recommended out of Barry University by former Harbour Cats star infielder Alex De Goti, now a prospect in the Houston Astros system.
Eccles, meanwhile, will return this year.
“It was cool having Bernie, and we got by with sign language and baseball lingo. We didn’t treat Claire any differently than any other player and she appreciated that,” McRae said.