First-year manager eager to start season

Lake County manager Larry Day has been a man in nearly constant motion since the Captains left spring training in Arizona and arrived in Eastlake on April 2.

He has put his team through three workouts at Classic Park. On each of those days, Day got to the ballpark early, stayed late and enjoyed every minute or preparation for the season opener on April 6 in Dayton. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. The 32-year-old Massachusetts native is making his minor-league managing debut with the Captains this season. He is no stranger to Eastlake and Classic Park, having spent the 2015 season here as hitting coach on the staff headed by Manager Shaun Larkin.

Now, it’s Day’s turn to call the shots as he begins his third season in the Indians’ minor-league system. Before joining the Indians, Day spent six years coaching at his alma mater, Vanderbilt, and one season as recruiting coordinator at Ohio University.

Day was a 50th-round draft choice of the New York Yankees and played two seasons in the minor leagues before he embarked on a coaching career.

As a manager, Day said he will have a players-first philosophy.

“We’ll get to know these guys as people, and invest in them as people before we even start to invest in them as players,” Day said.

It was only during the final week of spring training that Day and his staff got to work with a semblance of the 25-man roster that made the trip to Eastlake and opens the season in Dayton.

While he isn’t 100 percent sure how his squad will come together during the grind of a 140-game season, Day said his initial impressions are positive.

“I think we have solid hitters and team speed that will allow us to use our legs to score some runs. The pitchers are very impressive, too. I see a lot of power arms and some other guys who know how to pitch and get people out,” Day said.

Day said he is keenly aware that none of these Captains ever has been exposed to the rigors of a fullseason schedule.

“The jump from 75 to 140 games is a huge adjustment and one I take seriously,” Day said. “As a manager, you need to get these players rest at the right times so they are not crawling through August.”

Day said his managing style will evolve as his first season at the helm unfolds.

“I have an idea how I want to handle things,” he said. “But right now, there are a lot of unknowns.”

Day