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Scrappers’ Kubiak readies for 42nd opening day
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Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak will enjoy the 42nd home opener of his professional baseball career today when Mahoning Valley plays host to the Auburn Doubledays at Eastwood Field.
Manager Ted Kubiak readies for his 42nd home opener
By Steve Ruman | sports@vindy.com
NILES
For most professional baseball players, the thrill of a first-ever home opener is a memory which will last a lifetime.
Mahoning Valley Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak readily admits that opening day in baseball “just never, ever gets old.” He is also quick to point out that he doesn’t remember the first day he ever played professionally in front of a home crowd.
It’s not that Kubiak’s memory isn’t what it once was. He can still recall specific moments of games which he watched or played in more than 40 years ago. In fact, Kubiak’s memory is so keen that unlike his counterparts, he doesn’t compile stacks of notes on his players.
“It’s all up there, I just keep mental notes,” Kubiak says as he points to his head.
Kubiak’s inability to recall his pro debut has more to do with his passion for the game — a passion which is as strong today as it was in 1961 when he was signed as a free agent by the Kansas City A’s.
“Back then, I looked at every single day in baseball as something special,” Kubiak said. “I tried to be the same guy every day. Every game meant the same, so I never really separated opening day from other games.”
“I kind of wish I did remember it,” he said. “But again, my philosophy was that every day you stepped on a baseball field was a big day.”
When the Scrappers host Auburn tonight at Eastwood Field, it will mark the 42nd home opening day in Kubiak’s professional career. Kubiak’s tenure is highlighted by a 10-year big league stint from 1967-76. He played seven of those years with the A’s in Kansas City and Oakland, and is one of just a handful of players who was on all three of Oakland’s teams which won three straight World Series titles (1972-74).
Kubiak was a utility infielder whose career was extended because of his strong defensive play.
When Kubiak’s playing career ended, he stayed away from baseball for 12 years before returning as a manager and instructor.
“When I quit playing, I was angry at the game and I wasn’t happy with the way I was playing any more,” Kubiak said. “I didn’t really want anything to do with the game.”
Once Kubiak returned, he did so full throttle. After coaching in the A’s organization for five years, he hooked up with the Indians in 1994. For the past 21 years, he has served the Tribe as a roving instructor, defensive coordinator and a manager at various minor league levels.
“I love the game, I just love being here and having a uniform on,” Kubiak, 72, said. “I love being around the guys. Where else would I be if not here?”
Despite Kubiak’s lengthy and decorated professional career, he feels right at home managing players who are right out of college or high school.
“I love the challenge of trying to figure out who can do what,” Kubiak said. “At this level, we’re trying to win, but our top priority is development, so in that context it’s a puzzle for me.”
“Some players, their talent is obvious. I like getting that second tier guy who has something special inside that we can drag out. Or maybe it’s something we say that triggers a player to reach the next level.”
Kubiak rarely misses when it comes to projecting the future of prospects coming through the Indians’ organization. He insists that his track record is proof that the game of baseball today is no different than it was 50 years ago. What has changed, according to Kubiak, is the way the game is approached by both players and coaches.
“Kids just don’t play games the way we did back then,” Kubiak said. “I played baseball every day in the summer for eight hours a day. When I wasn’t doing that I was playing football or basketball, or having snowball fights.”
While acknowledging that weight-training programs are beneficial, Kibuak notes that “you can’t clone all with the same program.” And while it is a common belief that the recent influx of arm injuries is the result of overuse, Kubiak points out that “Our generation threw twice as much, but we were fundamentally sound and didn’t have arm problems.”
Kubiak’s passion for teaching fundamentals extends beyond the diamond. During his tenure as the Indians’ defensive coordinator, he penned a 300-page infield manual which is used throughout the organization. Today he is in the final stages writing a book which focus’ mainly on his early days in baseball.
With a new season underway, Kubiak appears primed and ready to guide a new crop of players toward their ultimate goal of playing in the big leagues. Kubiak will not shy away from pointing out that the odds are stacked against them, “because baseball is such a hard game, and it only gets more difficult at each level.” Still, he will also quickly point out that he was a long-shot who beat the odds through dedication and a willingness to learn.
“It’s a daily grind, it’s hard work if you want to do it right,” Kubiak said. “But for me it has always been an honor to put on the uniform. I wouldn’t want to be any other place.”