Blake Lalli: manager and dad

Managing baseball has been good to Blake Lalli lately. The Aces’ skipper has led his team to the best record in Triple-A West, and the Aces are the best offensive team in baseball in June.

The Aces are the third team Lalli has managed in the last three minor league seasons. In 2018 he managed Diamondbacks Single-A affiliate the Kane County Cougars to a winning season, and in 2019 he led the Double-A Jackson Generals to the Southern League Championship.

But off the field, Lalli manages time between work in Reno and his family, who are living at home in Shelby, North Carolina. Father’s Day weekend was the first weekend his kids had seen him in person since the season started.

“It’s fun having the kids out here,” the 38-year-old said. “They’re at a really good age where they love baseball. They probably haven’t had much of a choice.”

When Lalli last played for the Aces in 2015, his daughter was three and his son was less than a year old. He still remembers having them at the ballpark every night, and some of their family pictures are of the kids running different big league ballparks where Lalli played.

“As a dad in baseball it’s two opposites,” the father of two explained. “During the season you miss everything…but then you go home and you get to be the greatest dad in the world.”

While he’s gone, he stays connected with his family as much as he can even though baseball keeps him busy. The Aces’ manager wears a black bracelet his daughter made with the word “Dad” on it. His wife also video calls him during his daughter’s soccer games and his son’s baseball games so he can watch. But even as a professional baseball player and coach, Lalli isn’t one of those crazy competitive sports parents.

“I’m pretty laid back,” he admitted. “When I look at my kids I just want my kids to have fun.”

When he’s home in the offseason, Lalli makes up for the lost time. He picks up and drops off the kids from school and goes to all the games.

The skipper also got a chance to spend a little bit more time with his family thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. After spring training was scrapped, he flew home that day and spent the next two months of the shutdown with his family.

“It was the first time I was at home in May and June in 18 years,” he said. “I didn’t even know what my house looked like those months.”

Even though the family time was great, Lalli admitted it was hard because of the unknowns surrounding the baseball season. Lalli was originally supposed to return to Jackson for his second season as manager. He was assigned to coach at the Diamondbacks alternate training site when the minor league season was canceled.

“It was a different summer for everyone, but people pushed through. It’s nice to see where we’re at right now with fans in the stands and the game back.”

As for Father’s Day gifts, the Aces took five of six Albuquerque, and Lalli got to spend time with his family after the game.

“It’s just exciting that the kids are here to spend Father’s Day together.”