Q & A with Stan Kyles

Kyles is in his third season as the pitching coach for Milwaukee's top Minor League affiliate. He answered some questions before heading out for his All-Star tour.

How does it feel to have been honored for both these games?

Well, obviously, any time you're recognized for anything positive that you do in this game, you're excited about it. The Futures Game has been a big deal, and obviously the players that are asked to go there and participate are guys that they believe will become big league ballplayers. I like to think that it's the same way with the coaches. It's an exciting time for me and my family, to get the opportunity to be in this event.

What about coaching in the Futures Game are you looking most forward to?

Just really watching the talent. There's going to be a lot of guys there with big league ability and it's going to be fun to get a chance to see them up close and personal. That's probably what I'm looking forward to most. And obviously taking time out of our busy schedule to relax and watch the baseball game as a fan is going to be a nice thing too.

Are there any pitchers who are going to be playing in the game who you are particularly looking forward to working with?

We have a young pitcher in our system by the name of Yovani Gallardo who's throwing the ball extremely well this year, and is now pitching for our Double-A team. I got to see him a little bit in Spring Training in a big league game. I haven't gotten the chance to see him over a long period of time, so I'm really looking forward to watching him work and seeing the things that he brings to the table. I've heard good things about him, and I'm looking forward to seeing him probably most of all.

NOTE: Gallardo pitched the fifth inning of Sunday's Futures Game, working around a hit and a walk for a scoreless inning.

Your pitching staff in Nashville has been among the best in the Pacific Coast League so far this season. Can you talk about the team's success this year, and what has helped to contribute to it?

Well, I think it's just a matter of talent. We've got some guys, particularly our starting pitchers, with Ben Hendrickson leading the way, and Dana Eveland, Dennis Sarfate, we have a kid that started off the season with us who is now pitching in games for our big league team in Zach Jackson. Those guys have really led the way here, really been the backbone of the staff, and everyone else has contributed mightily, too. Guys in the bullpen like Chris Demaria have gone up and done well in the big leagues, Allan Simpson. We've got a lot of guys that get big outs and have a lot of talent, so it's just me sitting back and watching them work and trying to keep them on course. They've been outstanding thus far.

What is it like for you to see a pitcher who you've coached and helped grow succeed at the Major League level?

You like to think that you had a little something to do with it. You get a chance to work with so many guys, and it's not like anything else. You understand that [most guys] that you work with are probably not going to pitch in the big leagues. The guys who do get an opportunity to go there and perform well, you look back on the times when you worked with them, you remember how they worked, and what was it about them that allows them to go the big leagues and do well. And you try to form a little database on it, and try to look for that formula all the time. It's tough because a lot of guys are different. But you still want to find that formula that allows guys to go up there and perform well. And there have been a lot of guys that have gone up, who haven't had the greatest ability, but their work ethic allows them to go up there and do the job.

Is there anything that you consider your greatest success as a pitching coach?

I don't know really. I mean, I like to think that it's the way I communicate, that I allow guys to get better, to reach their potentials, to give them the forum to establish themselves. I don't want guys to get to the big leagues, I want guys to become big league pitchers. That's always been something that I've stressed, and I don't see why you can't have a lot of big league pitchers pitching in Triple-A. There's only so many big league jobs. I want them to become the best that they can be, and really strive toward that, and hopefully there's an understanding that takes place with the pitcher and myself, that they realize that it's not so much about numbers with me, it's all about them becoming the best pitchers they could possibly be. If I can think of anything that really gives a picture of me, that would probably be it.

You've been in professional baseball for over 25 years now. What's your best memory?

It would have to be, even though I never got a chance to pitch at that level, when I got the opportunity to go to the big leagues with the A's. It was back in 1987. Like I said, I didn't get a chance to pitch, didn't even get activated as a pitcher, but I was able to travel with the team, and be on the bench, and just take in the atmosphere. At the time I was hurt and on the last legs of my career as a pitcher, but it's a moment that I'll never forget because I got the chance to go to Chicago, and my family had to opportunity to come out and at least see me in a big league uniform. It was a great time for me and my family.

What are some of the greatest challenges you've had to personally overcome in your career?

I don't know if you would think of it as a challenge, but I grew up with a mom and dad who worked all their lives to ensure that nine children would have a good base, a good foundation to go out and fend for themselves and try to carve out the best life that they can for themselves. We grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes, projects in Chicago, which wasn't the greatest place to live and to grow. I like to think that coming out of that situation and being able to travel as much as baseball has afforded me ... [has] been a great tribute to my mom and dad, who are deceased now. I'm sure that they are proud of some of the things that I've been able to accomplish. So I think that's a challenge in itself, just growing up in a real bad area, but not letting it influence what I wanted out of my life.

Do you have any future aspirations to work at the Major League level?

I think that's why we all do it. I mean, other then that we enjoy it, I think all of us want the opportunity to apply our trade at the grandest scale. I don't think I'm unlike any other person. I've given a lot of my life to baseball. I've had an opportunity to be in this game for a long time. I would enjoy an opportunity to become someone's big league pitching coach. It's definitely something that I aspire to become, and hopefully I'll get the opportunity.