On Board with Doug Davis

All Aboard! The newest edition of baseball tradition in Syracuse is pulling out of the station and heading down the track.

The conductor of this year's squad of International League pennant hopefuls is manager Doug Davis. He's joined by his fireman (pitching coach) Rick Langford and his brakeman (hitting coach) Al LeBoeuf and in the trainers room taking care of the walking wounded in his 11th consecutive year is Jon Woodworth.

Davis owns a World Series ring when he was minor league field coordinator and bench coach with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and led the Double-A Binghamton Mets to a first place finish back in 2000, but his baseball roots started a lot earlier in his life.

He was born and makes his home in Bloomsburg, Pa., with his wife of 17 years Mary Jane and their three children, Austin 13, Rachel 10 and Cade 3.

Davis said his roots will always be in Columbia County.

"I grew up on a farm," The 44-year old former catcher and Phillies fan said. "I spent a lot of time batting stones and listening to Phillies games. Bloomsburg is a very nice area to call home."

If anyone is passing through the Bloomsburg area they might want to try one of Davis' favorite places to dine.

"The Creek Side restaurant in in Orangeville, Pa., is a place my family has had a good diner a number of times. Rod, the owner is a big Yankee fan. I like going there and having a nice steak and when I can't get there I have a lot of venison in the freezer."

Davis does hunt deer, rabbits, pheasant, turkey and bear, both archery and rifle, but because of his baseball responsibilities misses out on Pennsylvania's black powder season.

He's not a big radio listener so claims not to have a keen interest in any one form of music over another type of music but is a movie buff, particularly Disney movies. "We've seen all the Disney movies," Davis said. "You have to with raising three kids. We stick with family oriented movies."

That being said it's a 20th Century Fox production that's his all time favorite.

"Absolutely 'The Sandlot' is our favorite baseball movie," Davis said. "That is the ultimate baseball movie because baseball in America is a bunch of kids in the summer time just getting together and finding a place to play. When I think back to when I was growing up it's playing baseball on a cow pasture, going to town on a little league field. It's something that's been lost for a time. It's sad when you drive through a community and pass a field and you typically don't see anyone on it. It's a shame."

Davis was a member of the Central Columbia high school state basketball championship team in 1981.

He credits his father, Dale, for his baseball knowledge and was able to play on his father's men's team giving him the opportunity to learn the game at a higher level at an early age.

"Baseball was important to him," Davis reflected. "I had a brother but he was nine years younger so I spent a lot of time figuring out how to do things myself. I learned a lot about how to play the game by being on a field. That's lost in society today. Too much of today's youth learn sports from video games and it's not the same. There's not enough time spent on a baseball field. I became a smart baseball person because I was on the field playing the game an awful lot of the time from a very early age."

Davis went on to play baseball at North Carolina State and was drafted by the California Angels in 1984.

He was given a look by the Angels in 1988. Davis had no hits and three strike-outs in 12 at-bats over six games and spent the next three seasons in Edmonton of the Pacific Coast League before catching on with the Texas Rangers in 1992.

Davis played only one game for the Rangers that year and had his only major league hit.

"I don't know how you can send somebody down that was batting 1.000 in the big leagues," Davis chuckled. "I had my cup of coffee but barely had time to pour it. I had a chance to put a little sugar in it the second time up but I don't know if I actually had time to drink any. I let (then Rangers manager) Bobby Valentine know that too, every time I see him. I guess he wasn't satisfied."

Davis feels like anything it's all in the timing. "If I would have gotten to the majors at the right time," Davis insisted. "I could have been a real good backup catcher. I just didn't have that opportunity."

Davis is soft spoken and very likeable. His managing career like his playing days started with the Angels organization in 1995 but he quickly moved on with the New York Mets.

Davis led Pittsfield the Mets short-season Single-A team in the New-York Penn league to a first place finish in 1997 and Binghamton in Double-A in 2000.

He was the Montreal Expos minor league field coordinator in 2001 and held the same position for the Florida Marlins in 2002.

He won a World Series ring with the Marlins in 2003 before becoming the Marlins bench coach in 2004. He stayed with the Marlins as their minor league catching and base running coordinator in 2005.

And his latest job before landing in Syracuse was a fifth place finish as the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

"I wouldn't change a thing," Davis said. "I wasn't good enough to play at the major league level on an everyday basis. I've had a lot of memories. There are a lot of things that have come out of my career that are a tremendous blessing to me."

There are a lot of people Davis knows and has known that brings him to Syracuse including current Toronto manager John Gibbons and pitching coach Brad Arnsberg.

Now that he's here what will he do with the current passengers on his Chiefs' train. "The way this year has started with the weather and all we just need to make sure we're prepared," Davis said. "We just want to go out and play well and compete."

"I don't see many weakness in our lineup," Davis said. "Russ Adams is a guy waiting to break out. Our catchers (Curtis) Thigpen and (Sal) Fasano when their playing can be an offensive threat. Throughout our lineup with the Chad Mottola, Kevin Barker, John-Ford Griffin and Mike Vento opposing pitchers will have to on their game."