Luis In the Lowcountry
The 1998 Cape Fear Crocs, led by first-year manager Luis Dorante, opened the season with 16 straight victories against South Atlantic League opposition. Following the strong start, Dorante earned a spot as a manager at that season's SAL All-Star Game, which was played at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park in Charleston. 16 years later, Dorante still remembers his trip to the Holy City.
"I had my family here with me," Dorante said. "We enjoyed the downtown, the ride with the horses…it was fun. All the festivities were really, really nice."
This is Dorante's first season as the RiverDogs manager, bringing nearly three decades of professional baseball experience to the Lowcountry. Dorante was a catcher for six seasons in the Boston Red Sox system and has followed his playing career with a veritable cornucopia of positions with numerous baseball franchises.
Before joining the New York Yankees organization in 2012, Dorante worked in the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations. His jobs have included scouting, coaching, managing, and one season as the Pirates' Latin American Field Coordinator. He has also been on the coaching staffs of the 2009 and 2013 Venezuelan squads that played in the World Baseball Classic, featuring two-time American League MVP Miguel Cabrera. Dorante recognizes that his background can greatly benefit his ability to help his players, but the way that he interacts with them is also important.
"Having a group this young and convincing them that whatever you say is for their benefit, it's not going to be easy. But at the same time, it's sometimes how you deliver the message. I have never been a manager where I have my door closed. It's always open for anybody."
The 2014 RiverDogs open the season with several players coming from short-season Yankees affiliates in the New York-Penn League and Gulf Coast League. All of Dorante's position players and most of the RiverDogs pitchers are in their first campaigns in full-season professional baseball. Charleston does boast six of New York's top 20 prospects, including a trio of 19-year-old infielders.
"I can't wait. I want the season to start tomorrow so I can see the action," Dorante said a few days before the season opener. "The stuff they show in Spring Training, now let's see it under the lights."
Dorante comes to the Lowcountry after two seasons as a coach with the Double-A Trenton Thunder, which won the Eastern League championship last season. It will be his first season working with pitching coach Carlos Chantres, hitting coach Edwar Gonzalez, and coach Justin Tordi. Especially in the early stages of the 2014 season, Dorante expects his coaches to play a big role in his transition to the club and working with its personnel.
"We are kind of new altogether, only seeing each other in Spring Training for a month," Dorante said of his coaches. "Those guys have seen a few of those players before, so I'm going to rely a lot on those coaches."
When looking at the season's goals, Dorante sees a couple of different focal points. Charleston begins the season with a talented roster that is peppered with prospects but is mostly comprised of players who have been playing shorter seasons at other affiliates.
It will be a long campaign for the many newcomers to the Holy City, which means that Dorante, his staff, and the entire team have a lot of opportunities over the next few months to work toward their goals.
"The main thing is just to prepare these guys to go to the next level. We've got to be patient and try to do everything we can to teach them how to play the game the right way, and don't make too many mental mistakes. That's pretty much our goal this year, is to teach them how to win. At the same time, we've got to develop."
The RiverDogs made their last South Atlantic League postseason appearance in 2005, Charleston's first season in the Yankees system. Dorante and the RiverDogs are ready to show Lowcountry fans that this year's team is ready to make a run for the Sally League title.