Giants Q & A with Manager Brian Harper
Joe Ritzo: What was your reaction to hearing that the organization wanted you to manage in San Jose this season?
Brian Harper: I was really pleased. It's a great place to manage. Great fans, a great area. I was excited. When I signed with the Giants a few years ago, there was a little bit of a verbal agreement that maybe after a couple of years when my youngest son graduated from high school that I'd get back into managing. The Giants were true to that and I really appreciated it. Managing is what I like to do.
JR: Your last managing job was in Triple-A with the Angels organization. Are there going to be differences in the way you approach managing in San Jose versus your time in Triple-A with Salt Lake?
BH: No question. The Triple-A guys, for the most part, have been playing a little big longer. There's more teaching involved in A-ball than there is in Triple-A. Although the Cal League is an advanced A league. It will be a little different. But baseball is baseball, it's the same game no matter where you're at. You do have some guys in their 30's and who have been around at the Triple-A level. They know how to prepare themselves for a game. At the lower level, you have to teach the kids how to prepare for the game and for certain situations. Triple-A is probably an easier level, to be honest with you. The guys know a little bit more.
JR: What do you feel has changed the most about the game since you were playing Minor League Baseball?
BH: The teaching and the coaching is way more advanced now. The physical strength coaches and the things that we didn't have when I was playing ... I remember when I was in Triple-A, all we had was a manager. We didn't have a pitching coach or a hitting coach. The teaching aspect of the game is so much better than it was 20 or 30 years ago. To be honest with you, I think the kids these days, because baseball has become a year-round sport, they're stronger and better. And it's not the steroid thing, it's through hard work. It's lifting weights and working hard. Whereas back 30 years ago, it was don't touch weights. Kids work harder and they're better now.
JR: With regard to how you interact with players and also in-between the lines, how would you best describe your managerial style?
BH: I enjoy the players, I enjoy the game and I enjoy coaching. I'm definitely not a screamer or a yeller. I have fun. My style can basically be summed up in a few different phrases: Work hard, play hard, have fun. That's what my teams are going to do. We're going to work hard, we're going to play hard and we're going to have fun.
JR: The last three managers here in San Jose have all been former catchers. Why do you think catchers make good coaches and managers?
BH: We're definitely way smarter than everyone else. *laughs* No, I'm just joking. I just think catchers have a good feel for all aspects of the game. When you're playing, the catcher has to know what everybody is doing in every situation in every play. It's not like when you're a shortstop and you're running bunt plays or 1st-and-3rd defense, you just need to know what you're doing. The catcher has to know what the shortstop is doing, what the second baseman is doing, where the outfielders are going to be, where the pitcher is going to be. If there is a coach on the field, it's usually the catcher. I think catching lends itself to becoming a coach a little bit easier than some other positions. You're handling pitchers. The catcher is the back-up pitching coach - he's out there handling the pitchers. You add all that up and I think it's natural for catchers to become coaches.
JR: Going back to your playing days, did you always know you wanted to get into managing?
BH: When you're younger you don't really think about being done. In my first 10 or so years, I probably didn't think about what I was going to do when I was done playing. Once you start getting a little older, you start thinking about it. I knew that I was going to go into coaching. I didn't necessarily know it was going to be pro coaching. I knew that I was going to stay in the game because this is what I love to do. I thought for awhile about going into high school or college coaching, but that didn't really work out and I've really, really enjoyed coaching professionally. This will be my 10th year.
JR: You had a whirlwind first 10 years as a professional, breaking into the majors with the Angels as a 19-year old, but not really claiming a full-time starting job until the '89 season with the Twins 10 years later. Were you ever close to walking away from the game?
BH: No question. There was a time during the 1987 season where I was really close (to walking away). It was the year before I got to the Twins. I thought I was going backwards and I would have to think about doing something else. I had a couple of kids, so I seriously thought about retiring, but decided not to and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Those next seven years were the best of my career. I was a good minor league hitter at a young age and then I got to the big leagues, but wasn't ready to catch up there. But I could hit, so I kind of got labeled as a utility guy. I played outfield, first base and would catch once in awhile. Every team I went to I said my best position was catcher, but I never really got a shot until the Twins. Obviously I'll always be thankful for the opportunity that they gave me.
JR: You very briefly played in San Jose during the '87 season back when they were an independent team known as the Bees. What do you remember most about that experience?
BH: I was with the Detroit Tigers in spring training and had three or four years of big league experience. So when they sent me down to Triple-A, I had the right to refuse to go to Triple-A and then become a free agent. I felt I had a better opportunity with another team. So they wanted me to go to Triple-A, I said no and that I wanted to become a free agent. So I was out of ball for a month and that wasn't good. My agent, Nick Lampos, is from San Jose, so he said, "why don't you come up and play for the Bees." He knew the owner really well and this way I could stay in shape. So I packed my things and joined the San Jose Bees and ended up, I think, playing in seven games. I hit two home runs against Kevin Tapani of the Modesto A's, of all people because he was one of my best friends on the Twins. I hit two home runs in a game off of him and the next day, the A's called me and asked if I wanted to go to Tacoma.
JR: You were on those great Minnesota Twins teams from the late 80's and early 90's and of course won a World Series. What are your lasting memories of those years?
BH: You know, a lot of my experience with the Twins carried into my managing style. (Twins manager) Tom Kelly was able to make the big leagues about as relaxed as you can make it. We were a real blue-collar team. We worked hard, played hard and had a whole lot of fun. I got a lot of my personal coaching mottos from the Twins. I played for a lot of good major league managers. I played for Jim Fregosi, Chuck Tanner, Sparky Anderson, Whitey Herzog, Tom Kelly, Tony LaRussa ... so I played for a lot of good managers and you take a little bit from all of them. But I think I took the most from the Twins. Not necessarily just Tom Kelly, but the Twins and the way we played the game. It was the right way. We hustled and worked hard. We really, really had a lot of fun. There were a lot of really good guys. We laughed and really had a good time.
JR: Finally, what would best describe how you're feeling about the upcoming season in San Jose?
BH: I'm really excited. I think we're going to have a group of guys with some good talent. Obviously the last couple of years in San Jose have been some really special teams. Hopefully we can come close to what they've done. Last year was a really unique situation for the San Jose Giants. I'm looking forward to getting involved with the community and the team.