The Ingredients for Success

There are always many different elements and events that must happen to have a long run of success. That is especially true in Minor League baseball.
Since 2005, the Midland Rockhounds have won the Texas League Championship six times including the last four in a row (2014-2017). To find a stretch of success like Midland has enjoyed you have to go all the way back to 1920 to find a team that won four or more championships consecutively. The Ft. Worth Cats lifted the Texas League trophy six straight seasons from 1920-1925. Rockhounds long time General Manager Monty Hoppel is quick to point out a there were a few distinct differences in those teams and what we see in today's game.

"They mostly kept the same players and put together teams," Hoppel said. "They didn't deal with Major League Baseball calling up players. It's hard to compare the two streaks. To win six in a row is an amazing accomplishment and is no doubt amazing but in modern day baseball at our level there are a few more factors involved, and it makes it even more unique what the (Oakland) A's have been able to help us do here in Midland."
As in any good recipe for success there are essential ingredients that help raise championship flags. Midland has its own unique list of things that have made it one of the most successful franchises in all of Minor League baseball.
The Managers
The largest factor Hoppel spoke of is the revolving door of players and coaching staffs that Rockhounds fans see come and go each season. During the four-pennant run, Midland had three different skippers. Only Ryan Christenson won back to back titles as manager. Midland also had three different combinations of pitching and hitting coaches during the run. A great example of the importance of managers at the Texas League level came last season where from 30-40 games during the campaign, Midland played without a full roster due to injuries in Oakland and subsequent call ups. This season, Scott Steinmann takes over the reins looking for a fifth consecutive championship.
"It cannot be said enough how important and how good the managers have been for us. They find a way to win games. No matter the obstacle, they have been able to overcome it. Two of them are in the big leagues and one is in Triple-A. They are a very big reason for our success no doubt."
Luck
Plain and simple, you've just got to be lucky sometimes. Playing well when you need to doesn't hurt matters either.
"Two of the four titles were won as a wildcard. The other two years we were loaded with prospects. During the two wildcard years we did it with guys who weren't classified as prospects but played well and turned themselves into prospects and got on the A's radar. Last year we didn't play particularly well (61-71 total season record) most of the year but played well when we needed to. If I remember correctly, we played in six elimination games and won them all on the way to the title. It's crazy. If we don't win the last game of the regular season after losing six out of seven in our last homestand - we don't make the playoffs."
A Culture of Winning
The culture of winning in Midland is one that has been passed down from coaching staff to coaching staff and one that has been nurtured by A's, the Midland front office and Rockhound fans.
"Our market is an expensive one with the oil industry, so we take care of our players with great host families and take care of them in the clubhouse. Players enjoy their experience here and we try to help them in every way we can. There might be some karma or luck involved but there is an expectation of winning now from the coaching staff and players. In the front office, we know not to expect it because we can't control it, but we are focused on doing our part to pitch in. We feel very fortunate to have Oakland as our parent club."
The Fanbase
Much like Tulsa and the Dodgers, Arkansas with the Mariners or San Antonio with the Padres, there's not much synergy in Midland with Oakland because their home games come on TV when people are going to sleep in the Permian Basin. But that hasn't stopped fans from supporting Midland in a big way.
"Our fans have had a fun time with it," Hoppel laughed. "We have some diehard fans who love winning and the atmosphere at home games shows that. Most of our fans are not Oakland fans. The majority are Texas Rangers and some Astros fans. The one thing we have tried to do is to let people know that the Rockhounds are your team and it's okay if you're not an A's fans. People here just appreciate Rockhounds winning and they like to see players go on and do well. People are very proud of the team. We have been here for 47-years and that's because of this community."
Stability
Midland has the second longest affiliate relationship in the Texas League (Wichita / Northwest Arkansas has the longest). From ownership to the front office, the stability that exists at Security Bank Ballpark is an understated factor in Rockhound success according to Hoppel.
"We started with Oakland in 1999. Our ownership and five of us in the front office have been here 25-years plus. Those relationships over that span of time are invaluable when you are talking business or like earlier with host families. We couldn't be happier with our partnership with Oakland. I mean Keith Lieppman is the A's Director of Player Development and he's been there for like 48-years. There's no better person to work with."
The Big Club
It's no secret that Oakland doesn't have a huge payroll and that's ok with Hoppel who sees the silver lining in a relationship that puts all of the onus on the farm system to produce future big league players at a larger rate than some other clubs.
"I think it's good for the Minor League teams in the system that they have to grow players because the parent club isn't to go out in free agency and get players. We have had a lot of guys come through here who have had great Major League careers from Barry Zito to Tim Hudson and now with some young guys like Matt Chapman and Matt Olson. We've seen most of the A's players come through here. It helps that most of the players who are going to be playing in Oakland have been Rockhounds. It's great for our organization and especially for our fans who have a unique connection with those players."