More Than Joe's Big Bro: The Man Who Led The Lookouts To Their Most Historic Season

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On a Tuesday afternoon just a day after the Chattanooga Lookouts have concluded their regular season, Jake Mauer, sits in his office preparing for the Southern League North Division Championship Series against the Montgomery Biscuits which will begin the next day. On Monday, September 4th, the Chattanooga Lookouts concluded their regular season by winning their 91st game, the most by any Chattanooga Lookouts team in the modern era. With only a day break between the regular season and the post season, Mauer and the Lookouts took no time to celebrate as many, including Mauer were in the clubhouse on their off-day for optional workouts. Even in the midst of preparing for a playoff run, the gracious and humble Mauer took some time out of his busy day to sit down with me and give us all an inside look at Jake Mauer the manager and the Lookouts historic season.
How did you get into coaching? "Well I played for five years and then got hurt in my fifth year and then I think it was 2006 I came to spring training, still couldn't play and they had a hitting coaches job open in the Gulf Coast League so I did that for two years (2006-2007), and then I was the manager of GCL (2008-2009), and then I went to Fort Myers for three years, Cedar Rapids for four and then came to Chattanooga this year."
After spending several years as a manager within the Twins organization, at various levels, Mauer was named the manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A Affiliate of the Minnesota Twins) prior to the 2017 season. When asked what his first season as the manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts has been like, after leading the Lookouts to their historic season, Mauer had this to say, "It's been fun obviously we've had a pretty good year, pitching has been really good and our hitting has been really good. Different guys have stepped into different roles. The difference between the lower levels and Double-A is that these guys are all a little bit further along in their careers, they're a little bit more mature and require a little less babysitting than at the rookie level
Mauer, who's playing career was cut short due to injury, doesn't waste his time by thinking about what could have been. Instead, the St. Paul, MN native is humble and grateful for the opportunity that he has been given as a manager which has allowed him to remain a part of the game he loves so much. "It's been fun just to stay in baseball. Obviously, you can't pick up a bat or ball anymore, but it's great just trying to prepare the guys and then let them play and figure things out."
When asked what that hardest part of making the transition from player to coach is, Mauer says that the amount of control is the biggest factor. "I would say it's that right there. The control you have as a player as compared to a manager. When you're a manger, you try to put guys in situations that will allow them to be successful or that you hope will allow them to be successful and prepared for. As a player obviously it's more hands on. You control it to a point, but once you hit the ball there's nothing you can do. You can have more of a direct impact on the game as a manger, obviously you think things will unfold a certain way and then sometimes they don't."
Stay tuned to Lookouts.com for Part 2 of this multi-part series on Lookouts Manager Jake Mauer.