AUBURN - When the Toronto Blue Jays sought a “no nonsense” manager to take over the Auburn Doubledays in 2002, they probably didn't expect it came packaged with a talking deer head on the clubhouse wall or a manager's locker packed with floral-patterned Hawaiian shirts.
They probably didn't expect four Pinckney Division crowns in a row, either.
But that's what they got with Dennis Holmberg.
Holmberg brought his 24 years of professional coaching experience into Auburn and has quickly grown into a lovable local icon.
“Obviously someone's happy with what's going on here,” Holmberg said. “I'm always happy to be back. When I first arrived in Auburn I wouldn't have thought five years later I'd still be here.”
In Minor League Baseball, manager turnover is a common and expected theme, making Holmberg's extended stay in Auburn that much sweeter. In fact, with his return he becomes the longest-tenured manager in Auburn history.
“I knew these kids had to be taught the right way,” Holmberg said. “It's my job to prepare them and let them know what to expect. It's not necessarily the Blue Jays' way, it's the baseball way.”
And the newly-goateed skipper has plenty of experience to back up his teachings. Holmberg made his professional playing debut in 1970 for Newark of the New York-Penn League. Seven years later he became the Newark manager for a season before leaving the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. Holmberg has since been a coach or manager in Toronto's system, with stops at Dunedin and Syracuse. He was also a bullpen coach for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1994-95.
While his resume is impressive, it's Holmberg's ability to relate to his players that sets him apart.
“I'm young at heart - look at my office,” Holmberg said.
A quick inventory of the skipper's domain includes a Nickelodeon telephone, a Davey Crockett hat and a signed base commemorating last season's 60-foot toss across the infield. It's all business for the Doubledays on the field, but off, Holmberg brings a youthful enthusiasm to a sport dominated by straight-faced, tight-lipped managers.
“If you look in our clubhouse you'll see we're loose but we're prepared,” Holmberg said. “This is a game, you're supposed to have fun. We want everybody loose and everybody getting along and if you can translate that to the field you've got everybody playing for everybody.”
And it's been a winning formula, one that's skyrocketed his record in Auburn to 198-101. Holmberg routinely deflects praise for the club's success (“The Blue Jays do a heck of a job spotting talent”), but there's no coincidence that he's guided the Doubledays to the postseason four straight years with four completed overhauled rosters.
“I've always said managing in the big leagues must be boring. You've got the same players every year,” Holmberg said with a hint of sarcasm.
His game plan revolves around simplicity. In fact, it's as basic as a four-letter word - K.I.S.S.
“Keep it simple stupid,” he said. “If you try to make things complex you'll fail. You've got to keep it simple and remind the guys that the game's been the same since Little League.”
If keeping it simple means reverting to the mindset of little leaguers, Holmberg is up to the challenge.
“I do some stupid stuff around here,” he admits. “We had the fish tank two years ago and we passed around the Davey Crockett hat last year. But it's all things to take pressure off the guys. I don't want a tense clubhouse.”
Even when the manager gets angry - say at an umpire - it usually ends in a few good laughs. Once or twice a season, Holmberg entertains the patrons of Falcon Park to a good base-tossing, hat-throwing, dirt-kicking tirade and typically, the louder the crowd screams, the longer he stays at it. Members of the Blue Jays' organization have even joked that a college scholarship has been established with the help of Holmberg's ejection fines.
The man with the simple gameplan and the simple wardrobe (all Hawaiian shirts) views baseball in its simplest of forms. His analogies may seem obvious (“Every time you walk out onto the field you've got a 50-50 chance of winning”). His insights aren't always insightful (“The team that plays defense and executes the basic fundamentals usually wins”). And when he starts a sentence with “someone once said,” he's usually referring to something he once said.
But who can question a man who fields a winning ballclub each and every year. He fills the seats at Falcon Park and he's become the face of the franchise. Holmberg's eccentricity is a shot of life into this community-based team.
“A manager's job is to put pitchers in the right situation. It's about finding spots where guys can be successful,” Holmberg said. “You've got to let them play, they've just been born into the professional baseball world. They're puppies, they're newborns. You can't put too much pressure on them but at the same time, you've got to make sure guys get their innings and their at-bats.”
“The old saying goes, players win 85 percent of ballgames, but the other 15 percent is the decisions a manager makes.”
One thing's for sure, the decision the Blue Jays made to bring Holmberg to Auburn has paid off 100 percent.
But that's what they got with Dennis Holmberg.
Holmberg brought his 24 years of professional coaching experience into Auburn and has quickly grown into a lovable local icon.
“Obviously someone's happy with what's going on here,” Holmberg said. “I'm always happy to be back. When I first arrived in Auburn I wouldn't have thought five years later I'd still be here.”
In Minor League Baseball, manager turnover is a common and expected theme, making Holmberg's extended stay in Auburn that much sweeter. In fact, with his return he becomes the longest-tenured manager in Auburn history.
“I knew these kids had to be taught the right way,” Holmberg said. “It's my job to prepare them and let them know what to expect. It's not necessarily the Blue Jays' way, it's the baseball way.”
And the newly-goateed skipper has plenty of experience to back up his teachings. Holmberg made his professional playing debut in 1970 for Newark of the New York-Penn League. Seven years later he became the Newark manager for a season before leaving the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. Holmberg has since been a coach or manager in Toronto's system, with stops at Dunedin and Syracuse. He was also a bullpen coach for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1994-95.
While his resume is impressive, it's Holmberg's ability to relate to his players that sets him apart.
“I'm young at heart - look at my office,” Holmberg said.
A quick inventory of the skipper's domain includes a Nickelodeon telephone, a Davey Crockett hat and a signed base commemorating last season's 60-foot toss across the infield. It's all business for the Doubledays on the field, but off, Holmberg brings a youthful enthusiasm to a sport dominated by straight-faced, tight-lipped managers.
“If you look in our clubhouse you'll see we're loose but we're prepared,” Holmberg said. “This is a game, you're supposed to have fun. We want everybody loose and everybody getting along and if you can translate that to the field you've got everybody playing for everybody.”
And it's been a winning formula, one that's skyrocketed his record in Auburn to 198-101. Holmberg routinely deflects praise for the club's success (“The Blue Jays do a heck of a job spotting talent”), but there's no coincidence that he's guided the Doubledays to the postseason four straight years with four completed overhauled rosters.
“I've always said managing in the big leagues must be boring. You've got the same players every year,” Holmberg said with a hint of sarcasm.
His game plan revolves around simplicity. In fact, it's as basic as a four-letter word - K.I.S.S.
“Keep it simple stupid,” he said. “If you try to make things complex you'll fail. You've got to keep it simple and remind the guys that the game's been the same since Little League.”
If keeping it simple means reverting to the mindset of little leaguers, Holmberg is up to the challenge.
“I do some stupid stuff around here,” he admits. “We had the fish tank two years ago and we passed around the Davey Crockett hat last year. But it's all things to take pressure off the guys. I don't want a tense clubhouse.”
Even when the manager gets angry - say at an umpire - it usually ends in a few good laughs. Once or twice a season, Holmberg entertains the patrons of Falcon Park to a good base-tossing, hat-throwing, dirt-kicking tirade and typically, the louder the crowd screams, the longer he stays at it. Members of the Blue Jays' organization have even joked that a college scholarship has been established with the help of Holmberg's ejection fines.
The man with the simple gameplan and the simple wardrobe (all Hawaiian shirts) views baseball in its simplest of forms. His analogies may seem obvious (“Every time you walk out onto the field you've got a 50-50 chance of winning”). His insights aren't always insightful (“The team that plays defense and executes the basic fundamentals usually wins”). And when he starts a sentence with “someone once said,” he's usually referring to something he once said.
But who can question a man who fields a winning ballclub each and every year. He fills the seats at Falcon Park and he's become the face of the franchise. Holmberg's eccentricity is a shot of life into this community-based team.
“A manager's job is to put pitchers in the right situation. It's about finding spots where guys can be successful,” Holmberg said. “You've got to let them play, they've just been born into the professional baseball world. They're puppies, they're newborns. You can't put too much pressure on them but at the same time, you've got to make sure guys get their innings and their at-bats.”
“The old saying goes, players win 85 percent of ballgames, but the other 15 percent is the decisions a manager makes.”
One thing's for sure, the decision the Blue Jays made to bring Holmberg to Auburn has paid off 100 percent.
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