To most of his players, Auburn Doubledays manager Dennis Holmberg is like a father for the summer - guiding and encouraging, but hard-nosed when needed. To his son, Kenny Holmberg, Dennis is just dad all the time, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Both were drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers organization, albeit in the 1970s for Dennis, and both have proven to have the same work ethic.

“He shows up and gives his heart and soul every day,” Kenny said. “That is how I am going to be.”

Kenny got the call in 2005 from the Brewers and was surprised since he had not known that they were even interested in him. With organizations like the Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies looking at him, the selection in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball draft was unexpected for Kenny, who could not wait to start pursuing his major league dream.

“Being drafted is anyone's dream,” Kenny said.

“Anyone who has dedicated themselves to the sport.”

Something that Dennis has done.

But now, even in his third decade in baseball, one of the first things Dennis does upon returning to the clubhouse after a Doubledays game is check the Internet to see how well Kenny played that night.

A nightly phone call is almost always a given, as well.

“Seeing my son get drafted was one of my proudest moments as a father,” Dennis said. “After many years of playing hard, he gets rewarded and drafted, a chance to go out and continue to play at a high level. There are many points in life when you can say that was the proudest moment, his birth, or winning his first game, or winning a championship with his high school team, and this was one of those. I am always proud of him.”

For Dennis, Kenny's draft to the same organization that he began his baseball career with was exciting, but also a coincidence.

“There had been a lot of changes in the organization since I had been there,” Dennis said. “The people were no longer there, the cycle always changes. With Toronto for 20 to 25 years, they had the same general manager, it was a family affair which is not the case with so many other organizations.”

Kenny had a strong first season in Helena, Mont., and between his experience going away to college in Embry-Riddle, Fla., and then to play ball on the other side of the country helped him play well in his rookie season far from home in Dunedin, Fla.

“I had already been away from home and had the college experience under my belt,” Kenny said. “I knew what to expect - I had grown up in a ballpark basically. There were a lot of fresh faces from all over the states, Dominican Republic and Venezuela. I settled in early and that helped with my success that first year.”

In 2005, Kenny led the Pioneer League in slugging percentage and on base percentage.

“His first year really put him on the radar map,” Dennis said. “With 300 kids in the league, it proved he can do what he has always been able to do, hit well.”

Kenny has not had as much success recently playing for the Brevard County Manatees out of the Class A Florida State League. Coming off of an injury, he missed a couple of weeks this season and is currently playing every day again, trying to get back in the game. Batting a .223 with 24 runs, 24 RBIs and 59 hits, he is looking for his groove again at the plate.

“There have been better years than this one and my Dad knows and understands that,” Kenny added. “He calls and it is nice to be able to talk to him, he doesn't say things to me about an error or going 0-for-4, he talks more about not doing things mentally or not hustling, which is a good thing to have.”

With such a strong relationship between father and son, it was a treat when they got to come on the field together for a game this past May. Kenny's team, the Manatees, came to Dunedin to play where Dennis was managing. It was prearranged for the two to exchange lineup cards at home plate before the game, which is something they both had fun with.

“It was like having 30 years flash in front of your face,” Dennis said. “Here Kenny was doing what I was doing at 25 and I was able to be there with him.”

“It was the most unique and coolest things I've done,” Kenny added. “I was in the lineup card that I handed to my dad and so was one of my best friends from high school. Just to look over at the first base coach's box and see my dad in it was unbelievable. It is amazing how this sport can bring people together.”

This sport has been a part of the Holmbergs' lives for as long as Kenny can remember, with Dennis always finding a way to raise him and his sister while keeping his career on track.

“I would go to the ballpark when I came home from school,” Kenny said. “With all the hardships with my mom (who has never fully recovered from an accident from over 20 years ago), my dad has somehow always found a way to be there for us. I was raised by my dad and surrounded by a lot of good baseball people and a wonderful family growing up. I took that with me especially the type of competition I was around. There is a special relationship with me and my dad. It blows my mind how he has done all of this and accomplished so much.

“Growing up with him as your parent,” Kenny said.

“Not very many people can experience that. Having a dad involved in professional sports helped me understand and experience the sport on a professional level. I knew that I needed to grow up strong and mature, make the grades in school, play well in high school and grow up into a man. I was able to see how things are done.”

“Baseball has become a livelihood for me,” Dennis added. “It has become a way of life for him. He was never forced, it is America's pastime, some kids in Canada are probably born with a hockey stick they may say, he always came to the ballpark and was molded into the environment. He has motivated himself all along, it has been a good way to learn how to compete, win, lose, sacrifice yourself and get up there with the game on the line. He has been a self instructed type of kid with a little bit of direction, not blessed with outstanding tools but desire, ambition, over-achieving, he goes out of his way and gets the most of his ability every night.”

With the hardships that they have faced together as a family, both Kenny and Dennis are more than grateful for the opportunities that the Toronto Blue Jays organization gave to them as a family.

“He has been surrounded by good people with the Blue Jays,” Kenny said. “They gave him the best situation, to stay in the game and raise his family. I appreciate that because I got to have my dad around and he got to stay in the game.”

Kenny hopes to be the kind of person his father is, the person that he looks up to and emulates as much as possible, the person that raised him through all of the hardest times they faced.

“My dad is such a strong human being,” Kenny said. “I put myself in his shoes and I have no idea how he does it. He shows up and gives his heart and soul, that is how I am going to be, I think and hope that the Brewers see me like that. I may not be the biggest or the strongest player but I get things done. My dad has a huge impact on that, on how I try to help others. He is a lot different off the field. He is intense on the field, off he is a kind and loving guy who knows how to relax and have a good time. Many of his players don't know that, he is the best man I know.”

Wearing his Holmberg name proudly on his jersey, Kenny has many hopes for his future and the type of person he wants to be thanks to the upbringing he has had from Dennis.

“I am trying to make a name for myself,” Kenny said. “People will remember the name on my back. I am going to keep playing my best and never let them take the uniform from me. People say that I am one of the people they don't want to play against, but would love to play with and I take that to heart.”