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| Dan Firova overcame an age-old problem to make his MLB coaching debut | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| VIERA, Fla. — Leaning against a brick wall in the dingy underbelly of Space Coast Stadium, Dan Firova teared up, remembering the phone call that brought him here, back to the big leagues after nearly three decades. Until Dusty Baker asked him to be his bullpen coach, Firova thought he might never get the chance. | VIERA, Fla. — Leaning against a brick wall in the dingy underbelly of Space Coast Stadium, Dan Firova teared up, remembering the phone call that brought him here, back to the big leagues after nearly three decades. Until Dusty Baker asked him to be his bullpen coach, Firova thought he might never get the chance. |
| As his lunch cooled on a paper plate a few feet away, Firova gushed gratitude that after hundreds of innings, thousands of pitches and decades of baseball, the game’s steady serendipity had brought him and Baker together, then brought him here. The fourth-winningest manager in Mexican League history is a first-time major league coach, finally, at 59. | As his lunch cooled on a paper plate a few feet away, Firova gushed gratitude that after hundreds of innings, thousands of pitches and decades of baseball, the game’s steady serendipity had brought him and Baker together, then brought him here. The fourth-winningest manager in Mexican League history is a first-time major league coach, finally, at 59. |
| “I thought it wouldn’t happen, mainly because of my age,” Firova said. “I think they consider a guy in his 50s too old to be a coach.” | “I thought it wouldn’t happen, mainly because of my age,” Firova said. “I think they consider a guy in his 50s too old to be a coach.” |
| [Trea Turner shows off arm, inexperience on same play] | [Trea Turner shows off arm, inexperience on same play] |
| It began for Firova in Refugio, a small Texas town near the Mexican border where he grew into a star athlete. He made the varsity baseball team as a freshman catcher who could pitch a bit, too. But one day, a few hours before he was scheduled to start, Firova was cleaning a bandsaw in woodshop. He slipped. The blade cut off his right pinky finger. | It began for Firova in Refugio, a small Texas town near the Mexican border where he grew into a star athlete. He made the varsity baseball team as a freshman catcher who could pitch a bit, too. But one day, a few hours before he was scheduled to start, Firova was cleaning a bandsaw in woodshop. He slipped. The blade cut off his right pinky finger. |
| “I didn’t know whether I’d be able to play baseball again,” he said. | “I didn’t know whether I’d be able to play baseball again,” he said. |
| As it turned out, Firova could: The pinky is not an integral part of a fundamental grip, and his ring finger stabilized the ball. He could play football and basketball, too, though the former quarterback saw his throwing accuracy suffer. | As it turned out, Firova could: The pinky is not an integral part of a fundamental grip, and his ring finger stabilized the ball. He could play football and basketball, too, though the former quarterback saw his throwing accuracy suffer. |
| Firova went on to catch in junior college, then at the University of Texas-Pan American. While there, he caught for Lupe Salinas, a future teammate in Mexican League winter ball. | Firova went on to catch in junior college, then at the University of Texas-Pan American. While there, he caught for Lupe Salinas, a future teammate in Mexican League winter ball. |
| “Danny’s only drawback was he couldn’t hit. He was just a tremendous catcher,” Salinas said. “Nobody would catch like him behind the plate. He had the best arm in that league. He worked hard. He was a quiet guy, but he was there for you.” | “Danny’s only drawback was he couldn’t hit. He was just a tremendous catcher,” Salinas said. “Nobody would catch like him behind the plate. He had the best arm in that league. He worked hard. He was a quiet guy, but he was there for you.” |
| Salinas remembers Firova as the catcher who would catch bullpen sessions when no one else would, show up early to throw batting practice and help younger players, even his competition. | Salinas remembers Firova as the catcher who would catch bullpen sessions when no one else would, show up early to throw batting practice and help younger players, even his competition. |
| Firova’s defensive prowess led the Mariners to draft him in the winter of 1980. Seattle called him up in 1981 and he played 13 games, then three more in 1982. He did not get a hit in seven plate appearances and headed back to the minors. | Firova’s defensive prowess led the Mariners to draft him in the winter of 1980. Seattle called him up in 1981 and he played 13 games, then three more in 1982. He did not get a hit in seven plate appearances and headed back to the minors. |
| By 1988 the game seemed to be pushing Firova out. He was not under contract and did not attend spring training. Then 31, Firova was working out with a Mexican League team more than three hours from his home in Laredo, Texas, when his agent told him he had a job in Williamsport, Pa., for the Class AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. | By 1988 the game seemed to be pushing Firova out. He was not under contract and did not attend spring training. Then 31, Firova was working out with a Mexican League team more than three hours from his home in Laredo, Texas, when his agent told him he had a job in Williamsport, Pa., for the Class AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. |
| That job, and the second chance it represented, came open in a uniquely baseball way: Toward the end of the previous season, Williamsport’s backup catcher, Dave Bresnahan, threw a potato over third base to trick a runner into trying to take home. | That job, and the second chance it represented, came open in a uniquely baseball way: Toward the end of the previous season, Williamsport’s backup catcher, Dave Bresnahan, threw a potato over third base to trick a runner into trying to take home. |
| “He got released,” Firova recalled. | “He got released,” Firova recalled. |
| [Bronson Arroyo throws three perfect innings in second start] | [Bronson Arroyo throws three perfect innings in second start] |
| After Firova spent two weeks in Williamsport, one of the catchers with the Indians’ Class AAA team got hurt. Firova moved up. While he was there, the other catcher got hurt. Firova played more, and started to hit. Then one of the catchers in the big leagues got hurt, too. Firova went up, one more time, and played one more big league game. | After Firova spent two weeks in Williamsport, one of the catchers with the Indians’ Class AAA team got hurt. Firova moved up. While he was there, the other catcher got hurt. Firova played more, and started to hit. Then one of the catchers in the big leagues got hurt, too. Firova went up, one more time, and played one more big league game. |
| Firova, who speaks fluent Spanish, began in the Class AAA Mexican League in 1992 as a pitching coach. In 1993, he got his first managerial chance, and went on to manage 19 seasons for 10 teams in the Mexican League, whose owners make frequent personnel changes. Firova rode the ups and downs and won three championships with the high-profile Tigres, then of Mexico City. He is the winningest non-native of Mexico in league history. | Firova, who speaks fluent Spanish, began in the Class AAA Mexican League in 1992 as a pitching coach. In 1993, he got his first managerial chance, and went on to manage 19 seasons for 10 teams in the Mexican League, whose owners make frequent personnel changes. Firova rode the ups and downs and won three championships with the high-profile Tigres, then of Mexico City. He is the winningest non-native of Mexico in league history. |
| “Tremendous person. Professional in every aspect of the game,” said Jose Melendez, general manager of the Mexican League team Pericos de Puebla, where Firova coached last year. “Very knowledgeable, and always had the pedigree to be a major league coach, it’s just that he never promoted himself at the big stage. In the Mexican League, he’s the equivalent to Tony La Russa.” | “Tremendous person. Professional in every aspect of the game,” said Jose Melendez, general manager of the Mexican League team Pericos de Puebla, where Firova coached last year. “Very knowledgeable, and always had the pedigree to be a major league coach, it’s just that he never promoted himself at the big stage. In the Mexican League, he’s the equivalent to Tony La Russa.” |
| Melendez encouraged Firova to market himself to major league teams, but found him endlessly loyal to whichever organization he worked for — even teams that weren’t loyal to him. | Melendez encouraged Firova to market himself to major league teams, but found him endlessly loyal to whichever organization he worked for — even teams that weren’t loyal to him. |
| “I always wanted to work here in the States. I sent my résumé to every team in the major leagues. I sent one to the Nationals, too. Everybody,” Firova said. “. . . They said, ‘We’re gonna keep your résumé on file. If anything opens up, we’ll call you later.’ I never heard from anybody.” | “I always wanted to work here in the States. I sent my résumé to every team in the major leagues. I sent one to the Nationals, too. Everybody,” Firova said. “. . . They said, ‘We’re gonna keep your résumé on file. If anything opens up, we’ll call you later.’ I never heard from anybody.” |
| Melendez organized a mini-camp for Pericos prospects — teenagers, mostly — and hired a few major league veterans to come down as guest instructors, including Baker, who brought bench coach Chris Speier with him. | Melendez organized a mini-camp for Pericos prospects — teenagers, mostly — and hired a few major league veterans to come down as guest instructors, including Baker, who brought bench coach Chris Speier with him. |
| At the time, Baker was in need of a bullpen coach. He wanted someone who could work with the catchers, preferably a Spanish speaker, since none of his other coaches is. | At the time, Baker was in need of a bullpen coach. He wanted someone who could work with the catchers, preferably a Spanish speaker, since none of his other coaches is. |
| “I was watching Dan,” Baker said, “watching his drills, watching his demeanor [and] asked Chris, ‘Would it be out of the question to make this guy our bullpen coach? Did God send this guy to me? Or me to him, to Mexico?’ ” | “I was watching Dan,” Baker said, “watching his drills, watching his demeanor [and] asked Chris, ‘Would it be out of the question to make this guy our bullpen coach? Did God send this guy to me? Or me to him, to Mexico?’ ” |
| [Nationals round out coaching staff for 2016] | [Nationals round out coaching staff for 2016] |
| Speier agreed that Firova’s steady calm would balance out the more explosive personalities in the bullpen. When Baker asked for Melendez’s permission to talk to Firova, the GM told him Firova’s daughter lived in Washington. | Speier agreed that Firova’s steady calm would balance out the more explosive personalities in the bullpen. When Baker asked for Melendez’s permission to talk to Firova, the GM told him Firova’s daughter lived in Washington. |
| “Too perfect,” Baker said. | “Too perfect,” Baker said. |
| Baker flew straight from Mexico to the Winter Meetings in Nashville. He called Firova, and asked him whether he would like to come back to the big leagues, 28 years after he left. | Baker flew straight from Mexico to the Winter Meetings in Nashville. He called Firova, and asked him whether he would like to come back to the big leagues, 28 years after he left. |
| “I said, ‘Man, that’s outstanding,’ ” Firova remembered, tears welling. “I was shaking. I was really shaking, I was so nervous, I couldn’t believe it. And so happy. My family, everybody was real happy. Put me from one level to another. Just unbelievable.” | “I said, ‘Man, that’s outstanding,’ ” Firova remembered, tears welling. “I was shaking. I was really shaking, I was so nervous, I couldn’t believe it. And so happy. My family, everybody was real happy. Put me from one level to another. Just unbelievable.” |
| Now, Firova is seemingly ever-present at Space Coast Stadium, tossing batting practice, hitting fungos, always doing something. Melendez believes the Tony La Russa of the Mexican League is at last where he belongs. | Now, Firova is seemingly ever-present at Space Coast Stadium, tossing batting practice, hitting fungos, always doing something. Melendez believes the Tony La Russa of the Mexican League is at last where he belongs. |
| “Everybody that knows him feels the same way,” Melendez said. “. . . We’re excited for him because at his age right now, these opportunities may never come again. For anybody, at his age, it’s just like winning the lottery, you know?” | “Everybody that knows him feels the same way,” Melendez said. “. . . We’re excited for him because at his age right now, these opportunities may never come again. For anybody, at his age, it’s just like winning the lottery, you know?” |
| Firova knows, and seems determined to prove himself worthy. | Firova knows, and seems determined to prove himself worthy. |
| “It’s great here. I love it. The best,” said Firova, smiling now. “I know I’ve got a one-year contract, but I’m going to do everything I can to extend that.” | “It’s great here. I love it. The best,” said Firova, smiling now. “I know I’ve got a one-year contract, but I’m going to do everything I can to extend that.” |