Chatting with our Visitor, Coach Steve Mandl

[Mass Haas]

NOTE: This text was split from our Angel Salome / Jonathan Lucroy discussion thread. Nationally prominent high school coach Steve Mandl was Angel's coach and has often chimed in on Angel during his pro career. This thread is meant to take a break from some of the specific discussion on Salome vs. Lucroy (or sould we say Salome and Lucroy, wonderful to have both), although that lengthy thread is still active.

 

Coach, since you're currently able to be around, let me ask:

 

Can you believe this article was written over 18 years ago?

Do you still have the same bench rules now as then?

 

What has kept you at Washington Heights all these years?

 

Did your family background have any special ties to the Latino community before you became an educator there?

 

Are the kids in your program speaking Spanish or English on the field, do you make sure they become fluent in conjunction with school programs?

 

***

 

Everyone, Coach Steve is one of the most unique and interesting people involved in baseball on this planet, and we're lucky enough to have him visit here from time to time. Perhaps we can take a moment to break free from the Jonathan / Angel discussion for a bit.

 

Coach, sorry if this puts you on the spot. If you wish to pass and come back when it's more convenient, we'll understand.

[coach32sm]

Wow! where did you find that???

 

So much has changed yet so much stays the same.

 

At that time only 23% of the students at GW were graduating, but 99.9 % of the baseball team did, and still does. The big difference is that yes they are still a team of all dominicans but most are second generation and born in the US.

 

Many of the players (to my chagrin) have become more Americanized (I-pods, computers, girls, etc.)

 

Fortunately the love for the game is stronger than ever. I went into pro ball to coach shortly after that and was offered a full time job, but could not and would not leave my "kids" I still feel like that even with every offer I get. I always have a new one I have to nurture.

 

I've been to the Dominican Republic so many times since that first time with Javier, (to this day he is like my son, we remain close).

 

Adrian, mentioned in the article, is now a teacher in Washington Heights. Actually two players who were drafted (one from St. John's last year, the other from Louisiana) decided they would rather give back to the program, school and community and come back to GW, teach and coach.

 

All my assistant coaches over the years, except my first and one currently, played for me.

 

My rules are still the same, we play hard as hell, no BS on the bench, we are very intense and focused and all baseball. I still NEVER sit, ever, and I still NEVER raise my voice, it serves no purpose, for me anyway. Speaking English, I prefer it but dont force it, some kids have trouble with the language. I understand most of what is being said and my coaches are Dominican so if anything is going astray, it's stopped immediately.

 

We still work long hard hours to the point of absurd, but I know besides making us a better team, better men and better team mates, it keeps most of them off the streets.

 

All my athletes have two choices, pro ball if they are so lucky or college, nothing else. A few of them went to the Armed Forces, but all the others move on to one of the other two choices.

 

Last year as I was given National Coach of the Year and awarded with a special coaching award. One of my former players, unbeknown to me, showed up (in Chicago) paying his own expenses etc, and asked if he could present me with the award. He gave a speech of how he would now be dead or a drug dealer if it werent for the program, he is now an anasthesiologist working on becoming a doctor, he had the whole place in tears. Those are the things I stay at GW for. Many of these kids dont have two parents and some not even one, so it's important for someone to be there to guide them and to be a part of their lives. I guess I'm the lucky one.

 

The sad part is that we get no support especially financially. I don't want the kids raising the money so I do it all myself. We're hoping that someday when one of our stars makes it big, he will help out not like Manny, but that's another story.

 

We work hard at trying to win Championships. Last year after an unprecedented 25 consecutive Division 1 Championships we finally did not, but we hope to start a longer string this year. Our team for the next three years is awesome and next year have a great few kids I have been working with for awhile and then our bat boy the younger brother (12 yrs old) of our stud 2B will be a freshman, he can almost play for us now, I cant wait. So there is always someone in the wings for me to think about.

 

This year, if all goes right I should get my 900th win and I guess that just makes me old. We should also have 4 All Americans (SS Mike Antonio- 2B Xyruse (Cyrus) Martinez- RHP Yael Regalado- LHP Nestor Bautista and C-Nelson Rodriguez) and a few more right there with them.

 

Hope that answers all the questions.

 

Happy holidays (and PHISH was awesome again, great second set and unreal "YEM" encore)

 

"Coach"

[Mass Haas]

A 2006 article on Coach's program --

 

At George Washington High School, Beisbol is a Hit

By Tripp Mickle, NYC24.org

 

Fernando Frias is baseball crazy. The sophomore at George Washington High School spends close to 20 hours a week playing baseball games and practicing with the Trojans, then adds an additional five hours of specialized training with a private coach.

 

Of the immigrant communities coming to New York, few share the passion for baseball carried by the Dominicans who live for the sport.

 

So when the 6-foot-1-inch, 192-pound slugger walked off the diamond with a .700 batting average after a week long high school tournament in late April, it came as no surprise. Nor did it come as any surprise that George Washington won the tournament.

 

Frias is just one of more than 25 equally dedicated and enthuasitic Dominican baseball players who have helped turn the high school baseball program into one of the best in the city. While coach Steve Mandl has guided the team's rise, the Dominican ballplayers from Washington Heights and the Bronx have carried the team to prominence.

 

"They bring a talent and a passion for the game you don't see anywhere else," said Arnaldo Cubero, a citywide umpire, who's been calling games for 25 years. "They want to play more than anyone else."

 

The Dominican Republic accounts for the largest source of immigrants to New York City with more than 369,000 people arriving since 1990. That same influx can be seen in Major League Baseball, as the Dominican Republic supplies more players for the league than any other nation outside the U.S.

 

For Dominican immigrants and their children who hope to play professional baseball, George Washington High has become the place to foster that dream. Since the mid-1980s, the school has produced two World Series winners in the Major Leagues: Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox and former Florida Marlins shortstop Alex Arias. Both Dominican, their success has given other young ballplayers hope.

 

"That's the only reason I came here," Juan Brito, a 17-year old junior said. "Our coach is like a hall of famer. I knew I'd come out of here a good player."

 

All but two players on the George Washington team are Dominican. Many are the children of immigrants or immigrants themselves. Most believe baseball offers the best way to obtain a better life for themselves and their families.

 

"Baseball was what we were born to do," said Chris Jones, a 17-year old junior and son of a Dominican. "We just want to get drafted."

 

During the course of the spring break baseball tournament at George Washington, both the rise of Dominicans in New York and in baseball was on display. Schools like Walton, Norman Thomas and Kennedy high schools featured rosters filled with Spanish names - more than 80 percent of which were Dominican. But none of those teams could rival George Washington's appeal, history and dedication among Dominican ballplayers.

 

"In the Dominican tradition, if you play at George Washington, it's like playing at Yankee Stadium," said Youman Wilder, a private baseball instructor who works with players citywide. "For some insane reason, it's known in the Dominican Republic."

 

George Washington, a collegiate four-story brick building, sits on the crest of a small hill near the northeastern tip of Manhattan. The school technically encompasses four different ones: the High School for Media and Communications; the High School for International Business and Finance; the High School for Health Careers and Sciences; and the High School for Law and Public Service. Just below the school lies one of only two high school baseball fields on the island.

 

While most of George Washington's players come from the surrounding Washington Heights neighborhood, others travel from outlying boroughs. Angel Nunez, a senior second baseman on the team, comes to the school from Brooklyn in order to play baseball. Though he has left his home in Brooklyn for school before 6 a.m. many mornings, he has said it's worth the trek to play ball at George Washington.

 

Part of the reason players like Nunez and others travel so far is the school's rich history. Not only has it produced players like Ramirez and Arias, it has also won more than 298 league games since Coach Mandl took over the program in 1983. Since 2001, the team has gone 77-4. The only other Public Schools Athletic League team to come close to that record is Staten Island's Tottenville, which is 65-2.

 

Mandl's leadership has been central to the team's success. Since taking over, he's built an overall record of 696 wins and 92 losses.

 

Opposing coaches, players and umpires admire him for his work ethic and his team's discipline.

 

Mandl arrives at school at 5:15 every morning to run a one-hour daily camp for junior high students. While the camp gives him a chance to evaluate young talent, he does it to give the players instruction, assistant coach Ronny de la Rosa said. His high school team warms itself up before games, forming an organized row for coordinated stretches and jumping jacks.

 

"He's not a loud mouth coach," said Arnaldo Cubero, an umpire, who's been working city high school games for 25 years. "He's a the-way-it's-supposed-to-be coach with signs and discipline."

 

For the Dominican ballplayers who form the backbone of the team, it's hard to imagine playing for anyone else.

 

"It's a big honor just to have George Washington on your shirts," Rodriguez said, as he sat in the concrete stands above the field and watched as two other baseball teams played.

 

"It's not just a name," Brito added. "It has meaning to it."

[Mass Haas]

I want to broach this subject carefully, because it does not define who Coach is, and because Coach always indicates "he would never come to Manny (Ramirez) with his GW hat in hand, looking for a donation".

 

But he also says, "Brewers prospect and former GW star Angel Salome offered to buy the Trojans championship rings with his signing bonus if they won the title in 2004, the same day that he was drafted by Milwaukee. The team lost, and Salome is making peanuts in Triple-A right now. But Mandl says "if (Salome) gets that contract, he'll help us. He's that kind of person."

 

Both quotes can be found in the article linked here.

 

Here is a very insightful audio interview with Coach Steve. It's from Boston in 2007, so Manny is discussed, but also much, much more about his program.

[Mass Haas]

Coach, do you have others in pro ball now besides Angel, so we can follow their careers as well?

 

NOTE: Catcher Jean Carlos Rodriguez, featured in this 2008 pre-draft article, was not drafted but signed with the Phillies organization. He's since been released, apparently.

 

NOTE: Fernando Frias (6'1", 230), featured in this pre-draft article, interesting, played at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa (culture shock?) after being drafted in the 50th round in 2008 by Washington.

 

And if not (others in pro ball now), doesn't that go a long way towards saying just how tough it is to become a pro ball player at even the lowest minor league level?

 

Congratulations on the graduation rate, sir, that's fantastic.

[Mass Haas]

This article has Coach and his kids discussing Manny Ramirez not from a financial point of view, but after his steroid scandal this season, and we get this photo:

 

http://nbcsportsmedia1.msnbc.com/j/apmegasports/200905081737634433479-pf.widec.jpg

[twobrewers]

Awesome articles.

 

I can't help but think of the Gandhi quote "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others".

 

Seems like Coach and his players have had an equal impact on each other. That's an amazing program you have Coach. I hope you get to Milwaukee to see Salome make his major league debut. I'd love to buy you a beer.

[homer]

One of my former players, unbeknown to me, showed up (in Chicago) paying his own expenses etc, and asked if he could present me with the award. He gave a speech of how he would now be dead or a drug dealer if it werent for the program, he is now an anasthesiologist working on becoming a doctor, he had the whole place in tears.

 

That's just awesome. Congrats coach. We need more people like you out there.

[TooLiveBrew]

One of my former players, unbeknown to me, showed up (in Chicago) paying his own expenses etc, and asked if he could present me with the award. He gave a speech of how he would now be dead or a drug dealer if it werent for the program, he is now an anasthesiologist working on becoming a doctor, he had the whole place in tears. Those are the things I stay at GW for. Many of these kids dont have two parents and some not even one, so it's important for someone to be there to guide them and to be a part of their lives. I guess I'm the lucky one.

I found it so interesting & funny that homer quoted almost the exact same segment I did, that I decided to just post it anyway. I can see why you stay at GW, Coach Steve, and whether you really realize it or not, those kids are lucky that you do. I know it's easy to read a quote like, 'I'd probably be a drug dealer or something' & get that you're important to these kids... but I'd bet the extent of the impact you've made would probably even surprise you. I have no doubt you have changed the lives of these young men more than you will probably ever know. Like twobrewers said, the players have clearly affected you as well, and it's just a beautiful thing.

 

Glad to hear you get some time to unwind like with the Phish shows occasionally, Coach, and best of luck as you continue onward. Glad you take the time to drop by & chat with us occasionally http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[coach32sm]

Hey thanks, and sure, I think the kids do more for me. It's a great thing and I wouldn't trade it for anything. don't know a lot of people who actually love their work, that's why Im there at 5:30 Am and most days don't leave until 7 or 8 ish. It's a paradise for me, and PHISH, yeah my one vice (LOL) "CoacH"

[Mass Haas]

Sky's the limit for GW's Mike Antonio; Shortstop expected to be highest high-school pick from NYC in several years

 

The article mentions Angel Salome as a 4th round pick, actually 5th...

[coach32sm]

Yeah, I saw that mistake. Rafael Gonzalez was taken in the 4th round that year. and Angel in the 5th. Might have 3 this year. (Antonio, Bautista LHP and Martinez 2b- closer)

Mikey is special and will be a sky rocket kid through the system (that picks him) He will be a 1st round pick regardless of what people say, he is just too good and has a very high ceiling. He is like his idol Hanley, a little like Escobar but I think Mikey has more pop potential as he continues to fill out..

We have 2 sophomores Fernelys Sanchez (the kid I got laughed at on this site when I said he will run 6.1) is now down to 6.4 but hasn't played this season with a broken hand for 2 more weeks and our beast catcher Nelson Rodriguez.