Erstad seeks calm amid grind of season

[Nexus]

So it begins — the grind.

 

A 162-game major-league baseball schedule is taxing enough without a manager and coaches whose moods change with the wind.

 

Darin Erstad always appreciated even-tempered leaders.

 

He spent the bulk of his professional playing career with the Angels (1996-2006). Manager Mike Scioscia had a profound impact on Erstad. That's well-documented. But Erstad also learned plenty from Joe Maddon, Ron Roenicke and Bud Black, who coached under Scioscia during Erstad's time with the organization.

 

Those four men form the core of where Erstad, the first-year Nebraska coach, derived many of his ideas for how to approach his job.

 

"They all do it in their own way," Erstad says. "It's not like there's one set way to act. But there is a consistency in approach that I feel very strongly is the key to all this."

 

He brings up Maddon, now manager of the Tampa Bay Rays. The former Angels bench coach possesses a different personality than Scioscia.

 

Continue Reading

[Comish]

So it begins — the grind.

 

A 162-game major-league baseball schedule is taxing enough without a manager and coaches whose moods change with the wind.

 

Darin Erstad always appreciated even-tempered leaders.

 

He spent the bulk of his professional playing career with the Angels (1996-2006). Manager Mike Scioscia had a profound impact on Erstad. That's well-documented. But Erstad also learned plenty from Joe Maddon, Ron Roenicke and Bud Black, who coached under Scioscia during Erstad's time with the organization.

 

Those four men form the core of where Erstad, the first-year Nebraska coach, derived many of his ideas for how to approach his job.

 

"They all do it in their own way," Erstad says. "It's not like there's one set way to act. But there is a consistency in approach that I feel very strongly is the key to all this."

 

He brings up Maddon, now manager of the Tampa Bay Rays. The former Angels bench coach possesses a different personality than Scioscia.

 

Continue Reading

That demeanor should serve him well after suffering through the keystone cops exhibition yesterday............

 

Oh, well, time to go save the series today..........