Baseball manager John Tamargo Jr. is a fundamentalist.
The new manager for the Vancouver Canadians preaches the basics and it’s what he expects from new recruits and developing players. “Take care of the little things and the big things will care of themselves,” he said Monday afternoon.
“It’s about being able to control the things you can control. How hard you run, how hard you play — these are things you can control. You can’t control base hits or if you give up a home run as a pitcher. But can control going about your day the right way,” he added.
The son of National League catcher, the new C’s skipper grew up observing the big leagues from all angles. John Tamargo Sr. signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973 and also played for the San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos. After his playing career ended in 1980, he coached and managed for more than two decades and in 2009 joined the Seattle Mariners organization to lead the C’s rival Everett AquaSox for a season.
In an interview that summer with the Seattle Times, Tamargo Sr. explained baseball as he saw it — and, like his son, it was all about fundamentals. “The name of the game is that we want our pitchers throwing strikes and our hitters hitting strikes,” he said.
Those unwavering truisms are now dished out by the C’s new manager.
“The best coaching advice is: just play the game the right way,” said Tamargo. “Run hard, be prepared, work the right way and pay attention to the game.”
Flexing mental muscles is also important. “You can learn a lot by just watching the game. Those opportunities that you have when you’re on the bench to learn and see things, like what people do and how the game is going, you can fit it into your own game,” said Tamargo, who played eight seasons in the minor leagues and was a 21st-round pick of the New York Mets in 1993.
In 2012 he was voted the Midwest League manager of the year and also set a new wins record for the Lansing Lugnuts.
A first-timer in Vancouver but seasoned in the Jays’ organization, Tamargo knows many incoming Candians from spring training in Florida and roamed the upper-level teams as a hitting coordinator.
The roster, released Monday, includes one Canadian player, Mattingly Romanin, a right-handed second baseman from Burlington, Ont., who last year signed with the Jays in the 39th round out of Chicago State University.
The developmental players hold promise and there could be fireworks off the mound, following in the footsteps of Blue Jays hurlers like Roberto Osuna, Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman who all threw at Nat Baile Stadium. Noah Syndergaard was here, too, and it’s partly because of trade decisions that the organization needs to replenish its up-and-coming arms.
“Pitching should be really good, pitching and defence,” said Tamargo. “We also swung the bats really well during the extended program. It looks like a sound fundamental team all around team.”
Pitchers include 2012 first-round draft pick out of Ohio, Matt Smoral, a 22-year-old southpaw sanding six-foot-eight and Justin Maese, a 2015 third-round pick from Texas.
When he flew into YVR on Sunday, it was Tamargo’s first time in Vancouver. The avid golfer packed his clubs and is open to course recommendations.
The Canadians season begins June 17 on the road in Spokane for a three-game series.
They begin an eight-game home stand June 20 with a 7:05 p.m. start against Everett AquaSox.
Twitter and Instagram: @MHStewart
