Schmidt Hopes to Make an Impact

Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt wasn't even Mike Schmidt the Major Leaguer when he met Andy Seminick.

He hadn't yet worn No. 22, his first digits when he was called up, let alone the more familiar 20. No, that Schmidt was a skinny kid learning to play third base and about a life in baseball.

One particular day struck Schmidt about Seminick, and he related it last week after the Phillies legend died at 83.

"I will never forget the day Andy Seminick handed me a $20 bill," said Schmidt. "We swept six games from a good Dodgers team at [Triple-A] Albuquerque. There was always the talk of the league and our team. I came of age in that series, made some great plays, hit a couple of home runs. When the series was over, we were getting on the bus the next morning and he handed me $20 and said, 'Son, get yourself a steak.'

"I'll never forget it as long as I live. I was young in the game and Andy Seminick thought that much of me to give me a $20 bill. That was a moment in my career that elevated me."

Such impressions, made on a wide-eyed kid by a grizzled baseball man, can mean so much. More than 30 years later, Schmidt hopes to have a similar impact as manager of the Single-A Clearwater Threshers. His job starts March 5.

"That's a great analogy and I truly feel the same way," he said. "It may not be a $20 bill. It may be a $100 bill."

Those who know Mike Schmidt know this: He has been a happily retired man since leaving baseball with 548 home runs in 1989. He has become an avid fisherman, golfer and even a boat salesman. It's still dark when he wakes up, and it's usually around 9:30 p.m. when he goes to sleep.

That's about to change significantly, as he gives it up to spend hours standing in the sun, watching players nearly one-third of his age run, throw and hit. Money can't be the motivating factor, since he'll be in the under-$40,000 tax bracket. The hours won't be fun, either. He'll have to arrive by 2 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game, then file detailed organizational reports on every player, after each game.

What the heck did Schmidt get himself into? His aching back started hurting after standing around for three hours. What happens after he has done that every day -- for eight hours?

And what happens after a three-hour bus ride, or the 16-inning games?

"I have a fear at some point in time I'll be thinking about where I could be, or where I have been in the past," he said. "My buddies are out in Tahoe, playing golf and I'll be here at 1 p.m. watching kids hit. I've had a wonderful run of doing pretty much whatever I want to do, but there's been a void in my life. I haven't been able to grab on to something that really interests me in the long haul. I'm not sure if baseball is that or that thing is even out there. I need a focus to test my leadership abilities."

So Schmidt consulted with a few learned baseball men, people like Dallas Green and Bob Boone, who thinks he'll be a fine manager. He's read books on being a leader, perhaps even Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People." Either way, he feels ready for this challenge. This particular test is necessary to determine whether Schmidt might want to pursue being a manager at the Major League level.

"In the back of my mind, if I'm ever going to manage in the Majors, I've got to start somewhere," he said. "This is a great opportunity to start close to home within the organization. What better environment could a guy start his managerial career off in?"

Schmidt hasn't met his coaching staff yet, and doesn't know which players he'll be managing, though one stood out: Cole Hamels, the team's best left-handed pitching prospect, will most likely start the season at Clearwater.

Growing up, the 20-year-old hung a poster in his room of Mike Schmidt and Reggie Jackson together at an All-Star Game. Now, he'll see half of that poster come to life every day.

"He was always someone I looked up to," Hamels said. "To think that he'll be handing me the ball [every fifth day] is something to really look forward to."

Perhaps the pair can go golfing together. Hamels has taken up the sport, and Schmidt plans to not give it up totally for this new position. His clubs -- and fishing poles for that matter -- will always be tucked away nearby.

"I'm doing some things that will make my life almost as comfortable as it used to be. I got my fishing rods and my golf clubs. I'm in Florida. The ocean is close. I've got half the day free every day. But I will think at times how life used to be as a retired person.

"The timing is perfect for this sort of thing. I hope I have the same attitude in mid-August."

Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.