Local coaches Jeff Stout, Kip Gross, and Tom Perkins are former professional baseball players who now coach high school baseball. Steve Hernandez formerly coached high school baseball and now coaches for the professional Inland Empire 66ers. They all agree that coaching high school means they are teachers who are building character.
“In high school you deal with the hand you are dealt and then develop players. In the pro’s, you develop players who are already great athletes,” said Hernandez. “At high school you teach, coach, and deal with parents. There’s no gray area in the pro’s. You do it or else you’re gone. Pro’s must take ownership of their career.”
Unlike his colleagues, Hernandez never played pro baseball so he had some catching up to do. While coaching at Redlands East Valley he directed the California Angels elite travel team and then served as a volunteer coach at Arizona pro rookie ball. “After a couple of years, the Angels needed a full time guy and they gave me an opportunity. No matter where you are in baseball, you have to take advantage of your opportunities.” said Hernandez, who was head coach at REV, Fontana and Pacific for a combined 26 years.
“Number one: A lot of guys who played pro baseball and come back to coach high school forget that these are kids,” said Yucaipa High School coach Jeff Stout. “Their expectations are high but you must go back to the basics. You have to realize that when dealing with young kids, they haven’t gone through the attitude and discipline problems yet.” Stout, a national coaches hall of fame member, played four seasons in the Kansas City organization before becoming Yucaipa’s coach 40 years ago. “You must remember that high school is not the pro’s,” advised Stout.
“The rules are different in high school and this is all new to me,” said Gross, who pitched for the Dodgers, Reds, and Boston. “I’m learning, too.” Gross is in his second year as head coach at the small Arrowhead Christian Academy in Redlands. “I like coaching at high school a lot. It’s back to fundamentals with young people and keeps me in touch with the game.” He admitted that it was hard to get past last season, when his ACA team had a 2-18 record.
Gross said his team went through last year what Mesa Grande Academy (Calimesa) is going through this year. Due to a lack of interest, Mesa Grande did not field a team last season. First year coach Tom Perkins has perhaps the hardest job of any coach around. His team lost to ACA on March 2 by a score of 36-0. Perkins was at least able to round up a team and if he can’t find another player, the small private school might be in jeopardy of losing its baseball program forever.
“I have three guys with experience. The others have never played baseball,” said Perkins, who pitched at Eisenhower, Cal State LA, and in the Detroit Tigers organization, where he later became a roving pitching coach for 10 years. Perkins played in the minors for Ralph Houk and Jim Leyland and served under Sparky Anderson in Detroit. “I am now teaching players to want to field ground balls. Baseball is simple but you can only learn by playing.” Perkins is confident that he’ll be able to finish the season. “There’s more to life than winning baseball games,” said Perkins. “I would not trade this job for anything.”
Hernandez knows Perkins and called him an excellent pitching coach. He described Stout as a high school coach with professional coaching capabilities. He gave Gross high marks as well. “My player from Fontana, Greg Colbrunn is now the hitting coach for Boston. Rich Dauer from Colton is coaching in Houston,” said Hernadez. Chaffey’s Nick Leyva is the only that could be found in the region to manage a MLB team, leading the Phillies in the early 1990’s.
Colton’s Gorden Maltzberger was a long time coach for the Twins and another Colton grad George Caster managed a San Bernardino pro team in the 1940’s. Former San Bernardino resident Jack Rothrock coached five years after playing MLB in the 1930’s. Caster and Rothrock played for Connie Mack. San Bernardino High grad Mel Nelson won a number of World Series rings as a MLB pitching coach.
Hernandez mentioned Dino Ebel from SBVC who now assists Mike Scioscia with the Angels. Stan Sanchez from San Gorgonio and SBVC, who managed the San Bernardino Spirit. Chris Paterson is another current pro coach who played for Hernandez at REV. Paterson has won three Independent League titles. Corky Miller from Yucaipa HS and SBVC, is currently coaching in Cinncinati’s chain. Gorden Amerson, who played at San G for Bill Eatinger and later for the Padres organization, got his feet wet as head coach at Arroyo Valley High.
There’s a long list of former high school players that Stout and Hernandez helped coach into the Majors. Tyler Chatwood and Matt Andriese are former Hernandez students at REV who are currently in MLB starting rotations. The late Tommy Hansen was Hernadez’s first pro from REV. Earlier, he coached Colbrunn, Chuckie Carr, and Kris Stevens at Fontana. Two years ago, Stout had seven former Yucaipa players in MLB spring training camps. This year, Taijuan Walker, Matt Davidson, Scott Snodgress, and Adam Miller are in camps.
Hernandez was an assistant football coach for 16 years at Fontana High for Dick Bruich, who he credits teaching him the importance of being organized, prepared and how to communicate with players and parents. He said further knowledge was gained from former MLB players Dick Schofield, Omar Vizquel, and Bill Hasselman. Stout learned his early lessons by playing for Art Mazmanian at Mt. SAC and Spider Jorgenson and Steve Boros in the pros. Gross played for Tommy Losarda and Lou Piniella.
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