Mudcats manager frustrated with life in the minors

ZEBULON ? Down a narrow corridor in the Carolina clubhouse, through a threshold into a stark, white office is where first-year Mudcats manager Gary Allenson is found postgame, stabbing a remote control toward his 19-inch television, searching for whatever major-league game may be on the air.

Usually after a frustrating channel hunt he gives up his search, asking for help to locate ESPN. Is it channel 27? or 37? He can never remember. But this time he finds the television portal to the majors by process of elimination, then sets the remote down to pour a Killian's beer into a frosted glass from his small fridge, as has become his routine.

He can not possibly remember such things as cable channels. He has no home anymore, nothing is constant. He is a vagabond coaching or managing since 1987 ? spending summers in places like Jackson (Texas), Charleston (W.Va.), Louisville and New Britain (Conn.).

While Allenson is just like the players he manages in many respects, desperately wanting to reach the big leagues, he has already lived that dream as a big-league catcher for seven seasons, six with the Boston Red Sox.

But after long nights like Thursday in pine-shrouded Zebulon ? hundreds of miles from the nearest major league outpost ? where, at Five County Stadium, his Mudcats lost 5-3 under his guidance, Baseball Tonight offers a touch of familiarity and comfort. And also a daily reminder of his goal to get back.

"It's like being in the military," said Allenson, who sits with a photograph of him and his three sons soaked in sunlight pinned to cork board over his shoulder. It is the room's lone decor. "... It's frustrating being at this level ? nothing against Zebulon or the Carolina Mudcats ? it's frustrating to be at this level and see other guys who haven't paid the dues that you have paid managing at the big-league level."

The requirements for the players are easy: produce and you will get a chance in the show. For managers the lines are blurred: they do not having batting averages or ERA's that can be looked up every morning on the Internet.

Sure, one can look at a team's standings to judge a manager by, but what happens when Allenson loses one of his best pitchers ? Yorman Bazardo ? to a major league call-up by the Florida Marlins like he did on Thursday? Allenson and pitching coach Scott Mitchell had a small hand in the player's development, and they are then punished in the standings when he is promoted.

"There is a lot more to it than wins or losses," Allenson said. "You do the best you can with the players you have. Sometimes you don't have the same talent as everyone else. It doesn't matter what you do, it's going to be tougher to win.

"But I think more than anything, if someone is paying attention to it, how much better are the players getting?"

And his opportunity is also less than a player's. Major League rosters have 25 spots for players, just one for a manger.

"I think he (deserves) a big-league managing job," Mudcats catcher Jason Hill said. "He has 20 years of baseball experience ... he has taught me a lot. I was with him last year when he was the (organizational) catcher's instructor with the Reds."

Many catchers become managers after their playing career because, as Allenson points out, besides the pitcher, they are the only players who think rather than react on the field.

"When I was with the Red Sox one of the beat writers asked manager Ralph Houk who would make a good manager," Allenson said. "He mentioned my name; (Houk) was with the Red Sox, then he was with the Yankees 20 years before that when they have Mantle and Maris."

It was quite the compliment.

But managers can only do so much and, on Thursday, Allenson had to throw the just-called-up Craig Molldrem into the fire, making a start in place of Bazardo.

Molldrem cruised through his first four innings but was forced from the game in the fifth after giving up three-run home run to Brandon Gemoll, who entered play batting just .205.

Huntsville starter Dennis Sarfate kept Carolina (29-17) scoreless until James Shanks ripped a two-run triple off the right-center field wall in the sixth. Shanks later scored on a Michael Tucker sacrifice fly to cut the Stars' advantage to 4-3.

But that was as close as Carolina came as the Stars (21-26) added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth to seal the win and split the four-game series. Robert Andino added an RBI single in the ninth to cut the Huntsville lead to 6-4, though that was the only damage done off Stars reliever Matt DeWitt, who was able to strike out Jeremy Hermida with a man on to end the game.

Hermida produced the game-winning hit Wednesday but threw his bat in disgust at the home plate umpire's third-strike call that ended the game.

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/sports/c...020635671894267