The Victoria HarbourCats feel that as a scout for seven years with the Tampa Bay Rays, Graig Merritt is right in their wheelhouse.
“He knows a lot of the players we will be going after,” said HarbourCats GM Jim Swanson, in announcing Merritt will be taking over the head coaching position in 2015 to replace the departing Bob Miller.
“His scouting will take him to the places he needs to be. It naturally dovetails.”
The HarbourCats play in the West Coast League, which features top U.S. collegiate NCAA players.
“Our goal for 2015 is the playoffs,” said Merritt, a Canadian from Maple Ridge who was signed by the Rays as a catcher in 2001 and reached Double-A in his five seasons as a pro player, catching current MLB players Jason Hammel and James Shields along the way.
The HarbourCats have been nowhere near the post-season in their first two seasons in the WCL, finishing 22-32 in 2013 under Dennis Rogers and 25-29 in 2014 under Miller. The club has been successful in the stands, however, leading the league in attendance in 2014 and placing second in WCL attendance in 2013. The HarbourCats’ per game attendance of 1,576 was 28th among collegiate summer-league teams in North America. The aim now is to match that off-field success on the diamond.
“I will demand hustle and effort. Those are things every player can control,” said Merritt, the 36-year-old former Canadian junior team player, who scouts B.C. for the Rays.
“I have a very aggressive [coaching] style and demand a lot out of my players. I break them down and build them back up again.”
Also crucial, said Merritt, is to “keep all the players happy.”
“You could recruit the best [NCAA] Division 1 players, but if they are not having fun with chemistry and team morale, the team won’t be successful. It’s my job to provide that successful environment.”
Merritt was in spring training with Tampa Bay in 2003 and 2004 and has been through the grind in a minor-pro career that took him through Single-A and Double-A with the Hudson Valley Renegades, Charleston RiverDogs, Bakersfield Blaze, Montgomery Biscuits and Orlando Rays. He cites former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre as a role model at the MLB level because of “the way he kept his players happy” on a bench loaded with multi-million dollar talent that all wanted to be on the field.
Instead of walking off into civilian life after his dreams of the majors faded as a player in Double-A, Merritt had a burning desire to stay involved in the sport.
“I have a passion for the game that will rival anyone’s … and I will continue to follow that passion,” he said.
“This is a big jump [from his previous coaching experience in the B.C. Premier League and as former owner/operator of the West Coast Baseball Academy] but I’m ready for it. This [baseball] is what I want in my life. My goal is to coach or manage in pro baseball and I see this as a stepping stone. This progression seems perfect for me.”
Merritt is a keen student of the game.
“He’s not going to miss a thing,” said Swanson.
As Rays scout for the region, Merritt has a good handle on players in B.C. and U.S. Pacific Northwest. The HarbourCats hope to fill in California by soon announcing their pitching coach for 2015 from that state.
“[The potential new HarbourCats pitching coach] has huge connections from San Diego to San Jose,” noted Merritt.
Recruiting has already begun for 2015.
“Recruiting started two weeks ago for 2015,” said HarbourCats owner John McLean.
“If you don’t have your team recruited by mid-September or October, you are really behind.”
Having won the NCAA Division II national championship at Chico State before turning pro with the Rays organization, Merritt says he knows what players are going through at the collegiate level and in summer ball. And how to get the best out of them.
“I’ve done a lot of research in the last two weeks. [McLean and Swanson] have very high goals and that’s perfect because I have high expectations, as well, for the fans here and for how we develop players into potential professionals. We are already No. 1 in the WCL in fans. We will rival any summer league team in North America,” vowed Merritt.
