PHOENIX — As spring training baseball camps are in full swing in both Florida and Arizona, players at all levels are working to prove to their scouts, managers and themselves that they have the ability to succeed at the next level.
Players are always energized by a promotion and move up in competition, especially the ones that come to Richmond to play for the Squirrels. That goes for managers too.
Dennis Pelfrey is returning to the Diamond this year to manage the Richmond Flying Squirrels. After completing his inaugural season as a manager at the AA level last year, he has a better idea of not only what he's looking for in his players, but what they might be looking for from him.
"I've seen how these guys have polished themselves into making that next step," Pelfrey said. "I think it's a really huge step [being promoted to AA] in the development of their game. For the most part, all of those guys really rose above the challenge."
"I think Dennis shows up every day ready to motivate guys," added Kyle Haines, the Giants Director of Minor League Operations and a former Squirrels manager himself. "To teach them how to finish the polishing of being a winner that we're going to need from our major league players as well. He also teaches the fundamentals of the game really well."
Pelfrey led the Squirrels to a division title in the first half of last season and along with it, a spot in the postseason — just the second time in Squirrels history that has happened. That process of earning and winning is just as important as hitting a curve or increasing the spin rate on pitches.
"You could feel it on the field and in the clubhouse, even with the other teams we were playing," Pelfrey recalled about last summer. "You could feel that pressure and a lot of guys thrived in that. It was really cool to see."
Pelfrey is just the third manager to return for a successive season in Squirrels' history. He can also be the first to lead them to back-to-back playoff appearances.
