by Liz Rudolph / A’s Farm Beloit Correspondent
Webster Garrison spent seven seasons playing in the A’s system, primarily as a second baseman, and even made it into five major league games with the A’s during the 1996 season.
After his playing career came to an end, Garrison began his minor league managing career in the Northwest League with Vancouver back in 2001, and he’s since managed many minor league teams for the A’s, including Midland, Stockton and the A’s Arizona League affiliate last year.
This season is his first as the skipper of the Beloit Snappers, a team that features many of the A’s top young prospects, including high-profile names like Austin Beck, Nick Allen and Lazaro Armenteros.
Garrison took some time to talk with us about his talented team last week during the Snappers’ four-game series against Peoria.
AF: This is your first year as manager of the Beloit Snappers. But how long have you been in the A’s organization?
WG: As a staff member, my first year was 1998 as a player-coach, ’98 and ’99 as a player coach. So, I’m working on almost 20 years, 19-20 years, close to it. I’ve been a hitting coach and a manager throughout the years after that, and enjoying baseball, having a great time.
AF: We got to speak very briefly about the mentality of this team collectively a couple of weeks ago – after I saw my fourth or fifth walk-off win of the season at Pohlman – that they seemed resilient and have found ways to scratch their way to a few of those wins. Are you still seeing that from this team now?
WG: Yes, these guys are playing hard. We’ve got a good group of guys. We feel like we’re never out of it. Last night, we lost by a run, but we battled back as well to have the opportunity to win late in the game. We had the winning run on base. This is a resilient group. These guys believe. They play hard. We play to win. And it’s a combination of pitching, offense and defense. They guys are playing good, hard baseball. A lot of one-run games lately, so it’s definitely helping.
AF: Are there any specific guys in your clubhouse you feel are catalysts for that mentality, who embody that “never quit” frame of mind?
WG: It’s a little bit of everybody. Our pitching staff – those guys are giving us what they’ve got, especially as the game goes on because you never know what’s going to happen. Whether we get a big lead or we fall behind, we expect that bullpen to hold it right there and give us a chance to come back. Our starters are doing a good job giving us a chance to win. Offensively, we believe we can come back at any time. We’ve got the guys who can do it, like you were saying. We’ve got some notable guys who can definitely play this game. Our shortstop Nick Allen and Austin Beck at the top of the lineup, those guys are making things happen.
AF: I want to talk about those guys specifically. As we look back at the 2017 draft, because we’re seeing the product of it now in Beloit, those two were prep players the A’s took in the first three rounds. Austin Beck and Nick Allen, both just 19 years old, really exciting young talent, and it’s fun to watch their development. Any surprises from them so far this season?
WG: Well, I saw them play last year. I managed them last year, so I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but I’m definitely impressed. At the age that they are, the way they play the game, it is impressive to me. At 19 years old, Nick Allen’s defense just stands out, and the combination of swinging the bat and speed on the bases. And Austin Beck – just an outstanding center fielder, power hitter. He will definitely run into more home runs as he develops throughout his career – and just being an overall natural talented player, both of them.
AF: Any indication what the goal for their development this season in Beloit is? A preferred or projected timeline for either of them?
WG: Given that they’re only 19 years old, I don’t see a projected timeline to try to prove anything or to try to get out of here. It’s just daily play, just getting better every day, learning the nuances of the game, being a heady player, and just seeing pitches daily, daily defenses, just getting after it. Baseball is not a short race, it’s a long haul. Early in their development, they’re doing a great job so far, and let’s hope they continue to get better as they go.
AF: I think the most exciting part of watching this team is that it feels like the production can really come from anywhere in the order on any given night. We’ve seen a couple of guys get on hot streaks so far season. One of those being Hunter Hargrove at first base…talk about him a little bit offensively.
WG: He’s been consistent in the meat of that lineup. He didn’t break camp with us. He came at a time when we had some injuries, and he didn’t get off to a real hot start. But lately, he’s been swinging a hot bat. He’s right in the middle of that lineup. [He is] a patient hitter, using the whole field, and he cuts it loose when he’s in the box. He’ll give you a good at-bat every at-bat. And that’s what you need – a good patient hitter who can hit the ball all over the ballpark. He hasn’t hit a home run yet, but I’ll take the way he’s swinging the bat right now over a home run any day. [Editor’s Note: Hargrove hit three home runs in a single game just shortly after this interview.]
AF: You’ve seen that from a few guys in the lineup. Mickey McDonald, Logan Farrar, Trace Loehr have been fun to watch. It’s been an exciting season offensively.
WG: Definitely exciting. Trace [Loehr] has been an exciting player. He’s playing a stellar second base, combined with his offense. He’s swinging a good bat, he’s stealing bases. He’s just doing a lot of good things out there. He’s one of our team leaders. Logan Farrar, he’s a big guy in that lineup that can swing the bat. He can play defense as well. It’s a combination of all those guys. Mickey McDonald got off to a good start. He’s a good top-of-the-lineup or bottom-of-the-lineup guy. Wherever you put him, he gets his hits, steal bases, plays good outfield. He’s got a strong arm just like the rest of those guys. We have an exciting team. It’s not just one guy or two guys every night. It can be a combination of guys at the top or bottom of the lineup. Jesus Lopez has gotten some good hits as well. Jordan Devencenzi has been leading our team in hitting quietly. He’s right in the middle of our lineup, calling good games behind the plate – a lot of energy back there. So, it’s a good group to have, and I’m excited about us moving forward.
AF: One recent addition to your team, just added to the roster a couple of weeks ago, is Lazaro Armenteros – another 19-year-old, but with a very different road to Beloit. You know Armenteros from the instructional league last year. Obviously, there has been a lot of buzz around him since he was growing up in Cuba. As he begins his first season of full-season baseball in Beloit, what do you think the ceiling for him is?
WG: He’s got a high ceiling. This kid is talented. I was just talking to some front office members this morning about him. He’s just Mr. Excitement – that’s what I call him. I managed him last year along with Allen and Beck. He can do a combination of things. He can hit, he can hit the ball out of the ballpark, he’s got speed on the bases, he’s a good outfielder, he goes and gets balls. He’s just Mr. Excitement at the top of that lineup. He comes from Cuba – he’s still working on his English, understanding English and the way we play the game. But he’s adjusting real well and developing real fast. He’s definitely a talent.
AF: Developmentally, what was the first order of business with Armenteros?
WG: Just making sure he understands everything – that he’s not just going off on his own doing anything…You just have to make sure he understands what we’re doing, what we’re expecting of him, make sure he knows the signs. That’s why we have our hitting coach [Juan Dilone] here who speaks Spanish, just to make sure he’s on the same page with us. We don’t want him to go off on his own and just start doing things. Because he’s a definite talent, he can do some things you can’t coach. We just have to make sure that he’s part of the group with us and move forward.
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Listen to the extended audio version of Liz Rudolph’s interview with Webster Garrison here…
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