Lovullo and Coaching Staff Lead Young Team to World Series
For the briefest moment just before the last out of Game 7 of the NLCS, Torey Lovullo lost his focus, the magnitude of what was about to happen perhaps overwhelming him.
"That last at-bat, I let my mind wander for about 15 seconds in between pitches and thought, we're really close to doing something really special......I allowed myself to go there. I tried not to because it's a dangerous thought because you can be let down emotionally. But when it finally happened and I saw the fly ball go up, it was a pretty euphoric feeling."
This is the manager of a team that lost 110 just two years ago in 2021. Fans throughout the state of Arizona and beyond called for his firing. Instead, General Manager Mike Hazen and ownership stuck with him, and were rewarded with the most amazing and quickest turn around in MLB history. No team that lost 110 games or more has made it to the World Series in just two years. Until now that is. The Diamondbacks beat the Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the NLCS and are headed to Texas to take on the Rangers.
Walking through those lows was not the expected path to take to this point, but it's the path that life put in front of him, and he's embraced that part of his journey. Lovullo has been in the game for 40 years, and has been through a lot. But nothing like that 2021 season.
Trust me when I say there were some real hardships. There were some very dark days in my career. We lost 110 games two years ago. So for me to sit here and tell you that I wouldn't trade that in -- if you told me that I would be coming out the other side of it like this, I would understand why I was having to go through that.
I learned so much about myself and the things that I really believe in and what I have to do every single day, to keep remembering my own personal purpose and the path forward was a challenge. I wouldn't trade it for one thing in the world because I've learned about what it takes to be the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and I couldn't be more proud to be this, what I am.
Lovullo hasn't made this journey alone of course. He has some of the best coaches in the game by his side and the support of a General Manager that is not only his biggest advocate, but one of his closest friends. His bench coach, Jeff Banister is a former manager, and one of the most important men in the organization to help keep Lovullo balanced. There have been times when the manager was hot and ready to go out into the room and lay into a player or other coach, and Banister would stop him and let him know that he'd take care of it. And he did.
Tommy Pham was asked how the young players he's surrounded with were able to stay calm and not be intimidated by the big moments. He responded that they are prepared by the coaches and have all the information and teaching they need to be ready for those moments. Upon hearing of this response, Lovullo exuded pride for his staff.
Man, that makes me feel so good when I hear those types of things, because I love my coaches. It's my job to coach the coaches and stay after them, much the same as it's Mike Hazen's job to coach me and keep after me.
The way I depend on him, I know they probably depend on me and my messaging. When you talk about the amount of trust and the faith, blind faith, that they have in me -- because I can say some outlandish things or have some crazy ideas -- they back me no matter what. And that means more to me than anything.
Lovullo can be very tough on his coaches. When he's seen things he didn't like he didn't pull his punches in letting them know where things needed to improve. At this point however they know what's expected, they know what is the Diamondback way, the Torey way, and they execute.
Now it's kind of like clockwork. I give them a certain look or certain stare, and they're on it. It's kind of working so well.
Lovullo circled back to the players. They are a special group, and to a man constantly show the level of respect and dedication that meet the standards that Lovullo demands.
The players deserve the credit for trusting the coaches. Love, trust, commitment, and effort are the backbone of our culture. So when a coach does that and you build that backbone and you start to gain that trust, players will listen. It's easy to not listen when you are a player who is frustrated. But at their toughest moments, the coaches go out there and coach their butts off, and that makes me feel good that Tommy acknowledged that.
Here is the list of coaches on the team. Their names deserved to be mentioned during tonight's triumph. While most of the credit belongs to the players, reaching the World Series is a total organization effort, and these coaches are on the front lines with the players every day, imparting the direction, knowledge, support, and structure they need to succeed. Congratulations to all of them.
| Coaches | Title |
|---|---|
Jeff Bannister 82 | Bench Coach |
Joe Mather 74 | Hitting Coach |
Damion Easely 75 | Assistant Hitting Coach |
Drew Hedman 78 | Assistant Hitting Coach/Director of Minor League Hitting |
Rick Short 73 | Assistant Hitting Coach/Assistant Minor League Hitting Coordinator |
Brent Strom 72 | Pitching Coach |
Dan Carlson 76 | Assistant Pitching Coach/Minor League Pitching Coordinator |
Barry Enright 77 | Assistant Pitching Coach/Minor League Pitching Coordinator |
Dave McKay 39 | First Base Coach |
Tony Perezchica 21 | Third Base Coach |
Mike Fetters 71 | Bullpen Coach |
