Posted on 01/12/2022 5:12:48 PM PST by BenLurkin
Balkovec was introduced Wednesday as manager of the New York Yankees' low-A affiliate in the Florida State League. In taking over the Tampa Tarpons, Balkovec will become the first female manager in the history of affiliated baseball, an appointment 10 years in the making for the former college softball player.
Nearly a decade after changing her name on resumes to disguise her gender and break into baseball, the 34-year-old has smashed several barriers en route to this title. She was the first woman to serve as a full-time minor league strength and conditioning coach, then the first to be a full-time hitting coach in the minors.
This promotion -- a year after former Yankees employee Kim Ng became the majors' first female general manager with the Miami Marlins -- is different. Balkovec will run the clubhouse in Tampa, charged with overseeing the development of future big leaguers for one of the most famous sports franchises in the world.
A former catcher at Creighton and New Mexico, Balkovec has a master's degree in kinesiology from LSU and another in human movement sciences from Vrije University in the Netherlands. She has worked in strength and conditioning with the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros since breaking into pro ball in 2012, and also spent time at Driveline Baseball, a data-driven center that has trained numerous major leaguers. She's an expert in performance science, precisely the background teams are coveting.
Hitting 95 mph isn't the same skill as teaching someone else to, and as teams have shifted their focus in the hiring process to reflect that, it's created a pathway for women like Balkovec and Alyssa Nakken, part of the San Francisco Giants' major league coaching staff since 2020.
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
(Hitting 95 mph isn’t the same skill as teaching someone else to)
Heh, George Costanza had it all figured out so long ago
Team needs to change the third letter in their name.
I am sure all the local resident Tampons are very happy about this.
She is a catcher.
Is there crying in minor league ball?
I don't believe you can teach just anyone to hit a 95 mph pitch. One has to have the innate eye and twitch muscles and timing and yes, courage, to do so. The skill can however be honed and improved by coaching.
Sounds like affirmative action on steroids.
this is all so so annoying.....
Bet nobody argues with her, not even the umpires.
No doubt. Those bench players, that might play some good defense but hit .220 with little power, may be the best athlete in the last 30 years from the area where they grew up. The talent and skill level of an MLB scrub is amazingly high.
She hasn't "smashed" anything, she got this position based on political correctness. I'm sure she is capable on the mechanics of the game, anyone can study that, but I think she will lack the competitive nature men have and the ability to develop ballplayers. I played A ball and I had incredible respect for my manager, he had played where I wanted to go, the majors. He actually went on the be a GM. I can't imagine having a woman running the team, But times change, who knows
“Balkovec was introduced Wednesday as manager of the New York Yankees’ low-A affiliate in the Florida State League. In taking over the Tampa Tarpons, Balkovec will become the first female manager in the history of affiliated baseball”
Figures that they’d get a woman to take over a team with the name “Tampons”.
Velocity V Trajectory T and Gravity G, which oof course is a constant
At least in Yankee Stadium
It's no difference than what we see with a football coach and his son. Mike Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan, that's just one example.
The scenario that I mentioned, I can see it happen one day. I think that would be the exception, rather than the rule, though.
“Well, that’s very stylish!”
Velocity V Trajectory T and Gravity G, which of course is a constant
Oof!!!
In six games!
(Nearly a decade after changing her name on resumes to disguise her gender)
Oh..... I just read further
🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤢🤢
The agenda continues
I love that part
“Yeah, in six games... 🙄🙄🙄”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.