Brown now coaching at Triple A

For a baseball player trying to make his way up to the Major Leagues, the biggest jump comes when he advances from the Double A to the Triple A level. For former Major Leaguer Brant Brown, who made that trek on his way to the Big Leagues, the same can be said about his coaching career.

Brown, a 1989 Monache graduate, was named as the hitting coach of the Texas Rangers Triple A affiliate, the Round Rock (Texas) Express for the 2012 season. So Brown makes the jump from the Rangers Double A affiliate, the Frisco (Texas) RoughRiders, where Brown has served as the hitting coach for the past three years.

And Brown said the difference between Double A and Triple A for a coach is similar to that of a player. “There’s some more responsibility,” Brown said. Brown added the position for him will be “more beneficial personally and financially. I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to it.”

Now as the Triple A hitting coach, Brown will effective serve as Rangers hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh’s assistant hitting coach during spring training. Brown spent this past weekend in Arlington, Texas and stayed with Coolbaugh at his home. The two went over their plans for spring training, which begins in a little over a month.

Over this past weekend, Brown also worked with two of the Rangers’ top prospects, Jurickson Profar, considered the Rangers’ top prospect, and 2011 first round draft choice Zach Cone.

As a Double A coach, Brown would spend the first 2 1/2 weeks with the Rangers Major League team in spring training, but then after the Minor League players reported, he would then be sent to work with the Minor Leagues.

Brown said when he was the Double A coach, “I just stood up at the cage and set up a curve ball pitching machine,” he said.

But that will change this spring training. There will be two fields, with Coolbaugh in charge of one field and Brown in charge of the other. And when more players are called up in September when teams are allowed to expand their rosters, it’s expected that Brown will be with the Rangers then to work with the players who are called up.

Brown has worked with many of the current Rangers players during his team in the Minor Leagues. And Brown did have the chance to work with Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler last spring training.

The most prominent player under Brown’s direction could be considered shortstop Elvis Andrus, who wasn’t considered to be an outstanding hitter, but blossomed into a .300 hitter at Class A Bakersfield while Brown was there.

But Brown said he can’t take that much credit for any player’s success. “If a player’s good, he’s probably going to be good,” Brown said. “I’m sure I had something to do with their development.”

While Brown doesn’t rule out coaching in the Major Leagues someday, he said his ultimate goal is to become a Minor League roving instructor, which would allow him to spend more time with his 8-year-old daughter, Hanna.

Brown said about his current position, “I’m enjoying the work,” but because it takes him away from his daughter, “It’s kind of a catch-22.”

It was obviously a heartbreaking finish for the Rangers last year, who came with two outs of winning the World Series twice before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Brown said the Rangers have a chance to sign Prince Fielder, but has heard the Rangers chances of signing Fielder depends a great deal on his agent, Scott Boras.

“Fielder wants to do it, but they don’t know if Boras wants to do it,” said Brown about what he’s heard.

The Rangers are the two-time defending American League champions and Brown has gotten the chance to take his daughter to the World Series both years. But Brown’s daughter also provides him with perspective.

“My daughter would rather go to Legoland than the World Series,” Brown sid. “But that’s OK.”

For a baseball player trying to make his way up to the Major Leagues, the biggest jump comes when he advances from the Double A to the Triple A level. For former Major Leaguer Brant

Brown, who made that trek on his way to the Big Leagues, the same can be said about his coaching career.

Brown, a 1989 Monache graduate, was named as the hitting coach of the Texas Rangers Triple A affiliate, the Round Rock (Texas) Express for the 2012 season. So Brown makes the jump from the Rangers Double A affiliate, the Frisco (Texas) RoughRiders, where Brown has served as the hitting coach for the past three years.

And Brown said the difference between Double A and Triple A for a coach is similar to that of a player. “There’s some more responsibility,” Brown said. Brown added the position for him will be “more beneficial personally and financially. I’m excited about it. I’m looking forward to it.”

Now as the Triple A hitting coach, Brown will effective serve as Rangers hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh’s assistant hitting coach during spring training. Brown spent this past weekend in Arlington, Texas and stayed with Coolbaugh at his home. The two went over their plans for spring training, which begins in a little over a month.

Over this past weekend, Brown also worked with two of the Rangers’ top prospects, Jurickson Profar, considered the Rangers’ top prospect, and 2011 first round draft choice Zach Cone.

As a Double A coach, Brown would spend the first 2 1/2 weeks with the Rangers Major League team in spring training, but then after the Minor League players reported, he would then be sent to work with the Minor Leagues.

Brown said when he was the Double A coach, “I just stood up at the cage and set up a curve ball pitching machine,” he said.

But that will change this spring training. There will be two fields, with Coolbaugh in charge of one field and Brown in charge of the other. And when more players are called up in September when teams are allowed to expand their rosters, it’s expected that Brown will be with the Rangers then to work with the players who are called up.

Brown has worked with many of the current Rangers players during his team in the Minor Leagues. And Brown did have the chance to work with Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler last spring training.

The most prominent player under Brown’s direction could be considered shortstop Elvis Andrus, who wasn’t considered to be an outstanding hitter, but blossomed into a .300 hitter at Class A Bakersfield while Brown was there.

But Brown said he can’t take that much credit for any player’s success. “If a player’s good, he’s probably going to be good,” Brown said. “I’m sure I had something to do with their development.”

While Brown doesn’t rule out coaching in the Major Leagues someday, he said his ultimate goal is to become a Minor League roving instructor, which would allow him to spend more time with his 8-year-old daughter, Hanna.

Brown said about his current position, “I’m enjoying the work,” but because it takes him away from his daughter, “It’s kind of a catch-22.”

It was obviously a heartbreaking finish for the Rangers last year, who came with two outs of winning the World Series twice before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Brown said the Rangers have a chance to sign Prince Fielder, but has heard the Rangers chances of signing Fielder depends a great deal on his agent, Scott Boras.

“Fielder wants to do it, but they don’t know if Boras wants to do it,” said Brown about what he’s heard.

The Rangers are the two-time defending American League champions and Brown has gotten the chance to take his daughter to the World Series both years. But Brown’s daughter also provides him with perspective.

“My daughter would rather go to Legoland than the World Series,” Brown sid. “But that’s OK.”