BLOG: Trembley The Teacher: Lessons Learned

Dave Trembley took over as interim manager of the Orioles three years ago, the proverbial "overnight sensation" after 20 years of hard work in the minors.  Trembley is a student of the game of baseball, and a teacher of the craft.  Fact is, Dave has an education background and in his many years of long bus rides in low level leagues he carefully taught the game to young players who had their own big league hopes. 

I'll never forget my first meeting with the bright-eyed, big-smiling Dave Trembley during O's spring training in 2007.  I was returning to the team hotel after a jog and there was Dave outside the front lobby door in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. taking in the scenery.  He's a quiet observer, with study in his every glance…as he likes to say "I see everything."  I don't believe Trembley saw himself becoming manager of the Baltimore Orioles later that year, but it happened.  When it did, the teacher took over.  But as much as he teaches, he learned some lessons, as well.  He learned that it's difficult, if not impossible, to win games when the other teams have better players.  He learned that teachers never stop teaching, but there is a level of baseball where some players feel they are beyond learning.   Trembley learned that love of the game and dedication to your craft at times have to take a back seat to promoting the game (ie, media commitments). 

Finally, I think Dave Trembley learned that nice guys can finish last- but not because of a lack of effort or desire.   The record book will show that Dave Trembley had the second lowest winning percentage of any manager in Orioles history. Lesson learned:  managers are only as good as the players they write into that nightly lineup.  I'll always remember Major League manager Dave Trembley as a man who believed in baseball's fundamentals, but his beliefs in how to win were limited by the students in his classroom.