Interim Manager Plantier Weathers Storm

Ever since the Lake Elsinore Storm announced Phil Plantier would be its interim manager, the former San Diego Padres outfielder has helped the young players weather the storm.

Pun definitely intended.

With the former Lake Elsinore hitting coach at the helm, the team has gone 32-38 in his first few weeks on the job – heading into the California versus Carolina All-Star Game 9-8 since Plantier was named the interim manager.

Since Plantier took over, the team has gone 15-10, including a recent three-game sweep at San Bernardino. Currently, Lake Elsinore (6-2) is tied for first with Rancho Cucamonga in the second half .

Plantier took over in a flurry after former manager Carlos Lezcano quickly resigned June 2 citing family reasons.

Prior to joining the Padres organization as a coach, Plantier served as a hitting coordinator, hitting coach and manager within the Seattle Mariners organization. In 2009, he was the manager of the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League.

The 42-year-old just wants to make the transition from Lezcano – the winningest manager in team history – to his leadership as smooth as possible. Lezcano was also named last year’s California League Manager of the Year.

“I think we were all surprised,” Plantier said of the news of Lezcano’s resignation. “Our goal is to make it as smooth as possible. Players have been developing pretty well.”

Despite their first-half struggles, the Storm boasts one of the best home records in the league at 22-17.

“I thought our players improved on our last road trip,” Plantier said recently. “Guys were loose, they played without fear and they were taking advantage of their opportunities that day. I think the result of it was guys were playing like they were not afraid of making mistakes.”

That’s been part of Plantier’s managerial style, to go out and play fearless. While Lezcano took the third-base coaching reins himself, Plantier has delegated that to infield coach David Newhan. Pitching coach Bronswell Patrick remains, with Padres minor league hitting coordinator Sean Berry, putting in a system the players have followed. Plantier remains the Storm’s hitting coach.

“I want them to play relaxed,” Plantier said. “I want them to be a risk taker … when you do that, you play to your potential. I want to prepare them for the next phase of their careers.”

All-Star third baseman Jedd Gyorko (second in the Cal League with .381 batting average and 67 runs batted in, along with 15 home runs), Nathan Freiman (13 homers, 65 RBIs, both second in league) and Edinson Rincon (.337 average) and Reymond Fuentes (.294, league second-best 30 steals) are having great seasons.

“I feel good with him,” Rincon said. “He helped me a lot with everything – offensively, defensively. He helped me a lot with my mechanics. He told me with any at-bat, don’t try to do too much. With two strikes, cover the plate.”

And the pitchers have thrown well, boasting a team earned-run average of 4.67 – third in the Cal League. All-Star hurler Pedro Hernandez boasts a 5-0 record, with a 2.70 ERA (third in the league) and 44 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings at the All-Star break.

“Our pitchers at home have been tremendous. We hope our pitchers can take what they’ve done at home and repeat the same approach on the road, staying ahead and not being afraid of getting contact. One thing the pitchers need to do is not worry about errors, not letting things snowball and put up crooked numbers. It’s about limiting the damage.”

The Phil Files

Phil Alan Plantier

Born: Monday, Jan. 27, 1969 in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Broke into MLB as a player on Aug. 21, 1990 with Boston Red Sox.

Education: Attended Poway HS in Poway, Calif. Earned a B.A. in social science from Cal State San Marcos.

Major League Experience: Boston Red Sox (1990-92), finished eighth in Rookie of the Year voting; San Diego Padres (1993-94); Houston Astros (1995); San Diego (1995); Oakland Athletics (1996); San Diego Padres (1997); St. Louis Cardinals (1997).

Career playing statistics: .243 batting average, 91 home runs, 292 runs batted in, 260 runs scored.

Trivia answer: Plantier has the most career home runs ever hit by a player born in New Hampshire.

Coaching experience: 1998 - Hitting coach for Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, Seattle organization

Jan. 2009 - Named the manager of the Diamond Jaxx.^[1]

2010 -  Minor League Hitting Coordinator for the Seattle Mariners.

2011 – Hitting coach for Lake Elsinore Storm, a Single-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres

June 2 – Named interim manager of Lake Elsinore, after Carlos Lezcano resigned due to family reasons.