If you love both studying and playing the game of baseball, then you may be interested in pursuing a career as a baseball manager. It takes years of both playing and learning the game, but if you have the gift of management and passion for the sport, then this how to guide is a great place to start if you want to make your dreams of becoming a baseball manager come true.

• Do you love the game of baseball? Are you the type of person that never forgets a player's stats and has an overall ability to assess the future success of given ballplayers? Do you have a natural leadership ability and strong motivational skills? If so, you may want to consider becoming a baseball manager. Continue reading this guide to learn more on how to become a baseball manager.

Hall of fame managers being honored (Creative Commons photo by BenYankee)

• In order to become a baseball manager it is essential that you play baseball. Studying the game is not enough. A manager needs to know the ins and outs of the game from both a strategic viewpoint and from a player's mindset. If you are seeking a position in the major leagues, this does not mean you have to play in the majors. Many future major league managers never advance past the minors. However, a minor league career is beneficial to the aspiring MLB manager. You should:

1. Play for fun with friends
2. Play at the little league level
3. Play in high school
4. Play minor league ball

• Although not required, most managers have been a catcher at some point. Catchers essentially call games, so they have to keep in mind all the stats on both hitting and pitching, which is excellent knowledge for any aspiring manager to possess.

• A big part of playing baseball is learning how to play the game. However, not all players have what it takes to become a manager. The baseball manager knows the game from all sides. This includes having a firm grasp on:

1. Historic stats
2. All the rules
3. Current stats on all the players
4. Strategic knowledge and capabilities

Manager arguing with the umpire (Creative Commons photo by Keith Allison)

• One of the most important aspects of being a baseball manager is having the ability to motivate the players both individually and as a team. Some aspiring managers have this ability naturally, while others must work on honing their talents. Either way, it is an essential skill for anyone that wants to become a manager. Other skills to work at developing include:

1. Building a solid lineup
2. Patience
3. Open communication
4. Always there when your players need to talk
5. Know when to argue - managers need to know when to stand up and fight for their players, even if they believe the umpire made the right call. Managers are tossed from games due to arguing, so it is important to keep in mind when you should argue and when to back down.

• The field of baseball is a competitive one. Whether you want to work at the high school, college, minor or major league level, there will be competition. Therefore it will benefit you to make as many contacts as possible and gain as much experience as you can. Seek out jobs at all levels as you make your way through the industry as a player and then towards your career as a manager. Even during high school you can volunteer to work concessions and gain experience that way. Employment opportunities include:

1. Baseball player
2. Ticket seller
3. Promotional jobs
4. Front office jobs
5. Concessions

• You can obtain these jobs at:

1. High school games
2. College games
3. Minor league games
4. Major league games

• Becoming a baseball manager will take lots of hard work and effort. All aspiring managers must have a love and appreciation for the game, as not only will you need to learn all you can about the sport, but you will need to play it as well.

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