Dynamic duo

Mike Sciacca

Jason Aden never thought that practice could be so much fun.

The 11-year-old had no idea, either, that learning the game of

baseball could take place in such a positive, rewarding environment.

The actual games, Jason said, are just the icing on the cake.

“I love going out to practice,” said the second baseman and shortstop

of Ocean View Little League’s Majors Division Mariners. “I also think

it’s really neat when they tell us how it was when they were playing

baseball.”

The “they” that Jason is referring to are Rich Amaral and Steve

Springer, who hold the role of Mariners manager and coach, respectively.

When the two talk, Jason listens.

“That’s because they have played so much and seen so much,” Jason

said. “They really know what they are talking about and they really care

for us.”

For how long Amaral and Springer have been around baseball diamonds,

they certainly should know the ins and outs of the game.

Amaral, a graduate of Estancia High School in Costa Mesa who later

played at Orange Coast College before finishing at UCLA, played Major

League Baseball for eight years. He was drafted in the second round of

the 1983 draft by the Chicago Cubs. He played eight full seasons in the

Minor leagues with teams in nine different cities, and played in four

organizations: the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and

the Baltimore Orioles.

A second baseman who later was used as a utility player, Amaral first

was called up to the big leagues in 1991 with Seattle, but went up and

down between the Major League and the Minors over the next two years.

When he reached the big leagues again in 1993 at 31 years old, he was, at

the time, the oldest rookie playing Major League Baseball.

“It was a distinction that I had and game announcers would tell people

about that fact in a fun, neat way,” the father of four said with a

chuckle. “I was just very, very happy to finally make it to the big

leagues.”

Had it not been for Michele, his wife of 15 years, Amaral probably

would not have enjoyed eight years of Major League Baseball before he was

released by the Orioles in July, 2000.

It was she who encouraged him to not lose faith in pursuing his dream.

“I actually was quitting baseball when we had a talk and she told me

that God may or may not have a plan for me playing in the big leagues,”

he said. “She encouraged me not to give up my dream. I went back to

Birmingham, the team I was playing for at the time, and she and I ended

up having one of our best summers of baseball.”

Early in his career, Amaral met up with Springer, a Marina High School

graduate who later played for Golden West College and the University of

Utah. The two would train and work out during the winter months some 15

years ago, Amaral said.

Springer, too, has a great story to tell.

Now married and the father of two boys, Springer said that he didn’t

start the majority of his high school career and graduated from Marina at

a mere 5-feet-8 and 140-pounds. He went on to play at Golden West and had

just three at-bats during his freshman year.

But then something happened -- Springer sprung, growing to 6-feet and

170 pounds. He also grew into an all-conference shortstop his sophomore

year and earned a scholarship to the University of Utah. And then came

what many thought was impossible -- he was a 20th round pick of the New

York Mets in the 1982 draft.

Springer spent a total of 14 years in the Minor Leagues, 11 of those

played at the Triple A level. He had two call ups to the big leagues,

first with Cleveland in 1990, the second in 1992 with the Mets.

He and Amaral were roommates for one season when they played for

Calgary, a Triple A team in the Mariners organization.

Springer’s career ended in 1995. He has since held a five-year stint

as a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks, serving the final three years as

their West Coast supervisor of scouts. Springer is currently a player

agent. He also gives motivational talks to children and recently released

a CD, “Quality at Bats, The Mental Side,” which discusses the

psychological aspects of hitting.

The CD, available at Springer’s Web site, is getting rave reviews.

“I can guarantee you that nobody thought I’d, one day, be playing in

the big leagues,” Springer said. “That’s what I want to stress to these

kids, that nobody knows when it is their time.”

And the children are having fun under Amaral and Springer, both of

whom are in their first year of heading a little league team. They each

also have a son on the team: 11-year-old Beau Amaral, and Cody Springer,

one of two 10-year-olds playing in the Majors Division.

The Mariners say that they are having fun, despite the fact that they

currently are situated in the lower half of the Majors Division

standings.

Playing to win is important, the two say, but winning is secondary to

the players’ learning and giving 100% on the field.

“We do a lot of fun things at practice and in games,” said 12-year-old

Garrett Clerisse. “They have taught us about sportsmanship and I have

learned a lot about playing first base.”

Amaral says his hope is that he and Springer can impart some of their

knowledge to their team.

“Steve and I have been through so much with baseball that we

understand how hard this game is,” he explained. “We all fail at some

point, but we are trying to make playing Little League as much of a

positive experience as possible.

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at (714)

965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.