Q & A WITH BRENT MAYNE:

For 19 seasons, including 15 in the Major Leagues for seven teams, Brent Mayne played baseball with the so-called tools of ignorance. But, as he was nearing the end of that career, the Costa Mesa High and Orange Coast College product vowed to do what he could to help bring enlightenment to what he believes is the least-understood position on the diamond.

The Costa Mesa resident has followed through on that commitment and has written a book titled “The Art of Catching: The Secrets and Techniques of Baseball’s Most Demanding Position.” It came out in late December and may be purchased at his Website: brentmayne.com, as well as other major booksellers.

Mayne, who retired following the 2004 playoffs as a member of the Dodgers, does personal instruction with a handful of players, primarily young prospects. But, having made nearly $14 million during a 1,279-game career in which he hit .263 with 38 home runs, 403 RBIs, 951 hits, and one notable pitching victory in 2000 as a member of the Colorado Rockies, Mayne said he enjoys the luxury of spending the majority of his time with his wife, Hillary, daughters Dylan (16) and Jaia (6), as well as son Noah (10).

After one season at OCC, Mayne went on to Cal State Fullerton, where he helped the Titans reach the 1988 College World Series. He then earned All-American honors in 1989, before being selected with the 13th overall pick that June by the Kansas City Royals. He was in the majors to stay a little more than a year after that.

Mayne, a guest speaker at the Orange Empire Conference baseball media day Friday at Irvine Valley College, took some time to speak about his career and life after baseball.

Question: What have you been doing in retirement?

Answer: My biggest deal is, well, trying to be a human being after the baseball deal. I’m being with my family, chasing the kids around, learning how to live in one place, enjoying life.

On a business side, the big project has been self-publishing the book. During my career, I found there was such an incredible void of information on catching. Really, I felt almost an obligation to kind of give back.

I hesitate to say this, because I would not want to put myself in the same class, but an analogy I use is I would like to become the catching guy, the way Pete Newell established his big man camp in basketball.

Q: You played middle infield most of your career at Costa Mesa High, how did you become a catcher?

A: My Dad [Mike Mayne] was the coach at Orange Coast College at the time and he said if I wanted to come play for him, I needed to catch. I was too slow, weak and unathletic to play anywhere else.”

Q: As you look back on your baseball career, what are the things that stand out?

A: Probably the friends that I made and the people that I met. I don’t miss the game and travel and stuff.

From a performance standpoint, going to the playoffs my last year with the Dodgers was a lot of fun. And, a lot of the Kansas City teams I was on were a lot of fun. I won a game as a pitcher, I caught a [Bret Saberhagen] no-hitter and I hit .300 a couple of times [.301 in 1999 with the Giants and .301 in 2000 with the Rockies].

Maybe the thing I’m known for, of all things, is winning that game as a pitcher.

Q: What was the best thing about being a Major League ballplayer?

A: At this point it is having the [financial] freedom not to work. Now, I’m really digging that aspect of it. But, playing baseball, I don’t feel like I ever worked a day in my life. I got to do what I really loved to do. And, not to get too deep here, but so many qualities the game brings out to help you be a better person really transcend the game. I really appreciate what it did for me.

And, I got to compete at the highest level of something. I got to the top of a field.

Q: Your dad was the pitching coach and your son, Noah, was a bat boy for the Fresno State team that won the NCAA College World Series in June. How special was that experience from your viewpoint?

A: That was really cool. Just amazing. What a stroke of luck. My Dad came out of retirement and they win the College World Series. He absolutely deserved it. And for my son, too, it was really a blessing. That was a special group of [players] there.

I didn’t go to Omaha, because I thought they would just lose two games and come home. But, in a way, I’m glad I didn’t go, because my dad and my son got to really experience something together. It was just perfect the way it was.

Q: What’s the best lesson baseball ever taught you?

A: I think the biggest lesson is how to approach things moment to moment. Baseball is just a game of failure. I found that ability to approach the game like a little kid, moment by moment, and stay in those moments and trust what’s going on, was a really good lesson for me.

I played with a lot of great players, like George Brett, Mark McGwire and Todd Helton, and, to a man, they all approached the game that way.

Q: After nearly two decades of squatting, how do your knees feel now?

A: I feel great. I’m lucky that I never got dismembered by Bo Jackson [sliding into home plate] or anything like that. I had some foul tips bite me. In order to be a catcher, you have to have some degree of masochism. But I actually feel better now than when I was playing.”

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.