Joe Mikulik

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Joe Mikulik
Mikulik during a game in San Antonio in May 2016
Outfielder / manager
Born: (1963-10-30) October 30, 1963 (age 58) Weimar, Texas
Bats: right Throws: right

Joseph Mikulik (/ˈmɪkəlɪk/ MIK-ə-lik,^[1] born October 30, 1963)^[2] is a former minor league baseball player and the former manager of the Asheville Tourists, Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Frisco RoughRiders minor league baseball teams. He is now the hitting coach for the Grand Junction Rockies of the MLB Partner Pioneer League . The 5' 11" right-handed outfielder never rose above AAA baseball, but was a key player in the Tucson Toros' first Pacific Coast League championship in 1991. During 2007, his eighth season with the Tourists, Mikulik, who already held the team record for most games managed, became the team's all-time leader in managerial wins.^[3]

Early life[]

Mikulik grew up on a 70-acre farm in Engle, Texas. It was there where he learned to compete with brothers John and Gene Jr. Mikulik often credits Mom (Josie) and Dad (Gene Sr.) for supporting him throughout his childhood. Mikulik attended Bishop Forest High School in Schulenburg, Texas where he lettered in football, baseball, basketball and track and field. He walked on at San Jacinto Jr. College under the leadership of legendary head coach Wayne Graham.

Playing history[]

Mikulik attended San Jacinto Junior College, where he was a walk-on and received a full scholarship. After an All-American sophomore season, Texas A&M offered him a 2-year scholarship, but he signed with the Houston Astros after being drafted in the ninth round of the 1984 amateur draft. Started his career in 1984 in Auburn NY where he hit .247 had 23 sb’s. In ‘85 hit 23 HRs 87 RBI’s .267 clip in Asheville. A jump to AA Southern league in ‘86 saw Mikulik hit .301, 151 hits, 11 triples 69 RBIs for the Southern league champion Columbus Astros. In ‘87 returned to Columbus, hit .315 the first half of the season then the average plummeted to .242 over the last two months. In ‘88 started the season in AAA Tucson, however after hitting .222 was sent back to AA Columbus and finished strong at .275 with 33 runs 34 RBIs 13 sb’s in 48 games. In ‘89 was sold to Monclova in the Mexican League where he hit .315 24 HR’s 93 RBIs. In ‘90 split time in AA and AAA Columbus/Tucson and hit a combined .302 5 HR’s 49 rbi’s. In ‘91 played for the Jackson Generals AA Texas League hit .293 15 HR’s 94 RBIs 20 sb’s. In ‘92 once again split time AA Jackson AAA Tucson, hit a combined .255 4 HRs 38 RBIs. In ‘93 played in Tucson AAA where he hit .301 4 Hrs 45 RBIs with most of his playing time coming off the bench. In ‘94 played for the Mexico Diablos and later for Tabasco and combined for .285 10 HRs. He finished his career the final month of that season in AAA Tucson hitting .353 in 13 games. The highlight of his career was on September 13, 1991, the recently promoted Mikulik to AAA Tucson, wearing wristbands emblazoned with the words "NEVER SURRENDER", came up to the plate in the bottom of the 9th in the final game of the PCL Championship series and drove in the winning run with a single to right field. This gave the Tucson Toros their first PCL championship in 23 years. "It was a great thrill," he told a reporter ten years later. "I was in the right place at the right time." Team General Manager Mike Feder later remembered the game as "one of the best moments in Tucson baseball history."^[4] He was again with the Toros when they won their second and final championship under that name in 1993. He finished his career as a player in Tucson in 1994, aside from one more stint in the Mexican League, where the new environment made him a stronger man. Mikulik came very close to joining the big leagues during his 11-year tenure in the minor leagues. Mikulik finished his career with a lifetime batting average of .279, 1265 career hits, 109 career home runs, 670 career RBIs, 161 stolen bases, and 742 runs. Played on 3 championship teams, 1986 AA Southern League Champion Columbus Astros, 1991 & 93 AAA Pacific Coast League Champion Tucson Toros.

Coaching history[]

After Mikulik retired from playing, he realized that he wanted to help other men achieve their dreams of reaching the major leagues. In 1995, Mikulik coached the Canton-Akron Indians, and rose to the position of manager with the Burlington Indians in August 1997-98. He became the Outfield/Base running coordinator with the Houston Astros in 1999. He became manager of his previous team, the Asheville Tourists, in 2000. Mikulik won his 800th game with the Asheville Tourists on May 17, 2011, against Lexington (Kentucky) and became the all-time leader in victories and games that he has managed. Mikulik finished his era in Asheville with a record of 938-860 .522. Mikulik is a member of the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame and a three-time SAL Manager of the Year (2001, 2007, 2008 & 2012) leading the Tourists to three playoffs. Tourists assistant general manager Chris Smith was quoted in the Asheville’s Citizen Times “Joe winning 800 games with Asheville is an amazing accomplishment that we are all proud of. His being in Asheville for that long is so rare in minor league baseball, and it’s a testament to how much the (parent club Colorado) Rockies believe in Joe’s ability to develop young talent.”^[5] In 2012, Mikulik lead the Tourists to the South Atlantic League Championship. In 2013 became the Outfield coordinator for the Texas Rangers. In 2014, became the manager for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans where the club won both halves of their division, however lost in the Championship final. Became the manager of the Frisco Roughriders in 2015 through 2019. Overall managerial record of 1384-1368 .503. It is rare to find anyone active these days that has a 1265 career hits and 1384 career wins in the minor leagues with no days in the big leagues, hence Mikulik’s motto “Never Surrender”.

Mikulik is currently the hitting coach for the Grand Junction Rockies of the MLB Partner Pioneer League ^[6]

Players coached[]

C C Sabathia 1998

Aaron Cook 2000

Ubaldo Jimenez 2003

Dexter Fowler 2006

Nolan Arenado 2010

Trevor Story 2012

Joey Gallo 2014-15

Isiah Kiner-Falefa 2016-17

plus many rehab players in Frisco such as Josh Hamilton, Yu Darvish, Sin Soo-Choo, Cole Hamels, Colby Lewis and others.

Simon Ferrer describes Mikulik as the best manager he has ever had and was fun and enjoyable to be around. “Playing with [Mikulik] is a blessing, [he] showed me a different way to look at baseball and how you can attribute it to everyday life. He loves teaching and spending times with others and brings out the best in his players. He motivates as well as knowing the game”. When asked about his former coach, major leaguer Chris Iannetta described him as someone who “treated and handled players well and motivated through his positive energy all year.” Iannetta believes his strongest qualities as a manager are his “energy, passion, and care for players”.

Personal history[]

Mikulik has two children, son Dawson and daughter Susan who has two children, Ellsi Gray and Mila Rose. Joe married Candy Robbins on October 13, 2014 and they reside in Denton, Texas now.

See also[]

• Phillip Wellman
• Lou Piniella

References[]

External links[]

• Baseball Reference - minors
• Official bio from Asheville Tourists website