July 13, 2005
David Grewe – who spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame – has been named Michigan State’s 15th head baseball coach, becoming the third former Notre Dame assistant coach to be named a Division I head coach in the span of two years. Brian O’Connor was named the head coach at the University of Virginia on July 8, 2003, just two days before another former Notre Dame assistant (Cory Mee) was named the skipper at Toledo.
Notre Dame head coach Paul Mainieri’s coaching tree has added yet another branch after MSU’s hiring of Grewe to guide its baseball program. Here’s an updated list of individuals with connections to Mainieri who are serving as head coaches or in other top levels of baseball administration:
* Brian O’Connor – head coach, University of Virginia (was assistant and associate head coach at Notre Dame, from ’95-’03)
* Cory Mee – head coach, University of Toledo (was assistant coach at ND under Mainieri from ’95-’99)
* David Grewe – head coach, Michigan State (assistant coach at ND from ’03-’05)
* Dave Schrage – head coach, Evansville University (coached on Mainieri’s staff at St. Thomas in 1984)
* Elvis Dominguez – head coach, Eastern Kentucky University (played at Christopher Columbus High School, in Miami, Fla., on team that featured Mainieri and current Chicago Cubs GM Jim Hendry on the coaching staff)
* Eric Campbell – USA Baseball general manager of national teams (was head coach at Air Force from ’95-’98, after coaching under Mainieri at St. Thomas, Fla., and at Air Force)
* Al Avila – assistant general manager, Detroit Tigers (coached on Mainieri’s staff at St. Thomas in ’84 and ’88)
* Marty Smith – head coach, Central Florida Community College (played for Mainieri at St. Thomas in ’87 and ’88)
* Rick Hitt – head coach, South Florida Community College (played for Mainieri at St. Thomas in ’87 and ’88)
* Ray Evans – head coach for Flanagan High School (Pemborke Pines) team that won 2005 Florida state title (played for Mainieri at St. Thomas)
* John Corbin – pitching coach, Eastern Kentucky University (record-setting closer with the Irish from ’97-’00)
* J.J. Brock – assistant coach, Toledo (versatile infielder who played under Mainieri from ’95-’98)
* Matt Bok – assistant coach, Georgetown (switch-hitting DH with the Irish from ’00-’02)
* Mainieri’s coaching experience is rooted in playing during his college days for programs coached by Hall-of-Famers Ron Maestri (at New Orleans) and his father Demie “Doc” Mainieri (Miami Dade North J.C.) – in addition to having lifelong connections with Hendry and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda (who is godfather to Mainieri’s son Tommy).
Here is additional information on the Grewe hire, courtesy of msuspartans.com with additional content added by und.com (also see Grewe’s 2005 preseason bio. linked to Grewe’s name on this release):
The 29-year-old Grewe served as Notre Dame’s recruiting coordinator and hitting and catching instructor during the 2003-05 seasons. The Irish compiled a combined record of 134-54-1 (.712) during those seasons, winning BIG EAST tournament titles and advancing to the NCAA regional finals in each of his three seasons.
Grewe – a native of Royal Oak, Mich., whose previous coaching stints include serving as an assistant at Central Michigan – established himself as one of the nation’s top recruiters while also producing success stories at the catcher position and serving as the architect of the offensive attack. He helped attract two Top-10 recruiting classes, including the 2004 class (ranked No. 6 by Baseball America) and the 2006 Class (ranked No. 7 by Team One Baseball). the 2005 Class yielded Freshman All-American and BIG EAST rookie of the year Brett Lilley, who led the ’05 team with a .355 batting average.
“This position attracted many legitimate candidates and that national interest really didn’t surprise me because of the history of Spartan baseball,” Mason said. “It was MSU’s first varsity sport and, in the past, it has played at the championship level. I believe that baseball once again can emerge as a solid program and the interest coaches showed in this opening only confirmed my belief.
“When discussing the position with baseball people, David Grewe’s name consistently surfaced as a top candidate. After interviewing David, I became convinced that he’s the right guy to rebuild this program.
“David comes from a Notre Dame baseball program that has truly established itself as a Northern power. He played a significant role in helping Notre Dame baseball gain national prominence by winning three straight BIG EAST Tournament championships and making three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. David has a plan for MSU’s baseball program to experience similar opportunities.”
“I’m fortunate to be part of an athletics department that has the full support of the university administration,” Grewe said. “I’m confident that Michigan State can become not only one of the top baseball programs in the Big Ten but in the entire Midwest. It’s a great opportunity to take over the program at a time when the facilities are being upgraded. I believe that I’m the right guy to lead this program and establish a consistent winner. I want to establish a level of success and then sustain it, because I firmly believe that success breeds success. I’m confident that the MSU baseball program will accomplish great things over the next several years.
“With the support of the university administration, athletics director Ron Mason and great baseball alums, like Kirk Gibson and Mark Mulder, those goals can become a reality. It’s an honor to be representing this great university as its head baseball coach.
“I want my players to compete every time they step on to the baseball diamond and strive to reach their full potential. They will take great energy and enthusiasm to the ball field every day. I will establish a winning philosophy and a winning attitude.
“My charge is to help student-athletes prepare for life after baseball. That’s what the college experience is all about, helping student-athletes learn how to succeed both on and off the field. It’s my responsibility to help teach young men the life skills necessary to be successful. I want to have a positive impact and help develop character, so the student-athletes can go on to bigger and better things after graduation. I want them to look back on their college experience and say that those were the four most enjoyable years of their lives. They will learn how to work hard, have fun and accomplish common goals.”
Notre Dame’s 2005 team rebounded from a 14-14 start to finish 38-24-1, going 24-10-1 during the second half of the season. Junior outfielder Craig Cooper became the second BIG EAST player ever to repeat as the conference batting champ, with a .403 batting average during ’05 league games.
The Irish ranked second among 2005 BIG EAST Conference teams in on-base percentage (.397) and runs scored (409), plus third in home runs (43).
Grewe preached plate discipline with his Notre Dame hitters and charted a special ratio that measured walks plus times hit-by-pitch minus strikeouts. The first nine teams in the Mainieri era averaged a -31 plate discipline ratio but Grewe’s guidance helped the Irish post a +23 plate-discipline ratio in ’04 and then +15 in ’05.
The 2005 Notre Dame squad set the NCAA record for HBPs in a season (130) while also setting a team record by turning 67 double plays.
Grewe’s three seasons with the Irish included noteworthy wins over Wake Forest (’03), Arizona (’03 and ’04), Florida Atlantic (’04), Central Florida (2 in ’04, 1 in ’05), USC (’04 and ’05) and North Carolina (’05). Notre Dame’s 2004 season ended with a regional-final loss at Cal State Fullerton in ’03 (the Titans went on to the ’03 College World Series and won the NCAA title in ’04). The Irish then lost at home to Arizona in a 2004 regional finale (the Wildcats went on to the ’04 CWS) before losing another regional final in ’05, at Florida (the eventual ’05 CWS runner-up).
Grewe coached four position players who were selected in the past two Major League drafts: third baseman Matt Macri (5th round, Rockies, ’04), second baseman Steve Sollmann (10th rd as senior draft, Brewers, ’04), C Javi Sanchez (14th rd/sr., Twins, ’04) and first baseman Matt Edwards (16th rd/sr., Phillies, ’05).
Macri and Edwards are two of just three players in Notre Dame history to post 80-plus hits and 40-plus walks in the same season, with Edwards totaling 82 hits and 46 walks in the ’05 season.
Edwards – an ABCA first team all-region and first team all-BIG EAST selection in both ’03 and ’05 – broke his leg early in the ’02 season and missed most of that CWS season (his career essentially covered Grewe’s three seasons on the Irish staff). Despite playing just three seasons, Edwards stands among the top power hitters in Notre Dame history, ranking 5th in RBI (195) and 6th in home runs (34).
Rising junior catcher Sean Gaston was one of Notre Dame’s top hitters in the final month of the ’05 season and currently ranks 4th in the Cape Cod League, batting .315 with the Cotuit Kettleers in that elite wood-bat summer league.
Cooper was named national hitter of the week in final week of the ’05 regular season, after batting .565 (13-for-23) with 13 RBI in a three-game showdown series at Pittsburgh and a midweek split with USC. He also ranks 3rd in BIG EAST history with a .420 career batting average in BIG EAST games.
Notre Dame’s 2004 team won a school-record 51 games (51-12 overall) en route to claiming the BIG EAST regular-season (20-6) and tournament titles. The Irish put together two double-digit winning streaks in ’04 (11 and 12 games, respectively) and ranked 25th in the nation for scoring, averaging 7.8 runs per game. The ’04 Irish squad also led the BIG EAST in home runs (69) while finishing third in batting average (.309). In BIG EAST play, the Irish lineup produced the triple-crown winners: Cooper in conference batting average (.470), Macri in home runs (7) and designated hitter Matt Bransfield in RBI (33).
Grewe’s first season saw the Irish compile a 45-18 record that featured a 17-game winning streak.
While on the Notre Dame coaching staff, Grewe also supervised the transformation of Sanchez from starting shortstop (’02) to all-star catcher. Sanchez emerged as a polished catcher and clutch hitter in ’04, earning BIG EAST Tournament MVP honors and a spot on the NCAA Fullerton Regional all-tournament team. His steady development prompted the Minnesota Twins to select Sanchez in the 14th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, becoming one of the highest-drafted seniors in Notre Dame history.
Grewe previously spent two years as an assistant coach at both the University of Chicago (1999-2000) and Central Michigan (’01-’02). During his stint at CMU, he also worked for the American Baseball Coaches Association, first as an intern and then as an administrative assistant under executive director Dave Keilitz. At the age of 21 and still in college, Grewe was an assistant baseball coach with the Motor City Pride summer team that posted a 29-7 record in 1996 and had 94 percent of its players advance to play at the collegiate level. He also has gained experience as an instructor at 22 different baseball camps throughout the country and as a personal hitting instructor for various youth levels.
Grewe earned three letters at Dayton (1996-98) while starting games at catcher, first base and third base. He started at third base for the 1996 team that set the Dayton record for wins, including an upset victory over eventual national champion LSU. In 1998, Grewe batted .324 while ranking among the team leaders in five of 11 offensive categories, helping the Flyers record the baseball program’s first winning season since 1979.
He began his collegiate career at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio.
Grewe graduated from Dayton in 1998 as a sports management major, with a double minor in marketing and public relations. While coaching at Central Michigan, he served as a graduate teaching assistant and studied towards a master’s degree in athletic administration.
What They’re Saying About David Grewe . . .
Notre Dame head coach Paul Mainieri:
“David Grewe has many great assets, but the first thing that I’ll tell you about David is that he’s extremely well organized. He has a plan for everything that he does, from ordering equipment to determining his recruiting priorities. David pays close attention to every detail.
“In addition, he has great personal skills. David is extremely articulate, and he knows how to build relationships. I first came across David when he was working a baseball camp. He was only 22 or 23 years old at the time, but he had a different aura about him. I was struck by his maturity. A few years later, I couldn’t pass up the chance to hire him. David became a valuable member of my coaching staff, organizing our recruiting efforts.
“He has a great feel for situations. David knows how each and every player thinks because nobody responds to a situation the same way. He has the instincts to push all the right buttons. David’s certainly a shining light in the coaching profession. I’m tempted to describe David as a diamond in the rough, but he doesn’t have any rough edges.
“There’s no question that David is going to make his mark in baseball as a head coach. He possesses all the skills and talents needed to be successful. He brings a lot of energy to the job and he doesn’t believe in taking any shortcuts. David will produce a winning program and his teams will win the right way.
“David entered this profession for all the right reasons, wanting to have a positive impact on young lives. With his passion and work habits, David will breathe fresh air into the Michigan State baseball program. He’s going to go out and recruit great talent and those players are going to respond to his leadership.”
American Baseball Coaches Association Executive Director Dave Keilitz: – “David Grewe is a great, great hire for MSU. David is truly one of the young, rising superstars in coaching. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll come in and do a tremendous job in leading the Spartan baseball program. David is a tremendous recruiter that also knows the game. He’s mature beyond his years, and he’ll be an outstanding representative for the entire university community.”
Former Spartan All-American Kirk Gibson (Detroit Tigers, bench coach): “I’m excited about the hiring of David Grewe. He’s an energetic, young coach. With upgrading the facilities at Old College Field – and Kobs Field in particular – and the hiring of a new head coach, it marks a new beginning for Spartan baseball. I’d like to see the Spartan baseball program become a consistent winner, finishing in the upper echelon of the Big Ten.”
Former Spartan All-American Mark Mulder (St. Louis Cardinals, pitcher): “When the Michigan State baseball job opened, Oakland A’s scout Rich Sparks called and told me that he knew a guy that would be a perfect fit for the position. Of course, Rich identified and endorsed the candidacy of David Grewe. I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about David, and I’m confident that he’ll get the Spartan baseball program headed in the right direction. David strikes me as a coach who’s going to roll up his sleeves and get after it, and that’s exactly what MSU needs.”