Kurt Takahashi, manager for the Campesinos de Salem Keizer, is used to winning. In his first season managing the Mavericks League team, he is looking for that winning feeling again. The 2021 league champions, the Campesinos currently stand at 4-14 for the 2024 season.
Takahashi’s career, up to managing the local baseball team, was filled with playing in the minor leagues and coaching baseball for high school.
A native of Porterville, California, he attended Monache High School, where he played baseball. After high school, Takahashi attended Fresno City Junior College, where he played baseball under Ron Scott.
In 1995, while at the city college he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants; in 1997 he was sent to the Giants’ affiliate, the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.
Takahashi’s self-described baseball strengths as a player were being athletic and being open to play any position.
“I could hit, pitch…whatever was needed,” said Takahashi.
After retiring from active play, Takahashi turned to coaching. He took the baseball coaching post at Bradshaw Christian High School in Sacramento from 2016 to 2023. He led his team to an overall record of 127 wins and 58 losses.
Bradshaw Christian won the NorCal State Championship in 2021. It was the first NorCal championship in any sport in the school’s history.
Takahashi won three Coach of the Year honors and was named Small Schools Coach of the Year by CalHiSports, a sports journal in California.
In Porterville, where Takahashi grew up, the biggest thing in town was Little League baseball.
“That was the only thing going on,” Takahashi remembered. “It seemed like all the kids were all the same age.
“All the parents played softball on Saturday nights and all the kids played Little League on Friday nights.”
Takahashi got into all the available sports. “Baseball was just another sport,” he said.
While he has many achievements on the field and from the sideline, his proudest achievement as a player was being drafted by the San Francisco Giants. He was sent to play for their minor league team, the Bellingham Giants. The team was owned by Jerry and Lisa Walker until it relocated to Keizer and became the Volcanoes.
“Less than 1 percent of the world gets that opportunity,” Takahashi said about playing for a team associated with a Major League organization.
When it comes to coaching he said he was lucky to coach high school in Sacramento. “We won a section title and a state title in 2022. It was a lot of fun. They were good kids, good parents.”
When he was younger he played many sports. Takahashi said.
“Nowadays, it seems like a rarity. Guys seem to want to specialize even at 12-, 11- years-old. They want to specialize in one position, but I think it’s odd. Why are we playing one sport when we’re 10 and 11 and 12? They should be playing whatever they can get their hands on. Or not only that, but having fun doing other stuff. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a sport all the time.”
Takahashi is enjoying his first year of managing a baseball team, adding, “It would be awesome if we could get more crowds, because they’re missing some pretty good baseball out here.
“This is a pretty interesting league. I feel like the successful teams have a little leg up on some of the pitching part of it.”
He said the Mavericks League teams have guys that have been around; “There’s something to be said for guys that are veterans in certain leagues. It has definitely been a good experience It’s my first year as a professional manager. I’ve gotten pretty lucky. It’s a beautiful field.”
The Campesinos’ manager said that the Mavericks League baseball is a cheap form of entertainment.
“There’s some really, really good baseball players out here. Those attending games would be surprised,” he said.
“Now the game of baseball itself, you’ve got to be kind of a different fan to like it. Not a whole lot of people like a slow moving game, including myself,” he added.
“I feel I was blessed with a lot of patience. A demeanor that can be calm most of the time, but there are times, as a manager, you need to maybe speak up a little bit more.”
Takahashi still calls Sacramento home, where his wife and two children reside.
His family will be in Keizer for the Independence Day holiday. While here, Takahashi lives with players for the four Mavericks League teams at Turner Retirement Homes in Turner. That facility has an agreement to provide free housing for Mavericks League personnel during the baseball season.
He concedes he doesn’t know the business side of the league but he is hopeful for the future.
“Just the area and the stadium itself should be a big sell,” he said.
The Campesinos de Salem is one of four teams in the Mavericks League, which also includes the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, the Portland Mavericks and the Salem Senators.
For now, Takahashi will work to see his team win and compete for the championship.
Contact Publisher Lyndon Zaitz:
[email protected] or 503-390-1051
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