24 June, 2004

Braves’ GM a Fan, too

     When Mike Carrier was a youngster growing up in Wareham, he spent many a summer night chasing foul balls around the Gatemen’s home park. Behind the backstop, into the woods that line the back of the outfield stands, even on top of buildings. “I used to go up on the roof of the old high school after the games. There would always be a ton of balls up there,” he now confesses.

     Carrier is in charge of foul balls once again, as well as a multitude of other tasks, but this time it is as general manager of the Bourne Braves baseball team. Newly appointed during the off-season, the fan-turned-administrator is thrilled to be able to help bring people to the ballpark and players to the Cape League.

     “If the average baseball fan knew what had to happen behind the scenes, they would be amazed,” says Carrier, who admits he didn’t realize how many matters needing attention before he became involved in 1999. “There are so many little things that have to happen.”

     Carrier says he got hooked when friend and Braves’ president Lynn Ladetto suggested he help handle the concessions. Carrier had been a host parent the year prior, and along with his wife Terry took over responsibility of the concession part of the organization. Since then, their involvement has deepened each season. “I didn’t come in blind,” says the GM.

     “There are so many clichés, but they really are the truth,” he continues. After hosting South Florida pitcher Kyle Schmidt for the last few seasons, the right-hander has become “part of the family. That’s exactly what happens. People don’t believe it unless they’re involved.”

     Carrier, a plumber by trade, teaches at Cape Cod Tech and is a veteran of Desert Storm. Over the last two decades, he has served in the United States Navy and as an active reserve and is currently serving with the Harbor Defense Command in Newport. Because of his life and professional experience, Carrier says he’s learned to think through issues and treat everyone fairly.

     “I’ve tried to always learn from my mistakes,” he says. “You do something and the next time you do it even better. I’m not naturally an outgoing person so in some ways I’ve had to force myself to do that, but I see myself as the middle guy, the liaison.”

     Carrier says that he sees his role as being from the “fence to inside the white lines.” With head coach Harvey Shapiro calling the coaching shots, he says, the GM’s job is administration and making sure the daily operations run smoothly.

     “I’m a huge fan,” Carrier says. “But Coach Shapiro is a professional. That’s what he does. As general manager, I need to make sure that all of the opportunities to run a great organization are there.”

     Saying that the current board is “stronger than ever,” Carrier sees the fan base doubling each season and players who are happy to be here. Having been deeply involved in the planning of the new Braves field near the Upper Cape Tech campus he graduated from, Carrier will continue to be one of the torchbearers for that big scale project. He also will do whatever he can to return the Braves to the pennant race.

     “We would like a championship. Period. Nothing less,” he says. “And you can’t tell me that winning it wouldn’t pique the interest of people who are hoping to see a new field. We all got a taste of it last year [the Braves lost to Orleans in the championship series]. Now we want more.”