Whenever Tony Franklin is asked about getting an opportunity in the big leagues, he carefully considers his words, generally, the way he answers any question.
He's always made clear he'd like the chance. They all would, of course. But he's also never given the impression that he is dissatisfied.
There's something to be said for knowing you're good at a job. And if reaching his 1,000th win Wednesday as manager of the Double-A Trenton Thunder is any indication, he's one of the best at the job. Franklin, 61, is great at managing young players. There's always a sense that despite any desire to be in the majors, he is fully engaged and invested in where he's at.
Franklin's importance cannot be overstated. Since 2007 he's managed some of the most highly regarded prospects in the Yankees system. 2011 was a particularly powerful gleaming, with pitchers Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos, as well as catcher Austin Romine playing for him. Betances and Banuelos are two of the most promising homegrown pitchers in Yankees history. Romine is believed by many to be the Yankees catcher of the future.
He's needed to strike that all-important, but very delicate balance required to guide and teach young talent. Especially talent of that magnitude. Expectations raise the stakes. But with his soft-spoken, but firm way, he's struck the balance with precision.
In the minor leagues, victories mean something specific. They don't lead to a World Championship. They are part of a formula, a development phase in the lab. If the subjects create a winning formula at that level, they're succeeding at moving to the next phase. It's where they're headed, not where they'll stay. Franklin's always stressed that what he's doing is teaching and getting players where they're supposed to be.
Baseball is all about numers. Tony Franklin's numbers are proof that his whatever his formula is, it's working.