Federowicz hangs up cleats, takes over as Tacoma’s manager: “I want to be a voice of resource”
Tim Federowicz was sent up, sent down, traded, released, and promoted. He’s plain-spoken about his major league career: he’s been around the block.
A longtime catcher, the 34-year-old Federowicz appeared for six teams in his 13 years behind the plate. Before hanging up the cleats, he won a silver medal for Team USA in last summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.
But for all of the years he spent behind the plate, in the locker room, and on the bench, he wanted, someday, to be a manager.
That’s when the Tacoma Rainiers called.
Following former Tacoma manager Kris Negron’s promotion to first base coach of the Seattle Mariners, Federowicz assumes Triple-A managerial duties next spring.
“In the last few years, I’ve kind of been making it known that I wanted to manage when I’m done,” he told The News Tribune. “I actually made a decision in the middle of (last) year while still playing, but at the end of the year, I let my agent know, and we drafted a resume and I sent it out.
“Honestly, the Mariners were the first team to reach out to me. After about a month or so (of) staying in contact, (it) sped up pretty quick around Thanksgiving and took about a week of interviews. And now I’m here.”
Federowicz nailed 31 percent of base stealers throughout his major league career, three points above the league average of 28 percent during that time. In the minors, he clobbered exactly 100 home runs, adding a dozen more at the highest level.
He spent most of the last five years on a major league bench or serving as a backup, and witnessed the game from a different angle. It was through an alternate lens that a managerial job became intriguing.
The decision making process, the leadership, and the involvement: Federowicz had fallen in love with a position he had yet to land.
Federowicz contemplated front office positions, too, but a conversation with Negron sold him on a more hands-on role, he said. After further discussion with Andy McKay, the organization’s Director of Player Development, and Louis Boyd, the newly named Minor League Field Coordinator, his decision became even clearer.
Federowicz said he received news of his new gig with his family in the room.
“I definitely didn’t expect it to be as high as Triple-A, but I think (it’s) a perfect fit. Just because it’s the same league I’ve been in for the last 11 years. I think it’s a good fit. The organization is a good fit for me and (I’m a good fit) for them. I’m really excited.”
He won’t be a voice of power, but instead one of “resource.” Like Negron, who led Tacoma to a Triple-A West title last season, Federowicz will be a voice of experience, too.
And he’ll approach the job with hopes of emulating Joe Maddon and A.J. Hinch, two World Series-winning managers he suited up for during his career. Hinch was smart, calculated, and prepared, Federowicz said. Maddon brought a relaxed atmosphere to the dugout that Tacoma’s now-manager – and his former teammates – give credence to today.
“(He was) super relaxed,” Federowicz said of Maddon, who now manages the Los Angeles Angels. “You know, no added stress around. We’re all grown men. You just… get your job done each day.”
Tacoma’s new manager doesn’t know how his roster will shake up, but he’s blessed, he said. He spoke to acquaintances around the league – some outside of the Seattle organization – and they told Federowicz that the Mariners are “doing things right.”
Last season, every team in the Seattle organization finished with a winning record. Even with Federowicz’s east coast roots, it was enough of a sales pitch to convince the veteran of a change of scenery out west.
He’s played in 26 games against his new team, appearing for Rainier rivals Albuquerque, El Paso, Iowa, Sacramento, Fresno, and Nashville between the 2011 and 2019 seasons.
“The Northwest is just a beautiful part of the country,” Federowicz said. “I’m really excited to venture out a little bit more, rather than just traveling in as a player. I’ve always enjoyed driving around (and) eating at some of the seafood places. Now, I’m going to be there all year… (it’ll be) a lot easier for me to plan something out and go see all the sights around there. I just remember how beautiful it was.”
When the game wore on Federowicz’s body over the final years of his career, he knew it would soon be time to search for a managerial job. He officially decided on retirement at the conclusion of last season just six months ago, but he told his family of a unique way he wanted to end it: in Tokyo, representing his country in the Olympics.
In his words, it was the icing on the cake of a playing career.
Eric Filia, who spent six years in the Seattle organization and the last pair of seasons with Triple-A Tacoma, stood alongside Federowicz on the roster. They were teammates, friends, and brothers, and Federowicz assured that Filia would say the same of the trip: a “great experience” where both were recognized as two of the best athletes in the world.
“It was just a blast, going to a country we’ve never been to,” Federowicz said of the games that resulted in a silver medal finish. “But we’re all brothers. … It couldn’t have been better.”
Now, Federowicz is the 11th Tacoma manager since 1995, when the Rainiers merged into Seattle’s minor league system. In just his first year as manager (and less than a year after his last playing appearance in Triple-A), he’ll aim to lead the Rainiers to a second-straight division title after finishing at 73-47 in 2021.
“I’ve been in the league for a long time,” Federowicz said. “I think I’m going to be a great resource for these guys that have played the game for a long time. I was a successful hitter at that level, and a successful catcher at that level.
“I don’t want to be a voice of power. I want to be a voice of resource for these guys. I want to help these guys as much as I can help them with whatever transition it is. Up or down, in or out of the game, any way it happened. …I don’t really know how it’s gonna go, but I’m super excited. And I know, the way I played is to always be ready to adjust if needed. And that’s how I’m going to take this.”
