Brooks Carey, manager of the Frontier League's Normal CornBelters, returns for his record setting 11th season! Carey is considered by many as the Godfather of Arizona Winter League coaches, as he has been here since the beginning.

"It's obviously well run. I wouldn't be going out for my eleventh year in a row if it weren't a good league," said Carey.

"It starts at the top. Jose Melendez and Stephen Bedford are about as genuine guys as you could meet and I think they has the best interests of the players. I come back because of those two. I've had chances to go anywhere I want."

Melendez and Bedford are the Co-Founders of the AWL.

The AWL also has provided him with talent. Two players from the then-Texas Winter League, catcher Steve Sulcoski and infielder Roger Merjano, have played for the Cornbelters, and in 2014 pitcher Cullen Babin went directly from the TWL to Normal's starting rotation.

"If I think they can play then I will sign them all," Carey said of the prospects in the AWL. "I usually try to keep 2-3 spots open for players who can help me."

Carey played four years at Florida State in the 1970s under Woody Woodward, the former Cincinnati Reds shortstop and future major league General Manager who was then the Seminoles' head coach. A reserve outfielder and pitcher on the 'Noles 1975 College World Series team, Carey spent his college career being caught by Terry Kennedy, earned team captain honors as a senior, and completed 12 starts in 1978, still the Florida State single-season record.

It was good enough to be drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 10th round. He enjoyed four quality seasons in the Orioles system and made the 40-man roster, but with the Orioles' rotation stacked with Jim Palmer, Dennis Martinez, Mike Flannigan and Scott McGregor, Carey was traded to the Reds for catcher Joe Nolan.

Unfortunately, at that point all those complete games caught up with him. He had gone this distance in 31 of his 93 career starts in the Orioles' system, and struggled in his season in the Reds' chain with a sore arm he believes was a product of overuse.

"In a 12 month period I threw 300 innings, considering spring training, the Puerto Rico Winter League, and the regular season. That was basically my career. I may have torn a rotator cuff, I'm not sure because we didn't have MRIs back then, but I couldn't throw more than 80 miles per hour," Carey said.

But while this experience did cost him the chance at a major league career, it did teach him a lesson as a future baseball coach and manager; never overuse your staff.

"He's very knowledgeable about the game," said former Cubs and Phillies' reliever Les Lancaster, a former member of the AWL staff. "One thing about managing is you need to know how to handle a staff. He's able to do that. Each year the team he managed got better and he was able to get them in the playoffs."

Back in his hometown of Key West, Fla., Carey began to dabble in coaching at his alma mater, Key West High School. After several years as a pitching coach, when his lifelong friend and head coach Ralph Henriquez, Sr. left to coach in the minor leagues, Carey took over as the school's head coach.

He would win a state championship in 1998 behind future San Diego Padres' star Khalil Greene, and it appeared Carey would just enjoy a career as a successful high school coach at a noted baseball school.

But Hal Lanier, who won a division title as the Houston Astros' manager in 1986 before enjoying a lengthy career as an independent minor league baseball skipper, took over the reigns of the Sussex Skyhawks in 2008 and needed a pitching coach.

A former college rival of Carey and longtime independent baseball executive, University of Florida color commentator Nick Belmonte, recommended the southpaw to Lanier.

"Nick called me and asked me if I wanted to get into pro ball. My wife [contemporary Christian singer Becky Carey] caught wind somebody wanted to be a coach in pro ball," Brooks Carey recalled. "She said, 'Get out of town.'"

In his first season, the Skyhawks won the Can Am League championship and their 30 saves led the circuit. In 2010 the duo moved to the Frontier League with Normal, and in 2013 Carey took over the Cornbelters' managerial duties, something he himself received training for by directing teams in the Arizona and Texas Winter League.

"He [Lanier] gave me a lot of free range to do a lot of things which ultimately prepared me to manage. I had a lot of responsibilities other than a pitching coach," said Carey.

"I've had the privilege of having a bunch of really good guys in Normal the last five years. There's a certain type of person and personality I want. A clubhouse atmosphere goes a long, long way in who well you do," Carey continued. "We're looking for guys who will fit into the clubhouse and have talent too. But I won't take a guy who has talent and a bad attitude."

"Pro baseball can be a selfish game because everyone wants to move up. It is a fine line you have to tow to get 22-24 guys with the same mindset; team first, individual second. It's tougher than what it sounds."

Because "The Corn Crib," Normal's home ballpark, is something of a bandbox with 370 foot power alleys and foul poles 328 feet from home, Carey prefers to have hard throwers on his staff.

But he isn't married to flame throwers, witness the fact Babin's best pitch was his curve, and Carey even considered employing a soft-tosser who threw in the low '80s two seasons ago.

He also has his own ideas on developing pitchers.

"Early in their careers they try to be too fine and perfect. If they have the good stuff, breaking ball, juice on the fastball, my theory is to get strike one first."

It's one he'll be passing along to his AWL staff.

"The only bad thing about the AWL is we get to the last day and I can't help every kid out," Carey said. "Not everyone will play pro ball. But if I have the chance to help a kid with talent, that's why I want to do this."