Baseball alumnus finds managing a hit
After his playing days in Major League Baseball ended, Chad Pinder pursued several different career options, but landed back in a baseball uniform and recently wrapped up his first season as a manager.
After retiring from Major League Baseball more than two years ago, Chad Pinder ’16 took a swing at several different career options, but nothing really seemed to fit.
At the time of his retirement, he was 31. He felt behind in the count.
“Honestly, it’s not a fun place to be,” the former Virginia Tech standout admitted when asked if he had a post-retirement plan. “I was 31 years old, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’ve got more life ahead of me than I’ve lived already, God willing. And what am I going to do now? This is all I’ve ever known.’”
Fortunately, a meeting with Paul Janish, the farm director for the Chicago White Sox, led to Pinder remaining in baseball – only this time as a manager instead of a player. The move to managing has been a home run for him.
Pinder recently wrapped up his first season as a manager, having spent the spring and summer as the leader of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers in North Carolina, a Class A affiliate for the White Sox. The Cannon Ballers played well at times and scuffled at others, finishing with a 64-68 record.
The summer’s roller coaster has forced Pinder, a former first-team All-ACC player with the Hokies who enjoyed a seven-year career with the Oakland A’s, to learn patience.
“I’ve got players from 19 to 23 years old,” Pinder said. “They’re still at the beginning of their journey. I don’t assume that they know exactly what to do in every situation or that they’re a finished product, because they’re far from it. The job here is to teach and help them grow and become professionals in all aspects of the game, while also, at times, tempering my competitive nature and knowing that the guys are growing and learning.
“Ultimately, it was a huge learning time for me about how to manage myself and manage 40 people during the hard grind of the summer, and to continue to be the same person every single day with these guys, no matter what the outcome is, because that’s what they need. They need somebody who’s steady and who isn’t riding the roller coaster.”
Pinder, who played 550 games in his major league career and hit 62 home runs, actually rode the roller coaster shortly after his retirement, as he searched for the next at bat in life. Returning to Virginia Tech periodically after leaving, he finished his coursework and graduated in 2016 with a degree in communication and media studies from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, which gave him options.
He followed his agent around for a while, contemplating a move into the contractual side of professional baseball. He took a few graduate school courses through Liberty University’s online program during that time as well, and he also trained and competed in a half Ironman.
Still searching for something satisfying, he joined the White Sox at Major League Baseball’s Instructional League last fall. This league takes place every fall, with teams focusing on developing their top prospects.
Pinder loved being with the younger players, and Janish ultimately hired him as the Kannapolis manager.
“I tried my hand out on a lot of things and ended up landing back into baseball in a uniform, which, I think, is where I belong,” Pinder said.
“When Chad told me that he was going into managing, I had the same reaction when he told me he was going to be an agent right when he retired,” Pete Hughes, Pinder’s coach at Virginia Tech and now the baseball coach at Kansas State, said. “My reaction was, ‘Wow, he’s going to kill it. He’ll be at the top of that profession.’ And he will. I honestly believe that if he’s goal oriented to be the next manager at the big-league level, he’ll certainly do that.
“Chad still values the important things in the game, like being selfless, a tireless work ethic, and being a great teammate. I’m sure that’s the culture he’s running, playing fundamental baseball, respecting the game, and if that’s your core value system as a manager at the professional level, as a coach at the college level, as a CEO, then you’re going to be highly successful at that.”
Pinder’s career as a major league player gave him credibility with younger players, but his work ethic probably carried just as much weight with them. He arrived at the field at 11:30 a.m. for a 7 p.m. game, filled out his lineup card, and did any other paperwork that needed to be done. Then he oversaw batting practice and the early work with the infielders. During the game, he managed and coached third base, and after the game, he submitted a report to the White Sox front office.
Pinder said he learned a lot about how to balance managing a baseball team and taking care of his family. He and his wife settled in Matthews, North Carolina, just southeast of Charlotte, after his retirement from professional baseball. He made the 40-minute drive from his home to the Kannapolis ballpark during homestands, and unlike many others who work in professional baseball, he spent a lot of time with his wife and two children.
They will play large roles in his managerial future. Does he try to move up the ladder, maybe manage at the Double-A level next season, or pivot in a different direction that keeps him closer to home?
For the moment, Pinder plans to focus on the present.
“My wife and I have always said we’ll figure it out as we go,” Pinder said. “If there’s something that we need to step back and fix and change, we will, but for now, I do see myself continuing in this role. And whatever the White Sox have for me, I don’t know, but I’m fortunate to be in the situation that I’m in right now.
“I try to be as present as I can when I’m here and not worried too much. That’s something that my wife and I have been talking about. It’s like that time [the future] isn’t here. … As I continue to move along, you just adjust as you go.”
