Naples' Smith happy to be home again as Miracle manager

By KEVIN JOHNSON
Naples Daily News

FORT MYERS — So much of Jeff Smith's 33 years have revolved around a diamond.

But it's a Florida triangle -- one that started in Naples, extended to DeLand and has landed in Fort Myers, again -- that has shaped his career in baseball.

The former standout catcher for Naples High, Stetson University, and the Fort Myers Miracle found plenty of comfort as he was introduced as the Miracle's new manager during a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

The dining room at Hammond Stadium might as well have been the Smith living room in Naples. Joining Smith was his wife, Ronna, and their two young boys, Cooper and Cutter, as well as Smith's dad, Tommy.

They came to see Smith don a Miracle uniform and cap for the first time since 1998 when the former Minnesota Twins prospect was in the midst of a pro playing career that spanned nearly a decade. Smith's mother, Darlene, a teacher at Corkscrew Middle School, was unable to attend, but she'll have all next summer to see what her son looks like in pinstripes as he guides the Twins' Class A Florida State League affiliate. So, too, will Jeff's sister, Jody, an associate athletic director at Florida International University.

For Tommy, it means fewer nights surfing the Web to find broadcasts of his son's games.

"I'll see a lot of games," he said. "I kind of lived and died with the Internet broadcasts when he was in Wisconsin."

That's where Smith's managerial career started two years ago with the Twins' farm team in the Midwest League.

But Smith's coaching inklings started to emerge long before his days in Beloit. He said throughout his career -- whether it was playing for his dad at Naples High or for Stetson's legendary coach Pete Dunn, or the bevy of managers he encountered in seven seasons as a player in the Twins system -- thoughts of being a skipper always seemed to be prevalent.

He made the most of out his early days as a pro before his name was etched into lineup cards on a regular basis.

"As a backup....you are constantly picking the brains of your manager, picking the brains of your hitting coach, your hitting coordinators, and all that," said Smith. "I thought at a pretty early level, I would get into coaching at some point because I love to teach the game."

It must be hereditary.

After a longtime coaching career in the Midwest, Tommy Smith moved his family -- including a six-week old Jeff -- to Naples from Ohio. The elder Smith became the first baseball coach at Lely High. He later coached basketball there before moving across town to Naples High. With Jeff as a forward, the Smiths helped Naples reach the Class 3A basketball final in 1991 when the Golden Eagles lost to Raines (Jacksonville), 52-50.

Jeff continued his baseball career at Stetson. Playing for Dunn, who has guided the Hatters to more than 1,000 wins in 28 seasons, Smith started right away.

"It doesn't happen too often, but he gave me the opportunity to be a starting catcher as a freshman. I learned a ton from him for the next three years," said Smith, who left behind quite an impression.

"Jeff was the epitome of a guy who worked hard and got the most out of his ability," recalled Dunn in a phone interview Wednesday.

When asked a few years ago who should be on his all-time team, Dunn didn't hesitate filling Smith's name in the catcher's slot.

"He's one of my all-time favorites," said Dunn. "Not only a very good player from an ability standpoint, but he was a very cerebral player as well."

Jeff Smith and his wife, Ronna, pose for photos with sons Cooper, 5, and Cutter, nine months. Smith was introduced as the Fort Myers Miracle's new manager at a press conference on Wednesday at Hammond Stadium.
Photo by KEVIN JOHNSON / Naples Daily News

In fact, when Smith's playing career as a pro was winding down in the Texas Rangers organization, Dunn offered him a coaching position. Smith, though, had just committed to the Twins.

"I really wanted to come back to the Twins organization. It was a big goal for me," he said.

At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Smith looks like he could still catch both ends of a doubleheader. The body, notably three surgeries on his left knee, says otherwise.

Playing career over.

Managerial career just beginning to blossom.

"I believe this with all my heart -- and I thought this long before Smitty got (the Miracle) job -- that I will see him manage in the big leagues," said Dunn. "He's got those intangibles that good managers have."