Kanekoa Texeira poses in front of a scoreboard celebrating his 100th managerial win while with the Rome Braves in July 2022. Texeira was named manager of the Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A club, this week. — Mills Fitzner photo
Kanekoa Texeira made it to Maajor League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals, for short stints in 2010 and 2011.
His MLB pitching career totaled 67 2/3 innings over 49 games and finished with a 1-1 record and 4.66 earned run average.
He lasted as a player in the minor leagues until 2016 — that was when the Kula native decided to hang it up after one last go-round in Gwinnett, Ga., for the Triple-A team in the Braves organization.
Now, 13 years later and from the dugout, his rocket-ship ride back to the bigs took a big step forward on Wednesday when he got word from the Braves that he will return to Gwinnett this spring as the organization’s Triple-A manager.
“I was really excited,” Texeira said via phone from his offseason home in Kaunakakai on Friday morning. “I saw that the (Braves’) Triple-A manager who is a good friend of mine, Matt Tuiasosopo, got promoted to being the third-base coach in the big leagues. So, I was waiting and waiting and I figured I’d be at least be able to get an interview for the Triple-A job and whatnot.
“And I got a phone call, they said, ‘I’ve got good news.’ And they gave it to me. Myself and my family are so ecstatic and it’s just surreal, another step to the goal of getting back to the big leagues.”
Texeira played for current Braves major league manager Brian Snitker in the minors and when his playing career ended, Snitker said “I’d make a good coach,” Texeira recalled.
In 2017 and 2018, the 2004 Kamehameha Schools Kapalama graduate was a pitching coach for the Braves’ rookie-level team in Danville, Va.; in 2019 he became pitching coach in Rome, Ga., for the low-A club; COVID wiped out the 2020 season; in 2021 he was manger in Rome for a low-A team; in 2022 he was manager in Rome again, for the high-A Braves; and last year he managed in Double-A Mississippi.
Texeira doesn’t turn 38 until Feb. 6. He and wife Leohoonani are expecting their third child — and first boy — later in February.
“I don’t know about that, but it feels great, though,” Texeira said when asked if he felt like he was on a fast track to a big league dugout. “It’s fun, it’s a lot less stressful than playing, but there’s still some pressure to develop kids and, you know, the goal is to get these kids to the big leagues and teach ’em the game the right way.”
Texeira added, “When you’ve got top prospects, you gotta make sure they produce and whatnot. The stress from playing, you have a bad day, you gotta wait three, four days to get back in there as a pitcher. As a manager, you make a mistake you can fix it the next day. So, I’m having fun, I’ve got a fair knowledge of the game. Being around baseball is just what I want to do.”
His trip to spring training will likely have to wait until mid-March so Texeira can spend some time with his son, who is due Feb. 27.
Mom, daughters Kealohi, 5, and Kailana, 3, will bring the newborn with them when they all join dad in Gwinnett for three months over the summer. Organizing the trips for the family that cover more than 4,400 miles falls to Leo Texeira.
“It’s tough, but I wouldn’t be able to do this if I didn’t have the right wife — I chose the right one,” Texeira said. “But the kids actually love traveling and enjoying outside of Molokai. There’s a lot more to do out there, it’s a good little getaway for them. They come up for, like, two and a half months and just run wild and see all the things that’s out there, which I think is great for our kids instead of staying in one spot. Hopefully they won’t be afraid to travel when they get older.
“But it’s tough, it’s tough being away for so long. If we didn’t have FaceTime, I don’t know if I’d be able to do it.”
Neighbors and in-laws are home on Molokai to help watch the kids when Leo Texeira needs a little break. This summer, the trip across the country — Kaunakakai to Gwinnett — will include the youngest, newest Texeira.
“It’s hard to do, but me and my wife have been doing it for so long that she knows when February comes it’s doomsday, it’s coming sooner or later,” Kanekoa Texeira said. “She prepares and gets everything ready. I wouldn’t be able to do it without her. She’s a big part of it.”
The Braves told Texeira to take the time he needs after his son is born.
“I will probably head up in mid-March, get to spring training, have spring training for like 10 days and then head out because I think our first game is March 28th,” Texeira said. “I’m looking forward to it. They always said the hardest level to manage would be Triple-A because you have the guys that were in the big leagues trying to get back and then they have got to fight the prospects, if not beat them, to get to the big leagues.”
Texeira appears well-suited to the challenge.
“So, if you can manage personalities and manage people, which I think is one of my gifted skills … then it should be a lot easier,” he said. “But it’s going to be tough. You know, you’re going to have a lot of boneheads, you’re going to have guys who are not happy being there — you know, ‘Should’ve been in the big leagues, should be in the big leagues’ — and all of that.
“Should be fun to try to manage those guys to see what it’s like. I was there, so I know what it’s like and hopefully I can relate to what they’re going through.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com
Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 8:30 a.m.—State championships, dive finals, at Kihei Aquatic Center. 1 ...
BOWLING ALOHA FRIDAY LEAGUE Feb. 2 Results At Wailuku Lanes Standings—Anela’s 61, Jonathan’s 59.5, ...
Lola Donez scored 19 points in her final game with the Lahainaluna High School girls basketball team as the Lunas ...
Top-seeded Iolani School got a golden goal off the post in the 89th minute on Friday night for a 1-0 overtime win ...
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 10 a.m.—State championships, dive prelims, at Kihei Aquatic ...
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3UoqWer6NjsLC5jqynqKqkqHytu8Kao2aroKS%2Ftb%2BOa2drbF9lfnDAxLGcoqqRYruiucSdZKaZnpa0pr6MqJ1mmqKWw6a%2FjK2poqicmnqiecKlrJtll6y2r7rErato