Macaluso lives dream during summer

Massachusetts native Bob Macaluso was just 3 years old when the Red Sox came from the lower division of the American League to win the pennant and reach the 1967 World Series, a season known forever to Boston fans as the Impossible Dream.

Decades later, Macaluso spends his summers in the Northeast living his dream, as a perennial participant in the prestigious Cape Cod summer baseball league.

Macaluso, 44, a first-year volunteer assistant last season at UC Irvine, is in his sixth season as manager of the Brewster Whitecaps, who are battling for one of two playoff berths in the five-team Eastern Division with the regular season ending Thursday.

Macaluso, who was Manager of the Year in 2003 and in his first year as a Brewster assistant helped guide the Whitecaps to the Cape Cod League title in 2000, said he grew up following the Cape Cod League in the pages of the Boston Globe.

“I never went to a game as a kid, but I passed by one of the ballparks one time,” said Macaluso, who played collegiately at Springfield College in the mid-1980s. “As a Division II player, I always had aspirations of playing the league, but that never worked out. Then, my next goal was to at least coach there.”

Macaluso began his coaching career at the high school level in Massachusetts and became head coach at Weston High in 1993. He spent 1996-97 as an assistant at Springfield College, then became head coach at Muhlenberg College, a Division III school in Allentown, Pa.. He joining the Cal State Los Angeles staff as an assistant in 2006, working under one-time Cape Cod League colleague Pat Shine, now the associate head coach at UCI.

“I was never driven to be a Division I guy, but I really enjoyed coaching at the highest level [last season at UCI, which was three outs away from a return trip to the College World Series, before falling in a best-of-three Super Regional series at LSU to finish 42-18],” Macaluso said.

Macaluso, a Garden Grove resident who said he expects to return to UCI next season, worked with the infielders and hitters for Coach Mike Gillespie last season. He said he is pleased to work with the high level of talent he sees annually on the Cape, though he said the feeling is not always mutual.

“Some of these kids, as talented as they are, are not coached up as much as they need to be,” he said. “Most of them are freshmen and sophomores and they’ve gotten by mostly on their talent. Those guys need coaching more than anyone.

“But some are receptive to coaching and some aren’t. It’s nice when you have a team full of guys who listen and are open to suggestions.”

Macaluso said Matt LaPorta, taken by the Milwaukee Brewers No. 7 overall in the 2007 draft out of the University of Florida and recently traded to Cleveland as part of the C.C. Sabathia deal, is among the favorite players he has coached.

“But, there are some players, who are doing well in the major leagues, right now, who were not my favorite players,” he said.

One bonus this season, Macaluso said, is getting the chance to follow first-hand the summer exploits of UCI standouts competing for rival teams in the Cape Cod League.

Pitchers Bryce Stowell and Eric Pettis (Bourne Braves) and outfielder Cory Olson, an incoming transfer from Orange Coast College (Chatham A’s) played in the league’s All-Star Game and joined Macaluso and his fellow league managers Wednesday at Fenway Park, where they were recognized before the Red Sox game against the Angels.

“It has been fun to watch those guys,” Macaluso said. “They really helped themselves [among professional scouts] immensely and, having spoken with them at Fenway Park, I know they’re really having a good time.”

Macaluso said the trips to Fenway are extra special to him.

“I’ve been up to Fenway three times in the last week and a half and I love it,” he said. “I’m a huge Red Sox fan and the whole atmosphere around the park is so fun.”

Macaluso said he is also having fun working in the area close to where he grew up.

“Being a northeastern guy, I love it up here,” he said.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].