Managing the Chattanooga Lookouts wasn't an overnight occurrence for Tommy Watkins, so he plans to savor every moment.
The 37-year-old Watkins spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues before experiencing the big leagues as a player, and he is in his second season as a manager in the same Minnesota Twins organization that drafted him 20 years ago. Watkins managed Cedar Rapids (Iowa) in the Class A Midwest League last year.
"When I first started coaching, I knew I wanted to manage," Watkins said this week. "I helped out at my high school for 15 years or so, with a lot of those being when I was a player, and I always knew I wanted to manage. You've got to take steps to get there, and I was a hitting coach for seven years, and I'm really excited about this opportunity."
The Watkins era for the Lookouts began Thursday night with a 5-4 loss to the Birmingham Barons at AT&T Field.
Birmingham took a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth inning on Jameson Fisher's double to left field that scored Tito Polo. Nick Gordon led off the bottom of the first with a triple to left and scored Chattanooga's first run of the season, while Lookouts 9-hole hitter Ryan Walker went 3-for-4 and was a triple shy of the cycle.
Watkins is the third Chattanooga manager since the Lookouts became Double-A affiliates of the Twins before the 2015 season. The fiery Doug Mientkiewicz managed the Lookouts in the 2015 season, when Chattanooga won its first Southern League championship since 1988, and again in 2016, when Watkins was his hitting coach.
The laid-back Jake Mauer managed last season's Lookouts to 91 regular-season victories and a Southern League co-championship.
"I'm probably right in the middle of those two," Watkins said. "Doug would let you know how he feels, while Jake was a little more reserved and didn't say much. I think I'm outgoing at times, and I think I'm reserved, too.
"I grew up a Braves fan, so watching Bobby Cox was always fun. He had so many ejections, and that will always stand out to me. He was so much fun to watch."
Watkins said he was ejected three times last season at Cedar Rapids.
Selected by Minnesota in the 38th round of the 1998 draft, Watkins was the 1,129th overall pick. The odds were stacked against him making the majors, but he achieved that goal late in the 2007 season and made the most of his opportunity, hitting .357 (10-for-28) in nine games for the Twins, who finished 79-83.
Watkins was at shortstop or third base most of the time, but he played all nine positions during his professional career.
"I think he's going to be really great," Lookouts outfielder LaMonte Wade said. "He's been in this league before, and he knows what he's talking about. All the guys in that locker room respect him and will listen to him."
Said infielder Brent Rooker: "He was in the Twins organization and made it to the big leagues, so he knows all the ins and outs. He seems like a really good guy to play for, and I think it's going to be fun."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.