by Francis Ferry, NLN baseball beat writer

Friday, November 13, 2020: Aurora, Colorado – Bloggers and Tweeters alike had been calling for this day for years. Aurora’s 2019 Rodriguez Cup kept the wolves at bay for a season, but with Aurora’s failure to repeat – much less make the playoffs, Aurora GM Will Topham made a move that the organization had never before made: fired their manager.

Well… technically they let him go days before his contract was scheduled to expire.

And they filled the spot much like they’ve built the bulk of their team – from with-in.

After five seasons at the helm of the Aurora Borealis, manager Don James was given his walking papers in a move Topham described as ‘necessary’. James, who took over for the retired Roberto Rosado after the 2015 season, posted a 483-327 record, with two Desert Hills crowns, three playoff appearances and the 2019 PEBA championship on his resume.

James, who just turned 69 years-old, was speculated to be retiring any way after the season. His contract was, in essence, expired and Aurora had made no effort to offer him an extension – before, during or after the season. When asked after their season ending 8-7, extra-inning win over Reno, if he was planning to retire, his response was a curt, ‘that’s to be determined’. Unnamed sources within the organization have suggested that he carried the same, basic response to the GM’s office for the organization’s season-ending pow-wow. One can only guess that not getting any extension offer was… insulting?

“We felt,” Topham stated when addressing the press, “that it was time for Don to move on, and by taking the action we have, it’s given us a chance to begin addressing that organizational hole now, before teams begin looking to fill fires or retirements.”

Move on James did, as he wasted no time in signing on with the Kivalina Bowheads of the Surf and Sand, the Short A team of the Yuma Bulldozers. Once again, bloggers and tweeters were not kind to James, with suggestions running rampant that he took the job to be closer to his family home in Mongolia. Others noted that it may have been simply an opportunity taken, to give Aurora a ‘middle finger’ by signing on with their new Desert Hills rival.

Aurora fills the gap at the top of the organizations coaching ranks with somewhat of a surprise move. Koki Kojima, 61 and no relation to the star Aurora pitcher of the same name, was appointed Aurora’s fifth manager in the clubs 14-year existence. He had previously been the manager at AAA Thornton the past five seasons. Kojima’s FasTrax squads made the post-season all five years of his tenure and won the Rocky Mountain League three times, taking home two GBB titles. He posted a 427-273 record while managing Thornton. He carries with him one season of PEBA-level managerial experience as he managed the Connecticut Nutmeggers to a 78-84 record in 2015. He had managed their AAA team in Providence the previous three seasons.

Some had speculated that Ken Crouch would be named manager, allowing the Borealis bench coach to hold the distinction of being the first man to manage the same team twice, under differing ownership groups. Crouch was Aurora’s manager under John Rodriguez, Sr. during the PEBA’s inaugural season, posing an 87-75 mark and a 3^rd place finish, before he was demoted to manage the Thornton club in favor of Juan Toro, who managed Aurora six seasons before abruptly retiring after the 2013 season. He finished with a 712-260 record. Toro’s hiring, itself, was an unusual move as he had had an uninspiring career in the ABSF Mexican League, with a 56-89 combined record at San Luis Potosí and León. Many have speculated why Rodriguez made that decision, some theories being very… unusual. None of which Rodriguez substantiated.

Aurora Manager History

Technically this is the third time Aurora has chosen to ‘move’ the incumbent manager as Toro’s replacement, Roberto Rosado, was relieved of his duties as manager after two seasons, being demoted to AAA (and subsequently retiring instead of accepting the demotion) in favor of then-hitting coach Don James. Rosado posted a 220-104 mark in those two seasons – including a 116-win 2015, but a loss to Omaha in the Divisional Series infuriated management so much, it led to his demotion.

One of the expected front-runners for the managerial job at Aurora was long-time Gatineau manager Shizue Komatsu, who took over the Gatineau managerial job mid-2008 and had been there ever since, finishing first every season, save one (2018). Perhaps Komatsu’s Achilles Heel was making the playoffs every season and not winning a single championship – the only member of the Aurora organization not to have won at least one title. Speculation was he would get his chance to prove himself further, taking over for Kojima at Thornton, but he has instead been vaulted into the bench coach position that Crouch vacated. Komatsu’s record with the Balloonists was 1094-679. At 55 years of age, it is expected that the long-time minor league manager’s day may still come.

Taking over at AAA Thornton is 47 year-old Dave Robertson. Robertson has no previous managerial experience. Robertson is described as a people person who Aurora management believe will be able to work with young rookies and aging veterans alike – a key in the diverse Aurora farm system. He was originally courted to take on the manager’s position at a lower level – perhaps SLRC, but GM Will Topham was so impressed with what he saw with Robertson he was fast-tracked (no pun intended) to Thornton, with the possibility that he’ll find himself in Aurora one day. “I’m thrilled to become a member of an organization filled with quality coaches. I can only hope to some day be thought of in the same company.” Robertson said.

The Borealis continue to seek a replacement for Komatsu at Gatineau. They’ve interviewed a number of people – some who’ve taken jobs with other organizations, some whom they are still exploring. One supposed rumor is that the new Kentucky Thoroughbred manager Pedro Miranda was one of the candidates.

Aurora also made a move outside the coaching ranks by firing their trainer, 60 year-old Mito Nakamura after only two years on the job. A string of injuries during the last two months of the season may have helped Nakamura out the door as they were major contributors in sabotaging Aurora’s title defense. To replace Nakamura, Aurora hired Alabama-native Dennis Patterson who formally was with Kalamazoo (2016-17) and Omaha (2018-2020). Aurora will miss Nakamura in the sense that he was an expert in fatigue recovery, using unique zen-based techniques of relaxation, but that – coupled with Aurora’s propensity to give ample days off to their starting line-up, was not enough to over come his relative inexperience in caring for limb and body. Aurora hopes that Patterson’s more well-rounded – traditional training methods will be enough to keep bodies healthy for the full season.