He was signed by former Major League Manager Dave Garcia as a first-baseman and pitcher after going 7-3 and hitting .361 his senior year at San Diego State University.
He split the 1974 season between two teams – the Cedar Rapids Astros and the Bears – going a combined 1-3 with a 2.10 ERA in 24 games.
During his tenure as Farm Director, the Padres developed Tony Gwynn, Robbie and Sandy Alomar Jr., John Kruk, Ozzie Guillén, Mitch Williams, Ed Wojna, Benito Santiago, and many others.
From 1990 to 1993, he served as the pitching coach for the Houston Astros, and helped develop Darryl Kile, Pete Harnisch, Mark Portugal, and Curt Schilling.
He is the only coach in Major League history to be nominated for the Branch Rickey Award for community service (A's in 1997).
He was a baseball consultant for the San Diego Padres system from 2006 to 2009, and is now a Major League Scout for The Tampa Bay Rays.
[citation needed] He was also the Founder and President of Say No To Drugs, a non-profit inspired by then Padres owner Joan Kroc.