TEMPE, Ariz. -- Mike Scioscia says he never thinks about the fact that he's the longest-tenured manager with one team in Major League Baseball. Not until he's reminded of it, that is.
But here he is, set to begin his 18th season at the helm of the Angels.
His hire date of Nov. 16, 1999, was in the waning days of the last century. The big league skipper who's been with his current team for the second-longest period of time is Bruce Bochy, who was hired by the San Francisco Giants almost seven years after Scioscia got the Angels gig.
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The secret to his staying power, according to Scioscia, isn't such a secret.
"We've had good players," Scioscia said. "You have good players, and obviously, a manager or coaching staff, you get a long opportunity if you continue to move in the right direction.
"And I think it starts with ownership. Those guys have supported us very well, and given us the talent. You want to keep growing and getting better."
Scioscia was hired by former general manager Bill Stoneman to provide stability to a team that had fractured in the clubhouse. It was what the franchise needed, and it paid off in 2002 with the team's only World Series championship. Since then, Scioscia's Angels have won six division titles.
"Our goal is very clear, and … we're as motivated now as we've ever been," Scioscia said. "And our expectations are as high as they've ever been to continue to work toward that goal, and nothing has dampened in my love or passion for this game."
Scioscia spends a lot of time in the car on the way to Anaheim during the course of the regular season, but he says he does not think about the past. That helps him concentrate on the present, which keeps his outlook fresh even though he's well into his second decade on the job.
"You learn from the past, but every year is new," Scioscia said. "You're like a rookie manager. You've got to earn the trust of the players, and bring them together, and that's what we work on."