'Go on the journey': Timber Rattlers hitting coach has been all over chasing his dream

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers hitting coach Evan Berliner has been on a self-described long journey in baseball to get where he is today.

Berliner has coached an NAIA team in Arizona, at Division II Hillsdale College in Michigan, at a Division I school in South Dakota, a year with the Milwaukee Brewers in Arizona and now is in Appleton with the Timber Rattlers.

Unlike some people who carefully map out their career moves, Berliner is open to anything.

“Wherever it takes me is what I tell everybody,” Berliner said. “I met a girl when I was in Arizona and I told her I’ll go wherever this game takes me. For $1,000, I’ll move to Alaska. I just want to see where this takes me and go on the journey.”

Berliner’s hometown is Highland Park, Illinois, and he played baseball at Elmhurst College in Illinois, where he was an infielder. He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Elmhurst in 2017, and in 2019 earned his MBA in leadership from Ottawa University in Surprise, Arizona.

Being a hitting coach is much more than telling a batter who has swung at three curveballs out of the strike zone to stop doing that or throwing pitches in batting practice until your arm falls off.

“One of the challenges of being a hitting coach is to get guys motivated to try challenging things is probably the best way I can put it,” Berliner said. “We want to put these guys into challenging environments, knowing that the game is going to be just as challenging.”

Berliner believes if players can simulate a game situation in the batting cage, they will be better able to handle the live-game situation.

“We want practice to be harder than the game,” he said. “We want to … if you’re facing a (Jacob) Misiorowski to simulate Misiorowski, right?”

Teaching hitting has changed over the years as well.

Coaches used to emphasize a level swing through the hitting zone and making contact, but lift and launch angles have taken over the conversation in recent years.

“It depends on the individual hitter,” Berliner said. “It depends on what they are good at. Some guys are slower. Some guys are faster. Some guys can beat grounders out. Some can't.

“When you're talking about level swing versus the launch on a swing, we’re all trying to accomplish the same thing of hitting the ball hard. Everybody is trying to do that. It’s how they're painting the picture to accomplish the goal.”

In addition to not taking a one-size-fits-all approach to hitting, Berliner also doesn't take that approach with members of the Timber Rattlers.

For example, first baseman Blake Burke is by most metrics having a successful season.

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Through July 28, Burke is batting .296 with five home runs, 46 RBIs and has an on-base percentage of .379. He has also drawn 43 walks.

So, does Berliner leave Burke alone and let the former University of Tennessee standout do his thing?

“That’s the battle,” Berliner said. “It goes back to just building relationships with the players. To me, it’s like, ‘Hey, Blake Burke, I understand the success you’re having on the field but what can we keep working on?’ Their goal is not to be in High-A baseball. Their goal is to be an hour-and-a-half away in Milwaukee.

“What are the things that you're going to have to work on? Let's not get complacent.”

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Milwaukee Brewers minor league hitting coach lands with Timber Rattlers