Philadelphia.Phillies.MLB.com

By Ken Mandel / MLB.com

PHILADEPHIA -- At various times during his 14 years of retired bliss, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt watched some of his former teammates reinvent themselves as managers and wondered if he could do it.

He'll find out this summer as the skipper of the Clearwater Phillies, the organization's highest Class A affiliate. It will be the Hall of Fame third baseman's first experience as a manager or coach. And it comes after two seasons in uniform as a part-time hitting instructor at the Major League level.

"This is an opportunity to find out if managing is in my blood," said Schmidt. "I know teaching is, but I've never been required to do it on a full-time basis. I realize there will be a lot of dog days riding around in buses in Florida, but I'm sure that will be outweighed by working with the young men on the Clearwater squad. The mentoring is the part I look forward to the most."

Though the idea of managing someday intrigued Schmidt for many years, he said the feeling intensified "a couple of years ago." He expressed an interest to return during the final week of the 2003 season.

Schmidt, 54, met with general manager Ed Wade and assistant general manager, director of scouting Mike Arbuckle last week in Clearwater. He and expressed an interest in that job because of it's relative proximity to his home in Jupiter -- a three-hour drive. It didn't take long for the job to be his.

"We are excited to have someone of Mike's credentials back in the organization in an official capacity," Wade said. "If you have a guy with a Hall of Fame profile like Mike's who has a desire to manage, you want to take advantage of that."

Schmidt spent precious little time in the minors, after being selected in the second round of the June 1971 First-Year Player Draft. He debuted in September 1972 and slugged 548 career homers, good for ninth on the all-time list.

In 1995, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Suffice it to say that one of the most popular players in team history should be the most popular manager in the Florida State League.

"Every time I go into a Major League locker room I've got to sign 15 or 20 baseballs for players and I realize that's going to happen," Schmidt said. "I'm not a dummy."

Knowing experience is the key to a successful managing career, Schmidt is prepared for the 115-degree July afternoons and the everyday grind of working with some of the organization's prospects. He'll have top pitching prospect Cole Hamels to start the season at least and could have Ryan Howard or Gavin Floyd if they're not sent to Double-A Reading.

"I want a chance to be the guy, be the manager, be in charge. I want to make the lineup out, have the final say on things, get a feeling of what it's like to run the show," Schmidt said.

He has to start somewhere.

"This job isn't quite as glamorous as a major-league job, but I think it says a whole lot about Mike's desire to jump in and tackle this, said Arbuckle.

It's all part of the equation, as is him mixing an intense desire to win -- who can forget his celebration with Tug McGraw after the final out of the 1980 World Series? -- with a requirement to teach. Schmidt believes the two can mesh nicely.

"I believe learning how to be in a winning environment will allow development to happen more readily," Schmidt said. "There will be times when development will supercede winning, but the baseball club I'm managing will get a real good taste of what goes into winning a baseball game."

His coaching staff on a team that went 35-30 in 2003 will consist of Manny Amador, Dan Roberts and former reliever Steve Schrenk, who pitched for the Phillies during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. Roberts is the son of Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts.

Schmidt's name recognition could also be a distraction -- he will likely receive the majority of autograph requests -- but Schmidt hopes to use that to his advantage.

"I realize there will be some attention given to me being there," Schmidt said. "But guys' eyes and ears are going to be open to what I say. You could say I'll have instant credibility. Hopefully, it will last the year."

There in lies the question of how long will this managing thing last? Could it culminate with Schmidt one day managing in the Majors? Schmidt didn't commit to anything beyond this season, and said so many times.

It's just that after making so many tee times and baiting so many hooks, he felt it was time to go back to his first love. For this, the father of two willfully and happily unretired.

It was just time.

"I've had a wonderful retired life," he said. "But there was a void. The thing I know the most about is the thing I've been away from. I've found that the most fulfilling thing would be to get back involved in the game I love. I'm not going to be a professional golfer at a high level or a great fisherman. I'm going to be a novice at everything. The one thing I want to find out if I can be is a coach, mentor or maybe manager some day."

Ken Mandel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.