It's not exactly Ken Griffey playing with Ken Griffey Jr., but Portland hitting coach and former Cordova High School star William McKinley (Max) Venable enjoys a unique relationship with Beavers outfielder and son William (Will).
Think more of the late Cal Ripken working with his son and future Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. It's unlikely, but either could take any disagreement between them to higher mediator - wife and mother, respectively, Molly. Actually, the baseball Venables say their relationship couldn't be better.
The relationship among all the Beavers was good Sunday afternoon after a 4-3 victory over the River Cats before an announced crowd of 8,033 at Raley Field gave Portland a fourgame series split.
Max Venable, who played 12 major-league seasons with the Giants, Montreal, Cincinnati and the then-California Angels, welcomes the chance to play a role in his son's development.
"It's more hands-on now," Max, 51, said of his ability to try to help his son reach the majors.
The two were together in Will's second professional season at Class-A Fort Wayne (Ind.). Max concedes to some nervousness about working with his son then, but that has mostly subsided.
"I can work with him from atbat to at-bat and also just help him like any other player," Max said. "And it's easier to remind him that this is a game where you are set up to fail. I can give him drills and things that we've worked on over the years. It's really kind of nice."
Will Venable, 25, said there has been no downside to having his dad as a hitting coach. Will was an anthropology major and four-year basketball player, as well as a baseball player, at Princeton.
"I didn't play baseball my senior year in high school," he said, "and didn't play a whole lot before that. I was more into basketball at (San Rafael High School), and I just played baseball off and on."
It's baseball on and on for the younger Venable, a seventhround choice in the 2005 firstyear player draft. He wants to see how far he can take baseball, and so far, so good.
"It's important for me to keep getting better," said Will, who is batting .300 during his first Triple- A season. "And it helps to have my father around because he's logged a lot of miles and seen a lot of things in this game."
Padres roving field coordinator Tom Gamboa said young Venable intrigues him.
"I've seen him three years now, and he's a really good-looking young player," Gamboa said.
Words a son and a father - and an outfielder and his hitting coach - can appreciate.
Call The Bee's Martin McNeal, (916) 326-5504.
