Ins and outs of getting the Reno Aces ready to play

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - It’s not about what you know, but who you know.

Just about everyone has heard that line at one point or another. The saying rings true for Reno Aces Clubhouse Manager Paul Whatley, who got his current gig thanks to a friend who is also a clubbie.

“They said ‘Paul you’d be pretty good at this’ so I got after it,” he said.

And boy does Paul get after it. A day’s work is about 16 hours.

The job entails a lot of moving parts but ultimately responsibilities come down to one thing: do whatever players ask so they can be successful.

“Laundry and so forth,” Whatley said of his responsibilities. “Make sure the guys got all their meals.”

Cleaning, and feeding are at the macro level of what Whatley does daily.

Again, do whatever players ask so they can be successful.

“I deal with a lot of card shipping. ‘Paul Mother’s Day is coming up can you get some cards and mail them out?’ Whatley recalls of past interactions with players.

Those requests also pad Whatley’s pockets. Tips are how he really makes his money.

“It’s a lot of different requests. I enjoy it. I love what I do. My office is a baseball field. You can’t beat that,” Whatley said with a smile.

Being in the Diamondbacks organization for five years Whatley has really gotten to know a lot of the guys on the Aces.

Heck, even the away teams that come to Greater Nevada Field. He has Mike Trout signature sneakers given to him by the Los Angeles Angels All-Star outfielder. He’s been gifted a watch and memorabilia for his birthday, but perhaps the most heartwarming gift is when players ask him how his wheelchair-bound mom is doing when he’s away.

“These guys are my family. I’m with these guys six months out of the year. Just the camaraderie. It’s a brotherhood,” said Whatley.

Next time you’re at an Aces game know Whatley, working in the bowels of the stadium, is partially responsible for the product you see on the field.

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