Cubs’ LaHair taking nothing for granted

MESA, Ariz. — Bryan LaHair finds himself in a new situation this spring: having a major-league job.

Not that he’s taking it for granted or anything, but barring something unforeseen, the 29-year-old journeyman figures to break camp with a major-league team for the first time in his career.

His approach?

“Still the same,” he said Monday as he has been in Cubs spring-training camp well ahead of the official reporting date for position players.

“I still come in here working hard knowing there’s an opportunity in front of me. I want to enjoy it and try to get better each day.

“No question, I’ve got to win it every day for the next 10 years. This isn’t something I can just take for granted and stop working. I want to be in this game for a long time. I don’t want just to be in it for today or this year.

“I want it for the long haul.”

LaHair has made the long haul already.

A 39th-round draft choice of the Seattle Mariners in 2002, LaHair’s minor-league stops in the Mariners’ system included Everett, Wisconsin, Inland Empire, San Antonio and Tacoma.

He got a taste of the big leagues in 2008, but his big break came at another minor-league stop, the Cubs’ Class AAA Iowa farm club.

After spending 2010 in Des Moines, LaHair chose to return in 2011, and he lit up the Pacific Coast League. He led all of the minor leagues in home runs with a team-record 38 to go with a hitting line of .331/.405/.664.

That earned him a late-season cup of coffee with the Cubs, for whom he hit 2 homers in 20 at-bats. Not content to stop there, LaHair went to winter ball in Venezuela and hit 15 more homers.

Along the way, he found out something about himself.

“That I’ve got what it takes,” he said. “Hard work does pay off and success does pay off. I’m just trying to stay focused on the task at hand and get better each day.”

The Cubs chose not to bring back first baseman Carlos Pena this off-season, and they never were serious players for big-time free agents Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.

They did trade for a “first baseman of the future” in Anthony Rizzo, but they’ve stated more than once that Rizzo will open the season at Iowa and that LaHair has the job for now.

“There’s always that guy in spring training that lights things up, but I think right now we’re committed to LaHair being our first baseman,” manager Dale Sveum said.

Of course, minor-league success, especially in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, is no guarantee of big-league success.

But there’s only one way to find out, and the Cubs are taking that route.

“Just play at the big-league level,” hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo said. “I saw him when he was in Seattle. He had great numbers in the PCL. With those kinds of kids, you’ve just got to be patient and let him figure it out.

“He’s made adjustments since then. I just kind of compare him to Nellie Cruz, who did the same thing. He had great numbers in the PCL, came up and struggled. He went down two or three different years.

“LaHair has really matured. He’s really grown in himself. He’s learning his swing. He’s been working really hard. He went to winter ball and hit 15 home runs in 160-some at-bats.

“He’s definitely on the right track. He’s an outstanding young man. He’s really focused. He’s really learned how to prepare mentally in his own way. So I’m excited about him.”

For a big man — 6-feet-5 and 240 pounds — LaHair has a relatively compact swing that allows him to get to the ball quickly.

He said something else has enabled him to endure the journey.

“I’ve never doubted myself,” he said. “I’ve always believed that I could be a big-league player. The opportunity is coming, and go to it.

“My next step is to be consistent at the big-league level. Just work hard and perform at the big-league level now.”

It’s also interesting that LaHair credits Pena, whose job he has now, for helping him last September. The two lockered near each other at Wrigley Field, and the outgoing Pena spent a lot of time talking with LaHair.

“He’s great,” LaHair said. “I felt really blessed that he took me under his wing when I got there. I picked his brain as much as I possibly could during the time we worked together. I just learned a lot from him.

“Some of the things that we talked about I’m going to take and continue to get better each day.

“He mentioned the word ‘gratitude’ to me. Be humble. Stay in the moment and continue to work hard.”

LaHair could have left the Cubs organization after the 2010 season, but he decided to stay. Good career move, at this point.

“I just had a feeling,” he said. “I don’t know. I had a feeling that it was the right place for me. I felt like they really wanted me to come back and that there would be a place for me if I continued to get better and continued to work hard. It’s working out.”

bmiles@dailyherald.com