SAN DIEGO -- For 32 years, Jim Skaalen toiled in obscurity in the minor leagues, making no less than a dozen stops as a player, coach, manager and instructor.

He played three years in the Orioles' chain, then was hired as a minor-league coach by the Astros.

The Padres hired him as a minor-league manager in 1982. He bounced to the Rangers organization, the Mariners, back to the Padres for three years as director of player development, before finally joining the Brewers in 2000.

Then, on Oct. 27, 2006, after stops in Daytona Beach, Fla.; Walla Walla, Wash.; Reno, Nev.; Charleston, S.C.; Port Charlotte, Fla.; Tulsa, Okla.; and Oklahoma City, more fast-food meals than he'd like to admit and more stays in one-star motels than a man should be forced to endure, he got the word.

At 52, Skaalen -- the former San Diego State slugger and current Carlsbad resident -- arrived in the big leagues this season as batting coach of the Brewers.

"This is a dream come true," said Skaalen, whose son Chris pitched at Carlsbad High and is now on the staff at Cal State San Marcos.

"I have to admit, early on getting to the big leagues was an all-consuming goal. Then I was having so much fun in the minor leagues that it became less of a goal. After a while, it stopped being a goal."

But late last year, the Brewers let hitting coach Butch Wynegar go.

That opened the door for Skaalen, who had worked in the minor leagues with the Brewers' crew of up-and-coming young hitters -- Rickie Weeks, Ryan Braun, J.J. Hardy, Prince Fielder, Bill Hall and Anthony Gwynn.

Skaalen interviewed for the job in Phoenix with Brewers manager Ned Yost and general manager Bob Melvin and got the position in what Yost called a "no-brainer of a decision."

"I wouldn't be in the big leagues without Jim Skaalen," Gwynn said. "He's awesome. He's a lot like my pops (Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn). He has the next best set of eyes for hitting that I've been around. He's super easy to work with.

"I was really struggling in 2004 (at Double-A Huntsville), and he brought something up about my legs and my weight shift. That solved my problems.

"All the kids in the Brewers organization came up with him. Ask any one of the young guys, and they'll back me up on that."

Hardy was a second-round selection of the Brewers in 2001. He made it to the big leagues in 2005, but struggled. Then he missed most of last season after ankle surgery.

This season, working with Skaalen every day, Hardy has blossomed into one of the National League's most-feared hitters, batting .303 with 15 homes and 43 RBIs.

"Too many hitting coaches try to impose their will on you," Hardy said. "Jim Skaalen doesn't. He works with what you have.

"He doesn't have a lot of crazy ideas. He keeps things simple. And he's such a positive guy, that it rubs off on everyone."

For example, Hardy said he was in an 0-for-11 stretch earlier this season when he sat down with Skaalen.

"I wanted to talk myself into a slump," Hardy said. "But Jim told me my swing was great, to just go up to the plate with the same approach and same swing, and I'd be fine.

"Obviously, it worked."

"I just love the guy."

Skaalen, who grew up in Coronado and led San Diego State in runs scored in 1974 and doubles, home runs and RBIs in 1975, had a love affair with the Padres when he was their employee.

He managed Padres clubs in the low minors from 1982-86 and was the director of player development from 1997-99.

"That first year in player development was tough because it was the first time in my career I wasn't on the field," Skaalen said. "I was spending six to eight hours a day on the phone, dealing with agents I didn't know.

"I didn't know if a guy was blowing smoke up my rear or not, and that was tough. But as I grew into the role, I really enjoyed it."

Then the rug was pulled out from under him. Caught in a transition period with Ted Simmons at the control of the Padres' minor leaguers, Skaalen was let go.

"That really buckled me because I had grown to love the job," Skaalen said.

"But Greg Riddoch (the Padres' manager in the early 1990s) told me everything happens for a reason."

Skaalen immediately landed a job working with Milwaukee's minor-league hitters, eventually landing in the big leagues.

"When I interviewed with Ned and Doug it was like three friends talking," Skaalen said.

"They must have liked what they heard because I got the job, and I'm in the big leagues."

Contact staff writer John Maffei at (760) 740-3547 or jmaffei@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.