Lenn Sakata says he has become a dinosaur. But he’s far from extinct.

No-nonsense teachers of baseball aren’t always warm and fuzzy, but when they’re as good at it as Sakata they remain in demand.

So the Kalani product who earned a World Series ring during his 11-year playing career in the majors returns this spring to the helm of the San Jose Giants. That’s where he enjoyed the most success developing talent and chalking up victories, becoming the winningest manager in California League history.

"Winning is a residual effect of developing the kids," he said.

A lot of the players he managed and helped develop — including stars the magnitude of Tim Lincecum, Pablo Sandoval and Matt Cain — went on to win World Series championships at San Francisco.

He left the organization abruptly in 2007 to manage the Chiba Lotte Marines farm team in Japan. Sakata might have been a victim of his own success with the Giants’ high single-A team.

"That’s what my wife (Shane) thinks," he said. "My strength was working with younger kids. So they already just assumed because I’d been there so long and didn’t say anything (that he wasn’t interested in moving up). It really wasn’t about getting a big-league job. It was more about being asked.

"When I left I kind of just did it and told them after the fact. … All I wanted was some respect."

Any negative feelings are in the past, he said. Obviously that’s true with the Giants, since they hired him again.

"He possesses the three most important aspects of player development: tremendous knowledge of baseball, great teaching ability and an off-the-charts work ethic," Shane Turner, the Giants director of player personnel, said in a release. "I welcome him back with open arms."

Sakata managed Modesto of the Rockies organization after returning from Japan, but was fired last season because of the old "philosophical differences" excuse.

As usual when he’s home in Hawaii over the winter, he spent plenty of time working informally with young local pros. His most recent proteges include Isiah Falefa-Kiner, Carlton Tanabe, Chace Numata, Tyler Hanzawa, Breland Almadova, Ben McQuown, Zach Kometani and Kaohi Downing. Kila Ka’aihue, now playing in Japan after four MLB seasons, also works out with the group.

Sakata leaves for spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., next week.

"I don’t think too much has changed except for the players," he said. "Eventually you pretty much know enough to push the right buttons to get them to respond, to work. This time kind of reminds me of the first year I went to the (Giants) organization, which was ’99. I knew more coaches and staff than I did players. I’m going to have to be a quick study."

He looks like a young 60. And of course he played ball at a very high level — but never in the political sense.

"I don’t go to anybody’s wedding. That’s kind of how it works," Sakata said, when asked if he aspires to coach or manage in the majors. "That ship has sailed. I didn’t fit the description of what they want."

He said it as something he’s OK with, and Lenn Sakata still loves the game enough to help others get to where he did as a player.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. Read his blog at staradvertiser.com/quickreads.