Since graduating from Roosevelt High in 1963, the only profession Mike Lum has known is baseball. But with no pro team in Hawai'i since the Islanders of the Pacific Coast League left after the 1987 season, it was hard for Lum to find a job here.

But Hawaii Winter Baseball returned and Lum found work — albeit a temporary one, lasting just seven weeks — as hitting coach for the North Shore Honu.

"It's nice to get back home and work," Lum said. "With my business, there's no opportunity to come back to Hawai'i and work. There's been no professional teams until now."

The irony is this might be his last time coaching in HWB. His duties have changed with the Milwaukee Brewers, as he was recently named hitting coordinator. He was promoted from hitting coach at Low-A West Virginia to succeed Jim Skaalen, who was named hitting coach for the Brewers. The coaching staffs of HWB are made up of managers and coaches of minor league teams.

(Coordinators have made brief appearances this season. New York Yankees pitching instructor Nardi Contreras was on hand to watch the four Yankees pitchers — Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, Christian Garcia and Jeff Marquez — last week. Los Angeles Dodgers hitting coordinator Bill Robinson came to observe prospects Blake DeWitt (infielder), Cory Dunlap (first base) and Xavier Paul (outfielder) as well as pitchers Wesley Wright and Zachary Hammes.)

"I'm going back to coordinating," Lum said. "I'll be roving again. I interviewed for the big league job with the Brewers, (as) did the hitting coordinator (Skaalen). He's been there four, five years. He was chosen, which is great because he knows the players in the big leagues. He's been around those guys. He and I worked very well together and I think our relationship will continue, with he being the big league coach and I being the roving guy."

Lum returns to the type of work he had done for 16 years with the Chicago White Sox. But his contract was not renewed after the 2005 season. He hooked up with the Brewers in January, but the only opening was at West Virginia of the South Atlantic League.

"I was a little reluctant at first when they said the position they had open was for a hitting coach in the South Atlantic League, which is A-ball," Lum said. "I thought about it for a day and said, 'I think this will be a great opportunity for me to do something different,' and it was the best summer I had. I loved it."

By being here, he also gets to work with Brewer prospects Lorenzo Cain and Darren Ford, who were both outfielders at West Virginia. Cain batted .307 and had 34 steals, while Ford batted .283 with 69 steals.

"I think these guys have a chance to become impact players," Lum said.

PROMOTIONS

Fans wearing Halloween costumes will be admitted free to HWB games tonight at either Les Murakami Stadium (7 p.m.) or Hans L'Orange Park (6:30 p.m.), the league announced. There also will be costume contests with prizes.

Also, each Monday selected HWB players will be making appearances at Planet Fun in the Kunia Shopping Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Players will be announced several days before on www.hawaiiwinter baseball.com.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertis er.com or 525-8042.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.