Jerry Manuel

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Jerry Manuel (born December 23, 1953 in Hahira, Georgia) is a bench coach for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball. He was previously a manager, having led the Chicago White Sox from 1998 to 2003. He amassed 500 wins and won the American League's Central Division title in 2000, a season in which he also won baseball's Manager of the Year award. His teams were criticized for one-dimensional power hitting, poor defense, and were hurt by injuries to several pitchers.

Manuel played sparingly in the major leagues from 1975 to 1982, mostly as a second baseman. He accumulated only 127 at bats and a .150 batting average with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 96 games. Although his playing career was brief, Manuel was the starting second baseman for the Montréal Expos in their only postseason series victory in 1981.

In a 6-season managerial career, Manuel compiled a .515 winning percentage with 500 wins and 471 losses in 971 games. He led them to four 2nd-place finishes but only one playoff appearance when he led the White Sox to a 1st-place finish in 2000. They went on to lose to Seattle in one of the 2000 American League Division Series.

During the 2005 season, Manuel was hired as first base coach for the New York Mets, eventually moving into the dugout to serve as bench coach to manager Willie Randolph.

His 2003 tops baseball card says on it, "Jerry has a philosophical air about him that makes him a sage influence and respected leader on his teams. After six seasons directing the White Soxs fortunes, he's risen to fourth on the franchise's managerial wins list. Formerly, he was a pro player for 15 years and 12-year coach/Minor League manager. Manuel and Ken Williams form the first African-American GM/manager tandem in MLB history."

[edit] Trivia

• In 1972, Manuel and Mike Ondina became the first pair of high school teammates to be drafted in the first round of a Major League draft. Both attended Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California. While Manuel played less than 100 games, Ondina fared even worse, never reaching the majors.
• Is the Father-In-Law of All-Star Outfielder Rondell White.

[edit] See also

• Montreal Expos all-time roster
• Chicago White Sox all-time roster

[edit] External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - managing record and playing statistics

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