Buddy Bailey
Encyclopedia
Welby Sheldon "Buddy" Bailey (born March 28, 1957 in Norristown, Pennsylvania
) is the manager
of the Daytona Cubs
of the Class A Florida State League
and a veteran skipper in minor league baseball
. In , Bailey will spend his third consecutive season as Daytona's manager. He has been a member of the Chicago Cubs
organization since .
, where he managed for the last half of the season, in after two seasons in higher-classification leagues. In , he managed the Tennessee Smokies
of the Class AA Southern League
. Under him, the Smokies finished in last place in the SL's North Division with a mark of 62-77 (.446). He was replaced by Baseball Hall of Fame member and all-time Cub great Ryne Sandberg
as Smokies' manager on December 17, 2008.
Bailey spent the 2007
season as pilot of the Iowa Cubs
of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League
. Iowa finished second overall in the PCL American North Division standings with a 79-65 record in 2007. Bailey joined the Cub organization in 2006
as its roving minor league catching
instructor, before assuming the Daytona managerial reins in midseason as interim skipper.
, Amherst, Virginia
, and Lynchburg College
, Bailey signed his first pro contract with the Atlanta Braves
in . A catcher, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed 193 pounds (87.5 kg). Bailey never reached Major League Baseball
as a player, hitting
.210 with six home run
s over four minor league seasons, mostly at the Class A level. He managed in the Atlanta organization from 1983 through 1990, winning the Southern League pennant as pilot of the Greenville Braves
in 1988.
as manager of their Class A Lynchburg Red Sox affiliate in the Carolina League
in 1991-92. He then became the ninth skipper in the history of the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox
in 1993, the youngest manager in team history at the time. He would lead the "PawSox" for seven seasons, spread over two terms (1993–96; 2002–04). Under Bailey, the PawSox played for the 2003 Governors' Cup
, the championship of the International League
. They were defeated by the Durham Bulls
. He won Manager of the Year twice in the IL, in 1996 and 2003, becoming one of only four managers to do that in league history.
Bailey also spent one season (2000
) as the bench coach
for the parent Red Sox and was Boston's advance scout, field coordinator of minor league instruction, or roving catching instructor during the period of 1997-99 and in 2001. Bailey also has been the manager of Tigres de Aragua
of the Venezuelan Winter League (LVBP
) since 2002 and has five championships, and one sub-championship in six finals. Bailey was named the Manager of the Year in 2006-2007.
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Norristown is a municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of the city limits of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The population was 34,324 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Montgomery County...
) is the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...
of the Class A Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
and a veteran skipper in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. In , Bailey will spend his third consecutive season as Daytona's manager. He has been a member of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
organization since .
Career in Cubs' organization
Bailey returned to DaytonaDaytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
, where he managed for the last half of the season, in after two seasons in higher-classification leagues. In , he managed the Tennessee Smokies
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...
of the Class AA Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. Under him, the Smokies finished in last place in the SL's North Division with a mark of 62-77 (.446). He was replaced by Baseball Hall of Fame member and all-time Cub great Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
as Smokies' manager on December 17, 2008.
Bailey spent the 2007
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
season as pilot of the Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. Iowa finished second overall in the PCL American North Division standings with a 79-65 record in 2007. Bailey joined the Cub organization in 2006
2006 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*The 2006 World Baseball Classic final 4 teams are Japan, Cuba, Korea and the Dominican Republic, with the United States at 3–3 failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Under the leadership of manager Sadaharu Oh and veterans Ichiro Suzuki and Daisuke Matsuzaka, Japan ...
as its roving minor league catching
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
instructor, before assuming the Daytona managerial reins in midseason as interim skipper.
Roots with the Atlanta Braves
A graduate of Amherst County High SchoolAmherst County High School
Amherst County High School is a suburban public high school, grades 9–12, serving Amherst County, Virginia. As the only high school in the county, ACHS offers a comprehensive roster of classes, from advanced classes to classes offered through a program of reciprocity with local colleges that...
, Amherst, Virginia
Amherst, Virginia
Amherst is a town in Amherst County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,251 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Amherst County.Amherst is part of the Lynchburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College
Lynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
, Bailey signed his first pro contract with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in . A catcher, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed 193 pounds (87.5 kg). Bailey never reached Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
as a player, hitting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.210 with six home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s over four minor league seasons, mostly at the Class A level. He managed in the Atlanta organization from 1983 through 1990, winning the Southern League pennant as pilot of the Greenville Braves
Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004...
in 1988.
Red Sox minor league skipper, scout and coach
Bailey joined the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
as manager of their Class A Lynchburg Red Sox affiliate in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
in 1991-92. He then became the ninth skipper in the history of the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
in 1993, the youngest manager in team history at the time. He would lead the "PawSox" for seven seasons, spread over two terms (1993–96; 2002–04). Under Bailey, the PawSox played for the 2003 Governors' Cup
Governors' Cup
The Governors' Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the International League, one of the two current Triple-A level minor leagues of Major League Baseball.-Governors' Cup history:...
, the championship of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. They were defeated by the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
. He won Manager of the Year twice in the IL, in 1996 and 2003, becoming one of only four managers to do that in league history.
Bailey also spent one season (2000
2000 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - New York Yankees*Postseason - October 3 to October 26Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
) as the bench coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the parent Red Sox and was Boston's advance scout, field coordinator of minor league instruction, or roving catching instructor during the period of 1997-99 and in 2001. Bailey also has been the manager of Tigres de Aragua
Tigres de Aragua
The Tigres de Aragua are a baseball team that plays in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.Founded in 1965, they play at the Estadio José Perez Colmenares in Maracay...
of the Venezuelan Winter League (LVBP
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional is the highest level baseball league in Venezuela.-Brief history:Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world championship in Havana....
) since 2002 and has five championships, and one sub-championship in six finals. Bailey was named the Manager of the Year in 2006-2007.