Don Wakamatsu
Encyclopedia
Wilbur Donald "Don" Wakamatsu (born February 22, 1963 in Hood River
, Oregon
) is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
and manager
. He was the manager of the Seattle Mariners
for the season, as well as the majority of the season. He is currently the Toronto Blue Jays
bench coach for the season.
's Hayward High School
in California, and ultimately chose baseball over football
due to his lack of size. He and Jacksonville Jaguars
head coach Jack Del Rio
were baseball and football teammates while there.
He was also an All Pac-10 catcher during his last three years at Arizona State University
, where he was a teammate of Barry Bonds
and Alvin Davis
. He was drafted by the New York Yankees
as the last pick of the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft
, but decided to return to ASU.
by the Cincinnati Reds
. He reached the Double-A level before the Reds released him before the season.
Shortly after the Reds released him, he signed with the Chicago White Sox
, who assigned him to the Double-A Birmingham Barons
. He spent and most of with the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians
before getting his only call to the big leagues in May 1991. Wakamatsu played 18 games in the majors as a backup catcher
for the White Sox in 1991, working in all of his starts for knuckleball
er Charlie Hough
.
After the 1991 season the White Sox granted Wakamatsu free agency
, and he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
shortly after. He spent 1992–1996 playing at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in the Dodgers, Texas Rangers
, Cleveland Indians
, Seattle Mariners
and Milwaukee Brewers
organizations before his playing career ended at age 33.
system, managing the Arizona League Diamondbacks in , the Class-A High Desert Mavericks
in , and the Double-A El Paso Diablos
in . In he was named Manager of the Year in the California League
, after leading the High Desert Mavericks
to the playoffs.
He spent managing the Erie SeaWolves
, the Anaheim Angels
' Double-A affiliate, and then the next two seasons as a roving catching instructor in the Angels organization.
' bench coach. During the 2006 season, he served as manager for two games while Buck Showalter
was in the hospital with an irregular heartbeat brought about due to dehydration, and in 2007, took the third base coach job when Ron Washington
took over as manager. He spent as the bench coach of the Oakland Athletics
.
On November 19, , he was named the manager of the Seattle Mariners, replacing interim manager Jim Riggleman
, and becoming the first Asian-American manager in the majors.
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On April 6, , Wakamatsu won his managerial debut as the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins
6–1 on Opening Day
.
Later in the season, Wakamatsu was officially selected as a coach under Tampa Bay Rays
manager Joe Maddon
for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis along with Kansas City Royals
manager Trey Hillman
on June 17, 2009.
Fred Claire
, former baseball executive and current writer for MLB.com
, stated that Wakamatsu and his staff, composed of bench coach Ty Van Burkleo
, pitching coach Rick Adair
, hitting coach Alan Cockrell
, first base coach Lee Tinsley
, bullpen coach John Wetteland
and performance coach Steve Hecht
, deserved credit for a 24-game improvement. Claire wrote this about Wakamatsu:
On May 20, 2010, during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays
, Wakamatsu received his first career ejection
. As of June 12, he has a career total of two ejections.
On August 9, 2010, amidst one of the worst seasons in team history, Wakamatsu was fired as Mariners manager.
On November 8, 2010, Wakamatsu was announced as the new bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
, under new manager John Farrell.
with wife, Laura, sons: Jacob and Lucas, and daughter Jadyn. Jacob was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB Draft
Born to a Japanese American
father and an Irish American
mother, he is fourth-generation Japanese American
; and the first half-Asian and half-Caucasian manager in Major League Baseball
history. Close friends and players call him "Wak" . His father was born in the Tule Lake War Relocation Center
, a Japanese American internment camp located in Northern California near the Oregon border.
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) is a former 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...
catcher
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...
and 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...
. He was the manager of the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
for the season, as well as the majority of the season. He is currently the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
bench coach for the season.
High school and collegiate
Wakamatsu was a three-sport star at the Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
's Hayward High School
Hayward High School
Hayward High School is a public high school in Hayward, California, one of four high schools in the city. It is one of the oldest high schools in Northern California. The official mascot for Hayward High is the "Farmer" which dates back to Hayward's period as an agricultural center...
in California, and ultimately chose baseball over football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
due to his lack of size. He and Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Jack Del Rio
Jack Del Rio
Jack Del Rio is an American football coach and former player. Del Rio played both football and baseball for the University of Southern California Trojans, and then spent eleven years playing linebacker in the National Football League . He retired from playing in 1996 and went into coaching,...
were baseball and football teammates while there.
He was also an All Pac-10 catcher during his last three years at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, where he was a teammate of Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
and Alvin Davis
Alvin Davis
Alvin Glenn Davis , nicknamed "Mr. Mariner", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. Davis played his career primarily for the Seattle Mariners...
. He was drafted by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
as the last pick of the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft
1984 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1984 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*Future Canadian Football League quarterback Damon Allen, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round, 182nd overall....
, but decided to return to ASU.
Professional
Wakamatsu was drafted in the 11th round of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft1985 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full year of major league experience prior to the start of the 1987 season. Included in that list were...
by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He reached the Double-A level before the Reds released him before the season.
Shortly after the Reds released him, he signed with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, who assigned him to the Double-A Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
. He spent and most of with the Triple-A Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
before getting his only call to the big leagues in May 1991. Wakamatsu played 18 games in the majors as a backup catcher
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...
for the White Sox in 1991, working in all of his starts for knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er Charlie Hough
Charlie Hough
Charles Oliver Hough is a former Major League Baseball knuckleball pitcher. He is currently a senior adviser of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Playing career:...
.
After the 1991 season the White Sox granted Wakamatsu free agency
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
, and he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
shortly after. He spent 1992–1996 playing at the Double-A and Triple-A levels in the Dodgers, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
organizations before his playing career ended at age 33.
Minor Leagues
Following his playing retirement, Wakamatsu became a minor league manager in the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
system, managing the Arizona League Diamondbacks in , the Class-A High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
in , and the Double-A El Paso Diablos
El Paso Diablos
The El Paso Diablos are a professional baseball team based in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. The Diablos are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2005 season to the...
in . In he was named Manager of the Year in the California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. 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...
, after leading the High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
to the playoffs.
He spent managing the Erie SeaWolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....
, the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
' Double-A affiliate, and then the next two seasons as a roving catching instructor in the Angels organization.
Major Leagues
From to , he was the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
' bench coach. During the 2006 season, he served as manager for two games while Buck Showalter
Buck Showalter
William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
was in the hospital with an irregular heartbeat brought about due to dehydration, and in 2007, took the third base coach job when Ron Washington
Ron Washington
Ronald Washington is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and the current manager of the Texas Rangers. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached in the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics organizations.-Playing career:Washington was signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 17, 1970...
took over as manager. He spent as the bench coach of the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
On November 19, , he was named the manager of the Seattle Mariners, replacing interim manager Jim Riggleman
Jim Riggleman
James David Riggleman is a former Major League Baseball manager and coach. Riggleman was an infielder and outfielder in the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals minor league systems from 1974–1981...
, and becoming the first Asian-American manager in the majors.
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
6–1 on Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
.
Later in the season, Wakamatsu was officially selected as a coach under Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
manager Joe Maddon
Joe Maddon
Joseph John Maddon is the Major League Baseball manager for the Tampa Bay Rays.He previously served as interim manager of the Anaheim Angels in both 1996 and 1999. He was also a long-time bench coach for the team.-Early life and career:Maddon attended Lafayette College, where he played baseball...
for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game in St. Louis along with Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
manager Trey Hillman
Trey Hillman
Thomas Brad "Trey" Hillman is the current bench coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has previously been the manager of both the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League and the Kansas City Royals in the American League.-Playing career:Hillman signed with the Cleveland Indians in...
on June 17, 2009.
Fred Claire
Fred Claire
Fred Claire is a former major league baseball executive who served in numerous roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1969–1998 including the role of general manager from 1987–1998.-Early life:...
, former baseball executive and current writer for MLB.com
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
, stated that Wakamatsu and his staff, composed of bench coach Ty Van Burkleo
Ty Van Burkleo
Tyler Lee Van Burkleo was a former bench coach for the Seattle Mariners and a former first baseman in major league baseball. He played for two different major league teams in his career: the California Angels and Colorado Rockies...
, pitching coach Rick Adair
Rick Adair
Michael Richard Adair is the pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles and a former minor league baseball player.-Playing career:...
, hitting coach Alan Cockrell
Alan Cockrell
Atlee Alan Cockrell is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Cockrell is an alumnus of Joplin, MO's now-closed Parkwood High School where he was a standout on their championship football, baseball, and basketball teams, and the University of Tennessee, where he was an all-American...
, first base coach Lee Tinsley
Lee Tinsley
Lee Owen Tinsley is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.-Playing career:Lee had a 5-year Major League playing career that included stops with the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies...
, bullpen coach John Wetteland
John Wetteland
John Karl Wetteland is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who specialized as a closer. During a 12-year career , he pitched for four different teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers.-Playing career:Wetteland was signed by the Dodgers as their second...
and performance coach Steve Hecht
Steve Hecht
Steve James Hecht is a performance coach for the Seattle Mariners. His job is to focus on mental training...
, deserved credit for a 24-game improvement. Claire wrote this about Wakamatsu:
On May 20, 2010, during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, Wakamatsu received his first career ejection
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
. As of June 12, he has a career total of two ejections.
On August 9, 2010, amidst one of the worst seasons in team history, Wakamatsu was fired as Mariners manager.
On November 8, 2010, Wakamatsu was announced as the new bench coach for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, under new manager John Farrell.
Personal life
Wakamatsu resides in North Richland Hills, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
with wife, Laura, sons: Jacob and Lucas, and daughter Jadyn. Jacob was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 48th round of the 2011 MLB Draft
MLB Draft
The First-Year Player Draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs, to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with...
Born to a Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
father and an Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
mother, he is fourth-generation Japanese American
Yonsei (fourth-generation Nikkei)
is a Japanese diasporic term used in countries, particularly in North America and in Latin America, to specify the great-grandchildren of Japanese immigrants . The children of Issei are Nisei . Sansei are the third generation, and their offspring are Yonsei...
; and the first half-Asian and half-Caucasian manager in 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...
history. Close friends and players call him "Wak" . His father was born in the Tule Lake War Relocation Center
Tule Lake War Relocation Center
Tule Lake Segregation Center National Monument was an internment camp in the northern California town of Newell near Tule Lake. It was used in the Japanese American internment during World War II. It was the largest and most controversial of the camps, and did not close until after the war, in...
, a Japanese American internment camp located in Northern California near the Oregon border.
External links
- Minor league statistics at The Baseball Cube
- Interview with Don Wakamatsu MyNorthwest.com