Joey Amalfitano
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Amalfitano is a former utility
infielder
, manager
and coach
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
. He played a combined ten seasons with the New York/San Francisco Giants
(1954–1955, 1960–1961, 1963), Houston Colt .45s
(1962) and Chicago Cubs
(1964–1967). He managed the Cubs from 1979
to 1981
. He is best known as the Los Angeles Dodgers
' third-base coach for sixteen years from 1983
to 1998
, which included a World Series
championship. He is currently a special assistant for player development for the San Francisco Giants
, primarily working in its farm system
.
and the University of Southern California
. Because he signed a "bonus contract
" when he became a professional player in , Amalfitano spent the first two years of his pro career sitting on the bench of the New York Giants
under the terms of the rule then in force. But after four years in the minor leagues, he returned to the National League
in and played through the middle of for the Giants, Houston Colt .45s
and Chicago Cubs
. Amalfitano, a right-handed hitter and thrower, batted
.244 in 1,715 at bat
s with nine home run
s.
. He moved back to the Giants as a coach in , then to the San Diego Padres
from - before rejoining the Cubs as a member of Herman Franks
' staff in and .
Amalfitano served as Chicago's interim manager after Franks' resignation in September 1979, compiling a record of 2-5 to finish the season. That autumn, the Cubs appointed Preston Gómez
manager, with Amalfitano retained as a coach. But when Chicago started the campaign poorly under Gómez, winning only 38 of 90 games, he was fired in July and Amalfitano was named his permanent successor. The Cubs won only 26 games, losing 46, to remain in the basement of the National League East Division, but Amalfitano was allowed to return for . During that strike-shortened, split-season campaign, his team won a total of 38 games, losing 65, finishing last and next-to-last with the worst overall record in the division. At season's end, he was fired during a general housecleaning of the Chicago front office. Amalfitano's career record as a manager, over all or parts of three seasons with the Cubs, was 66-116 (.363).
However, he remained active in baseball, returning to coaching with the Cincinnati Reds
and then spending 16 seasons as the third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers
(-). He then was a consultant with the Dodgers' baseball operations department and worked with minor league
infielder
s in his original organization, the Giants, before assuming his current position with them. His primary role has been to instruct the Giants' minor leaguers on baseball fundamentals, especially bunting.
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, 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...
and 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...
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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...
. He played a combined ten seasons with the New York/San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1954–1955, 1960–1961, 1963), Houston Colt .45s
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1962) and 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...
(1964–1967). He managed the Cubs from 1979
1979 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 26, 1978: Rudy Meoli was released by the Cubs.* February 23, 1979: Manny Trillo, Greg Gross, and Dave Rader were traded by the Cubs to the Philadelphia Phillies for Barry Foote, Ted Sizemore, Jerry Martin, Derek Botelho, and Henry Mack .* March 20, 1979: The Cubs traded a...
to 1981
1981 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 1981 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Chicago Cubs finishing the first-half in last place at 15-37, 17½ games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, and the second-half in fifth place at 23-28, six games behind the eventual NL East Champion Montreal Expos in...
. He is best known as 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...
' third-base coach for sixteen years from 1983
1983 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League Western Division but lost in the National League Championship Series to the Philadelphia Phillies 3 games to 1.- Offseason :* December 28, 1982: Acquired Pat Zachry from the New York Mets for Jorge Orta...
to 1998
1998 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The 1998 season saw the sale of the franchise from Peter O'Malley to the News Corporation take effect. The new corporate executives would quickly anger Dodger fans when they bypassed General Manager Fred Claire and made one of the biggest trades in franchise history...
, which included a World Series
1988 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBecause of using ace Orel Hershiser in Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers had to open with rookie Tim Belcher in Game 1. Meanwhile, Oakland sent a well-rested Dave Stewart to the mound. Both pitchers, however, would have...
championship. He is currently a special assistant for player development for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, primarily working in its farm system
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
.
Playing career
Amalfitano attended Loyola University of Los AngelesLoyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
and the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. Because he signed a "bonus contract
Bonus Rule
The Bonus Rule was a rule instituted by Major League Baseball in 1947 that prevented teams from assigning certain players to farm clubs. The rule stipulated that when a Major league team signed a player to a contract in excess of $4,000 , the Major League team was required to keep that player on...
" when he became a professional player in , Amalfitano spent the first two years of his pro career sitting on the bench of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
under the terms of the rule then in force. But after four years in the minor leagues, he returned to the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in and played through the middle of for the Giants, Houston Colt .45s
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and 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...
. Amalfitano, a right-handed hitter and thrower, batted
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 :...
.244 in 1,715 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s with nine 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.
Managerial/coaching career
After playing his final game on June 27, 1967, Amalfitano became a coach for the Cubs, serving under his first-ever manager, Leo DurocherLeo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
. He moved back to the Giants as a coach in , then to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
from - before rejoining the Cubs as a member of Herman Franks
Herman Franks
Herman Louis Franks was a catcher, coach, manager, general manager and scout in American Major League Baseball. He was born in Price, Utah.-Catcher with Cardinals, Dodgers and A's:...
' staff in and .
Amalfitano served as Chicago's interim manager after Franks' resignation in September 1979, compiling a record of 2-5 to finish the season. That autumn, the Cubs appointed Preston Gómez
Preston Gómez
Preston Gómez was a Cuban-born infielder, manager, coach and front-office official in Major League Baseball best known for managing three major league clubs: the San Diego Padres , Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs . He was born Pedro Gómez Martinez in Preston, Cuba, and was given his nickname in U.S...
manager, with Amalfitano retained as a coach. But when Chicago started the campaign poorly under Gómez, winning only 38 of 90 games, he was fired in July and Amalfitano was named his permanent successor. The Cubs won only 26 games, losing 46, to remain in the basement of the National League East Division, but Amalfitano was allowed to return for . During that strike-shortened, split-season campaign, his team won a total of 38 games, losing 65, finishing last and next-to-last with the worst overall record in the division. At season's end, he was fired during a general housecleaning of the Chicago front office. Amalfitano's career record as a manager, over all or parts of three seasons with the Cubs, was 66-116 (.363).
However, he remained active in baseball, returning to coaching with 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....
and then spending 16 seasons as the third base coach for 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...
(-). He then was a consultant with the Dodgers' baseball operations department and worked with minor league
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
s in his original organization, the Giants, before assuming his current position with them. His primary role has been to instruct the Giants' minor leaguers on baseball fundamentals, especially bunting.