Tommy Giordano
Encyclopedia
Thomas Arthur Giordano is an American
professional baseball
front-office executive. In , in his 63rd season in organized baseball, he served as senior advisor to the general manager
of the American League
champion Texas Rangers
.
Giordano is also a former Major League Baseball
infielder
, scout, and scouting and farm system director, and minor league
manager
. As scouting and player development director of the Baltimore Orioles
(1976–1987) he drafted Hall of Fame shortstop
Cal Ripken, Jr.
, and signed and developed other players who would help Baltimore win the 1983 World Series
championship.
Nicknamed "T-Bone," Giordano the player stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 175 pounds (79.4 kg) and threw and batted right-handed. Apart from an 11-game trial with the 1953 Philadelphia Athletics
, when he batted
.175 with seven hits
(four for extra bases), he spent his entire uniformed career in the minors. In he became a playing manager for the Milwaukee Braves
' organization, then returned to the Athletics (based by now in Kansas City
) two years later as a minor league manager. In 1960, Giordano became a scout, working for the Athletics, Cincinnati Reds
, Cleveland Indians
, Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers
and the Orioles. He is a longtime associate of former MLB general managers Hank Peters
and John Hart
.
Since 1976, he has been a senior scouting or player development executive or assistant to the general manager for the Orioles, Indians (1987–2000) and Rangers (since 2001). He was named Major League Baseball's East Coast Scout of the Year in 2007 in a vote of his peers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
front-office executive. In , in his 63rd season in organized baseball, he served as senior advisor to the general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion 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...
.
Giordano is also 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...
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...
, scout, and scouting and farm system director, and 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...
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...
. As scouting and player development director of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1976–1987) he drafted Hall of Fame shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
, and signed and developed other players who would help Baltimore win the 1983 World Series
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
championship.
Nicknamed "T-Bone," Giordano the player stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 175 pounds (79.4 kg) and threw and batted right-handed. Apart from an 11-game trial with the 1953 Philadelphia Athletics
1953 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing 7th in the American League with a record of 59 wins and 95 losses.- Offseason :...
, when he 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 :...
.175 with seven hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(four for extra bases), he spent his entire uniformed career in the minors. In he became a playing manager for the Milwaukee 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....
' organization, then returned to the Athletics (based by now in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
) two years later as a minor league manager. In 1960, Giordano became a scout, working for the Athletics, 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....
, 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 Pilots/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...
and the Orioles. He is a longtime associate of former MLB general managers Hank Peters
Hank Peters
Henry J. "Hank" Peters is an American former baseball executive. He began his career in the scouting department of the St. Louis Browns and their successors, the Baltimore Orioles, in the mid-1950s...
and John Hart
John Hart (baseball)
John Henry Hart is an American Major League Baseball executive. In addition, he is the former general manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers...
.
Since 1976, he has been a senior scouting or player development executive or assistant to the general manager for the Orioles, Indians (1987–2000) and Rangers (since 2001). He was named Major League Baseball's East Coast Scout of the Year in 2007 in a vote of his peers.