Tony DeFrancesco

Tony DeFrancesco
Manager
Born: (1963-04-24) April 24, 1963
Suffern, New York
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB statistics
(through 2012 season)
Games 41
Win–Loss Record 16–25
Winning % .390
Teams

As manager

Anthony John DeFrancesco (born April 24, 1963) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) interim manager with the Houston Astros. He was brought up from the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma RedHawks, during the 2012 MLB season. Previously, he spent six seasons as manager of the Sacramento River Cats and served one season as third-base coach for the Oakland Athletics of MLB. He was also a catcher in the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds farm systems from 1984 to 1992.

DeFrancesco was a minor league coach and manager for the Oakland Athletics farm system for fourteen years, managing teams in the Arizona Rookie League, Northwest League, California League, Texas League, and Pacific Coast League (PCL).[1] As the manager of the PCL's River Cats, (Oakland's Triple-A farm club), DeFrancesco led the team to three PCL titles in five years, winning the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year Award and The Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year award in 2003.[1][2] The River Cats won the 2007 Bricktown Showdown under DeFrancesco.

In 2015, he managed the Fresno Grizzlies, the Triple-A PCL affiliate of the Houston Astros, to the Triple-A National Championship and was named Baseball America's Minor League Manager of the Year.[3]

Player

After three seasons playing at Seton Hall for head coach Mike Sheppard, DeFrancesco was selected in the ninth round of the 1984 draft by the Boston Red Sox.[4] During a nine-year minor league playing career, DeFrancesco played in 567 games and advanced as high as AAA, but never played in the majors.[5]

Manager

After retiring as a player, DeFrancesco began his managing career in 1994 with the Arizona League Athletics.

In 2003 Tony DeFrancesco moved up to the Pacific Coast League's Sacramento River Cats, where he led the team to a 92-52 record in his first year, earning him the 2003 Minor League Manager of the Year from The Sporting News.[6] DeFrancesco would continue to lead the River Cats to PCL championships in 2004 and 2007.[7]

In 2008, DeFrancesco became the third base coach for the Oakland Athletics.

In 2009, Oakland announced that DeFrancesco would return to the Sacramento River Cats as manager, replacing Todd Steverson.[4]

On November 30, 2010, the Athletics announced that Darren Bush would replace DeFrancesco as manager of the River Cats.[8]

On August 19, 2012, the Astros announced DeFrancesco would be the interim manager of the major league team for the remainder of the 2012 season, replacing Brad Mills.[9] He won his first game in his fifth game as manager when the Astros defeated the New York Mets on August 24.[10] With his appointment late in the 2012 season, DeFrancesco served as the final manager of the Astros as a National League franchise.

He has been the manager of the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies since the 2015 season. During his first season, he led the Central Valley team to become the Triple-A champions. It was the team's first time winning the Triple-A championship in 18 seasons. Tony DeFrancesco then won Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year Award.

References

  1. 1 2 "River Cats Manager Tony DeFrancesco named Oakland A's third base coach". OurSportsCentral. October 25, 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  2. ↑ "Tony DeFrancesco". Sacramento River Cats. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  3. ↑ Anteola, Bryant-Jon (September 22, 2015). "The Greatest Growl: Grizzlies Earn Crown". The Fresno Bee. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Tony DeFrancesco to Return as Manager of the River Cats for 2009 Season". OurSportsCentral. January 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  5. ↑ "Tony DeFrancesco". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  6. ↑ "Sporting News names Zack Greinke Player of the Year". mlb.com. 2003-09-16. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  7. ↑ "Tony DeFrancesco to Return as Manager". Sacramento River Cats. 04/06/2009. Retrieved 2009-04-26. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ↑ Lee, Jane. "A's shuffle Minor League coaching staffs". OaklandAthletics.com. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
  9. ↑ McTaggart, Brian (19 August 2012). "Astros tab DeFrancesco as interim manager". MLB.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  10. ↑ Rosenbloom, Adam (25 August 2012). "Lyle's strong outing gives DeFrancesco first win". Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
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