Diamondbacks Manager : Kirk Gibson

Kirk Gibson is the manager of the 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks. He was promoted after AJ Hinch was fired last year. He had been their bench coach since 2007. He also served as coach for the Detroit Tigers from 2003-2005. During all that time I could not find a single card depicting him as a coach but I did find this sweet bobble head. Nice "action shot" of him leaning on the dugout rails.

Of course, Gibson is best known for his walk-off homer in the 1988 World Series. His Teammate on the L.A. Dodgers was Alfredo Griffin.

Griffin was the Rookie of the Year for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979 and in 1980 was teamed with John Mayberry.

Prior to becoming a power hitting All Star for the royals, Mayberry struggled as a rookie for the Astros. His teammate in 1970 was the gold glove catcher Johnny Edwards.

Even though Edwards was an All Star '63-'65 he was traded from the Cincinnati Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968 to make room for Johnny Bench. In St. Louis he played with Lou Brock.

Brock spent the first half of the 1964 season on the Chicago Cubs with Ron Santo.

From Gibson to Santo in 5 degrees.

Cubs Manager : Mike Quade

The current manager of the Chicago Cubs is Mike Quade. He took over for Lou Piniella late last season. While he hasn't achieved much, he hasn't had much to work with, despite having the2nd highest payroll in the National League.

 

Quade never made the big leagues as a player but was made a manager at 28 years old. In this card he is a 26 year old player/coach for the 1983 Alexandria Dukes. His teammate is Bobby Bonilla or as he was known as then, "Roberto".

Bonilla came up as a rookie on the 1986 Chicago White Sox where he played with Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk.

Who can forget Fisk waving his home run ball fair during the 1975 World Series? Equally unforgettable is his 1975 Red Sox teammate, Luis Tiant's turn-around delivery.

In 1968 Tiant had an incredible 1.60 ERA which was credited to changing to his trademark delivery. He was teamed with veteran pitcher Stan Williams on the Cleveland Indians.

 

At 6'4" 225 lbs, Williams was an intimidating force on batters and won a World Series game for the L.A. Dodgers in 1959. His teammate was utility infielder Don Zimmer.

Zimmer has a full history with the Cubs as a manger, coach and a player. In 1961 he played for the Cubs alongside Ron Santo.

 

From Quade to Santo in 6 degrees.

Cardinals Manager : Tony LaRussa

Tony LaRussa has been managing the St. Louis Cardinals since 1996 making him the longest tenured manager in the majors. 

LaRussa played sporadically from 1963-1973 for the A's, Braves and Cubs. In  1968 he was teammates on the Oaland A's with Floyd Robinson who was in his final MLB season.

In 1964 Robinson played with another Sox great Minnie Minoso at the end of his career (not including "comebacks" in 1976 and 1980).

In 1958 Minnie earned his second Gold Glove, sharing the Cleveland Indian outfield with another great fielder, Jimmy Piersall. 

In 1963 Piersall donned a Washington Senators uniform (in addition to a Mets and finally an Angels uniform). His teammate Chuck Cottier would later manage the Seattle Mariners.

In 1960 Cottier was playing for the Milwaukee Braves along with pitcher Bob Buhl  who made his only All Star appearance in 1960.

Buhl pitched a total of 2 1/3 innings for the Cubs in 1966 before being part of the trade that brought Fergie Jenkins to Chicago. But those 2 1/3 inning linked him to Ron Santo.

Full Disclosure: Tony La Russa actually played with Ron Santo on the 1973 Cubs.  I didn't link him directly to Santo because there wasn't a 1973 card depicting LaRussa on the Cubs, he only made one appearance as a pinch runner, and it would've been a really short blog.  Fortunately, Paul over at Wrigley Wax made a 1973 LaRussa, so here it is:

So we can link Tony LaRussa directly to Ron Santo, or take the scenic route in 6 degrees.

Blue Jays Manager : John Farrell

The Toronto Blue Jays new manager for the 2011 season is John Farrell who had previously been the pitching coach of the Boston Red Sox from 2006-2010.

From 1987-1996 he was a pitcher for the Indians, Tigers, and Angel. In 1989 he was bullpen mates with Bud Black in Cleveland. Black is currently the skipper of the San Diego Padres.

Bud Black and Jim Sundberg were battery mates for the World Series winning 1985 Kansas City Royals.

In 1979 Jim Sundberg Caught for Jon Matlack on the Texas Rangers.

In 1975 Matlack was Co-MVP of the All Star Game and teammate with Rusty Staub on the New York Mets.

In 1964 Staub was playing for the Houston Colt .45's along with outfielder Al Spangler.

In 1968 Spangler played on the Cubs with All Star 3rd baseman, Ron Santo.

From 2011 Blue Jays manager, John Farrell to Ron Santo in 6 degrees.