Dodgers Manager : Don Mattingly

Don Mattingly worked on Joe Torre's coaching staff on the Yankees from 2003-2007. After being passed over when Torre left, he went to L.A. and was Torre's bench coach on the Dodgers. When Torre retired last year the manager job was given to Mattingly.

Mattingly was the A.L. MVP in 1985 while on the New York Yankees. He was teamed with Don Baylor.

Don Baylor was the A.L. MVP in 1979 while on the California Angels where he played with Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

Rod Carew was also an A.L. MVP in 1977 and Rookie of the Year in 1967 on the Minnesota Twins. His teammate there was Dean Chance.

Chance was the AL Cy Young award winner in 1964 on the Los Angeles Angles. Albie Pearson was his teammate.

Pearson was the Rookie of the Year in 1958 with the Senators and in 1960 he played with Milt Pappas on the Baltimore Orioles.

In 1972 Pappas pitched a near-perfect game. He retired the first 26 San Diego Padres and had a 1-2 count on Larry Stahl. Umpire Bruce Froeming called the next 3 pitches balls. Although Pappas has never forgiven Froeming, he got the next batter to pop out. Ant the first player on the mound to congratulate him was Ron Santo.

From Mattingly to Santo in 6 degrees.

Washington Nationals Win 11 of last 12, Manager Riggleman Quits

Yesterday, after sweeping the Seattle Mariners, Jim Riggleman decided it was time to negotiate an extension with Nationals' brass. It didn't go so well. Today the Nationals named John McLaren interim manager. Riggleman felt that he was being used as a place-holder for somebody else and that his current contract was "disrespectful". With the National's recent success he felt it was a good time to discuss an extension but when the club refused, he walked. A fairly bold move for a manager with a career winning percentage of .445 in nearly 1500 games. He never won so much as a division title. His best year was 1998 when he led the Cubs to a wild card berth.

As a player Riggleman was unspectacular as well, spending most of his career at the AA level and never making the majors. In 1979 on the AA Arkansas Travelers he played with future big-leaguer Tito Landrum.

 

Tito was played in the 1985 World Series along with Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith on the St. Louis Cardinals.

 

Ozzie was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1977 and in 1979 he was teamed with fellow hall of famer Gaylord Perry.

 

Perry made his major league debut in 1962 on the San Francisco Giants. His teammate, Jack Sanford, led the team with 24 wins and came in 2nd in Cy Young voting behind Don Drysdale.

In 1957 Sanford won the NL Rookie of the Year while on the Philadelphia Phillies where he played with Hall of Fame centerfielder Richie Ashburn. 

 

Ashburn spent 2 seasons on the Chicago Cubs playing with Ron Santo including 1961.

Starting with Jim Riggleman losing(?) a game of chicken and ending with Ron Santo 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.