Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Stumbled across a factoid while writing another post...

Building up for the post season, I was planning on writing a series of obsessive lists about players and coaches who are looking to win their first World Series ring.

I have a fixation with people getting their World Series ring as I can only imagine it would be the apex of anyone's career... and NOT winning one must be a never ending source of frustration.

So I was looking up info on the coaching staffs of the teams that have either clinched a spot in the post season (Yankees, Cardinals, Dodgers, Angels) those who will clinch in the next day or so (Red Sox, Phillies) and those still fighting for a spot (Tigers, Twins, Rockies, Braves) to see which  coaches are looking for THEIR first ever World Series ring.

And the bit of trivia I have discovered was this...

All the managers of the teams still with October aspirations already have a World Series ring... except for Rockies manager Jim Tracy.

Joe Girardi of the the Yankees won as a player during the Joe Torre era.

Terry Francona of the Red Sox managed the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox teams.

Mike Scioscia of the Angels won as a player with the 1981 and 1988 Dodgers and as a manager with the 2002 Angels.

Jim Leyland of the Tigers managed the 1997 Marlins.

Ron Gardenhire of the Twins earned a ring as a coach for the 1991 Twins.

Charlie Manuel of the Phillies managed the 2008 World Champion Phillies.

Tony LaRussa of the Cardinals managed the 1989 A's and the 2006 Cardinals.

Joe Torre of the Dodgers managed the 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 Yankees.

Bobby Cox of the Braves managed the 1995 Braves.

Which means Tracy stands alone as a ringless manager.

And if the Braves pass the Rockies for the Wild Card, then this whole "winning a ring" would be old hat for ALL the managers.

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