Brian Farley

Brian B. Farley

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 190 lb.
• School Vanderbilt University, St. Petersburg College

• Born December 14, 1960 in Methuen, MA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Brian Farley pitched six seasons in the minor leagues, after which he became active in Dutch baseball. At his peak, his fastball hit 92 mph.

Farley was drafted out of junior college in the 8th round of the 1981 January draft by the California Angels. Continuing on to Vanderbilt University, he was selected in the 6th round of the 1982 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He debuted as a pro with the Erie Cardinals that year, going 3-4 with a 3.87 ERA as a regular member of the rotation. In 1983, Farley played for Erie (5-2, 4.83) and the Macon Redbirds (1-3, 8./64, 52 H in 33 1/3 IP). The next season, the right-hander threw for the Springfield Cardinals with a 8-9, 5.00 record. He allowed 16 home runs, tying Jackie Davidson and Kurt Lee for the Midwest League lead. Farley allowed 3 runs in 1/3 of an inning for the 1985 Savannah Cardinals, going 0-1. He missed all of 1986 with an injury and came back in 1987 with Springfield. He went 2-2 with a 4.10 ERA in 11 games to conclude his US career.

Farley went to the Netherlands in 1988 as a player-coach for a team in Eerste Klasse. In 1992, he moved to Oosterhout and made his Hoofdklasse debut with them. He remained a player-coach for the club through 1996. In 1998, Brian came to HCAW as their head coach, a position he held for three seasons. Farley married former Dutch Olympic softball pitcher Gonny Reijnen while he was with HCAW; the wedding took place at home plate. In 1998, Farley was voted the best coach in Hoofdklasse.

In the 2000 Olympics, Farley was an assistant coach for the Dutch national team. He also was coach for them in the 1997 European Championship. He was pitching coach for the national team in 2001-2002 (they won the 2001 European Championship) and regained the position in 2005. He was with the club for the 2005 Baseball World Cup, 2006 Intercontinental Cup and 2008 Olympics among other events. In December of 2008, he was named manager of the junior Dutch national team. The team finished second at the 2009 European Junior Championship. Farley was named manager of the Dutch national team in November 2010, succeeding Jim Stoeckel. He led them to the Gold at the 2011 Baseball World Cup, stunning Cuba twice to win it all; they were the first European team to win a real Baseball World Cup (Britain won in 1938, when only two teams played). On November 11, he was knighted in the order of Orange-Nassau, along with technical director Robert Eenhoorn and catcher Sidney de Jong, for his role in winning the World Cup.

He has also scouted in Europe for the Boston Red Sox.

Sources

• Honkbalsite.com
• 1983-1985 Baseball Almanacs
• 1986 Baseball America Statistics Report
• 1988 Baseball Guide