Doug Simunic

From BR Bullpen

Simunicdoug.jpg

Douglas Simunic

BR Minors page

Biographical Information[edit]

Catcher Doug Simunic was selected by the Montreal Expos in the 1975 amateur draft. He played in the minor leagues for almost a decade in the Expos, Cleveland Indians, and Seattle Mariners organizations and hit .248 with 61 homers in 715 games. He was also a player/coach for two seasons in the Italian professional league.

In 1989, he played for the Winter Haven Super Sox of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. Sumunic played in 42 games and hit .230 for the club. In 1990, Simunic played for the Florida Tropics of the circuit. He played in 9 games and was batting .200 when the league folded.

Simunic went on to coach in the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations. In 1993, he became manager of the Rochester Aces of the Northern League. The next season, he joined the league's Winnipeg Goldeyes, managed them for two seasons, and won one league championship. In 1996, he became manager of the expansion Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the Northern League. In his first 12 seasons with the club, he led them to 11 playoff appearances and five championships, but success was harder to come by after that. Simunic has been named Northern League Manager of the Year four times.

On August 13, 2017, he was fired in his 22nd year on the job, having won 1,202 games for the club. Pitching coach Michael Schlact replaced him on an interim basis to complete the season. In 2019, he joined the Ottawa Champions of the Can-Am Association as Director of Player Procurement.

Simunic was a Team USA coach in the 2003 Baseball World Cup.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1993 Rochester Aces Northern League 38-34 2nd Independent Leagues Lost League Finals
1994 Winnipeg Goldeyes Northern League 43-37 4th Independent Leagues League Champs
1995 Winnipeg Goldeyes Northern League 47-38 2nd Independent Leagues Lost League Finals
1996 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 53-31 1st Independent Leagues Lost League Finals
1997 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 47-37 3rd Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
1998 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 64-21 1st Independent Leagues League Champs
1999 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 50-35 2nd Independent Leagues Lost in 2nd round
2000 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 53-33 1st Independent Leagues Lost in 2nd round
2001 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 51-39 4th Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2002 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 52-37 4th Independent Leagues
2003 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 62-28 1st Independent Leagues League Champs
2004 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 55-41 4th Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2005 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 68-27 1st Independent Leagues Lost League Finals
2006 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 63-33 1st Independent Leagues League Champs
2007 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 57-28 2nd Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2008 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 62-34 1st Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2009 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 53-42 3rd Independent Leagues League Champs
2010 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Northern League 61-39 1st Independent Leagues League Champs
2011 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 44-56 11th (t) Independent Leagues
2012 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 65-35 1st Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2013 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 62-38 2nd Independent Leagues Lost in 1st round
2014 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 43-56 9th Independent Leagues
2015 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 44-56 10th Independent Leagues
2016 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 52-48 6th (t) Independent Leagues
2017 Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks American Association 41-35 -- Independent Leagues -- replaced by Michael Schlact on August 14
Totals 25 Seasons 1,330-935 6 League Championships

Related Sites[edit]