Mike Ferraro
Michael Dennis Ferraro
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
- High School Kingston (NY) High School
- Debut September 6, 1966
- Final Game October 4, 1972
- Born August 18, 1944 in Kingston, NY USA
- Died July 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, NV USA
Biographical Information[edit]
After his playing career ended, third baseman Mike Ferraro was a minor league manager. He was in charge of the Oneonta Yankees (1974-1975), Fort Lauderdale Yankees (1976), West Haven Yankees (1977) and Tacoma Yankees (1978). He was a New York Yankees coach from 1979 to 1982. During the 1980 ALCS, he was the victim of one of owner George Steinbrenner's patented tirades when the Boss blamed him, as the Yankees' third base coach, for Willie Randolph having been thrown out at home plate during Game 2. Steinbrenner wanted to have Ferraro fired on the spot but just about everyone else who followed baseball jumped to Ferraro's defense. Yankee manager Dick Howser found the episode so distasteful that he resigned after the Series.
Ferraro took over as manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1983 but was replaced by Pat Corrales after just 100 games - Corrales had earlier been fired as manager of the Philadelphia Phillies with his team in first place, and the Indians' brass jumped at the chance to hire a "proven manager", leaving Ferraro holding the short end of the stick. In 1984, he joined the Kansas City Royals coaching staff, working again with Howser. He was with the team in its 1985 World Series victory, and took over the club for the second half of the 1986 season after skipper Howser was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Ferraro returned to the Yankees staff from 1987 to 1991, and also spent 1993 as a Baltimore Orioles coach.
Mike's cousin, Dave Ferraro, was elected to the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame in 1997; he won ten PBA titles, including the prestigious Firestone Tournament of Champions in 1990, was Player of the Year in 1992, and was the 17th PBA member to earn $1,000,000 in winnings. Dave Ferraro is also a member of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.
Preceded by Dave Garcia |
Cleveland Indians Manager 1983 |
Succeeded by Pat Corrales |
Preceded by Dick Howser |
Kansas City Royals Manager 1986 |
Succeeded by Billy Gardner |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | Oneonta Yankees | New York-Penn League | 53-16 | 1st | New York Yankees | none | |
1975 | Oneonta Yankees | New York-Penn League | 35-34 | 3rd | New York Yankees | none | |
1976 | Fort Lauderdale Yankees | Florida State League | 77-62 | 3rd | New York Yankees | Lost in 1st round | |
1977 | West Haven Yankees | Eastern League | 86-52 | 1st | New York Yankees | League Champs | |
1978 | Tacoma Yankees | Pacific Coast League | 80-57 | 1st | New York Yankees | League Co-Champs | |
1983 | Cleveland Indians | American League | 40-60 | -- | Cleveland Indians | replaced by Pat Corrales on July 31 | |
1986 | Kansas City Royals | American League | 36-38 | 3rd (t) | Kansas City Royals | replaced Dick Howser (40-48) on July 17 |
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