Rick Sweet
Ricky Joe Sweet
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.
- School Lower Columbia College, Gonzaga University
- High School Mark Morris High School
- Debut April 8, 1978
- Final Game October 2, 1983
- Born September 7, 1952 in Longview, WA USA
Biographical Information[edit]
After the end of his playing career, Catcher Rick Sweet became the bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners in 1984 and did advance scouting for Seattle in 1985-1986. He was a minor league manager from 1987 to 1995 before spending 1996 as the first base coach for the Houston Astros. Sweet spent 1997 in the New York Mets organization before switching to the Montreal Expos. He was the Expos' minor league field coordinator in 1999 and started 2000 in that role before resigning at the end of February to spend more time with his family. This hiatus did not last long as Sweet rejoined the Expos organization on July 20th after the Expos promoted Ottawa Lynx manager Jeff Cox to the major leagues and Sweet took his place.
From 2000 onward Sweet managed almost exclusively at the AAA level for different organizations. In 2012-2013 he was a minor league catching instructor for the Cincinnati Reds. Sweet was scheduled to manage the San Antonio Missions in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Sweet gained further managerial experience in the winter leagues. He started the 2009/2010 season by managing the Águilas Cibaeñas in the Dominican League before being fired on November 29th. Two years later, he was managing the Estrellas Orientales until his dismissal on October 31, 2011. Sweet was not out of work long before he was hired to skipper the Leones del Caracas of the Venezuelan League on November 17th. He returned to Caracas in 2012 only to be fired on November 6th after a slow start.
Through his long managerial career, Sweet has garnered multiple awards. These include Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in 1994, International League Manager of the Year in 2008 and 2009, and Baseball America’s Manager of the Year in 2010. Following the 2022 season, Sweet was honored with the Mike Coolbaugh Award and International League Manager of the Year.
Sweet hit well against the following All-Star pitchers: Jack Morris (.450); Len Barker (.429); Dennis Eckersley (.400); Rick Sutcliffe (.333); and Charlie Hough (.300).
Sweet is in the top 5 all time in Minor League Wins by a Manager.
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