Sam Perlozzo

Samuel Benedict Perlozzo

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 170 lb.
• School George Washington University
• High School Bishop Walsh High School
• Debut September 13, 1977
• Final Game September 13, 1979
• Born March 4, 1951 in Cumberland, MD USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Playing Career

Sam Perlozzo was signed by the Minnesota Twins on August 15, 1972 as an amateur free agent. Perlozzo started his professional career with the class A Fort Lauderdale Yankees in 1973, batting .206 with 1 HR and 21 RBI and led all Florida State League shortstops in fielding. He moved up to the A Dubuque Packers of the Midwest League in 1974, where he batted .269 with 0 HR's and 27 RBI. In 1975, he played for the A Reno Silver Sox in the California League, batting .262 with 2 HR's and 63 RBI. Finally, after four long years in A ball, Perlozzo made it to AA in 1976, being assigned to the Orlando Twins of the Southern League, where he batted .270 with 0 HR's and 51 RBI. The next year, in 1977, Perlozzo was promoted to the AAA Tacoma Rainiers, where he had a career year batting .310 with 0 HR's and 26 RBI. He was finally promoted to the Twins and saw action in 10 games, going 7 for 24 (.292) with 0 HR's and 0 RBI. Despite the success Perlozzo had, he was assigned to the AAA Toledo Mud Hens in 1978, where he struggled batting only .244 with 4 HR's and 34 RBI.

Perlozzo left the Twins to sign with the San Diego Padres on April 4, 1979. He was assigned to the AAA Hawaii Islanders and had another breakout year, batting .301 with 4 HR's and 51 RBI. This again earned him another call-up, this one to San Diego, though he struggled batting .000 (0 for 2) with 0 HR's and 0 RBI.

Perlozzo was sold to the Yakult Swallows on January 30, 1980. He broke out and had a career year with the Swallows batting .281/.325/.406 with 15 HR's and 43 RBI in 118 games. Nevertheless, he wasn't retained by the Swallows and was let go.

Perlozzo signed with the New York Mets finishing out his playing career in 1981 with the AAA Tidewater Tides as a player-coach, batting .207 (17 for 82) with 1 HR and 4 RBI. Perlozzo finished his minor league career with a career .265 average, 12 HR's and 277 RBI.

Minor League Coaching Career

Perlozzo became a manager in the Mets minor league system following the end of his playing days. In 1982, he managed the New York-Penn League Little Falls Mets to a 38-38 record, which was good for third place. The Mets promoted Perlozzo in 1983 to manage the A Lynchburg Mets, where he went 96-43 and won the Carolina League title and was named Carolina League Manager of the Year. Again, in 1984, Perlozzo was promoted to the AA Jackson Mets where he finished 83-53, which was good for first and won the Texas League crown. He was named Manager of the Year by Baseball America. Success continued for Perlozzo and the Jackson Mets in 1985, as he led them to a 73-63 record which was another first-place record and another championship, which was Perlozzo's third straight. This earned Perlozzo a promotion to the AAA Tidewater Tides in 1986, where he led them to a 74-66 record which was good for 4th place. Perlozzo ended his minor league managerial career with a 364-263 (.581) record in five seasons.

Major League Coach and Managerial Career

Perlozzo earned a promotion to the Mets in 1987 as third base coach under manager Davey Johnson. He served with the Mets as a third base coach through the 1989 season. He joined the Cincinnati Reds coaching staff as a third base coach also in 1990 under manager Lou Piniella until after the 1992 season, when he left the Reds to go to the Seattle Mariners with Piniella. He served with Piniella in Seattle through 1995. When Davey Johnson was hired by the Baltimore Orioles, Johnson brought Perlozzo with him as a member of his coaching staff. Perlozzo served as the Orioles' third base coach from 1996 to 2000. Upon, the hiring of manager Mike Hargrove, Perlozzo moved into the bench coach role which he held from 2001 till 2005, when he was named interim manager on August 4th after the dismissal of manager Lee Mazzilli. After the season, it was announced he would return in 2006 as the full-time manager. That winter, he scored his biggest coup as manager by persuading his boyhood friend from Cumberland, MD, Leo Mazzone, to leave the Atlanta Braves and accept the job as pitching coach of the Orioles. However, after nearly two years of struggles, the Orioles fired Perlozzo on June 18, 2007 with the team in last place in the AL East.

Perlozzo returned to Seattle, as the Mariners hired him on November 16, 2007 to be their new third base coach for 2008. He then joined the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies as their third base coach for the 2009 season.

Perlozzo's brother, Nick Perlozzo, Jr., was a minor league 1B in the San Diego Padres chain, and his son Eric Perlozzo was drafted by the Orioles during the 2007 amateur draft.

Preceded by Lee Mazzilli

Baltimore Orioles Manager 2005-2007

Succeeded by Dave Trembley

Year-By-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1982	Little Falls Mets	New York-Penn League	38-38	4th	New York Mets
1983	Lynchburg Mets	Carolina League	96-43	1st	New York Mets	League Champs
1984	Jackson Mets	Texas League	85-53	2nd	New York Mets	League Champs
1985	Jackson Mets	Texas League	73-63	2nd	New York Mets	League Champs
1986	Tidewater Tides	International League	74-66	4th	New York Mets	Lost in 1st round
2005	Baltimore Orioles	American League	23-32	4th	Baltimore Orioles		Replaced Lee Mazzilli (51-56) on August 4
2006	Baltimore Orioles	American League	70-92	4th	Baltimore Orioles
2007	Baltimore Orioles	American League	29-40	--	Baltimore Orioles		Replaced by Dave Trembley on June 18

Related Reading

• Orioles Information And Record Book 2001

Related Sites

• BR Manager page
• Japan Baseball Daily, Mariners add Perlozzo to staff