1990 New York Yankees Manager and Coaches Profiles

BUCKY DENT (Manager)
"Enters first full season facing overwhelming odds he won't complete it. Regarded as a stopgap measure for ever-shuffling owner George Steinbrenner, Dent must show he's in charge of the club.
Named Yankee manager on August 18, replacing Dallas Green, he took over a  56-65 club and went 18-22 the rest of the way. He gained a contract extension through 1990 with a season high nine-game winning streak from August 30 through September 8.
Dent managed in the Yankees' minor league system for five seasons and never finished lower than third. His highlight was a Governor's Cup triumph with Columbus (AAA) in the International League playoffs in 1987.
He played for 13 seasons in the majors, including five-plus seasons with the Yankees from 1977-82, appearing in four American League Championship Series and three World Series. Dent will be remembered for his decisive three-run home run off Boston's Mike Torrez in the AL East Playoff in 1978. He hit .417 in the Yankees' World Series triumph over Los Angeles to gain MVP honors that season."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1990 Edition

"We'd like to introduce you to the manager of the New York Yankees, Bucky Dent. What is that you say? Bucky's  a man who needs no introduction to Yankee fans? Well, let's just see about that.
'I'm not just the quiet guy that people think I am,' explains the Yankee skipper. 'True, I'm not the loud type, but underneath I'm a very fiery competitor.'
Does that mean as a manager, we might see Bucky Dent get tossed out of a game for arguing a call?
'This might surprise some people, but yes, I just might. I'll do whatever it takes for this team to win.'
As a player, Dent was a quiet but steady contributor on two New York World Champions. Today he's the manager. He's out of the trenches, leading the troops on a different mission. His job is to bring a championship back to New York.
'I've been around this organization long enough to know the bottom line,' says Dent. 'If you don't win, you don't last.'
Still, Dent seems at ease as the team's manager. It could be because, as a Yankee from 1977-82, he became familiar with pressures, internal and external. Or as a manager in the organization from 1985-89, he helped develop many of the players that are Yankees today.
Then again, he might be relaxed because he's not the same guy who hit the dramatic home run that beat the Red Sox in 1978 [sic]. His style is the same- consistent, not flashy. But this time around he offers even more. 'I really am a fiery guy with a desire to win.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Bucky was named Yankee manager on August 18, 1989 in Detroit, replacing Dallas Green. He became the 28th individual ever to manage the Yankees and is one of 17 who also played for the club.
When he took over, the Yankees had a 56-65 record and were in sixth place, 7.5 games behind the Orioles. Dent managed the Yankees to an 18-22 record through the remainder of the 1989 season, bringing their final season mark to 74-87.
After losing three straight in Detroit, the Yankees returned to New York where Dent earned his first major league managerial win with a 6-4 victory over the Red Sox. From August 30 through September 8, he led the club to a season-best nine-game winning streak, and on September 8 he was rewarded with a contract extension through the 1990 season.
Prior to joining the Yankees as manager, Bucky managed for five seasons in the Yankee farm system. He spent the 1985 and 1986 seasons with the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees ('A' affiliate in the Florida State League) where he compiled a 77-63 finish (1st place) in 1985 and an 80-59 record (2nd place) in 1986. From 1987 until he was named Yankee manager, Dent managed the Yankees 'AAA' affiliate, Columbus of the International League. In his two-plus seasons as manager of the Clippers, he compiled a 210-202 record, good for a second place finish and two third-place finishes. In 1987, the Clippers defeated the Rochester Red Wings and the Tidewater Tides to win the Governor's Cup.
Bucky played 13 seasons in the major leagues, coming up through the White Sox' system and making the parent club in 1973, until his career ended with the Royals in 1984. He played five-plus seasons with the Yankees (1977-82) and hit .239 (518-for-2163) with 27 home runs and 209 RBI. The shortstop appeared in four Championship Series and three World Series as a Yankee (did not appear in the 1981 postseason due to an injury).
1978 is the year the people remember Dent for, as he won the AL East playoff game with a three-run home run off Boston's Mike Torrez and then hit .417 in the Yankees' World Series win over the Dodgers, notching the prestigious World Series MVP award [Babe Ruth Award].
Bucky grew up in the Miami area and played Little League, Babe Ruth, and American Legion ball in Hialeah. He earned All-State honors as a halfback at Hialeah High School and attended Miami Dade North Junior College where he was an All-American infielder."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide

MEET THE MANAGER: AN UNEXPECTED HERO
"It has often been called the greatest game played in baseball history- October 2, 1978, the Yankees and the Red Sox, Fenway Park, a one-game playoff to decide the Eastern Division. And on a team of Yankee sluggers- Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Graig Nettles, to name a few- it was Bucky Dent, the unexpected hero, who stepped forward and hit the deciding three-run, seventh-inning home run that helped propel the Yankees to their second consecutive World Championship.
Ironically, manager Dent finds himself in a similar position today. The Yankees, with Dent at shortstop, opened the '80s on a strong note. Who would have thought that after a division title and a pennant in the first two years, the Yankees would not win a world title in the decade? It was the first decade without a World Series victory since the early 1900s.
'I'm looking forward to the challenge and to having a good year,' says Dent. 'The Yankees started the '80s well and then faltered at the end. Now I hope that we can put the organization back on track in the '90s.'
In his first full season as a big league manager, Dent is again looking to be the unexpected hero. He is being called on in 1990 to do what such big-name managers as Dick Howser, Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Lou Piniella and Dallas Green weren't able to do in the previous seasons- bring the World Series trophy back to the Bronx.
'I know what it takes to win,' says Dent. 'I'm not a loud type, but underneath I'm a fiery guy who wants to bring that attitude back to this organization. I have a tremendous desire to win.'
Cool, calm, collected and consistent. This is perhaps the best way to describe Bucky Dent. He has worked hard and patiently awaited the right opportunity. His perseverance enabled him to climb the Yankees' organizational latter.
Drafted by the White Sox in 1970, Dent made his major league debut for Chicago in 1973. Following four seasons with the Sox, he joined the Yankees before the 1977 season. It would be the start of a long and successful career in the organization.
And talk about pressure. Dent joined a team that won a pennant the year before and, not resting on its laurels, was determined to win it all in 1977. So there was a lot of attention when the team traded for Dent, who in 1975 was already an All-Star shortstop with the Sox. And the spotlight seemed even brighter when the Yankees' other move that winter was the signing of Reggie Jackson.
Yet, throughout the notoriety and expectations, Dent held his composure and displayed the attributes that made him successful. Despite his boyish good looks (which led to more than one poster deal) and charismatic personality, Dent left the headlines to Martin, Jackson and Munson. He remained obscure, yet vital, in the overall scheme of things.
Dent epitomized the shortstop position. In the field he wasn't flashy but he was consistent. At the plate he wasn't overpowering, but he was clutch. He was the missing piece that helped solidify a strong Yankee infield. And there's no denying his importance to those Yankee teams.
As expected, Dent helped the Yankees win that year and the next. He was more than just a part of the last team in baseball to win back-to-back World Championships. Every baseball fan can tell you that Dent hit the shot heard 'round the world' to beat the Red Sox in 1978. But how many will remember that he went on to hit .417 in the Yankees' win over the Dodgers in the World Series, earning the coveted MVP [Babe Ruth Award] for the 1978 Series?
All told, Dent helped the Yankees to four divisional titles, three pennants, and two world titles from 1977-81. And the trading of Dent to the Rangers in 1982 created a hole the Yankees had trouble filling until 1989, with Alvaro Espinoza. And it's no coincidence that Espinoza was a pupil of Dent's.
After another year in Texas (1983) and brief stints with Columbus and then the Royals in 1984, Dent retired as a player. It was then that he began his managerial career with the Yankees.
Dent began his career with a bang. In 1985 he led the Yankees' Class-A Ft. Lauderdale team to a first-place finish in the Southern Division of the Florida State League. The squad won the first round of the playoffs before losing the championship series. The following year the team finished a strong second in the Southern Division and Dent, as all good minor league prospects go, was given a promotion.
In 1987 he was boosted to Triple-A Columbus and proved he could more than handle the competition. The Clippers, in Dent's first year at Columbus, finished the International League regular season in second place. They swept through the playoffs, going 3-0 in both rounds, to capture the Governor's Cup.
Despite finishing a disappointing 1988 season in third place, Dent had made his mark. In four-plus seasons in the Yankee minor league system, Dent amassed an impressive 367-324 (.531) record, with a 9-4 (.692) mark in postseason play. So when the Yankees made a managerial change on August 18, 1989, they went to the minors and promoted an up-and-coming prospect by the name of Bucky Dent.
'The time I spent in the minors helped me to a point, as far as managing,' says Dent. 'And it allowed me to get a good look at a lot of the guys coming up who are now here in New York.'
But the best experience Dent could get was the six weeks he spent as the Yankee manager at the end of the season. 'Getting used to the other teams, the managers and how they do things takes a couple of times around the league,' says Dent. 'Having been here for six weeks allowed me to do that. It also gave me the opportunity to see what our players are capable of doing, and to see what we have to work on. So being here really helped a lot.'
Dent said that one of his first changes last year was to get his players to relax and have fun. It was tough to accomplish with a team demoralized by losing and a change of managers and coaches. The result, a 2-11 record in Dent's first 13 games.
It became a lot easier to talk about having fun when, the next day, the Yankees went on a nine-game winning streak- their longest since 1987. Dent's contract was extended for 1990, baseball had become fun, and there was a renewed optimism for this year.
'That helped put the team in the right frame of mind,' says Dent. 'Now this year I want to come out and continue to bring an aggressive attitude. We have to feel positive about ourselves, and we must believe that we can win.'
As a manager in the organization and having played here in New York before, Dent knows the players, the media and what it's like in the big leagues. During his tenure in the organization, he also has learned the bottom line. 'It's the same as it was for everyone before me. I understand that you win, or you won't be here very long.'"

-Charles J. Alfaro, Yankees Magazine (1990 New York Yankees Scorebook & Souvenir Program)


STUMP MERRILL (Manager)
"Stump played solely in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system during his six-year professional career. He earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Maine, Orono. [Prior to the beginning of his professional coaching and managing career, he spent time at his alma mater as assistant baseball coach under the late Jack Butterfield.]
He began his Yankee coaching career as pitching coach at West Haven in 1977 and has remained with the organization ever since. Stump won five championships as a minor league skipper from 1978-85 before serving on the major league staff in 1986 and 1987. [Stump started the 1985 campaign as the Yankee first coach, then switched positions with Doug Holmquist on May 7, going to Columbus when Billy Martin returned as manager.] Named Minor League Coordinator in 1988, he then stepped in as Albany-Colonie manager on June 6 and led the club to the Eastern title. Virtually the same scenario took place in 1989 as Stump took over the Prince William club on May 21 and again guided his charges to a championship.
Stump returns to Columbus for his third stint with the Clippers."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


MEET THE COACHES: THE RIGHT COMBINATION
"In speaking with Yankee Manager Bucky Dent, it is obvious what he likes most about his 1990 coaching staff of Mark Connor, Billy Connors, Mike Ferraro, Buck Showalter, Joe Sparks and Champ Summers. Each offers not only talent but the rare ability to share what they know with the Yankees of today.
'We've got a good staff that brings a little bit of everything- a wide variety of backgrounds, a number of different skills, and a lot of experience,' says the manager. 'But even more important, is their good sense of communication. All these coaches have the ability to teach, to get their message across.'
Connors returns this year as the Yankee pitching coach, which in itself is a reflection of his ability. In fact, Connors, who became the 15th different pitching coach in a 17-year span when he was hired in October 1988, was only the fifth to last a full season.
Before joining the Yankees, Connors was a coach with the Mets (1973-76), Phillies (1977-78), Royals (1980-81), Cubs (1982-86) and Mariners (1987-88). He was the pitching coach on two championship teams, the Royals in 1980 and the 1984 Cubs.
'I was impressed with the job last year,' adds Dent. 'He's a real professional who did the best job he could with the staff that we had.'
Connors' ability to handle pitchers may stem from the fact that at one time this former big league pitcher was a catcher. In fact, after starting his pro career in 1961, he played four positions: catcher, second base, outfield and pitcher. In 1963 he pitched exclusively and is now having a fine career as a coach.
Ferraro, another of the three returnees from last year, will again handle the duties as first base coach in 1990. It will mark the longtime Yankee's seventh term as a field coach. He joined the staff in August 1989 when Dent was named manager. Previously he served as a coach in 1987-88 and from 1979-82, including the Yankees' pennant-winning team in 1981 and division winner in 1980.
Before joining the club, Ferraro had five successful seasons as a manager in the Yankee farm system. During that stretch he posted a 331-221  (.600) record; he never had a losing season and he had three first-place finishes. Couple this with the fact that Ferraro played parts of two his four major league seasons in Pinstripes (1966 and 1968); he managed two big league teams (Indians and Royals); was a coach with the Royals' division winner in 1984 and World Championship club in 1985; and it's no wonder whey Dent wanted Mike Ferraro on his staff this year.
The third coach coming back is Summers, who made his major league coaching debut last August as the Yankees' hitting instructor. Being new to Pinstripes won't be a problem for this coach. [From 1987-89] he was Dent's hitting instructor in Columbus, where he worked with many present-day Yankees as well as the current manager.
Summers gained his hitting experience during 11 seasons in the majors, starting in 1974. He played for the A's, Cubs, Reds and Tigers before finishing his career in 1984 after making it to the World Series with the Padres.
'People haven't yet heard of Champ, as far as his teaching skills, but he does a great job,' praises Dent. 'He really emphasizes the mental aspect of hitting.'
Returning to the Yankees as bullpen coach is Connor, who was the pitching coach for the team on two different occasions- June 1984 to early 1985 and from May 1986 through 1987. Head baseball coach for the University of Tennessee in 1988-89, he returns to the pro ranks with a team he is very familiar with.
In addition to his work at the major league level, Connor has spent a number of years as a Yankee minor league pitching instructor. After joining the organization as a scout in 1979, he was the pitching coach at Greensboro (1980-82), Columbus (1983-84) and Ft. Lauderdale (1985) and began the '86 campaign as the minor league roving pitching instructor.
The success and experience of Showalter are what led Dent to bring back the 'eye in the sky' position to the coaching staff. The first-year Yankee coach will handle the duties of positioning the defense and working with the outfielders.
While Showalter is making his debut on the big league coaching staff, he is certainly no stranger to the organization. He played in the Yankee farm system from 1977-83, leading the Southern League with 152 hits in 1982, and became a coach at Ft. Lauderdale in 1984. The following year he began a five-year stint as a Yankee minor league manager, winning championships in three of those seasons.
Rounding out the staff is Sparks, a newcomer to the Yankee organization. Coaching and hitting, however, are nothing new to the Yankees' third base coach for 1990.
A veteran baseball man, Sparks began his career as a minor league infielder for 13 seasons- most of those in the Giants' system. In four of those, he was a player-coach. In 1970 he began a minor league managerial career that lasted through 1988, during which time he amassed 1,121 victories with clubs operated by the Expos, White Sox, Astros, Royals and Indians. His big league coaching experience includes jobs with the White Sox (1979) and Reds (1984), and last year as the hitting coach with the Expos. And he has another important qualification. From 1971-73 he managed a young minor leaguer by the name of Bucky Dent.
'Having played for Joe I can tell you that he is a super guy, and a real winner,' says the former pupil turned manager. 'He has a lot of experience and knows what it takes to get the job done. I'm looking forward to working with him.
'The thing about the 1990 coaching staff is that all of these guys are willing to work, to get out there and do what it takes to win,' says Dent. 'This group has experienced winning, and will hopefully bring a winning attitude to the Yankees this season.'"

-Charles J. Alfaro, Yankees Magazine (1990 New York Yankees Scorebook & Souvenir Program)

BILLY CONNORS (Coach)
"The fact that Billy Connors is still the Yankee pitching coach is a testament to what he has accomplished here. He's the Yankees' 15th pitching coach in 17 years. The reason Connors has lasted isn't that he's been the pitching coach on two championship clubs- the 1980 Royals and 1984 Cubs. It's because he's a teacher. He has taken the cards he's been dealt and is trying to find some aces on the Yankee staff.
'He's a professional, and a real teacher,' praises Buckey Dent. 'He brings a proven track record as a good pitching coach.'
Connors is working with a group of pitchers who need to succeed if the Yankees are to succeed. His job is to get them to listen and repeat, as Connors tries to mold this year's pitching corps into a group of championship quality hurlers."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Connors spent the entire 1989 season as Yankee pitching coach. [Joining the coaching staff] on October 17, 1988, he became the 15th different pitching coach during the last 17 years and only the fifth to last an entire season in that span.
After working in the Mets front office (1971-72), Billy began his coaching career by serving six years as a minor league pitching instructor (four with the Mets from 1973-76 and two with the Phillies from 1977-78) before joining the Kansas City Royals' major league staff under Jim Frey in 1980. After two seasons with the Royals, he joined the Cubs' staff (managed by Lee Elia) in 1982. Billy served as the Cubs' pitching coach for five seasons before being named as the Mariners' pitching coach in November of 1986. He remained with the Mariners for two seasons before joining the Yankees. He worked with championship teams in 1980 (Kansas City) and 1984 (Chicago).
His 10-year playing career began in 1961 in Wenatchee, Washington (Cubs affiliate in the Northwest League). In 1963, Connors enjoyed his finest pro season (12-11, 3.22 ERA in 30 appearances) in a return to Wenatchee. He made his major league debut with the Cubs in 1966, going 0-1 with a 7.31 ERA in 11 games, all in relief. He pitched two seasons in Tacoma (Pacific Coast League) before being sold to the Mets in August 1967, and in two brief stays with the Mets (1967-68) went 0-1 in 15 games. Connors overall pitched in 26 major league games, going 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA. Prior to 1963, he played four different positions (catcher, second base, outfield and pitcher) before pitching exclusively in his final eight seasons.
Born in Schenectady, New York, Billy played in the Little League World Series in 1953 and 1954 (Schenectady won the title in 1954). He attended Linton High School in Schenectady and was named Player of the Year in both baseball and basketball in 1959. He was a two-sport star at Syracuse University (baseball and basketball).
Billy underwent a successful hip replacement surgery during the 1986-87 off-season. His hobbies are golf and training his pet parrot, Lucy."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


MIKE FERRARO (Coach)
"If you come out to Yankee Stadium not knowing who the team coaches are this season, and you had to take a guess, odds are you'd be right if you went with Mike Ferraro. This year the longtime Yankee is handling the chores as the first base coach.
This season, though, his seventh stint as a  [major league] field coach, Ferraro may be more valuable than ever. Last year he served as an advance scout before Dent named him to the coaching staff. So you can bet he knows the league and is providing the rookie manager with information on every team they face. 'He knows the talent in this league,' says Dent. 'That'll give us a head start against many of the teams we're facing.' Ferraro has played for the Yankees, has coached here, has managed in the organization, has scouted for the Yankees, and yet this year may be his most important.
Some guys just look good in Pinstripes."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Named as Yankee first base coach on August 18, 1989, Mike begins his 21st season in the organization. He previously coached the Yankees for six seasons; during the 1987 and 1988 campaigns and from 1979-82. In 1988 he was the first base coach and in 1987 he was the third base coach.
He was named manager of the Cleveland Indians in 1983 and posted a record of 40-60 with the Tribe through July 31, 1983 before being relieved of his duties. Mike spent two and a half seasons as Dick Howser's third base coach with the Kansas City Royals until being named their interim manager on July 17, 1986. He continued in that role through the completion of the 1986 season, posting a 36-38 mark.
He managed five seasons (1974-78) in the Yankee farm system, compiling a 331-221 (.600) record and earning manager of the year accolades in three of those seasons (1974, 1977, 1978). He never had a losing season and netted first place finishes in three of the five seasons. Mike led Oneonta (Class-A) to the New York-Penn League title in 1974 and concluded his minor league managing career with a Pacific Coast League championship at Tacoma in 1978.
Mike was the 1964 Player of the Year in the Florida State League (.317, 158 hits, 77 RBIs in 139 games). He played four seasons in the majors, including parts of the 1966 and 1968 seasons with the Yankees. He had a career .232 batting average with a pair of home runs and 30 RBIs in 162 games. Playing for the Yankees on September 14, 1968, Mike tied a major league record for most assists by a third baseman, 11. He retired in 1972 following a season with Milwaukee.
A standout high school athlete, Mike scored a school record 53 points, shooting 24-for-30 from the floor, for the Kingston (NY) High School basketball team in 1961."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide

Named Player of the Year, Florida State League, 1964.
Tied major league record for most assists by a third baseman, game (11), September 14, 1968.

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


CHAMP SUMMERS (Coach)
"You know that feeling of excitement that you get when you come out to the ballpark? Well, Yankee batting coach Champ Summers shares the same feeling. This is Champ's first full year as a major league coach, having come up with Bucky Dent in 1989, and he's just thrilled to be here.
'Champ focuses on the mental approach to hitting,' says Dent, who had Summers as his hitting coach the three years he managed in Columbus. 'He teaches our guys to really think, and concentrate at the plate.'
Champ knows hitting, in that he played parts of 11 seasons in the majors. In 1979 he hit .313 with the Tigers, blasting 20 homers in only 246 at-bats. And thanks to his years with the Clippers, he really knows the tendencies of today's Yankees.
But the most important thing is that he comes to the park every day with genuine enthusiasm, a state of mind the manager hopes will be contagious to Yankee bats."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Champ was named to the Yankee coaching staff on August 18, 1989. Prior to joining the Yankees, he had been the hitting coach with the Yankees' AAA club, the Columbus Clippers, since 1987.
He played in the majors for parts of 12 seasons, breaking in with the Oakland A's in 1974. Champ played in only 20 games that year and hit .125, but became the first player ever to pinch-hit for Reggie Jackson. After three seasons (1975-77) with the Cubs and Reds, he played for Indianapolis (AAA) where he hit .368 with 34 home runs and 124 RBIs in 1978 and was named American Association Player of the Year.
In 1979, he played the final 90 games of the season with the Detroit Tigers, posting a career best .313 average and hitting 20 homers in only 246 at-bats (1 HR every 12.3 at-bats). Champ played five more seasons, ending his career in 1984 with the San Diego Padres and getting an at-bat in that year's World Series.
Champ was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL and the Memphis Tams of the now-defunct ABA. He earned 14 letters at Madison (IL) High School, none in baseball. Champ played Little League in Granite, California and his favorite players growing up were Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial.
Champ's hobbies include fishing and golf."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


BUCK SHOWALTER (Coach)
"As this year's 'eye in the sky,' Buck Showalter isn't a coach that's seen during games, but you'll sure know he's there. If you really want to find the first-year Yankee coach, look up at the press box.
From 1985-89, he was a manager in the Yankee organization, winning championships in three of five seasons. His teams set team and league records for wins in a season while compiling a 14-4 (.778) record in postseason play.
'He's someone who proves that hard work leads to success,' says Dent. 'That's why I want him on my staff.'
His main duty is to position the Yankee defense which he does through constant communication with Dent from his upstairs vantage point."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Named as Yankee 'eye-in-the-sky' on October 26, 1989, Buck begins his 14th season in the organization.
In 1989 Buck managed the Albany-Colonie Yankees (AA Eastern League) to a 92-48 first place finish and eventual league championship, earning the Eastern League Manager of the Year award [and the Baseball America Minor League Manager of the Year award]. The 92 wins were the most by a Yankee AA team since the 1980 Nashville Sounds of the Southern League (a team Buck played for) went 97-46.
1989 was his fifth season as a manager in the Yankee system. He managed Ft. Lauderdale (Class-A) during the 1987 and 1988 seasons, with the 1987 team going 85-53 to win the Southern Division of the Florida State League while posting the best record in the league. Buck also posted the best record in the New York-Penn League in both 1986 (59-18) and 1985 (55-23) while leading Oneonta to Northern Division Championships. The 55 wins in 1985 and then the 59 wins in 1986 set league marks for wins in a season.
Buck won League Championships in 1985, 1987 and 1989 and has a postseason managerial record of 14-4 (.778 winning percentage). In regular season play, he has compiled a 360-207 mark (.635). He coached at Ft. Lauderdale in 1984.
Buck played in the Yankee system from 1977-83. He led the Southern League with 152 hits for Nashville in 1982 and hit .324 (second in the league) for the 1980 Nashville team."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


MARK CONNOR (Coach)
"A lot has been said about the zaniness of a big league bullpen. And why does a bullpen have such a reputation? Maybe it's because, unlike starters, relievers are out there almost every day. Get knocked out one day, you better get zany, not mad, because you just might be out there again tomorrow.
To balance all this takes a special kind of person, and this year the perfect man for the job is Mark Connor. With the starting rotation still a question mark, Connor is the guy who must lead the bullpen through the dog days of summer. And to do that, he'll need all the teaching skills he displayed as a college pitching coach. 'He knows a lot of these guys, and he's a good communicator,' says Bucky Dent. 'Mark's the perfect guy to have down in the bullpen.'
Twice a pitching coach with the Yankees, Connor knows what it takes to get the job done. So when things heat up and start to get crazy, Mark Connor is the man to balance it out and make it all work."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Named as Yankee bullpen coach on October 26, 1989, Connor most recently served as the head baseball coach at the University of Tennessee for the 1988 and 1989 seasons.
He has had two prior stints with the Yankees, both as pitching coach: from May 17, 1986 through the entire 1987 season, and from June 18, 1984 to early May of 1985. At the time of his appointment in 1986 he was the club's minor league pitching coach; and prior to his appointment in 1984, Connor was in his second year as the club's pitching coach for their AAA affiliate in Columbus. He also served as pitching coach at Greensboro for three seasons (1980-82), as a Yankee scout in 1979 and as pitching coach at Paintsville in 1978, his first year in the Yankee organization.
Mark graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola, New York in 1967. He attended Belmont Abbey College and graduated from Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972. At Manhattan, he received the Topps Award as a college All-Star in 1970, and in 1971 struck out 20 Columbia University batters in one game.
He spent two seasons in the Twins' minor league system. Mark attended graduate school for a Master's degree at the University of Tennessee in 1974-75, beginning his coaching career as the Volunteers' pitching coach from 1974-78."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


JOE SPARKS (Coach)
"Joe Sparks- now there is a great name for a baseball coach. Especially for a third base coach. And it's funny that Dent wants this guy to light some sparks under these Yankees.
'I really like working with him, and it's interesting seeing him interact with the guys,' laughs Dent, somewhat mischievously. If you think it's because he knows something we don't, well it is. Dent played for Sparks as a minor leaguer from 1971-73. They've been friends ever since, which is one reason why Sparks is in Pinstripes today.
At age 52, he is the elder statesman of the Yankee coaching staff. He played 13 years in the minors, has managed in the minors since 1970, and coached in the majors. Sparks has had his share of awards and honors, so he doesn't have to be here today. Joe Sparks is here because Dent feels he brings a winning attitude, which he hopes will spark his team this year."

-The New York Yankees Official 1990 Yearbook

"Joe was named to the Yankee coaching staff on October 1, 1989 and named third base coach on October 28. He spent the 1989 season as the Expos' hitting instructor.
From 1985-1988, Joe managed the Expos' AAA club, the Indianapolis Indians (American Association). In 1988 he led the Indians to a first place finish with an 89-53 mark. He then led them to a League Championship (defeating Omaha), then the triple-A Championship with a six-game triumph over the Rochester Red Wings. Sparks won the Casey Stengel Trophy as the American Association Manager of the Year for the third straight year and for an unprecedented fifth time in his career [and was Baseball America's Minor League Manager of the Year]. He led Indianapolis to three straight American Association triumphs from 1986-1988.
Overall, he has managed for 16 years in the minor leagues for farm teams operated by the Expos, White Sox, Royals, Astros and Indians and has amassed 1,121 managerial victories. He has major league coaching experience with the White Sox (1979) and Reds (1984). Signed in 1956 by the Giants, Sparks spent 13 seasons as a minor league infielder, primarily in the New York/San Francisco Giants' system. Four of those seasons were spent as a player-coach.
In the off-season, Joe works as a salesman for the Coulter Cadillac dealership in Phoenix. He enjoys fishing, golf, woodworking, and growing roses and desert plants in his spare time."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide


MARC HILL (bullpen catcher)
"Marc was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 10th round of the June 1970 free agent draft. He spent five years in the Cardinals' minor league system and played with four major league teams in parts of 14 seasons.
He was an All-Missouri choice as a prep star in both baseball and basketball. Marc was the first athlete in the history of Lincoln County (MO) High School to win letters in three sports (baseball, basketball, track) as a sophomore.
This will be Marc's second year with the Yankee organization. He will be their roving catching instructor for the minor leagues again in 1990."

-1990 New York Yankees Information Guide