Who Is The Last Major League Pitcher To Be A Manager?

Active pitcher and manager simultaneously? Not sure.
Former pitcher now managing? Bud Black.
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Former pitchers don't often become managers -- I'm trying to think of another one right now -- and there's no fixed reason why this is. Partly they may not be interested, partly there may be institutionalized prejudice that pitchers "just don't know the whole game" or some such nonsense. Black is a rare breed, to go from the mound to the dugout.
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Rummaging through the managers roster -- not nearly trying to be exhaustive, just looking for names that ring the pitcher bell... found some.
Roger Craig -- pitcher 1955-66, manager Padres 1978-79 & Giants 1985-92, including the 1989 NL champions.
Oh, I am ashamed to forget this one -- Larry Dierker -- pitcher 1964-77, manager (coming from the broadcast booth!) Astros 1997-2001, with four division championships. Fired after finishing in first place and no one tried to hire him! Inexplicable are the internal ways of baseball, sometimes. He's back to broadcasting.
Dallas Green -- pitcher 1960-67 and manager Phillies 1979-82 (including the 1980 champions), Yankees 1989, and Mets 1993-96. Thanks for slagging the Big Three's arms, Greenie.
Oh, a good one, genuine inner circle HOFer -- Walter Johnson! Pitcher 1907-27, manager Senators 1929-32, Indians 1933-35. Never wore a numbered uniform until he was a manager.
Marcel Lachemann -- pitcher 1969-71, manager Angels 1994-96.
Tommy Lasorda -- pitcher 1954-56 (and pretty forgettable, lifetime 0-4 record), manager Dodgers 1976-96 (two championships, two NL titles). And still blustering away, even now in his 80s.
HOFer Ted Lyons -- pitcher 1923-42 & '46, manager White Sox 1946-48. So I guess here is a pitcher-manager, albeit briefly.
HOFer Christy Mathewson, pitcher 1900-16, manager Reds 1916-18. Briefly a pitcher-manager (he only pitched one game for the Reds).
There's probably many more buried in the 19th century when player-managers were much more common, and pitching wasn't quite so exclusive (in the early days, anyone might take the mound). And there's probably some managers who pitched in the minors but never got the call to the show. So, they are out there, pitcher/managers, but as stated, a rare breed.

Tagged with: Last • League • Major • Manager • Pitcher

Filed under: Baseball

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