Rick Sweet | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: Longview, Washington, U.S. | September 7, 1952|
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 8, 1978, for the San Diego Padres | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 2, 1983, for the Seattle Mariners | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .234 |
Home runs | 6 |
Runs batted in | 57 |
Teams | |
|
Ricky Joe Sweet (born September 7,1952) is an American former professional baseball catcher and current manager of the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A affiliate,the Nashville Sounds. He played three seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1978 and 1983 for the San Diego Padres,New York Mets,and Seattle Mariners. Sweet became a major league coach in 1984 and spent two years as a scout before beginning his minor league managerial career in 1987.
Sweet has won four minor league manager of the year awards. His first was the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year Award in 1994 with the Tucson Toros. He has won the International League Manager of the Year Award three times. The first two were won back-to-back with the Louisville Bats in 2008 and 2009,while the third was won in 2022 with the Nashville Sounds. Sweet was the recipient of the Mike Coolbaugh Award in 2022.
Rick Sweet was born on September 7,1952,in Longview,Washington. [1] After graduating from Mark Morris High School, [1] he attended Gonzaga University,where he played college baseball for the Bulldogs from 1973 to 1975. [2]
Sweet was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 31st round of the 1974 Major League Baseball draft,but he elected not to sign and continued at Gonzaga. [1] He was later selected in the third round of the secondary phase of the 1975 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. [1]
He began his professional career in 1975 with the Walla Walla Padres of the Class A Short Season Northwest League. [3] Splitting his time between catcher and first base, [3] Sweet led the league with a .350 batting average and 66 runs batted in (RBI). [4] He was promoted to the Double-A Amarillo Gold Sox of the Texas League in 1976,primarily as a catcher. [3] Sweet moved up to Triple-A in 1977 with the Pacific Coast League's Hawaii Islanders. [3]
On April 8,1978,Sweet made his major league debut as a pinch hitter versus the San Francisco Giants. [5] Coming to bat in the fifth inning,he grounded out against Jim Barr in his only plate appearance. [6] After three more games pinch hitting,he made his first major league start at catcher on April 19 against the Houston Astros. [5] He recorded his first major league hit on April 13 against the Atlanta Braves' Dick Ruthven. [5] [7] Having split time behind the plate with Gene Tenace,he appeared in 88 games and accumulated a .221 batting average with 11 RBI by the season's end. [1]
In 1979,San Diego replaced Sweet with Bill Fahey,who had been acquired from the Texas Rangers. Sweet spent the entirety of the 1979 and 1980 seasons at Triple-A Hawaii. While still primarily catching,he played about one third of the 1979 season at first base and one quarter of the 1980 campaign at third base. [3]
Sweet's contract was purchased by the New York Mets on December 15,1980. [1] He played the whole 1981 season with the Triple-A Tidewater Tides in the International League,catching two thirds of the time and playing nearly the rest at third base. [3] Sweet made three major league pinch hit appearances for New York in April 1982. [8]
The Seattle Mariners purchased Sweet's contract on May 21,1982,and made him their starting catcher. Across the 1982 and 1983 seasons,he played more games behind the plate than any other Mariners' catcher,appearing in a total of 181 games,batting .238 with 46 RBI. [1] Sweet was released by Seattle on March 23,1984,following the offseason acquisition of catcher Bob Kearney from the Oakland Athletics. [1] Rather than return to the minor leagues,Sweet elected to retire. He played his final game on October 2,1983,in which he flew out versus the Chicago White Sox' Richard Dotson. [1] [9]
After retiring as a player,Sweet was hired as the Mariners' bullpen coach for 1984. [10] In 1985,he became an advance scout for Seattle. [11] He remained in this position until June 1987,when he was given his first managerial post. [12] Seattle made Sweet manager of their Class A Short Season Bellingham Mariners of the Northwest League in 1987. [12] He was moved up to the Class A Wausau Timbers of the Midwest League in 1988. [3]
Sweet left for the Houston Astros organization as manager of their Class A Osceola Astros of the Florida State League in 1989. [3] He was promoted to the Double-A Southern League's Columbus Mudcats in 1990. [3] The Astros moved their Double-A affiliation to the Jackson Generals the next season but retained Sweet as manager at that level for 1991 and 1992. [3] He then spent three years managing their Triple-A Tucson Toros in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) from 1993 to 1995. [3] Sweet led the 1993 Toros to win both halves of the season before defeating the Portland Beavers,four games to two,to win the PCL championship,his first league title. [13] Though the 1994 team did not qualify for a return trip to the playoffs,Sweet was recognized as the PCL Manager of the Year. [14] In 1996,Sweet was added to the Astros' major league coaching staff as first base coach under manager Terry Collins. [15] After one season,he was let go along with Collins. [16]
Sweet landed in the New York Mets organization for 1997 managing the Double-A Binghamton Mets in the Eastern League. [3] He was hired by the Montreal Expos to manage their Harrisburg Senators,also of the Eastern League,in 1998. [3] The team won the Eastern League championship over the New Britain Rock Cats,3–1. [17] Sweet led the team to win a second league crown in 1999 with a 3–2 defeat of the Norwich Navigators. [18] He was promoted to the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx of the International League in 2000. [3] He next managed the San Diego Padres' Triple-A Portland Beavers in the PCL from 2001 to 2003 and the Detroit Tigers' Double-A Erie SeaWolves in the Eastern League in 2004. [3]
Sweet was hired by the Cincinnati Reds to manage their Triple-A Louisville Bats of the International League in 2005,where he remained for seven seasons through 2011. [3] He led the team to win three consecutive Western Division titles from 2008 to 2010,but they were eliminated in the first round each time. [19] [20] [21] Sweet won back-to-back International League Manager of the Year Awards in 2008 and 2009. [22] From 2012 to 2013,he served as a roving catching instructor in the Reds' system. [23] [24]
Sweet joined the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2014 as manager of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds in the PCL. [3] He continued to manage their top farm team over the next six seasons as they switched affiliations to the PCL's Colorado Springs Sky Sox from 2015 to 2018 and San Antonio Missions from 2019 to 2020. [3] The Brewers reaffiliated with Nashville in 2021 with Sweet returning to lead the Sounds in the Triple-A East, [25] which became known again as the International League in 2022. [26] Sweet led the 2022 Sounds to a league-best 91–58 record and won the IL Manager of the Year Award for a third time. [27] [28] He was chosen for the 2022 Mike Coolbaugh Award in recognition for his "outstanding baseball work ethic,knowledge of the game,and skill in mentoring young players on the field." [29]
The Tacoma Rainiers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Tacoma,Washington,and play their home games at Cheney Stadium,which opened in 1960. Tacoma has competed in the PCL since 1960,including the 2021 season when it was known as the Triple-A West. The team operated under several monikers before becoming the Rainiers in 1995.
The Round Rock Express are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. They are located in Round Rock,Texas,and play their home games at the Dell Diamond. The team is named for Baseball Hall of Famer and Texas native Nolan Ryan,who was nicknamed "The Ryan Express." Ryan,along with son Reid Ryan and Don Sanders make up the team's ownership group,Ryan Sanders Baseball.
Humberto Jose Quintero is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 2003 to 2014 most prominently as a member of the Houston Astros. He also played for the San Diego Padres,Kansas City Royals,Philadelphia Phillies,and Seattle Mariners. He served as a bullpen catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2016 to 2021.
Phillip Joseph Nevin is an American professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He was the manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for 12 seasons,appearing in 1,217 games played between 1995 and 2006 for the Houston Astros,Detroit Tigers,Anaheim Angels,San Diego Padres,Texas Rangers,Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins. He has previously served as a coach in MLB for the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees.
Casey Todd Candaele is an American former utility player and professional baseball coach. His mother,Helen Callaghan St. Aubin and her sister,Marge Callaghan,played for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League,which was depicted in the movie A League of Their Own. Candaele and his mother represent the only mother/son combination to have both played professional baseball.
Robert Ralph Skinner is an American former professional baseball outfielder / first baseman,manager,coach,and scout,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three National League (NL) teams. In all,Skinner spent over 50 years in the game.
Eric Walter Munson is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current minor-league baseball coach. He was the third overall pick in the 1999 Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers,behind Josh Hamilton and Josh Beckett.
David Wayne Roberts is an American former professional baseball third baseman and catcher,who played all or part of ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the San Diego Padres,Texas Rangers,Houston Astros,and Philadelphia Phillies,between 1972 and 1982.
Scott Robert Coolbaugh is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman and coach who played for the Texas Rangers,San Diego Padres,and St. Louis Cardinals between 1989 and 1994.
Kevin Patrick Pasley is a retired professional baseball player whose career spanned 12 seasons. For parts of four seasons,Pasley,a catcher,played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers,and the Seattle Mariners (1977–78). Over his career in the majors,he compiled a .254 batting average with eight runs scored,31 hits,seven doubles,one home run,and nine runs batted in (RBIs). Pasley hit his only career major league home run in his final at-bat in the majors on October 1,1978.
Gregorio Jesus Petit is a Venezuelan professional baseball former infielder and current manager for the Stockton Ports of the California League. Petit made his major league debut in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Athletics,Houston Astros,New York Yankees,Los Angeles Angels,and Minnesota Twins.
The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno,Nevada,and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field,which opened in 2009. The Aces have been members of the PCL since 2009,including the 2021 season in which it was known as the Triple-A West. They won the PCL championship in 2012 and 2022. Reno went on to win the Triple-A National Championship Game in 2012.
Rocky Michael Gale is an American former professional baseball catcher. He attended the University of Portland where he was named the West Coast Conference defensive player of the year before being drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 2010 MLB draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2015 for the Padres and also played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is currently a catching coordinator in the Dodgers farm system.
Timothy Joseph Federowicz(born August 5,1987) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Chicago Cubs,San Francisco Giants,Houston Astros,Cincinnati Reds,and Texas Rangers. He currently serves as the manager for the Toledo Mud Hens.
David Joseph Freitas is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,Seattle Mariners,and Milwaukee Brewers,and in the KBO League for the Kiwoom Heroes.
Austin Kyle Nola is an American professional baseball catcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres. He made his MLB debut in 2019 for the Mariners.
The Nashville Sounds Minor League Baseball team was established in Nashville,Tennessee,in 1978,after Larry Schmittou and a group of investors purchased the rights to operate an expansion franchise of the Double-A Southern League. The Sounds played their home games at Herschel Greer Stadium from its opening in 1978 until the end of the 2014 season. In 2015,the Sounds left Greer for First Tennessee Park,now known as First Horizon Park,a new facility located on the site of the historic Sulphur Dell ballpark,home to Nashville's minor league teams from 1885 to 1963.
Webster Julian Rivas is a Dominican professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the Leones de Yucatán of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent in 2010.
Cooper Everett Hummel is an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners. Hummel played college baseball at the University of Portland.