Black Sox Fire Manager, Lure Former YS9 Skipper Sánchez From Retirement
Brings "patience, wisdom, a history of winning"
Can Sanchez repeat
his success in Yellow Springs?
Sanchez was with the Yellow Springs club for 11 seasons, from 2039 to 2049, seven as pitching coach and then four as the NIne manager ('46 through '49). During those four years the Nine were highly successful, and Sanchez notched a phenomenal 402-244 record. His managerial record includes two division titles, and the club made the playoffs each of the nine years he was with the Nine.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have a true winner like Alberto Sanchez take the reigns of the Black Sox," said team owner Santino "Sonny" Vitale in a prepared statement. "We believe we have laid the foundation for a return to competitiveness in the next two-to-three seasons. Alberto is just the guy to guide our youngsters with his wisdom, his patience, and his history of winning."
Sanchez was let go by the Yellow Springs club after the '49 season despite 104 wins, when the squad yet again failed to capture the Brewster Championship. He has spent the last three seasons as bench coach with the Des Moines Kernels, and that club increased its win total in each of those three years.
Sanchez announced his retirement after this past season, until the Black Sox came calling. "I had promised my wife that I would call it quits, and be home with her and our teenage children," he told the Black Sox Baseball Blog. "She is not particularly happy with me right now, but the chance to be part of this organization is too much to turn down. Besides, I really love a challenge, and this is truly a big challenge."
Also too much to turn down was the Black Sox offer: $1,745,000 per year for five years. "I expect this club will be competitive well before the deal ends," Sanchez predicted.
The ousted manager Solis had helmed the Sox since the very end of the '52 season. His record as manager: 64-115. He could not be reached for comment and his whereabouts remain unkown. "We wish Roberto well," said GM Mike Dunn. "But getting a chance to hire a manager with a track record like Alberto's is one opportunity we cannot walk away from."
In his first moves, new skipper Sanchez booted Third Base Coach Javier Téllez and Pitching Coach John Sloan. They are being replaced by Juan Alou to coach third and Russ Hatfield to guide the hurlers. Both Alou and Hatfield had coached in those roles last year at the Black Sox AAA affiliate Carolina Flight. The Flight finished 79-67 for second place in their division, and qualified for a wildcard spot in the playoffs. These moves indicate that Sanchez -like most managers - wants to bring in his own people, but is also rewarding organizational coaches who have toiled in the minors.
Fans took to twitter applauding the hiring of Sanchez, but renewing their calls for the ouster of GM Dunn, who in their view is solely responsible for the team's sorry state. "Wrong guy got fired," was the common refrain on social media.