List of Nashville Sounds managers

The Nashville Sounds Minor League Baseball team has been led by 29 managers since its establishment in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1978. Managers are responsible for team strategy and leadership on and off the field, including determining the batting order, arranging defensive positioning, and making tactical decisions regarding pitching changes, pinch-hitting, pinch-running, and defensive replacements.[1] Rick Sweet, who previously led the Sounds in 2014, will manage the team again in the 2021 season.[2]

Manager Fran Riordan looks on as Melvin Mercedes slides into third base.

As of the cancellation of the 2020 season, managers have led the club for 6,004 regular season games in which they have compiled a win–loss record of 3,083–2,921 (.513).[3] Their teams have qualified for the postseason on 14 occasions, won two Southern League championships and one Pacific Coast League championship, and have a postseason record of 42–41 (.506).[4] Combining all 6,087 regular season and postseason games, Nashville has an all-time record of 3,125–2,962 (.513).[3][4]

Four managers have been selected as their league's Manager of the Year. Stump Merrill (1980) won the Southern League Manager of the Year Award, Rick Renick (1993 and 1996) won the American Association Manager of the Year Award, and Frank Kremblas (2007) and Steve Scarsone (2016) won the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year Award. Mike Guerrero won the 2013 Mike Coolbaugh Award in recognition for his contributions in developing and mentoring young players in the Brewers organization. Three managers have been selected for midseason All-Star teams. George Scherger coached the 1979 Southern League All-Star team. Two others participated in the Triple-A All-Star Game. Pete Mackanin coached on the National League team in 1991, and Rick Renick managed the American League team in 1994.

Trent Jewett won 320 games from 1998 to 2000 and 2003 to 2004, placing him first on the all-time wins list for Sounds managers. Having managed the team for 625 games over five seasons, he is also the longest-tenured manager in team history. The manager with the highest winning percentage over a full season or more is Stump Merrill (1980–1981), with .622. Conversely, the lowest winning percentage over a season or more is .437 by manager Mike Guerrero (2012–2013).

History
George Scherger led the Sounds to win Southern League championship in 1979.

Playing in the Southern League as the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, the Nashville Sounds were managed by Chuck Goggin in their inaugural 1978 season.[5][6] Goggin had managed the Reds' previous Double-A team, the Trois-Rivières Aigles of the Eastern League, in 1977.[5] He was replaced in 1979 by George Scherger, a veteran manager of 18 minor league seasons.[7] He was chosen as a coach for the 1979 Southern League All-Star team and led Nashville to win their first Southern League championship that year.[8][9]

The Sounds became the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees in 1980.[10] Stump Merrill, who had been with New York's Double-A West Haven Yankees in the Eastern League the previous two seasons, led Nashville in the first two years of the new affiliation.[11] He was selected for the Southern League Manager of the Year Award in 1980 after the Sounds set a franchise-best 97–46 record.[3][12] Merrill's .622 winning percentage from 1980 to 1981 is the highest among all Sounds managers over a full season or more.[13] First-year manager Johnny Oates took over in 1982 and led the club to its second Southern League championship.[9][14] Doug Holmquist was promoted to Nashville from the Class A Greensboro Hornets of the South Atlantic League in 1983.[15] He was succeeded in 1984 by former Major League Baseball (MLB) manager and 1952 Nashville Vol Jim Marshall.[16]

The Sounds moved to the Triple-A American Association in 1985.[6] Affiliated with the Detroit Tigers,[17] Lee Walls was assigned to manage the team, but he was hospitalized with internal bleeding after seven games.[18] Outfielder Leon Roberts became the acting manager for the next seven games until being replaced by Gordon Mackenzie,[18][19] who was promoted from the Tigers' Double-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern League.[20] Roberts retired from playing at the end of the season and was hired to manage the 1986 club.[21]

Jack Lind was the first of five managers to lead the team over a five-week period in 1988.

Nashville became the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds in 1987.[22] Jack Lind, previously manager of the Reds' Triple-A American Association Denver Zephyrs, led the team from 1987 through the first three months of the 1988 season.[23] From June to July 1988, the Sounds went through five different managers.[24] Lind was fired on June 27.[25] Pitching coach and former Sounds starting pitcher Wayne Garland served as a fill-in manager for one game.[26][27] Jim Hoff, Cincinnati's minor league field coordinator, managed the next five games on an interim basis.[27] Former manager George Scherger was brought in on July 3, but he chose to retire after one game.[28] Garland managed two more games before Hoff returned for seventeen.[29] Finally, former big league skipper Frank Lucchesi was hired on July 25 to manage the Sounds for the last 39 games of the season.[24][29] He remained with the team for the 1989 campaign.[30] Pete Mackanin was hired to lead Nashville in 1990.[31] He was selected to coach the National League team in the 1991 Triple-A All-Star Game.[32] Mackanin was dismissed on June 28, 1992.[33] Dave Miley, manager of Cincinnati's Double-A Southern League Chattanooga Lookouts, was promoted to take his place for the rest of the season.[33][34]

The Sounds switched their affiliation to the Chicago White Sox in 1993.[35] Rick Renick, who had managed Chicago's Triple-A Vancouver Canadians in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) for two years prior, continued in that role at Nashville from 1993 to 1996.[36] Renick won the American Association Manager of the Year Award in 1993 and 1996,[37] and he was chosen to manage the American League team at the 1994 Triple-A All-Star Game held at Nashville's Herschel Greer Stadium.[32][38] He was succeeded by White Sox minor league outfield coordinator Tom Spencer in 1997.[39][40]

Nashville moved to the Pacific Coast League in 1998 following the disbandment of the American Association after the 1997 season.[41] As the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates,[42] the Sounds were managed by Trent Jewett, who had spent the last two seasons with their previous Triple-A club, the PCL's Calgary Cannons.[43] He remained with Nashville until being named Pittsburgh's third base coach on June 6, 2000.[44] Sounds pitching coach Richie Hebner was made the manager for the rest of the season.[44] Marty Brown, a former Sounds third baseman from 1988 to 1989, was manager in 2001 and 2002 after two years leading Pittsburgh's Altoona Curve in the Double-A Eastern League.[45] Jewett returned to manage at Nashville from 2003 to 2004.[43] Over both stretches from 1998 to 2000 and 2003 to 2004, Jewett won 320 games, placing him first on the all-time wins list for Sounds managers.[13] Having managed the team for 625 games over five seasons, he is also the longest-tenured manager in team history.[13]

Steve Scarsone won the PCL Manager of the Year Award in 2016.

The Sounds became the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005.[46] Frank Kremblas was given the helm at Nashville after leading Milwaukee's Double-A Huntsville Stars in the Southern League for three years.[47] He led the Sounds to win the Pacific Coast League championship in the first season of the affiliation.[48] Kremblas was chosen as the PCL Manager of the Year in 2007 and remained with the club through 2008.[47][49] Four-time MLB All-Star Don Money, who had replaced Kremblas in Huntsville in 2005, led the Sounds from 2009 to 2011.[50] Mike Guerrero was promoted to Nashville in 2012 after two years at Huntsville.[51] He missed nine games of the 2013 season on bereavement leave, during which Charlie Greene, the Brewers' field coordinator and catching instructor, served as interim manager.[52] Guerrero returned to finish out the year, after which he won the Mike Coolbaugh Award in recognition for his contributions in developing and mentoring young players in the Brewers organization.[53] His .437 winning percentage is the lowest among all Sounds managers over a full season or more.[13] Rick Sweet, a roving catching instructor for Cincinnati and veteran manager of 24 minor league seasons, led the team in 2014.[54][55]

Nashville switched its affiliation to the Oakland Athletics in 2015.[56] Steve Scarsone managed the Sounds in 2015 and 2016 after two seasons in the same capacity with the Athletics' former Triple-A club, the PCL's Sacramento River Cats.[57] He won the PCL Manager of the Year Award in 2016.[49] Scarsone was succeed in 2017 by Ryan Christenson, who had spent the two previous seasons with Oakland's Double-A Midland RockHounds in the Texas League.[58] Fran Riordan was promoted from Midland to Nashville for 2018.[59]

The Sounds affiliated with the Texas Rangers in 2019.[60] Jason Wood, who had been with the Rangers' Round Rock Express in the PCL for the last four seasons, continued in the same role with Nashville.[61] Wood had also played for the Sounds from 2000 to 2001 at third base and shortstop.[61] First-year manager Darwin Barney was hired to manage in 2020,[62] but the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[63]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's reorganization of the minors after the 2020 season, Nashville reaffiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021.[64] Rick Sweet, who led Nashville in the final season of their previous term with Milwaukee, continued to manage the Brewers' Triple-A clubs in the six years between affiliations, most recently the PCL's San Antonio Missions from 2019 to 2020.[55][65] He will return to serve as Nashville's manager in 2021.[2]

Managers
Table key
No. A running total of the number of Sounds managers. Thus, any manager who has two or more separate terms is only counted once.
Apps. Postseason appearances: number of seasons this manager has led the team to the postseason
Award winner or All-Star while managing the Sounds
Chuck Goggin managed the Sounds in their inaugural 1978 season.
Stump Merrill's .622 winning percentage over the 1980 to 1981 seasons is the highest of all Sounds managers.
Lee Walls managed the Sounds' first games at the Triple-A class level in 1985.
Leon Roberts was an outfielder for the Sounds in 1985 before retiring and managing the 1986 team.
Managers
No. Manager Season(s) Regular season Postseason Ref(s).
Games Wins Losses Win % Apps. Wins Losses Win %
1 Chuck Goggin 19781416477.454————[5]
2 George Scherger 19791448361.576152.714[7]
3 Stump Merrill 1980–1981286178108.622256.455[11]
4 Johnny Oates 19821447767.535162.750[14]
5 Doug Holmquist 19831468858.603123.400[15]
6 Jim Marshall 19841477473.503113.250[16]
7 Lee Walls 1985734.429————[13]
8 Leon Roberts 1985725.286————[13]
9 Gordon Mackenzie 19851276661.520————[13]
— Leon Roberts 19861426874.479————[66]
10 Jack Lind 1987–1988217102115.470————[13]
11 Wayne Garland 19881101.000————[13][27]
12 Jim Hoff 1988541.800————[13][27]
— George Scherger 1988101.000————[13][27]
— Wayne Garland 1988202.000————[13][27]
— Jim Hoff 19881789.471————[13][27]
13 Frank Lucchesi 1988–19891859689.519————[13][24]
14 Pete Mackanin[n 1] 1990–1992366186180.508123.400[13][33]
15 Dave Miley[n 2] 1992683236.471————[13][33]
16 Rick Renick 1993–1996575309266.537277.500[36]
17 Tom Spencer 19971437469.517————[40]
18 Trent Jewett[n 3] 1998–2000340176164.518————[13][44]
19 Richie Hebner[n 4] 2000853451.400————[13][44]
20 Marty Brown 2001–2002284136148.479————[45]
— Trent Jewett 2003–2004285144141.505134.429[43]
21 Frank Kremblas 2005–2008572299273.523398.529[47]
22 Don Money 2009–2011432223209.516————[50]
23 Mike Guerrero[n 5] 2012–2013279122157.437————[13][52]
24 Charlie Greene[n 6] 2013927.222————[13][52]
25 Rick Sweet 20141447767.535————[55]
26 Steve Scarsone 2015–2016286149137.521123.400[57]
27 Ryan Christenson 20171396871.489————[58]
28 Fran Riordan 20181407268.514————[59]
29 Jason Wood 20191386672.478————[61]
— Darwin Barney[n 7] 2020Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)[63][62]
— Rick Sweet from 2021————————[2]
Totals 29 managers43 seasons6,0043,0832,921.513144241.506—
Managers with multiple tenures
No. Manager Season(s) Regular season Postseason Ref(s).
Games Wins Losses Win % Apps. Wins Losses Win %
2 George Scherger 1979, 19881458362.572152.714[13]
8 Leon Roberts 1985, 19861497079.470————[13]
11 Wayne Garland[n 8] 1988312.333————[13]
12 Jim Hoff[n 9] 1988221210.545————[13]
18 Trent Jewett 1998–2000,
2003–2004		625320305.512134.429[13]
25 Rick Sweet 2014,
from 2021		1447767.535————[55]

See also

Notes
  1. Pete Mackanin was dismissed on June 28, 1992.[33]
  2. Dave Miley, manager of Cincinnati's Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, was promoted to manager of the Sounds on June 28, 1992.[33]
  3. Trent Jewett became Pittsburgh's third base coach on June 6, 2000.[44]
  4. Richie Hebner, Nashville's pitching coach, was promoted to manager on June 6, 2000.[44]
  5. Mike Guerrero missed nine games of the 2013 season on bereavement leave.[52]
  6. Charlie Greene, Milwaukee's field coordinator and catching instructor, served as interim manager for nine games in May 2013 while manager Mike Guerrero was on bereavement leave.[52]
  7. Darwin Barney was hired to manage the 2020 team, but the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[63]
  8. Wayne Garland served as an interim manager for two periods in 1988.[27]
  9. Jim Hoff served as an interim manager for two periods in 1988.[27]

References
Specific
  1. "What is a Manager?". Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  2. "Milwaukee Brewers Announce 2021 Triple-A Coaching Staff". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. "Nashville Sounds Yearly Results". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  4. "Postseason History" (PDF). 2018 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2018. pp. 178–179. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  5. "Chuck Goggin Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  6. Weiss, Bill; Wright, Marshall (2001). "69. 1980 Nashville Sounds". Minor League Baseball. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  7. "George Scherger Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  8. Squires, Tom (July 12, 1979). "Walker Still Not Satisfied". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Southern League Past Champions". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  10. "New York Yankees Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  11. "Stump Merrill Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  12. "Manager of the Year". Southern League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  13. "All-Time Sounds Managers" (PDF). 2018 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2018. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  14. "Johnny Oates Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  15. "Doug Holmquist Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  16. "Jim Marshall Minor & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  17. "Detroit Tigers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  18. Woody, Larry (April 22, 1985). "Walls 'Serious' After Surgery". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-C – via Newspapers.com.
  19. The Nashville Sounds 1986 Official Souvenir Program. Nashville Sounds. 1986. p. 13.
  20. "Gordon Mackenzie Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  21. "Leon Roberts Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  22. "Cincinnati Reds Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  23. "Jack Lind Minor, Winter & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  24. "Managerial Merry-Go-Round" (PDF). 2015 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2015. p. 45. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  25. Burris, Joe; Taft, Larry (June 28, 1988). "Fired Lind Gone, but 15,128 Fans See Sounds Win". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-C – via Newspapers.com.
  26. "Wayne Garland Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  27. Burris, Joe (July 4, 1988). "Scherger's Debut Spoiled 3–1". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 5-C – via Newspapers.com.
  28. Burris, Joe (July 5, 1988). "Scherger Quits After One Game". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-C – via Newspapers.com.
  29. Burns, Bud (July 22, 1988). "Sounds' Newest Manager Vows No Hangups". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1-C – via Newspapers.com.
  30. "Frank Lucchesi Minor and Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  31. "Pete Mackanin Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  32. "Triple-A All-Star Game Managers and Coaches (All-Time)" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  33. Taft, Larry (June 29, 1992). "Miley Known as a Player's Manager". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 2-C – via Newspapers.com.
  34. "Dave Miley Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  35. "Chicago White Sox Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  36. "Rick Renick Winter & Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  37. "American Association Special Award Winners". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  38. "1994 Triple-A All-Star Game" (PDF). Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  39. Coleman, Anthony (January 7, 1997). "Spencer to Manage Sounds". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
  40. "Tom Spencer Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  41. "Notable Events in American Association History". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  42. "Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  43. "Trent Jewett Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  44. Patton, Maurice (June 7, 2000). "Hebner Named Sounds' Manager". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  45. "Marty Brown Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  46. "Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  47. "Frank Kreblas Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  48. "Pacific Coast League Champions". Pacific Coast League. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  49. "Pacific Coast League Special Award Winners". Triple-A Baseball. Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  50. "Don Money Minor, Winter & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  51. "Mike Guerrero Minor & CPBL Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  52. "Nashville Sounds Interim Manager Charlie Greene Easily Slides into New Role". Florida Today. May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  53. "Guerrero Earns Coolbaugh Honors". Minor League Baseball. November 13, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  54. McCoy, Hal (October 5, 2013). "Early Candidates for Reds Manager". Dayton Daily News. Dayton. p. C5 – via Newspapers.com.
  55. "Rick Sweet Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  56. "Oakland Athletics Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  57. "Steve Scarsone Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  58. "Ryan Christenson Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  59. "Fran Riordan Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  60. "Texas Rangers Minor League Affiliates". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  61. "Jason Wood Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  62. "Sounds Announce 2020 Coaching Staff". Nashville Sounds. Minor League Baseball. January 2, 2020. Retrieved September 1, 2020.
  63. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  64. McCalvy, Adam (November 9, 2020). "Brewers Invite Nashville to Minor League Fold". Milwaukee Brewers. Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  65. "San Antonio Missions Announce 2020 Field Staff". San Antonio Missions. Minor League Baseball. January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  66. "Leon Roberts Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
General
  • "All-Time Sounds Managers" (PDF). 2018 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2018. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  • "Postseason History" (PDF). 2018 Nashville Sounds Media Guide. Minor League Baseball. 2018. pp. 178–179. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2019.

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