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As of 2007, the Arizona Diamondbacks have had five managers, two owners, and two General Managers in their 10 year history.[1] These executives have compiled a 818-802 (.505) record[2], four National League West Division titles (1999, 2000, 2001, 2007), one National League Pennant (2001), and one World Series title (2001).[3] The Diamondback's current executives are manager Bob Melvin[4], General Manager Josh Byrnes, and owner Ken Kendrick.[5]
[edit] Managers
[edit] Buck ShowalterMain article: Buck Showalter After the creation of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, Buck Showalter was named the franchise's first manager on November 15, 1995, a full 28 months before the first scheduled game. In 1998, the team's inaugural season, Showalter led the Diamondbacks to a 65-97 (.401) record, the fourth most wins by any expansion team in MLB history. Showalter became famous for his intentional walk of Barry Bonds in a game against the San Francisco Giants. On May 28, the Diamondbacks led the Giants 8-6 in the bottom of the 9th inning with two outs, bases loaded. Showalter had then-closer Gregg Olson issue an intentional walk, forcing in a run and setting the score at 8-7. Ultimately, the move worked and the Diamondbacks won. 1999 saw the signing of many veteran free agents, such as Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, and Mark Grace. With those experienced player additions, the team compiled the second best record in the MLB that year, going 100-62 (.617). The 35-game improvement from the previous year marked the largest improvement in National League history. This also marked the team's first division title and berth into the playoffs. The Diamondbacks lost to the New York Mets, four games to one in the first round of the playoffs. The 2000 season started off very successfully with the Diamondbacks retaining first place for the first four months. However, the good start soured with a finish of 85-77 (.525), twelve games behind the first place Giants and nine games off a playoff berth. The club released Showalter on October 2, 2000. He had posted a 250-236 (.514) record, which led the neophyte Arizona team to their first playoff berth and, arguably, set the table for their impressive future successes.[11] [edit] Bob BrenlyMain article: Bob Brenly
[edit] Al PedriqueMain article: Al Pedrique Al Pedrique started out the 2004 Major League Baseball season under Bob Brenly as the third base coach for the Diamondbacks. With the firing of Bob Brenly in July, the Diamondbacks hired Pedrique as interim manager. Pedrique was taking over a team that had compiled a 29-50 record under Brenly. The Diamondbacks ended the season in last place with an overall record of 51-111 (.315), with Pedrique accumulating a record of 22-61 (.265). After the disappointing 2004 season, the Diamondbacks let Pedrique go and hired Wally Backman.[13] [edit] Wally BackmanMain article: Wally Backman After a disappointing 51-111 (.315) record, the Diamondbacks went on the search for a new manager. Wally Backman, the former New York Mets second baseman and 1986 World Champion,[14] was selected over Bob Melvin and Manny Acta for the managerial position.[15] Backman was the manager for a mere four days until the Diamondbacks fired their new manager. Media reports surfaced about Backman's past legal and financial problems.[16] Backman had been arrested twice before, once in 2000 for a DUI and in 2001 for misdemeanor harassment due to a fight he had with his wife and one of her friends. Backman has also declared bankruptcy and has many other financial problems. The Diamondbacks failed to do any criminal or financial backgrounds checks before hiring Backman, although after reports of Backman's past came up, the Diamondbacks hired a company to commence a private background check. Since Backman had not signed a contract with the Diamondbacks, he was fired and not reimbursed for his services.[17] [edit] Bob MelvinMain article: Bob Melvin Bob Melvin was named the Diamondbacks' manager on November 5, 2004, after the Wally Backman fiasco. [18] Melvin was taking over a young team who, just a year prior, had finished last in the National League West and had the worst record in team history, posting 51-111 (.315).[2] In his first season as the leader of the Diamondbacks, Melvin led the team to a 77-85 (.475) record, falling five games short of the divisional champion San Diego Padres. The team's overall record marked a 26-game turnaround from its previously-poor 2004 season, the second worst in team history. The new manager's second year at the helm saw the return of most of his former players. Melvin led the team to a 76-86 (.469) record which put them in a tie for last place with the Colorado Rockies and twelve games behind the division champion Los Angeles Dodgers. 2007 marked Melvin's third season as the team's leader and saw the return of D-Backs great Randy Johnson and several young, more mature players such as Brandon Webb, Conor Jackson, and others. The D-Backs went on to clinch their first play-off birth under Melvin, winning the National League West pennant by posting a league-leading 90-72 (.556) record.[18] Melvin led the Diamondbacks to the playoffs, where they swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS. Counterintuitively, the team was swept by their close western division rivals, the Colorado Rockies in the NLCS. Melvin was named The Sporting News Manager of the Year and MLB Manager of the Year for the National League in 2007. His nickname, given to him by now D-Bax television color-commentator and former Chi-Cubbies premier first-baseman, Mark Grace, is "The Mad Scientist". So-named, because Melvin put many different line-ups on the field and won with all of them. Bob Melvin is under current contract with the Diamondbacks until 2008, with a club option for 2009.[19] [20]. [edit] OwnersThe term "owner" in this section refers to the official title of managing general partner. [edit] Jerry ColangeloMain article: Jerry Colangelo
[edit] Paul SchlossMain article: Paul Schloss
[edit] General Managers[edit] Joe Garagiola, Jr.Main article: Joe Garagiola, Jr.
[edit] Bob GebhardBob Gebhard was a Montreal Expos coach in 1982 and the Expos' farm director from 1983 to 1986. He moved to the Minnesota Twins as assistant GM from 1988 to 1991. He was the first general manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies, a position he held until 1999. From 2000 to 2004, he worked as a special assistant to the GM for the St. Louis Cardinals. In August 2005, Gebhard was named interim GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the remainder of the season. [edit] Josh ByrnesMain article: Josh Byrnes
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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