Jim Frey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jim Frey |
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Frey in 1980
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| Manager | |||
| Born: May 26, 1931 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Died: April 12, 2020 (aged 88) Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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| Career statistics | |||
| Managerial record | 323–287–1 | ||
| Winning % | .530 | ||
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As manager
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Gottfried Frey (born May 26, 1931 – died April 12, 2020) was an American baseball expert. He worked as a manager, coach, general manager, and minor league outfielder. In 1980, Frey led the Kansas City Royals to their first American League (AL) championship. This was his first year managing the team. They played in the World Series but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Early Baseball Days
Frey was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was friends with Don Zimmer for his whole life. Jim Frey played as an outfielder. He batted and threw with his left hand. He spent most of his playing career in the minor league teams of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. A problem with his arm stopped him from reaching the major leagues in 1958.
After he stopped playing in 1963, Frey joined the Baltimore Orioles. He worked as a scout and a minor league manager. In 1970, Frey became a coach for the Orioles' main team. He worked under manager Earl Weaver. During his time there, the Orioles won the AL championship three times. They also won one World Series in 1970. Jim Palmer, a famous pitcher, said Frey was great at moving fielders around.
Managing the Kansas City Royals
After the 1979 World Series, Jim Frey became the manager of the Kansas City Royals. He took over from Whitey Herzog. In 1980, he led the Royals to a great season, winning 97 games. They won the American League West Division title.
Then, in the 1980 American League Championship Series, the Royals beat the New York Yankees. They won all three games. This was a big win because the Yankees had beaten the Royals in the ALCS for three years before. However, the Royals lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies won in six games. Some people thought Frey used too many pitchers in the Series.
The 1981 season was shorter because of a player strike. The Royals did not play well in the first part of the season. Jim Frey was criticized for not using his team's speed enough. He was also blamed for not motivating his players. So, on August 31, he was fired. This happened even though the team was leading their division in the second half. Dick Howser took his place. Frey's record as Royals manager was 127 wins and 105 losses.
Leading the Chicago Cubs
After leaving the Royals, Frey coached for the New York Mets in 1982 and 1983. In 1984, the Chicago Cubs hired him as their manager. He found success again! The Cubs won their division title. This was their first time in the playoffs since 1945.
After winning the division, Frey famously said, "The monkey's off our back!" This meant they had finally broken a long streak of not making the playoffs.
The Cubs won their first two games against the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series. These games were at their home park, Wrigley Field. They only needed to win one more game in San Diego. But the Cubs lost all three games there. Many people blamed Frey for how he used his pitchers. Still, the 1984 Cubs team is very special to Cubs fans. Ryne Sandberg, a star player, said Frey was very important to his career.
In 1985, many of the Cubs' main starting pitchers were injured. The team struggled in 1986. Frey was fired two months into the season. John Vukovich became the new manager. The next year, Frey worked as a commentator for Cubs radio games. He explained the game to listeners.
In December 1987, the Tribune Co. hired Frey to be their general manager. He replaced Dallas Green. Frey quickly made changes. He hired his friend, Zimmer, to manage the team. Frey traded relief pitcher Lee Smith to Boston. He got two other pitchers, Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi, in return. He also traded Keith Moreland for closer Goose Gossage. These trades did not work out well for the Cubs at first.
In 1988, Frey made another big trade. He sent young star Rafael Palmeiro and pitcher Jamie Moyer to the Texas Rangers. In return, the Cubs got players like Mitch Williams. This trade seemed good for the Cubs in 1989. Williams saved 36 games, and the Cubs won another division title. Palmeiro and Moyer struggled in Texas that year. But Williams only had one more good year for the Cubs. Palmeiro and Moyer went on to have very successful careers. After the 1989 season, Frey was named a top executive by UPI.
The 1990 season was disappointing. Frey then signed some new players. These included George Bell, Danny Jackson, and Dave Smith. But Jackson and Smith did not play well in 1991. Zimmer was fired in May 1991. Jim Essian became the manager for the rest of the season. After the 1991 season, Frey was given a different role in the organization. Larry Himes became the new general manager. Frey left baseball in 1992. He said he felt tired after 43 years in the sport.
Later Life and Passing
Later in his life, Jim Frey became the Vice Chairman of the Somerset Patriots. This is an independent baseball team. He was very important to the team in its early years. He passed away in Ponte Vedra, Florida, on April 12, 2020. He was 88 years old. He was survived by his wife of 68 years and his four children.
