Tom Runnells
From BR Bullpen
Thomas William Runnells
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
- School University of Northern Colorado
- Debut August 10, 1985
- Final Game June 6, 1986
- Born April 17, 1955 in Greeley, CO USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Tom Runnells is a former big league infielder and manager and the current (2007) skipper of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Pacific Coast League.
Runnells played in the minor leagues for almost nine years before he got his brief major league shot. He began his career in the San Francisco Giants organization, playing seven years in their system. He hit .300 a couple of times for Phoenix in the Pacific Coast League but showed little power. He moved on to the Cincinnati Reds in 1984, and final reached the bigs as a 30 year old rookie in 1985 on manager Pete Rose's club. He had another cup of coffee with the Reds the next year but retired following the season.
Runnells started managing in the Reds system in 1987 and led the Chattanooga Lookouts to a league crown the next year. He moved on to the Montreal Expos organization in 1989 and led the Indianapolis Indians to the American Association championship. This success earned him a spot on the Expos big league coaching staff beginning in 1990. Midway through the next season, he replaced Buck Rodgers as the team's manager. After about a year at the helm, he was replaced by Felipe Alou.
His time as Expos manager was short but tumultuous. Succeeding the very popular Rodgers, he had trouble establishing his credibility with the media and the team. He was General Manager Dave Dombrowski's hand-picked man but failed to replicate his minor league success as the Expos finished the 1991 season in last place for the first time since 1976. In what became his defining moment, he made an entrance at spring training in 1992 dressed in marine fatigues, apparently trying to channel the spirit of General Norman Schwartzkopf. Everyone who witnessed the performance found it eerily distressing. He then proceeded to try to shake up the team through various strange moves, such as shifting three-time Gold Glove winner Tim Wallach from third base to first base in order to slot in Bret Barberie, who had hardly ever played the position in organized baseball. The players quickly were in open revolt against their leader. Runnells' position with the front office had become shaky anyway, as Dombrowski had bolted the organization and had been replaced by Dan Duquette, who sacked Runnells on May 22, 1992, replacing him with the calmer and more experienced Felipe Alou, under whom the team started winning immediately.
After leaving the Expos, Runnells managed in the Detroit Tigers system for several seasons and served again as a coach. More recently, he led the Tulsa Drillers in 2004 and 2005 and has been skipper of the Sky Sox since 2006.
[edit] Year-by-Year Managerial Record
[edit] Related Sites
| Preceded by Buck Rodgers | Montréal Expos Manager 1991 (midseason) - 1992 (midseason) | Succeeded by Felipe Alou |
Categories: Player | Manager | Coach | Minor League Managers | Scouts
