Don Baylor(1949-2017)
Don Baylor, the 1979 American League Most Valuable Player, racked up
2,135 hits, 360 home runs, and 1,276 runs batted in in his 19-year
career as a player, which began in 1970 when the 21-year old Baylor
came up with the soon-to-be World's Champion Baltimore Orioles for a
cup of coffee. His career ended in 1988, on the American League
pennant-wining Oakland Athletics: Baylor appeared in one game in the
World Series as a pinch-hitter.
After retiring as a player, Baylor became a coach and manager. He was the first manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies (1993-1998), winning Manager of the Year honors in the strike-shortened 1995 season, for bringing the three-year old team in at second place. After leaving the Rockies, Baylor spent three years as manager of the Chicago Cubs (2000-2002).
After retiring as a player, Baylor became a coach and manager. He was the first manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies (1993-1998), winning Manager of the Year honors in the strike-shortened 1995 season, for bringing the three-year old team in at second place. After leaving the Rockies, Baylor spent three years as manager of the Chicago Cubs (2000-2002).