Buck Rodgers : biography
Robert LeRoy "Buck" Rodgers (born August 16, 1938) is a former catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he helmed three major league teams: the Milwaukee Brewers (1980–82), Montreal Expos (1985–91) and California Angels (1991–1994), compiling a career won-lost mark of 784–773 (.504).
Managerial statistics
Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
MIL | 1980 | 39 | 31 | .557 | 3rd in AL East | – | – | – | – |
MIL | 1981 | 62 | 47 | .569 | 1st in AL East | 2 | 3 | .400 | Lost to New York Yankees |
MIL | 1982 | 23 | 24 | .489 | 5th in AL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1985 | 84 | 77 | .522 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1986 | 78 | 83 | .484 | 4th in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1987 | 91 | 71 | .562 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1988 | 81 | 81 | .500 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1989 | 81 | 81 | .500 | 4th in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1990 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 3rd in NL East | – | – | – | – |
MON | 1991 | 20 | 29 | .408 | 6th in NL East | – | – | – | – |
CAL | 1991 | 20 | 18 | .526 | 7th in AL West | – | – | – | – |
CAL | 1992 | 33 | 40 | .452 | 5th in AL West | – | – | – | – |
CAL | 1993 | 71 | 91 | .438 | 5th in AL West | – | – | – | – |
CAL | 1994 | 16 | 24 | .400 | 4th in AL West | – | – | – | – |
Total | 784 | 774 | .503 | 2 | 3 | .400 | – |
Playing career
Rodgers graduated from Prospect High School in 1956 and was a star basketball player as well scoring over 1,700 points in his career and averaging 25 points per game over his Junior and Senior seasons with a high of 55 in 1956. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University and Ohio Northern University. As a player, he signed his first professional contract with the Detroit Tigers and was selected by the Angels in the 1960 MLB Expansion Draft. He was a top defensive catcher and a switch-hitter who played nine major league seasons (1961–69), all with the Angels, compiling a .232 batting average with 31 home runs in 932 games. As a player, Rodgers caught Bo Belinsky’s no-hitter on May 5, 1962.http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1962/B05050LAA1962.htm
Managerial career
In between his playing and managing careers, Rodgers served as a coach for the Minnesota Twins (1970–74), San Francisco Giants (1976), and the Brewers (1978–80). He managed in the Angels’ farm system in 1975 and 1977. His managerial career was book-ended by unusual circumstances.