The Chicago White Sox manger Jeff Torborg is the subject of #21 back when Topps actually made manager cards-and if your reading you really ought to think of going back to making those. Do you really think anyone cares about All-Star cards? I sure as heck don't. Bring back the manager cards or else… you don't and there isn't really much I can do about that. :)
Jeff Torborg went to Rutgers where his #10 jersey was retired and was signed by the Dodgers in 1963. He had been a catcher in the majors and caught a perfect game of Sandy Koufax and no-hitters of Nolan Ryan and Bill Singer. He played from 1964 to 1973. He was a no bat-.214 avg.-good glove catcher-dWar of 4.2. In 1971 he was purchased by the Angels before the start of the season where he was again a good backup for three years before being traded to the Cardinals for John Andrews. At the end of spring training 1974 he was released and after several years of coaching became manger of the Indian on June 19, 1977 replacing Frank Robinson. Robinson was fired after a year of fighting with the front office for what they called 'unrest in the clubhouse.'
In his time with the Indians he was described as being 'mild mannered' and at age 35 was the youngest manager in the majors. When the end there came it was not a happy experience for Torborg. He was almost fired in June of 79 when the Indians were talking to Bob Lemon about becoming Indian manager but, to prove why he is in the Hall of Fame, turned the Indians down. His players rebelled in support of Torborg by growing beards and ignoring the team's dress code. He was fired July 23. In his three years in Cleveland he complied a 157 and 201 record for a .439 winning pct.
Ten years later he became manager of the White Sox, after spending time as the Yankees bullpen coach, and was still managing them as the card shows. Improving the team by 25 wins earned him a manger of the year award in the upcoming season with a 94-68 record. One of the moments that convinced the White Sox management that they made the right choice came the year before, 1989, when the he held a one-hour back to fundamentals workout during 100 degree heat in Kansas City. The players responded and the one hour workout became a three hour one. His philosophy in Chicago was 'doing the little things, bunting, hit-and-run, speed, solids defense and a bullpen anchored by 57-game savior Bobby Thigpen.' He was quoted as telling his bullpen coach-Sammy Ellis-to play like every game was the seventh game of the World Series. "He'd (Ellis) say "What about the bullpen?' and I'd say I don't care about tomorrow." And that was his big flaw, because Thigpen was overworked that year and within a couple of years would be a mere shadow of what he had once been as a closer.
After a 87-75 record in 91 he went to the Mets for two years putting up a 85-115 record. In 2001 he was managing the Expos to a 47-62 mark. The next year he was in Florida and put together a 79-83 record. In 03 the Marlins got off to a slow start of 16-22 and was fired. His replacement-Jack McKeon won the World Series that year.
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