KANSAS CITY – He’s the coach who held Alex Gordon at third base in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series and the one who sent Lorenzo Cain dashing home in Game 6 of the ‘15 American League Championship Series. But Mike Jirschele is known more in the Royals’ organization for the impact he has left on players from the Minor Leagues all the way to the big leagues.
After 48 years in professional baseball, 34 of those as a coach in the Royals’ organization, Jirschele is retiring, the club announced Friday.
The 66-year-old Jirschele spent six seasons as the Royals’ third-base coach from 2014-19. He most recently served as the Triple-A Omaha manager for the past three seasons, a position he also held from 1995-97 and 2003-13.
With 1,214 wins across multiple stints with Omaha, Jirschele is the winningest manager in Storm Chasers history.
“I would say 48 years in baseball sort of helped make my decision,” Jirschele said, laughing. “It gets to a point where my grandkids are starting to grow up, they’re in sports, and I’m missing a lot of that just like I did with my kids.
“I do think it’s the right time. Traveling and living in hotels, I’ve done it for so long, I think I can retire. Move on and watch the grandkids play.”
Jirschele has 10 grandchildren, all near his hometown of Clintonville, Wisc., so he won’t have to travel much anymore. He will plan a few trips to see his son, Justin, who is the White Sox third-base/infield coach – the same title his dad held with the Royals.
“Jirsch is a Royals legend,” general manager J.J. Picollo said. “He’s done so many things within the organization. What stands out is his ability to connect with people. Didn’t matter what their backgrounds were, he always found a way to get the most out of players. He made it enjoyable, and he just did it all with a lot of humility. He cares about the Royals. We’ll miss having him.”
Selected by Texas in the fifth round of the 1977 MLB Draft, Jirschele played in 999 Minor League games over 13-plus seasons in the Rangers’ and Royals’ systems. In 1989, former Royals farm director John Boles sent Jirschele back to Double-A as a player-coach to work with the infielders.
That’s when a long coaching career began.
“I still don’t know if I should thank Boles or dislike him,” Jirschele said.
Jirschele held managerial positions with the Gulf Coast Royals (1992), Rockford (‘93), Wilmington (‘94) and Omaha (‘95-97). From 1998-2002, he was the Royals’ Minor League infield coordinator before going back as the Triple-A manager for the next decade.
In 2014, Jirschele joined manager Ned Yost’s staff as the third-base coach in Kansas City.
“His work ethic was tremendous,” Yost said. “He has great baseball intellect, but he also has great respect and relationships with the players. I kept thinking to myself, ‘I got to try to find a way to give him an opportunity to come to the big leagues.’”
Jirschele helped Kansas City win the pennant in 2014, although he’ll be remembered for not sending Gordon home in Game 7 of the World Series – a decision he still stands behind.
But Jirschele had a hand in the run that sent the Royals back to the World Series in 2015, when Cain scored from first on Eric Hosmer’s single in Game 6 of the ALCS. It was a perfectly executed play that began when scouts noticed that Toronto right fielder José Bautista often threw directly to second base, using his arm to prevent extra bases.
With the speedy Cain on first in the eighth inning of a tie game, Jirschele knew he had the right runner on base. Hosmer’s line drive gave the Royals the opportunity. Hosmer made a hard turn toward second, baiting Bautista’s throw.
And Cain never slowed down as he headed for and rounded third, watching Jirschele all the way. The Royals won, 4-3, and went on to beat the Mets in five games in the World Series.
“When I saw him sending me, I was definitely shocked,” Cain said at the time. “But I trust him to the fullest.”
That’s what makes Jirschele such a fixture in Royals baseball, even when he returned as a Minor League coach in 2021. Players love and trust him. Jirschele keeps things loose, he’s honest and he’s loyal. Those are good traits to have, especially in Triple-A, where Jirschele has the honor of telling players they’ve been called up but also welcomes disappointed players back when they get sent down and he has to have tough conversations.
“Players know that Jirsch has their back,” Yost said. “They know that he’s going to do everything he can to further their career and make them better. It was never about him. That’s the mark of a good coach. Those players would follow him wherever Jirsch would lead them.”
Jirschele really dislikes talking about himself. He quipped that this story should include a disclaimer: No one better bother him when the retirement announcement drops.
But after 34 years of coaching? Not a chance his phone stays quiet.
“I just went out and did what I was supposed to do, trying to do what was best for the player,” Jirschele said. “I think that’s our job as instructors, try to make these guys understand what they have to do to get to the big leagues. Try to relax and just play the game. It’s still just a game.”