Now that the United States Supreme Court has taken care of things like voting rights and citizenship, it is time to move on to baseball.
The game needs a decision about managers. Exactly what are the differences between managers, interim managers and acting managers? This is of local importance because depending upon how one classifies Iggy Suarez’ role here since Chad Tracy left to replace Alex Cora in Boston on the evening of April 25, Suarez managed his 1,000th game in the Red Sox farm system Sunday in Syracuse.
Including his eight previous seasons at Lowell and Greenville, Suarez’ record is 472-528. Wins and losses are a small part of the story in evaluating minor league managers. Longevity says more. That many games in the same organization means that Suarez has been doing something right.
The record for most games managed in the Boston farm system, by the way, is held by Eddie Popowski. He was about 1,542-1,341 in 2,883 games. Minor league stats tended to be inexact in prior decades. Popowski managed from 1941 through 1966 in the Sox minors and for 14 different teams.
Through the years the Red Sox have generally treated their valued minor league managers well. Chad Epperson, with more farm system games on his resume than Suarez, is presently in the majors as Tracy’s third base coach.
Ron Johnson spent time as a Boston coach. So did Buddy Bailey, Dick Berardino, Carlos Febles, DeMarlo Hale, etc. Joe Morgan and Mike Higgins managed in Boston.
Popowski was promoted to Red Sox third base coach in 1967 and was part of the Impossible Dream season, then later had two terms as a late-season acting manager when Boston fired Dick Williams and Eddie Kasko.
Breaking Popowski’s record for games managed in the minors is probably not Suarez’ career goal. Spending serious time in the majors is more like it and every milestone will help.
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TRIPLE-A TRIVIA
1. What batter holds the Worcester Red Sox record for most home runs hit by a rookie?
2. Who is the last Boston Red Sox player to make his Sox major league debut coming directly from Double-A with no Triple-A experience?
Answers below.
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Joe La Sorsa’s Boston debut had him allowing a home run to the first batter he faced in a Red Sox uniform. The Worcester thing is going better, although he finds himself on the injured list (concussion) at present. La Sorsa has not been charged with a run in his first six appearances for the WooSox and is approaching the team record in that area. Jose Adames did not allow a run in his first eight outings for the 2021 WooSox. Geoff Hartlieb was perfect in his first seven, but that went from late in 2021 to early in 2022. … Catching up on this because it took while — the WooSox finally had a home run combo where both the pitcher and batter had the same last name. It happened in Toledo’s 15-6 victory at Polar Park on June 27. The Mud Hens’ Max Anderson hit one off Worcester’s Jack Anderson. It was in the team’s 799th game all-time. … Newcomer Sam McWilliams has spent some time in Triple-A and this week will not feature his first visit to Polar Park. That happened on May 13, 2021, the third game ever played here. Jarren Duran reached him for a two-run homer in the seventh inning of a 7-4 Worcester victory over Syracuse.
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CATCHING UP WITH….
Wyatt Mills, who pitched well for Worcester last season, had a brief stint with the Dodgers early in the season and is now with their Triple-Affiliate in Oklahoma City where he is 4-4 with a 2.64 ERA. Mills is one of four former WooSox who have played for that team, which also includes Millbury’s Ryan Ward.
Outfielder Tyler Dearden played two games for Worcester in 2023 and is now with the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars of the Atlantic League. Dearden is batting .340, ninth best in the league.
Also in the Atlantic League is Philip Sikes, who is batting .295 with 8 home runs and 41 RBIs. He is with Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.
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At this point in time, anything is worth a try with Kristian Campbell. So far, though, he is 9 for 45 (.200) in 14 games since being moved out of the cleanup spot in the batting order. Campbell has not hit a home run since May 5. … The July 3 game in Syracuse, an 8-7 loss to the Mets, demonstrated some old-time managerial skills. The WooSox employed three pinch hitters and 12 position players overall as well as five different pitchers. Iggy Suarez had five different natural catchers play at various points in the game. Andrew Knizner was behind the plate for all nine innings; Matt Thaiss was the DH, Nathan Hickey played first base, Jason Delay and Mickey Gasper both pinch hit. …What a great acquisition Gasper has been for the Boston organization, first as a Rule 5 guy, then a waiver claim. In 81 games for the WooSox, half a major league season, Gasper is batting .346 with 22 doubles and 15 home runs. … It has been sort of a Caleb Durban-ish season for rookie outfielder Allan Castro. After a brutal start, since the end of May Castro is hitting .289 with five homers and 18 RBIs. … At some point in the upcoming homestand, Braiden Ward should break the Red Sox Triple-A record for hit by pitches in a season. He had 20 when the WooSox left Syracuse. David Eckstein was hit 20 times for Pawtucket in 2000, so Ward has tied that mark. Do the WooSox give Ward the ball when he breaks the record?
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TRIVIA ANSWERS
1. Wilyer Abreu hit 22 home runs for the 2023 WooSox before being promoted to Boston, a Worcester rookie record.
2. Pitcher Eduardo Rivera made his Boston debut on April 22 of this season, being recalled directly from Double-A Portland after pitching two games there. After one game in the majors Rivera was sent to Worcester and made his WooSox debut on April 26. He has had an excellent season to date. Rivera is 7-2 with a 2.37 earned run average combined at the three levels.
The last Boston player to make a similar jump was Andrew Benintendi in 2026. He did not play a game in Triple-A until 2025 in Charlotte when he was 30 years old.