Fregosi suffers stroke on MLB alumni cruise

Former All-Star shortstop and big league manager Jim Fregosi suffered a stroke during a Major League Baseball alumni cruise, and he was flown to Miami from the Cayman Islands on Tuesday.

Fregosi, 71, had the stroke last weekend, but doctors in the Cayman Islands had to stabilize his condition before he could be flown back to the mainland, where his recovery continues.

Fregosi has been a special assistant to the Atlanta Braves' general manager the past 13 seasons.

Originally signed out of high school by the Boston Red Sox, Fregosi was an Expansion Draft selection of the Los Angeles Angels in December 1960. He was a six-time All-Star as a shortstop during an 18-year career, playing for the Angels, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates. After 11 years with the Halos, Fregosi was the key player the club sent to the Mets for a young Nolan Ryan on Dec. 10, 1971.

In June 1978, Fregosi went from a backup role on the Pirates to the manager of the California Angels. During 15 seasons as a manager, Fregosi managed the Angels to the American League West title in 1979, the first postseason appearance in franchise history, and guided the Philadelphia Phillies to the National League pennant in 1993. He also managed the Chicago White Sox from 1986-88, and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1999 and 2000.

Fregosi managed the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate after being fired by the Halos during the 1981 season and before being hired by the White Sox. Between the White Sox and Phillies managerial tours, he was a big league scout for the San Francisco Giants.

At Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif., Fregosi was a teammate of former big league third baseman Tim Cullen and former scout Gary Hughes, who signed John Elway to the Yankees and is now a special assistant with the Red Sox.