Bios

Jim Lefebvre
Jim Lefebvre was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' switch-hitting infield of the mid-1960s with Jim Gilliam, Maury Wills, and Wes Parker. His homer off Dave McNally in the 1966 World Series opener provided one of the two runs the Dodgers would score all series in a four-game sweep by the Orioles.

Lefebvre played in Japan from 1973 to 1976 and later coached the Dodgers, Giants, and A's. A short career detour in the late '60s saw him appear in a few TV shows (including a role as one of the Joker's henchmen in an episode of Batman) but after retirement Lefebvre returned to baseball. He was named the Mariners' manager in the winter of 1988 after gaining respect as the batting coach of the AL champion A's.

In Seattle, Lefebvre met with mixed success. After two losing seasons, his focused and studied approach led the Mariners to a winning record (83-79) for the first time in franchise history. But his strong personality rubbed a few Mariners the wrong way and he was let go.

Lefebvre took the helm of the Chicago Cubs and quickly won the respect of key players Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace. In Chicago, Lefebvre again righted an underachieving club, taking the Cubs over the .500 mark for the first time in eleven years. Even so, Lefebvre's team didn't meet GM Larry Himes's lofty expectations, and Lefebvre got the axe. Lefebvre joined the Brewers as batting coach in 1999 and was later named interim manager of the team.

Source: http://www.baseballlibrary.com


Bruce Hurst
Bruce Hurst used an array of pitches to keep righthanded sluggers at bay. Hurst turned to sneaky fastballs, knee-buckling forkballs, and changeups to play mind games with his opponents. He was a rare lefthander who excelled at Fenway Park. He was 33-9 there from 1986 to 1988, and his 56 Fenway wins are second only to Mel Parnell's among southpaws. His pickoff move to first base was a weapon as well — he caught 15 baserunners in 1984.

Hurst was a highly touted rookie coming up with the Boston Red Sox in 1980. Despite spending six midsummer weeks on the disabled list in 1986, he posted a 2.99 ERA and helped lead the Red Sox to the 1986 World Series.

In 1988, Hurst became baseball's most coveted free agent after a career-best 18-6 record, and he accepted less money from the San Diego Padres than the Red Sox had offered so he could pitch in San Diego, closer to his Utah roots. He went 15-11 with a career-best 2.69 ERA in 1989. Hurst pitched well with the Pods for four years, going 55-37 and establishing himself as a top-notch lefty. In 1992, Hurst began to feel pain in his left shoulder and underwent surgery that October to repair a torn rotator cuff and labrum. He ended up going on and off the DL for the entire 1993 season, before he was traded to the Colorado Rockies. At the end of the season, Hurst signed on with the Texas Rangers, hoping to leave his injuries in the National League. But halfway through the year he realized his shoulder wasn't getting any stronger, and he retired in June 1994, stating that he didn't want to be a detriment to his team.

Source: http://www.baseballlibrary.com