Some of the best baseball teams ever formed have struggled to make a success of their squads because they were unable to get the balance right. Team sports like baseball require someone to lead the team and someone who can pull a range of stars in the same direction. They need a manager. These baseball managers have been the most successful at getting players to perform to the best of their abilities.
Joe McCarthy
For 24 years Joe McCarthy ruled over some of the best baseball teams in the country. He took charge of teams such as the Cubs and the Red Sox, but his real success came as manager of the Yankees. McCarthy won the World Series a total of seven times with New York and made the postseason a total of nine times. He was such a good manager that even in years where he struggled, he still posted a winning record and no team he managed finished lower than fourth place. McCarthy’s final World Series win came in 1943.
Walter Alston
For a ten year period in his 23 as a manager, Walter Alston was at the top of his game, winning the World Series a total of four times. He remained faithful to the Dodgers even after they relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Seven times he made the postseason with a winning percentage of .558. The Dodgers had never won a single title before Alston came along and changed everything for them.
In just his second season as manager Alston had led the Dodgers to their very first World Series, and more were to follow. Alston left behind a great team after a rebuilding period and his successor, Tommy Lasorda, was able to win three World Series in his first five seasons with the Dodgers.
Joe Torre
This legendary manager Joe Torre started coaching in 1977 with the Mets, and 29 years later he was still going strong. Torre had an overall winning percentage of .538 over those 29 years, making the postseason period a total of 15 times. That’s once every other season, proving how used to winning he was.
Torre led the Yankees to four World Series wins in five seasons from 1996 to 2000. Besides the Yankees, Torre has managed baseball dynasties such as the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Braves. On top of his incredible winning record, Torre’s 84 postseason victories are the most of any manager in MLB history.
Sparky Anderson
Fans of the Cincinnati Reds or Detroit Tigers will know all about Sparky Anderson. The manager began his career with the Reds, leading them to two World Series victories in the ‘70s. He took over at the Tigers and in his seventh season broke the league wins record with 104 for the regular season. Although his career ended in disappointment, his first 20 years of management were extraordinary, particularly for Tigers and Reds fans.
These guys brought massive success to their teams and fans, with multiple World Series wins between them. The good times were always rolling when these managers were in the hot seat.
