Ronnie Dwayne Gideon (born January 13, 1964, at Tyler, Texas) is an American professional baseball coach and manager. He began the 2009 season as the field coordinator of instruction in the farm system of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies, a post he had held since 2006, but on May 29, Gideon was named manager of the Tulsa Drillers of the Double-A Texas League, part of a chain reaction of promotions in the Rockies' organization that followed the firing of Colorado pilot Clint Hurdle.[1] During the 2010 baseball season, Gideon continued to hold the twin posts of Tulsa manager and field coordinator, but in 2011 will focus on the latter job.[2]
In his playing days (1984-90), Gideon was a first baseman and pitcher in the minor league organizations of the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. He batted .250 over his career — slugging 25 home runs in his best season, 1987 with the Class A Lynchburg Mets — and losing four of five decisions with an earned run average of 2.97 on the mound. He threw and batted left-handed, standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.9 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg).[3]
Gideon became a coach and instructor in the Mets' system after his retirement as a player, and managed in the minor leagues from 1993 through 2005, joining the Rockies' system in 1996. He managed at every level but Triple-A before moving to the field coordinator post for the Rockies in 2006. On May 29, 2009, when Hurdle was replaced by Jim Tracy as Colorado's MLB manager, Triple-A skipper Tom Runnells became Tracy's bench coach, Tulsa manager Stu Cole took over Runnells' Colorado Springs Sky Sox, and Gideon took the reins in Tulsa.
Gideon now lives in Hallsville, Texas with his family.
| Preceded by Stu Cole |
Tulsa Drillers Manager 2009–2010 |
Succeeded by Duane Espy |