Rob Thomson
| Rob Thomson | |||
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 Thomson at Yankee Stadium in 2011. | |||
| New York Yankees – No. 59 | |||
| Coach | |||
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Born: August 16, 1963 Sarnia, Ontario | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Robert Lewis Thomson (born August 16, 1963) is a Canadian bench coach for the New York Yankees. He previously served as bench coach during the 2008 season, third base coach from 2009 - 2014, and returned to serving as bench coach in 2015. He has also served as Major League Field Coordinator for the organization.
Career
Minor League coaching and front office career
Thomson was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the 1985 draft from the University of Kansas. He played catcher and third base in the Tigers' minor league system until 1988, when he became a minor league coach for the team. In 1990, Thomson joined the Yankees organization as a third base coach for the team's Class-A affiliate in Fort Lauderdale. He moved into the front office in 1998 as a Field Coordinator, and became Director of Player Development in 2000. Prior to the 2003 season, he was named Vice President of Minor League Development, and was named to the Major League coaching staff in November of the same year.
Major League coach
On September 27, 2006, Thomson took over as first base coach in place of Tony Peña, who learned before the game that his father had died. He filled in at the position for four games, as Peña returned in time for the season finale on October 1.
Prior to the 2008 season, incoming manager Joe Girardi named Thomson his bench coach.
On April 4, 2008, Girardi fell ill with a respiratory infection[1] and designated Thomson to manage that night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.[2] It was Thomson's first major league game as a manager and he became the first Canadian to manage a Major League game since George Gibson for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1934; the Yankees lost 13–4.[3][1] Thomson also managed the April 5 game due to Girardi's illness.[4] He served as the team's third base coach for six seasons, and was a member of the coaching staff for the Yankees' 2009 World Series championship. Prior to the 2015 season, he was named bench coach along with a series of coaching changes.
Criticism
During his time as third base coach, Thomson was regularly criticized for sending runners home who routinely were thrown out at home plate.[5] In 2014, the Yankees were tied with the Angels for the AL lead with 21 players thrown out at home.[6][7]
References
- 1 2 "Manager and Coaches". mlb.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ "Girardi misses Yanks game with illness". mlb.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ "Kennedy, bullpen can't contain Rays". mlb.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ "Respiratory ills again sideline Girardi". mlb.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ "Last night's play at the plate is just another reminder that the Yankees need to fire Rob Thomson". yahoo.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ Mearns, Andrew. "Yanks 3, Rays 4: Kuroda rocked, offense frustrates". pinstripealley.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ↑ "Katie Sharp on Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
External links
| Preceded by Don Mattingly Tony Peña |
New York Yankees Bench Coach 2008 2015– |
Succeeded by Tony Peña Incumbent |
| Preceded by Bobby Meacham |
New York Yankees Third Base Coach 2009–2014 |
Succeeded by Joe Espada |