James Gottfried Frey (born May 26, 1931 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state In Baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally the field manager) this individual controls matters In Baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team He led the Kansas City Royals to their first American League championship in 1980, in his first year with the team. The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1980 in athletics (track and field World Records June 12 &mdash In the World Series, they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, who won their first and only World Series championship. The 1980 World Series matched the Philadelphia Phillies against the Kansas City Royals, with the Phillies winning in six games to capture the only World Series title The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. For other events named "World Series" see World Series (disambiguation.

Frey, a lifelong friend of Don Zimmer, never reached the major leagues as a player. Donald William Zimmer (born January 17, 1931 in Cincinnati Ohio) is a former Infielder, manager, and a coach in Major League A lefthanded-batting and -throwing outfielder, he spent much of his career in the farm systems of the Boston/Milwaukee Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, then joined the Baltimore Orioles as a scout and minor league manager. In sports a farm team, feeder team or nursery club, generally refers to a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players with an The St Louis Cardinals (also referred to as "the Cards " or "the Redbirds " are a professional Baseball team based in St The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. "Talent scout" redirects here For talent scouting in the music industry see A&R Professional sports scouts are trained talent Part of the History of baseball series Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of Professional baseball leagues in North He was promoted to the Orioles' coaching staff under Earl Weaver in 1970, and coached on three American League pennant winners and one World Series champion through 1979 before his hiring by the Royals. Earl Sidney Weaver (born August 14, 1930 in St Louis Missouri) is a former Major League Baseball manager. Champions Major Leagues World Series MVP Brooks Robinson All-Star Game, July 14 at Riverfront Stadium The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League ( AL) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in The 1970 World Series matched the American League champion Baltimore Orioles against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds, with Champions Major League Baseball World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles (4-3 Willie Stargell,

Frey led the Royals to a 97-65 mark and the American League West Division title in 1980; then, in the 1980 American League Championship Series, the Royals defeated their long-time postseason nemesis, the New York Yankees in three straight games to capture the AL title. The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball 's American League. Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1980 in athletics (track and field World Records June 12 &mdash The American League Championship Series faced the 97-65 Kansas City Royals against the team that had defeated them three straight years in the ALCS from 1976-1978 The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of The Bronx, in New York City, New York. (The Yanks had defeated Whitey Herzog's Royals for three consecutive seasons (1976-78) in the ALCS). Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog (born November 9 1931) is a former Major League Baseball Outfielder, scout, But Frey's Royals dropped the 1980 series in six games. The following year was marked by the 1981 baseball strike and the Royals never got untracked. The 1981 Major League Baseball strike was the fifth work stoppage in Major League Baseball since the 1972 Major League Baseball strike They had lost 40 of their first 70 games when Frey was replaced by Dick Howser on August 31. Richard Dalton Howser ( May 14, 1936 - June 17, 1987) was an American Major League Baseball Shortstop and Ironically, Howser had managed the Yankees the year before (and was fired after the Royals swept them out of the playoffs) and, because of the split-season format in use because of the strike, the Royals were actually in first place (with a 10-10 record) in the second-half AL West standings at the time of Frey's dismissal.

Frey then returned to the coaching ranks with the New York Mets for 1982-83. "Mets" redirects here For the medical term see Metastasis. Frey was hired by the Chicago Cubs for the 1984 season, and again struck paydirt as the Cubs won the division title, earning their first post-season appearance since 1945. The Chicago Cubs are a Professional Baseball franchise based in Chicago, Illinois. Athletics For an extensive coverage see 1984 in athletics (track and field Auto Racing The 1945 World Series matched the American League Detroit Tigers against the National League Chicago Cubs. During the clubhouse celebration following the division-clinching in Pittsburgh, Frey declared, "The monkey's off our back!"

The Cubs won the first two games against the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field, before they went to San Diego needing to win just one of the next three games. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago The Cubs lost the next three games, and many critics blamed Frey for mishandling the pitching staff. Still, the 1984 Cubs are still revered among Cubs fans.

After a trying 1985 season in which the entire five-man starting rotation simultaneously spent time on the disabled list, the Cubs sputtered in 1986. Frey was fired two months into the season and replaced by John Vukovich. John Christopher Vukovich ( July 31 1947 – March 8 2007) was an American Third baseman and coach in The next year, Frey surfaced as a color commentator on the Cubs' WGN Radio broadcasts.

In December 1987, the Tribune Co. hired Frey to replace his old boss, Dallas Green, who resigned two months earlier. George Dallas Green (born August 4, 1934) is a former Pitcher, manager, and executive in Major League Baseball. Frey hired his lifelong friend, Zimmer, to manage the team, and immediately made his presence felt. Within weeks of his hire, he dealt relief pitcher Lee Smith to Boston for journeyman Al Nipper and Calvin Schiraldi, who was best known for playing a part in the Red Sox' 1986 World Series collapse. Lee Arthur Smith (born December 4 1957 is a retired American right-handed Relief pitcher who played for eight teams in Major League Baseball from 1980 Albert Samuel Nipper (born April 2, 1959) is a Major League Baseball coach and a former pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Calvin Drew Schiraldi (born June 16, 1962 in Houston Texas) was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Boston Red Sox The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. Frey also traded the popular Keith Moreland to San Diego for closer Goose Gossage, who had played a big part on the San Diego team that eliminated the Cubs four years earlier. Bobby Keith "Zonk" Moreland (born May 2, 1954 in Dallas Texas) is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball who played Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage (born July 5 1951 in Colorado Springs Colorado) is a former right-handed Relief pitcher in Major League Baseball Neither move worked, and the Cubs were without a closer.

So Frey made a bold move in the winter of 1988, trading budding star Rafael Palmeiro and young pitcher Jamie Moyer to the Texas Rangers for a number of players, including Mitch Williams. Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964 in Havana, Cuba) is a former Major League Baseball player with a career spanning Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962 in Sellersville, Pennsylvania) is a Starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, The Texas Rangers are an American professional baseball team based in Arlington Texas, United States, representing the Dallas-Ft Mitch Williams redirects here For the fictional character please see Mitch Williams (General Hospital. The trade paid off for the Cubs in 1989 as Williams saved 36 games, the Cubs won a division title and Moyer and Palmeiro struggled in Texas. But Williams had just one more forgettable year for the Cubs before being traded to Philadelphia in 1991, and Palmeiro and Moyer went on to have all-star careers.

After a disappointing 1990 season, Frey was active on the free agent market, acquiring former Toronto Blue Jay and 1987 American League MVP George Bell, former Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Danny Jackson and former Houston Astros closer Dave Smith. Jorge (George Antonio Bell Mathey (born October 21, 1959, San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a former Left fielder and Danny Lynn Jackson (born January 5, 1962 in San Antonio Texas) was a pitcher with a 15-year career from to. The Houston Astros are a Professional baseball team based in Houston Texas. Jackson and Smith flopped in their roles in 1991, and Zimmer was fired - apparently on orders from Tribune Co. CEO Donald Grenesko in May 1991. The Tribune Company is a large American Multimedia Corporation based in Chicago Illinois. Jim Essian, a former journeyman catcher and Iowa Cubs manager, replaced Zimmer for the remainder of the season. James Sarkis Essian Jr (born January 2, 1951, in Detroit Michigan) was a Catcher and occasional infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A Minor league baseball team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Frey was reassigned within the organization after the 1991 season, replaced by former Chicago White Sox general manager Larry Himes. The Chicago White Sox are a professional Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Larry Himes (born October 7, 1940 in Riverside California, USA) was a general manager for two Major League Baseball teams the He is currently Vice Chairman of the Somerset Patriots. The Somerset Patriots are a professional baseball team based in Bridgewater Township New Jersey, in the United States

External links

• Baseball-Reference.com - career managing record