Don Buford to Manage Daytona Cubs

[Chris]

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] Two weeks ago, the 2006 coaching staff was announced for the Daytona Cubs. Since that announcement some things have shifted in the Chicago Cubs organization that affect the Daytona staff. The Cubs announced today that former American League All-Star Don Buford will be the Daytona Cubs manager for the 2006 season. Pat Listach moves up to serve as manager for the Cubs AA affiliate West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.

 

For the full article, click here.

[Coach C]

Not being silly, since I don't follow the Minors too well, is this a good or bad move for Daytona?

[Chris]

I see he has a career Managing record of 189-228.

 

Richie Zisk (former Manager) will still be there, but he'll be the Hitting Instructor.

[DesMoinesCub]

So if you are Zisk, do you take that as a promotion or demotion to go from manager to hitting instructor at the same level?

[NCCubFan]

So if you are Zisk, do you take that as a promotion or demotion to go from manager to hitting instructor at the same level?

To me that seems like a demotion. Certainly going from manager to hitting coach at the major league level would be a demotion; I would think it would be in the minors as well. I would also think that being hitting coach for a specific team would be considered a demotion from being the organization-wide hitting coordinator (which Zisk was a few years ago); however, I don't know if it really is viewed that way (just because it seems to me like it would be doesn't necessarily mean that it actually is).

[CuseCubFan69]

I see he has a career Managing record of 189-228.

 

Richie Zisk (former Manager) will still be there, but he'll be the Hitting Instructor.

 

I take a minor league managers record different than I do a Major League manager. I know here in Syracuse the Jays always had a lot of young good prospects here and they didn't win but a lot of them went on to help the Jays win the World Series. I want a good teacher at the minors.

[Chris]

I see he has a career Managing record of 189-228.

 

Richie Zisk (former Manager) will still be there, but he'll be the Hitting Instructor.

 

I take a minor league managers record different than I do a Major League manager. I know here in Syracuse the Jays always had a lot of young good prospects here and they didn't win but a lot of them went on to help the Jays win the World Series. I want a good teacher at the minors.

 

Agreed, I was just throwing some information. I know in the past it's been said more than once down here that it's more about delevoping players than getting wins, although wins are nice.

[stitchface]

I see he has a career Managing record of 189-228.

 

Richie Zisk (former Manager) will still be there, but he'll be the Hitting Instructor.

 

I take a minor league managers record different than I do a Major League manager. I know here in Syracuse the Jays always had a lot of young good prospects here and they didn't win but a lot of them went on to help the Jays win the World Series. I want a good teacher at the minors.

 

Agreed, I was just throwing some information. I know in the past it's been said more than once down here that it's more about delevoping players than getting wins, although wins are nice.

 

yea, I'm not sure the owners of the team would see it that way since wins typically equal fans and revenue. personally I would rather see a good teacher since i don't much care if daytona wins or not.

[craig]

So if you are Zisk, do you take that as a promotion or demotion to go from manager to hitting instructor at the same level?

To me that seems like a demotion. Certainly going from manager to hitting coach at the major league level would be a demotion; I would think it would be in the minors as well. I would also think that being hitting coach for a specific team would be considered a demotion from being the organization-wide hitting coordinator (which Zisk was a few years ago); however, I don't know if it really is viewed that way (just because it seems to me like it would be doesn't necessarily mean that it actually is).

 

I believe this is Zisk's wish. I believe he became manager at one point because somebody left, and they needed somebody to fill. I don't believe he wanted to be or to remain manager, and prefers to focus on hitting coach. I also think he prefers being the Daytona hitting coach over the organizational hitting coordinator. His family lives around Daytona, and he isn't angling to promote up. The FSL is one of the least-travel leagues around, and I believe Zisk likes that. My guess is that he has served as hitting coordinator and as manager as a favor, when special circumstances needed somebody. But that he doesn't want to manage, or move up to AA and AAA or hitting coordinator.

[NCCubFan]

I believe this is Zisk's wish. I believe he became manager at one point because somebody left, and they needed somebody to fill. I don't believe he wanted to be or to remain manager, and prefers to focus on hitting coach. I also think he prefers being the Daytona hitting coach over the organizational hitting coordinator. His family lives around Daytona, and he isn't angling to promote up. The FSL is one of the least-travel leagues around, and I believe Zisk likes that. My guess is that he has served as hitting coordinator and as manager as a favor, when special circumstances needed somebody. But that he doesn't want to manage, or move up to AA and AAA or hitting coordinator.

That makes sense. He did have an earlier one-year term as Daytona manager (winning the league championship) before returning to duties as hitting coach. When he became organization-wide hitting coordinator, I believe that was when Leon Lee left the organization. It may be that he agreed to manage the team for one year with the understanding that somebody else would be brought in for this year, with him returning to his preferred position.

[CuseCubFan69]

I see he has a career Managing record of 189-228.

 

Richie Zisk (former Manager) will still be there, but he'll be the Hitting Instructor.

 

I take a minor league managers record different than I do a Major League manager. I know here in Syracuse the Jays always had a lot of young good prospects here and they didn't win but a lot of them went on to help the Jays win the World Series. I want a good teacher at the minors.

 

Agreed, I was just throwing some information. I know in the past it's been said more than once down here that it's more about delevoping players than getting wins, although wins are nice.

 

Wins are always nice to have. The fans around here are always annoyed because the Jays don't have a bunch of AAAA players to help the team win but I'd by far rather see a good prospect.

[NorthsideAvenger]

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] Two weeks ago, the 2006 coaching staff was announced for the Daytona Cubs. Since that announcement some things have shifted in the Chicago Cubs organization that affect the Daytona staff. The Cubs announced today that former American League All-Star Don Buford will be the Daytona Cubs manager for the 2006 season. Pat Listach moves up to serve as manager for the Cubs AA affiliate West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.

 

For the full article, click here.

 

Don Buford? Isn't that Damon Buford's father?

[CuseCubFan69]

[DAYTONA BEACH, FL] Two weeks ago, the 2006 coaching staff was announced for the Daytona Cubs. Since that announcement some things have shifted in the Chicago Cubs organization that affect the Daytona staff. The Cubs announced today that former American League All-Star Don Buford will be the Daytona Cubs manager for the 2006 season. Pat Listach moves up to serve as manager for the Cubs AA affiliate West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx.

 

For the full article, click here.

 

Don Buford? Isn't that Damon Buford's father?

 

Yes.