Name Tommy Jones | Role Baseball manager | |
Died January 15, 2009, Phoenix, Arizona, United States | ||
Thomas Michael Jones (October 13, 1954 – January 15, 2009) was an American professional baseball player, manager, coach and executive who worked from 1982 through 2008 for the Kansas City Royals (1982–86), New York Yankees (1987–88), Seattle Mariners (1989–91), Milwaukee Brewers (1992), Chicago Cubs (1993) and Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–2008) Major League Baseball organizations. He was born in Stockton, California, and attended the College of the Pacific. An outfielder/infielder during his six-season (1976–81) minor league playing career, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
During his baseball career, Jones was known for building strong relationships with players and those he worked with at the Arizona minor league system. He served as first-base coach for the Diamondbacks for parts of the 2004 season and the team's player development director from 1998 to 2004, and also worked as director of baseball operations for the Arizona Fall League during the 2008 season.
In 13 minor league seasons, Jones posted a 779-726 managerial career record (.518 PCA) for the Butte Copper Kings (1982–83), Fort Myers Royals (1984), Memphis Chicks (1985–86), Albany-Colonie Yankees (1987–88), Wausau Timbers (1989), Calgary Cannons (1990), San Bernardino Spirit (1991), AZL Brewers (1992), Orlando Cubs (1993) and Lethbridge Black Diamonds (1997). He gained Minor League Baseball Manager of the Year honors during the 1982, 1983 and 1992 seasons.
Shortly after his first run in with cancer, Jones was diagnosed with a second cancer. Jones died of this brain cancer at his Phoenix, Arizona home at the age of 54.