Bill Connors (baseball)
Encyclopedia
William Joseph Connors is vice president, player personnel, of the New York Yankees
of Major League Baseball
, and a former pitcher
and pitching coach
at the Major League and minor league
levels. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6' (183 cm) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg) in his playing days.
When he was 12, Connors was a member of the Schenectady All-Star team that won the 1954 Little League World Championship, beating the team from Colton, California, 7-5. He graduated from Linton High School in Schenectady in 1959 and attended Syracuse University
for two years. He signed with the Chicago Cubs
as a pitcher-infielder
in . During a season split between the Class B Northwest League
and the Class D Sophomore League
, Connors batted
only .226 with no home runs and 32 runs batted in while hurling 29 innings as a pitcher. In in the Class D Florida State League
, Connors was converted to pitcher-catcher
, and improved his batting mark to .296 with two homers and 35 RBI. He also increased his pitching load to 64 innings and posted a sparkling 2.64 earned run average
. In , back in the Northwest League, he became a fulltime pitcher, winning 12 games and notching 138 strike out
s.
During , a season in which he compiled the fourth-lowest ERA in the Pacific Coast League
, Connors was recalled by the Cubs, pitching in 16 innings over 11 games, but he failed to stick with Chicago and was sent back to the PCL for . His contract was purchased by the New York Mets
in August of that year, and he spent the remainder of his active career with the Mets (27 innings pitched in 1967-68) and their farm teams. In his 26 MLB games, Connors pitched 43 innings, and posted an 0-2 won/loss mark and an ERA of 7.53.
Connors' off-field career began in as the Mets' batting practice pitcher. He then became a minor league pitching instructor for the Mets (1972-76) and Philadelphia Phillies
(1977-79) before embarking on a 17-year career as a pitching coach in major league baseball. He served with the Kansas City Royals
(1980-81), Cubs (1982-86; 1991-93), Seattle Mariners
(1987-88), and three terms with the Yankees (1989-90; 1994-95; 2000). His brief term in came on an interim basis during the medical leave of absence of longtime Yanks' coach Mel Stottlemyre
.
Since 1996, however, Connors has been a key member of the Yankees' front office, holding a senior position in the Bombers' player development system and based in the team's Tampa, Florida
, minor league headquarters, working alongside Mark Newman, the club's longtime player development boss, and in close proximity to the team's owners, the George Steinbrenner
family.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, and a former pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and pitching coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
at the Major League and minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
levels. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6' (183 cm) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg) in his playing days.
When he was 12, Connors was a member of the Schenectady All-Star team that won the 1954 Little League World Championship, beating the team from Colton, California, 7-5. He graduated from Linton High School in Schenectady in 1959 and attended Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
for two years. He signed with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
as a pitcher-infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in . During a season split between the Class B Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
and the Class D Sophomore League
Sophomore League
The Sophomore League was a Class D minor league baseball league that operated from 1958 through 1961. In 1956 and 1957 the league was known as the Southwestern League.- Former :...
, Connors batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
only .226 with no home runs and 32 runs batted in while hurling 29 innings as a pitcher. In in the Class D Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
, Connors was converted to pitcher-catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
, and improved his batting mark to .296 with two homers and 35 RBI. He also increased his pitching load to 64 innings and posted a sparkling 2.64 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. In , back in the Northwest League, he became a fulltime pitcher, winning 12 games and notching 138 strike out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
s.
During , a season in which he compiled the fourth-lowest ERA in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, Connors was recalled by the Cubs, pitching in 16 innings over 11 games, but he failed to stick with Chicago and was sent back to the PCL for . His contract was purchased by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in August of that year, and he spent the remainder of his active career with the Mets (27 innings pitched in 1967-68) and their farm teams. In his 26 MLB games, Connors pitched 43 innings, and posted an 0-2 won/loss mark and an ERA of 7.53.
Connors' off-field career began in as the Mets' batting practice pitcher. He then became a minor league pitching instructor for the Mets (1972-76) and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1977-79) before embarking on a 17-year career as a pitching coach in major league baseball. He served with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1980-81), Cubs (1982-86; 1991-93), Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
(1987-88), and three terms with the Yankees (1989-90; 1994-95; 2000). His brief term in came on an interim basis during the medical leave of absence of longtime Yanks' coach Mel Stottlemyre
Mel Stottlemyre
Melvin Leon Stottlemyre, Sr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and pitching coach. He played 11 years in the Major Leagues, all of them with the New York Yankees...
.
Since 1996, however, Connors has been a key member of the Yankees' front office, holding a senior position in the Bombers' player development system and based in the team's Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, minor league headquarters, working alongside Mark Newman, the club's longtime player development boss, and in close proximity to the team's owners, the George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
family.