Tom Nieto
Encyclopedia
Thomas Andrew Nieto is a former Major League Baseball
catcher
and former manager of the Rochester Red Wings
, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins
. Nieto previously served as the New York Mets
' bench coach and catching instructor. A native of Downey, California
, Nieto attended Oral Roberts University
.
drafted Tom Nieto in the third round of the 1981 amateur draft
. He played for the Cardinals in and , the Montreal Expos
in , the Twins in and and the Philadelphia Phillies
in and . He played in the World Series
with the Cardinals in 1985.
, serving as the major league catching coach in and . He managed the Palm Beach Cardinals
of the Florida State League
in and . When Willie Randolph
was named manager of the New York Mets
following the season, he named Nieto as his catching instructor on November 26, . In , Nieto switched from catching instructor to first base coach. On June 17, 2008, the New York Mets fired Nieto, manager Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson
.
Nieto joined the Minnesota Twins
organization in as the manager of the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
. In his first and only season in New Britain, he led the Rock Cats to a 72–69 record and a playoff berth. On October 20, 2009, Nieto was named as the new manager of the Rochester Red Wings
, Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate. He replaced Stan Cliburn
, whose contract was not renewed by the Twins following the 2009 season. On October 29, 2010, the Minnesota Twins announced Nieto and his coaching staff would return to manage the Rochester Red Wings for the 2011 season. Following the 2011 Nieto was let go by the Twins organization.
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...
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 former manager of the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Nieto previously served as 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...
' bench coach and catching instructor. A native of Downey, California
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, Nieto attended Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
.
Playing career
The St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
drafted Tom Nieto in the third round of the 1981 amateur draft
1981 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*John Elway was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2nd round of the 1981 amateur draft...
. He played for the Cardinals in and , the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in , the Twins in and and the 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...
in and . He played in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
with the Cardinals in 1985.
Coaching career
From to , Nieto worked with the New York YankeesNew 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...
, serving as the major league catching coach in and . He managed the Palm Beach Cardinals
Palm Beach Cardinals
The Palm Beach Cardinals are a minor league baseball team based in Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida.The team, which plays in the Florida State League, is the High-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals major-league club....
of the 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...
in and . When Willie Randolph
Willie Randolph
Willie Larry Randolph is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and manager, most recently the third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles...
was named manager of 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...
following the season, he named Nieto as his catching instructor on November 26, . In , Nieto switched from catching instructor to first base coach. On June 17, 2008, the New York Mets fired Nieto, manager Willie Randolph and pitching coach Rick Peterson
Rick Peterson
Erick Harding "Rick" Peterson is a former pitcher and pitching coach in Major League Baseball. He was a pitcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, but is most notable as the pitching coach for the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets...
.
Nieto joined the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
organization in as the manager of the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are the Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. They compete in the Eastern League and play their home games at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.-History:...
. In his first and only season in New Britain, he led the Rock Cats to a 72–69 record and a playoff berth. On October 20, 2009, Nieto was named as the new manager of the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
, Minnesota's Triple-A affiliate. He replaced Stan Cliburn
Stan Cliburn
Stanley Gene Cliburn is a retired professional baseball player who played one season for the California Angels of Major League Baseball. He was most recently the manager of the Rochester Red Wings, the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, from 2006 to 2009...
, whose contract was not renewed by the Twins following the 2009 season. On October 29, 2010, the Minnesota Twins announced Nieto and his coaching staff would return to manage the Rochester Red Wings for the 2011 season. Following the 2011 Nieto was let go by the Twins organization.