Jim Fregosi Passes Away

DourDoerr

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Oct 15, 2004
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Didn't see this anywhere and thought it might merit a mention.  Fregosi passed away last night at age 71 after a series of strokes.  A six-time All Star and one-time Gold Glover, he was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Red Sox in 1960 and they lost him to the Angels in the later expansion draft of that year.  
 
As one of the AL's better shortstops of the sixties (if not the best), it's interesting to consider what uptick he might have given the 60's teams had he stayed.  Was the centerpiece of the famous Nolan Ryan trade that gave a kickstart to the 70's Angels teams, so he had an impact on the franchise for 2 decades.
 
Came from Tom Brady's and Barry Bond's alma mater Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo.
 

JimD

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Nov 29, 2001
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Wasn't he rumored to have been a contender for the Sox managerial job at one point?  Not sure if that was 2003 or an earlier hiring, but I seem to remember it being during the SoSH era. 
 

mabrowndog

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JimD said:
Wasn't he rumored to have been a contender for the Sox managerial job at one point?  Not sure if that was 2003 or an earlier hiring, but I seem to remember it being during the SoSH era. 
 
2003 is correct, though it's unclear whether he was a "contender" or a "rumored candidate". Per Gordon Edes, he wasn't among their last choices.
 
 
In 2003, the Sox passed on an established name like Jim Fregosi and narrowed their search to the following finalists:
 
•Joe Maddon, who managed in the minors and was Mike Scioscia's bench coach in Anaheim;
 
•Glenn Hoffman, the Los Angeles Dodgers' third-base coach who had played for the Red Sox, managed in the minors and spent a half season as interim manager for the Dodgers;
 
•DeMarlo Hale, the Texas Rangers' first-base coach who had managed in the minors, including in the Red Sox system;
 
•Francona, who was Ken Macha's bench coach in Oakland and had previously managed in the minors and four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.
 
Also high on the Sox's list were Bud Black, who was the Los Angeles Angels' pitching coach and declined an invitation, and Bob Melvin, who was managing Seattle at the time and was denied permission by the Mariners.