FOR THE LEXINGTON LEGENDS PROGRAM 4-2004
Lexington’s New Legend-Maker
By Rich Herles
Lexington, KY. – Throughout his career Gerry Hunsicker, the Houston Astros General Manager, has been known for his commitment to player development. The development of future major leaguers is really in the hands of the minor league managers that they play under as they make their way up the ladder from rookie ball to the ‘Bigs’.
Last season, the Lexington Legends’ players were in the hands of Russ Nixon. Nixon guided the team from what was suppose to be a rebuilding year to the South Atlantic League playoffs. After a slow start, the Legends finished the first half season in second place in the Northern Division of the South Atlantic League with a record of 32-36. In the second half season, the Legends turned it up a notch, as they set a team record finishing with 43 wins and only 27 losses. Again, their record was second in the Northern Division (behind the Lake County Captains), but it was also second in the entire league and allowed Lexington to make the playoffs for the second time in three years. Their nemesis, the Captains, spoiled the Legends hopes of a second championship by knocking Lexington out of the playoffs in the first round. During the off-season, Russ Nixon was promoted to the Salem Avalanche, where he will be reunited with many of the players that he managed here in Lexington, thus leaving an opening in Lexington.
As Lexington readies for their fourth season, there will be a new skipper setting the team’s course. Ivan DeJesus is the Legends new manager. DeJesus has been involved professionally with baseball since 1969. He was originally signed, as an amateur free agent, by the Los Angeles Dodgers. After one year of studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Ivan put his aspirations of becoming an engineer aside to see how he could do playing professional baseball.
DeJesus spent his first four seasons of professional baseball in the Dodgers farm system. From 1974 thru 1976, the young shortstop saw limited action in his first stint with the major league club. Then prior to the 1977 season, the Dodgers traded Ivan DeJesus, Bill Buckner and minor leaguer Jeff Albert to the Chicago Cubs for Rick Monday and Mike Garman. In his five years with the Cubs, Ivan enjoyed his break out season and began to make his mark in the majors. The 1977 season was his first full season in the major league. He appeared in 155 games for Chicago with a .266 batting average and a .962 fielding percentage. The next year, DeJesus continued to improve. His batting average rose to .278, as did his fielding percentage (.969), but it was his league leading 104 runs scored that set him apart from the rest of the National League. Ivan posted his highest major league batting average in 1979, when he had 180 hits in 160 games for a .283 BA. Smart base running was evident during the 1980 season, as DeJesus set a Cubbie shortstop record by stealing 44 bases. On April 22, 1980, Ivan hit for the cycle, as he helped Chicago rally from a 12-5 deficit to defeat St. Louis 16-12. The 1981 season was a hard one for the Cubs shortstop. His friend and double play partner, Manny Trillo, was traded by Chicago and with the chemistry not there, it affected Ivan at the plate, as his batting average dropped to .194. Prior to the start of the 1982 season, Chicago traded DeJesus to Philadelphia for Larry Bowa and Ryan Sandberg. In his three years with the Phillies, he maintained nearly a .250 batting average and .966 fielding average at shortstop. After playing what may be called iron-man baseball for eight seasons, DeJesus finished his playing career backup with the St. Louis
Cardinals, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and DetroitTigers.
No sooner than Ivan DeJesus had hung up his cleats as a player, he found himself back in baseball as a manager. Just as he had begun his playing career with Los Angeles, he began his managerial career with the Dodgers’ Gulf Coast League affiliate. In 1990, Ivan started his new career with a bang, as he led the Kissimmee Cobras to the Gulf Coast Championship. After heading up the Cobras for two seasons, the Dodgers organization promoted DeJesus to manager of their Class A San Bernardino Spirit team of the California League. For the next eight seasons, he held assorted positions: Coach for the Class AA Jacksonville Suns (1993- Mariners affiliate); Coach for the Class A Kissimmee team (1994-1997, 2000-Astros); and Minor League Infield and Baserunning Coordinator (1998-1999-Astros). He returned to managing in 2001, as he took the reigns of the Pittsfield Astros in their inaugural year in the New York-Penn League. When the team moved to Troy, N.Y., as the Tri-City Valley Cats, DeJesus remained at the helm for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Following the 2003 season, he was named the Astros Player Development Man of the Year.
Now as the Legends Manager, Ivan DeJesus brings a wealth of baseball knowledge with him. We can expect an aggressive style of baseball both offensively and defensively. From a player development standpoint, DeJesus fits perfectly into the scheme of the Astros’ organization. He enjoys teaching young players, not just the game of baseball, but how to win. His players quickly learn that they are here to learn how to improve and that improvement only comes through hard work. One thing that the Legends fans can expect is that day in and day out the team that takes the field will a well prepared team.
Remember keep your eye on the ball and swing for the stars!
Copyright 2004 by Richard G. Herles
All Rights Reserved.
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