Former Giants Managers Scattered Throughout Baseball

Over the 23-year history of the team, the San Jose Giants have had 14 different managers. Several of those are still employed by the San Francisco Giants filling various roles while others have moved onto different organizations. Two former San Jose skippers can be found in the California League for the upcoming 2011 season and the all-time winningest San Jose manager has returned to coach in the United States.

Lenn Sakata is the most successful manager in the history of the San Jose Giants winning Cal League titles in 2001, 2005 and 2007. After his stint with the Giants concluded in 2007, Sakata spent two years as a manager for a farm team in Japan. Now he's back in this country recently landing a job as hitting coach for the Low-A Asheville Tourists (South Atlantic League) of the Colorado Rockies organization. During his six years at the helm in San Jose, Sakata compiled a record of 466-374 (.555) - ranking well ahead of Duane Espy (172 victories in 1988-89) for the most managerial wins in club history.

Long-time Giants fans will recognize a pair of names in the California League this season as former San Jose skippers Carlos Lezcano (Lake Elsinore Storm) and Tom Spencer (Lancaster JetHawks) will lead Southern Division teams. Lezcano, the Giants manager in 1995 and 1996, returns for a fifth year in Lake Elsinore. Spencer, who led San Jose in 1990, begins his first season with the JetHawks.

Brian Harper will not return to the Giants for the 2011 season as the former major league catcher was recently named manager of the Double-A Tennessee Smokies (Southern League, Chicago Cubs organization). Harper guided San Jose to a 76-64 record last season en route to the California League championship. Harper has previously managed in the Angels farm system.

There are number of former San Jose managers still in the San Francisco organization headlined by 1991-92 skipper Ron Wotus. Wotus' .625 winning percentage is the highest for any multi-year Giants manager while 2011 will mark his 13th year as San Francisco's bench coach. Wotus is one of only five individuals since 1900 to serve as a SF Giants coach for at least 10 years.

2002 San Jose manager Bill Hayes is San Francisco's bullpen catcher while Shane Turner, who managed San Jose's first championship team in 1998, is San Francisco's Coordinator of Minor League instruction. Recent San Jose skippers Steve Decker (2008) and Andy Skeels (2009) managed in Triple-A Fresno and Double-A Richmond respectively last season. An announcement of the 2011 Giants Minor League coaching staffs is expected later this week.

Other former San Jose managers still in baseball include Espy (manager of the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, Rockies organization), 1997 manager Frank Cacciatore (hitting coach of the Double-A Reading Phillies) and 2003 manager Jack Lind (Houston Astros scout).

San Jose Giants Manager Facts

* Espy (1989), Wotus (1991), Lezcano (1996) and Sakata (2005) are the only San Jose Giants skippers to be named California League Manager of the Year.

* Skeels' (2009) club has the team record for most wins in a season (93-47).

* The five winningest San Jose Giants managers include: Sakata (466 wins), Espy (172), Wotus (170), Lezcano (166) and the late Dick Dietz (153).