Former RiverDogs Manager Promoted by Yankees
CHARLESTON, SC - The New York Yankees have announced that former Charleston RiverDogs manager Torre Tyson has been promoted and will be the new Minor League Defensive Coordinator. He intends to make Charleston his permanent residence.
Tyson replaces Jody Reed, who recently accepted a position in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.
"I'm thrilled to be returning to Charleston, and this time it's on a permanent basis," said Tyson of his family's decision to relocate to the Holy City. "My wife (Jennifer) and I fell in love with the city of Charleston and over the years coaching and managing the RiverDogs, we knew someday it would be our home."
A native of St. Louis, Mo. and a graduate of the University of Missouri, Tyson served as the RiverDogs hitting coach in 2005-06 before a three-year stint as the team's manager from 2007-09.
"The promotion gave our family a bit more stability as far as knowing for at least a few years what and where the Yankees would see fit to assign me to best help the organization," Tyson added. "With the amount of traveling required for the position, it just made sense for us to finally settle down."
In 2010, the 35-year-old Tyson managed the Tampa Yankees of the High-A Florida State League to its second straight league championship and his first title as manager. Earning those accolades was the culmination of a career in Charleston that saw him leave as the winningest manager in RiverDogs team history.
From 2007-09, Tyson posted an overall record of 232-186 (.555 winning percentage) while directing the RiverDogs to three straight winning campaigns as part of seven straight winning seasons dating back to 2003. In 2009, the team notched a 74-65 record, including a victory on June 29 where Tyson collected his 200th victory as RiverDogs manager.
In 2008, Tyson guided the RiverDogs to an 80-59 overall record, tying the franchise record for victories in a single season as the '05 RiverDogs posted an 80-58 mark. Charleston also set new standards with a 20-6 record in the month of April, which established a franchise record for victories in a single month, and a 45-25 mark in the first half that set another franchise mark for wins in a single half.
A former standout at the University of Missouri, Tyson led the RiverDogs to a 78-62 overall record in 2007 that included a second-half mark of 41-29, the same number of wins earned by Southern Division winner Columbus. The RiverDogs missed the playoffs by virtue of winning percentage, in which the Catfish bested in the RiverDogs because of five fewer second-half losses.
Tyson spent three seasons as a player in the Boston Red Sox organization before joining the Yankees, where he played for three minor league seasons and reached the AA level. After his playing career, Tyson spent time with the Yankees' squad at short-season Class-A Staten Island and with the Gulf Coast League Yankees before coming to Charleston.