Billy Connors Authentic Logan Couture Jersey , a three-time New York Yankees pitching coach and confidant of late owner George Steinbrenner, has died. He was 76.
The Yankees said Wednesday that Connors died Saturday. The team held a moment of silence before their game Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium.
”A close and trusted friend of my family for many years,” Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. ”Billy contributed to the organization in countless ways over his long career as a pitching coach, executive and advisor.”
Connors coached the Yankees from 1989-90, 1994-95 and 2000, and was vice president of player personnel from 1996-2012. He was instrumental in the development of Yankees pitchers Orlando Hernandez, Andy Pettitte, Chien-Ming Wang and Mariano Rivera.
Steinbrenner and Connors would go over pitching plans not only at the team’s spring training complex in Tampa, Florida, but also while regularly watching Tampa Bay Lightning hockey games in the Boss’ suite.
A native of Schenectady, New York, Connors played baseball and basketball at Syracuse and was member of the Schenectady team that won the Little League World Series in 1954.
Connors spent three seasons in the major leagues, starting with the Cubs in 1966 and then with the New York Mets the following two years. He was 0-2 with a 7.53 ERA in one start and 25 relief appearances.
Connors became a Mets batting practice pitcher in 1971 and was a minor league pitching instructor for New York from 1972-76. He spent 17 years in the big leagues as a pitching coach, working for the Chicago Cubs from 1982-86, and also spent time with Kansas City and Seattle.
He was with the Cubs when they won the NL East championship in 1984, the teams’ first postseason trip since winning the 1945 NL pennant. Rick Sutcliffe, acquired in a mid-season trade from Cleveland, went 16-1 to capture the NL Cy Young Award.
Connors also helped the Royals win the 1980 AL pennant.
Former Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott shared a story about Connors’ on Twitter.
”Sadly, our family once lost a beloved dog in an accident,” Abbott wrote. ”I was with the Yankees and on the road in Anaheim when it happened. Our pitching coach, Billy Connors, told me I needed to be at the ballpark early the next day. I arrived to the Yankee clubhouse to find the cutest brown and white Springer Spaniel, ribbon around its neck, frolicking with the players. Billy with a smile on his face. He had driven around Southern CA all morning in search of this puppy. We lived with `Billy’ the Springer Spaniel for 12 years, never forgetting the smile on Billy’s face that day in Anaheim.”
Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, at his induction ceremony Authentic Brent Burns Jersey , discussed the important role Connors played in his career. Atlanta scout Tom ”T-Bone” Giordano scouted Connors as a high school player and the pair became long-time friends.
”Lost a dear friend and a heck of guy,” the 92-year-old Giordano said. ”A great baseball man.”
Packed house, summer heat, Red Sox–Yankees for the best record in baseball.
So, CC Sabathia, did it feel like a really big night in Bronx?
”I wish I could tell you it did,” he said, ”but it didn’t.”
Instead, he just pitched as if the calendar read October, rather than June.
Sabathia shut down the high-scoring Red Sox, Greg Bird hit two home runs and Aaron Judge connected off a college teammate as New York bopped Boston 8-1 on Friday evening to edge ahead in the AL East.
Not since the famed Bucky Dent playoff game in 1978 had the Yankees and Red Sox met so late in a season when they owned the two top marks in baseball, the Elias Sports Bureau said. Home runs decided this matchup, too, with Miguel Andujar also going deep for New York.
”I mean, we’re a good club,” New York manager Aaron Boone said. ”We’re a confident group, we know we can play with anyone.”
The biggest crowd of the year at Yankee Stadium was in the spirit as lines formed outside the gates more than 3 1/2 hours before the start. The pro-Yankees chants began prior to the first pitch, the anti-Boston shouts soon followed.
Sabathia (5-3) helped end Boston’s four-game winning streak, less than a month from his 38th birthday. He gave up one run and six hits in seven innings, and improved to 6-0 in his last seven starts against the Red Sox.
The big lefty bounded off the mound to field Mookie Betts‘ tapper and throw him out to end his outing. Slowed by knee problems in the past, a pumped-up Sabathia kept in motion and jogged to the dugout.
”High-stepping right there, you mean?” he said.
Betts and Andrew Benintendi hit consecutive doubles in the fifth for Boston’s run in the opener of a three-game series.
”It’s important,” Betts said. ”As long as we make it to the playoffs, anything can happen.”
Steve Pearce, acquired a day earlier from Toronto, batted cleanup in his debut for Boston. He doubled on the first pitch he saw and also singled off Sabathia.
”I was actually kind of jittery my first at-bat Authentic Jaden Schwartz Jersey , so it was good to get that out of the way,” Pearce said.
”It would have been nice if we got the win, so that kind of overshadowed what I did at the plate. But I felt comfortable,” he said. ”It was a great atmosphere.”
Eduardo Rodriguez (9-3) gave up five early runs. Boston fell to 3-4 against its rivals this season, and 12 more games are left.
Judge connected for his 21st homer, a two-run drive in the seventh off Justin Haley. The former Fresno State players eagerly chatted for a while behind the cage during batting practice – after facing each other for the first time in the majors, the rookie reliever angrily kicked at the mound dirt as Judge circled the bases.
”We were really good friends, and it’s a joy to see him having success,” Judge said. ”We respect the competition. He might strike me out tomorrow, and I’ll tip my cap to him, and it’ll be see you down the road.”
Gleyber Torres hit his first career triple and scored on Andujar’s single in the second. Torres added a sacrifice fly in a four-run fourth, capped by back-to-back homers from Andujar and Bird.
Bird added a solo drive in the eighth. The Yankees lead the majors with 131 home runs.
”No matter who you facing, if you miss on the plate that’s what’s going to happen,” Rodriguez said.
DRURY’S BACK
3B/1B Brandon Drury was called up from Triple-A and likely will see action with Boston starting left-handers the rest of the weekend. Acquired from Arizona, he began the season as the starting 3B, but went on the DL in early April with blurred vision and migraines. He provides a righty-hitting option at 1B. The team considered promoting Tyler Austin, but he has back trouble.
HE’S A HIT
New York Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. took batting practice with the Yankees. Showing a sweet swing, he homered over the left-field wall.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia and knuckleballer Steven Wright will see a doctor Monday. Both are on the 10-day disabled list.
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (strained hamstrings) threw 48 pitches in a simulated game at the spring complex in Tampa, Florida. He’s expected to pitch in a minor league rehab game in the middle of next week, then could rejoin the Yankees.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Chris Sale (7-4, 2.56 ERA) is 5-4 with a 1.73 ERA against the Yankees. He has struck out Judge more than any other pitcher – 10 times in 15 at-bats.
Yankees: RHP Sonny Gray (5-5, 4.93) is 1-5 lifetime against the Red Sox. Since joining New York, he’s 0-3 with a 7.20 ERA in three starts vs. Boston.
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