![]() ![]() He is popular with the ballplayers, the public and the media and, most important, he has the rapport with his bosses - Ray Kroc, Ballard Smith and Bob Fontaine. 38 on his uniform, took command of a team that had become cranky and restive under the leadership of Alvin Dark. YUMA - His experience is vast, his confidence is considerable, and he takes up his new task with a reservoir of goodwill that should have benefit in his first term as manager of the San Diego Padres.Ī lot of people were breaking into grins here yesterday when Roger Craig, still wearing No. San Diego Union sports editor Jack Murphy wrote that Roger Craig’s 1978 hiring as the Padres’ manager was met with applause. Then, as a manager he created a winning atmosphere.”įrom the archives: Roger Craig brought 'class' to franchise after Dark period “In 1976 he handed me the ball and said ‘go.’ As the pitching coach, he reminded me to stay back and quit rushing my delivery. He was really talented at getting the best out of his players. “Roger had that career where he struggled. ![]() “We had a close, great relationship,” Jones said of Craig. returned to the Padres as pitching coach in 1976 - the year that Randy Jones became the Padres’ first Cy Young Award winner. ![]() Craig had a winning record as a pitcher with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers before losing 24 and 22 games in his two seasons with the Mets.Ĭraig’s first tenure as the Padres’ pitching coach lasted four seasons. The staff earned run average was 3.22 in 1971 and 3.90 over his four seasons.Ĭraig believed his experience as a pitcher on the expansion New York Mets in 1962 helped him in his role as the pitching coach of the expansion Padres seven years later. Pitching was the strength of the expansion Padres. Over the next three seasons, they were followed by Steve Arlin (24), Mike Corkins (23), Dave Roberts (23), Bill Greif (22) and Mike Caldwell (22). Clay Kirby and Al Santorini were 21-year-old rookies in 1969. He was succeeded by Jerry Coleman.Īs the Padres’ founding pitching coach, Craig helped develop a number of young pitchers. Craig was fired after the 1979 season when the Padres went 68-93. Perry also became the second Padre pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in 1978. That team included four future Hall of Famers - Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Gaylord Perry and Rollie Fingers. The 1978 Padres went 84-78, producing the first winning season in franchise history. ![]()
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