For more great baseball stories like this one, 'like' us on Facebook - Facebook.com/Greatest21Days

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Joe Georger played, then coached with satisfaction of watching players do well, move up

Joe Georger played over five seasons as a pitcher and topped out at AA. He then turned coach

In May 1990, he spoke to The Quad-City Times about that transition, from the game's focus to working behind the scenes.

"I loved being the center of attention - being up on that hill - and when I turned to coaching, I had to adjust," Georger told The Times. "There's still a part of me that wants to play ... but for now, I'll get my satisfaction by seeing the kids do well and moving up."

Georger eventually got that satisfaction as a minor league coach for well over a decade. He spent much of that time as a pitching coach in the single-A Midwest League.

Georger's career in baseball began in 1979, taken by the Mariners in the 14th round of the draft out of the University of Kentucky.

Georger started with the Mariners at short-season Bellingham. He went 6-5 in 23 relief outings, with a 2.18 ERA.

He then moved to AA Lynn for 1980 and spent three seasons there. He went 11-8 in 33 outings, 19 starts in 1981, with a 2.95 ERA. He moved to the Mets and AA Jackson for 1983, where he went 13-5, with a 4.44 ERA.

Georger picked up his seventh win of 1983 that June, going eight and giving up one earned, according to The Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

"My fastball was moving pretty good and I was getting it over," Georger told The Clarion-Ledger afterward. "I cut down on my walks, which was very encouraging. That's been my biggest problem"

Georger then started his coaching career the next year at Bellingham. He saw Wausau for 1985 and Bellingham again for 1986.

He's credited as serving as a Mariners scout in 1988. He moved to the Angels system and single-A Quad City for 1989.

As Quad City pitching coach in 1992, Georger spoke to The Moline Dispatch about his ace reliever Julian Heredia.

"He's one pitcher on this staff I don't say anything to about what he does," Georger told The Dispatch. "You don't mess with something that works so well. ... Never tinker with something that's not broken."

Georger stayed with the Angels at single-A Cedar Rapids. He continued to the Tigers organization. He's last credited as coaching at single-A West Michigan in 2001.

1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,031
Made the Majors:1,340-33.2%
Never Made Majors:2,691-66.8%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:547
10+ Seasons in the Minors:332

No comments:

Post a Comment