John Tamargo enjoyed the heck out playing and managing
Former major leaguer John Tamargo took over the independent Miami Marlins in 1982, his first job as a manager after his playing days ended.
To The Tampa Tribune that August, Tamargo said he enjoyed the work.
"I enjoy the heck out of it," Tamargo told The Tribune. "It's my life, even though I don't get to see my kids. I miss my wife tremendously."
Tamargo ended up enjoying the continued work as a manager and coach over the next nearly three decades, including time spent back in the majors as a bench coach.
All that came after seeing the majors over five seasons as a player.
Tamargo's career in baseball began in 1973, taken by the Cardinals in the in the sixth round of the draft out of Georgia Southern University.
Tamargo's playing career began in 1973, taken by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the draft out of Georgia Southern University.
He started at single-A St. Petersburg, then made AA Arkansas and AAA Tulsa in 1975. In September 1976, he made St. Louis.
Tamargo saw 10 games with the Cardinals that September and went 3 for 10. He ended up seeing the majors over five seasons, including game highs of 42 each with the Cardinals and Giants in 1978 and then Giants and Expos in 1979.
He last saw 37 major league games with the Expos in 1980, then 20 games at AAA Denver in 1981 to end his playing days.
Tamargo then started his career as a coach and manager. He managed with Miami in 1982, then single-A Columbia in 1983 and high-A Lynchburg in 1987. He managed with the Mets in the Gulf Coast League in 1990, then at high-A St. Lucie in 1991.
Going into 1991 with St. Lucie, one story in The Stuart News veered toward making the major leagues.
"That's everybody's goal, to get back to the big leagues," Tamargo told The News. "Surely that's in the back of my mind, but I have to take it one step at a time."
By 1999, Tamargo was back in the majors, as bullpen and then bench coach with the Astros. He stayed with the big league club for six seasons.
"Obviously, I'm very excited," Tamargo told The Houston Chronicle upon taking the bench coach job in May 2002. "It's something I wanted to do. I wanted to be in the dugout."
He then returned to the minors as a manager. He's last reported as a manager at single-A Clinton in 2010.
- Tampa Tribune, Aug. 9, 1982: John Tamargo
- Stuart News, April 11, 1991: Tamargo
- Houston Chronicle, May 16, 2002: Tamargo ready
Made the Majors:1,473-31.8%-X
Never Made Majors:3,164-68.2%