Brundage Named New Iron Pigs Manager
(Photo: Gainesville Times)
From the Phillies:
Dave Brundage has been hired as the manager for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Phillies’ triple-A affiliate, Joe Jordan, Director, Player Development announced today.
For the last six years (2007-12), Brundage, 48, has managed at the triple-A level for the Atlanta Braves (Richmond and Gwinnett), where he led the team to the International League championship in 2007 and was named the organization’s Minor League Manager of the Year. That same year, he also managed the U.S. team in the Futures Game.
Prior to joining the Braves, Brundage spent 19 years with the Seattle Mariners as a minor league player, coach and manager. In 2003, he was named Baseball America’s Minor League Manager of the Year and the Texas League Manager of the Year.
“With Dave’s success and experience at the triple-A level, we feel he is the ideal person to manage the IronPigs,” Jordan said. “His resume speaks for itself.”
A former outfielder, Brundage was originally selected by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 1986 draft and played two years (1986-87) in the organization’s minor league system, spending time at single-A Spartanburg, single-A Clearwater and double-A Reading. He spent eight seasons (1988-94; 1998) playing in the Seattle Mariners’ minor leagues, the final three as a player-coach.
The 2013 season will be Brundage’s 14th as a minor league manager. His record stands at 1,086-1,028 (.514) and he has led eight of his clubs to the postseason, including three to league championships.
The guy has clearly been around the game forever. Can’t say I know much about him other than he’s a baseball lifer and has already been part of the Phillies orgnaization as a player in the minor leagues. He’ll be asked to continue on with the fantastic job that Ryne Sandberg has done; one that led him to spot in the majors as a coach and possibly the manager-in-waiting for the Phillies.
