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|statleague = MLB
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Managerial record
|stat1label=Managerial record
|stat1value= 65–44
|stat1value= 65–46
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|stat2label=Winning %
|stat2value={{Winning percentage|65|44}}
|stat2value={{Winning percentage|65|46}}
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Revision as of 06:55, 6 October 2022

This article is about the Minor League Baseball player and Major League Baseball coach. For the Major League Baseball player and coach, see Robby Thompson. For other people, see Robert Thompson (disambiguation) and Robert Thomson (disambiguation).
Rob Thomson
Thomson with the New York Yankees in 2011
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 59
Manager / Coach
Born: (1963-08-16) August 16, 1963 (age 61)
Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB statistics
Managerial record65–46
Winning %.586
Teams
As coach
As manager
Career highlights and awards
Member of the Canadian
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2019

Robert Lewis Thomson (born August 16, 1963) is a Canadian former minor league baseball player, who is currently the interim manager for the Philadelphia Phillies.

During Thomson’s playing career he was a catcher and third baseman in the Detroit Tigers organization from 1985 to 1988.

Following his years as a player, Thomson spent one year as the manager of the Class A Oneonta Yankees, and several more years in various front office capacities for the New York Yankees including as Major League Field Coordinator. He then served as the Yankees’ bench coach in 2008, third base coach from 2009 to 2014, and bench coach again from 2015 to 2017.

In 2018, Thomson was named as the bench coach of the Philadelphia Phillies. On June 3, 2022, Thomson was named interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies following the firing of manager Joe Girardi.

Early life

Thomson was born on August 16, 1963 in Sarnia, Ontario and grew up in nearby Corunna, Ontario.[1] He grew up playing baseball in the summers and hockey in the winter.[2] Thomson has a younger sister and two older brothers, one of whom signed with the Montreal Expos.[2]

Playing career

College career

Thomson was a standout for the Stratford Nationals of the Intercounty Baseball League.[3] From there, he was recruited to St. Clair County Community College where he played baseball for one year.[3] After a year, he transferred to the University of Kansas.[3][2] Thomson led the Jayhawks in hits in 1984 and 1985 and holds the school record for the highest single-season batting average.[2]

Detroit Tigers organization

Thomson was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft from the University of Kansas. He played catcher and third base in the Tigers' minor league system until 1988, reaching as high as Class A.[1] In 661 at bats, he hit .225/.312/.304 with seven home runs and three steals.[1] He played 136 games at catcher, 55 games at third base, and pitched in one game.[1]

International career

Thomson represented Canada in baseball, which was a demonstration sport, in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Coaching and front office career

Detroit Tigers (1988–1989)

From 1988 to 1990, Thomson served as a minor league coach in the Detroit tigers organization.[3] Thomson says he got into coaching because "I wasn’t a good enough player. The game sort of forced me into coaching. I was lucky enough the Tigers thought enough of me as an evaluator, teacher and an organizer to offer me a coaching position."[2]

New York Yankees (1990–2017)

Thomson with the Phillies in 2019

In 1990, Thomson joined the New York Yankees organization as a third base coach for the team's Class-A affiliate in Fort Lauderdale. He moved into the front office in 1998 as a Field Coordinator, and became Director of Player Development in 2000. Prior to the 2003 season, he was named Vice President of Minor League Development, and he was named to the Yankees major league coaching staff in November of the same year.

On September 27, 2006, Thomson took over as first base coach of the Yankees in place of Tony Peña, who had learned before the game that his father had died. He filled in at the position for four games, and Peña returned in time for the season finale on October 1.

Prior to the 2008 season, incoming manager Joe Girardi named Thomson his bench coach.[4] On April 4, 2008, Girardi fell ill with a respiratory infection and designated Thomson to manage that night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.[5][6] It was Thomson's first major league game as a manager, and he became the first Canadian to manage a Major League game since George Gibson for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1934; the Yankees lost 13–4.[7][5] Thomson also managed the April 5 game due to Girardi's illness.[8]

He served as the team's third base coach for six seasons, and was a member of the coaching staff for the Yankees' 2009 World Series championship. Prior to the 2015 season, Thomson was named bench coach, which was a role he held until 2017.[9]

Philadelphia Phillies (2018–present)

Thomson held the position of Philadelphia Phillies bench coach from 2018–2022.[10] He initially got the assignment under first year manager Gabe Kapler.[11] A report by Jon Heyman claimed that after a series of managing mistakes by Kapler, Thomson had taken over in-game decisions.[11] Kapler was fired after two seasons, but Thomson remained the Phillies’ bench coach under new manager Joe Girardi, who had worked with Thomson while with the Yankees.[11]

On June 3, 2022, the Phillies fired manager Joe Girardi after a disappointing 22–29 start to the season.[11] The same day, Thomson was named the Phillies’ interim manager.[11] Thomson became the first Canadian full-time manager since George Gibson managed the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1934.[12] The Phillies won their first game under Thomson, blanking the Los Angeles Angels 10–0.

On July 13, 2022, Thomson managed a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, at the Rogers Centre, to become the first Canadian to manage a major league game in Canada.[12]

The Phillies secured a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros to clinch their first playoff berth since 2011 on October 3, 2022.[13] After the game, Thomson said in the locker room "We’re not done. After Wednesday, we have 13 more wins and [then] we’re world champions."[13] With the Phillies making the playoffs, Thomson became just the fourth interim manager in MLB history to take over a team at least 7 games under .500 and lead them to the postseason.[13]

Managerial record

As of games played on October 3, 2022.
Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
PHI 2022 111 65 46 .586 3rd in NL East – – – –
Total 111 65 46 .586 –

Personal life

Thomson lives in Sebringville, Ontario, a 1 hour 45-minute drive from Toronto, with his wife, Michele.[12] In the past, Thomson lived in Tampa Bay, Florida and Manhattan, New York.[2] He has two daughters.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Rob Thomson Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Throwback Thursday: Rob Thomson".
  3. ^ a b c d "ROB THOMSON".
  4. ^ "YANKEES COACHING STAFF". New York Post. November 21, 2007. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Manager and Coaches". New York Yankees. MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  6. ^ Hoch, Bryan (April 4, 2008). "Girardi misses Yanks game with illness". New York Yankees. MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  7. ^ "Kennedy, bullpen can't contain Rays". mlb.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  8. ^ Hoch, Bryan (April 5, 2008). "Respiratory ills again sideline Girardi". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  9. ^ Kuty, Brendan (January 13, 2015). "Rob Thomson takes over as Yankees' bench coach". NJ.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  10. ^ Gordon, Patrick (November 18, 2018). "Phillies and Kapler finalize coaching staff for 2019". Philadelphia Baseball Review. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Thomson's Path to Phillies Interim Manager".
  12. ^ a b c "Phillies' Rob Thomson becomes 1st Canadian to manage big-league game in home country".
  13. ^ a b c "Rob Thomson achieves rare feat that proves he should be official Phillies manager".
Preceded by New York Yankees Third Base Coach
2009–2014 		Succeeded by
Preceded by New York Yankees Bench Coach
2015–2017 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Philadelphia Phillies Bench Coach
2018–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Philadelphia Phillies Manager
2022–present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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