Mickey Morandini Is the Phillies New First-Base Coach
Philadelphia Phillies alumnus Mickey Morandini throws out the first pitch prior to the start of game four of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park on October 19, 2009. Photo | Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
The Phillies rounded out their coaching staff for next year today by announcing former Phillies infielder Mickey Morandini would coach first base.
Morandini, a fifth-round draft pick by the Phillies in 1988, played second base for the team from 1990 to 1997 before being traded to the Cubs for Doug Glanville. Morandini returned for a partial season in 2000 before retiring.
He’s been back with the organization since 2010, when he left a job managing a high school team to become the skipper of the Phillies single-A affiliate in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He managed them for a season and began managing at another single-A club, Lakewood, the next two years.
The last two seasons, Morandini has been coaching at two other Phillies’ minor league affiliates, Lehigh Valley and Reading. He shuttled between the two this past season.
Morandini may be best known, of course, for the way Harry Kalas said his name, “Mick-ey Mor-an-di-ni.”
Morandini was the manager when the Cutters had the bus crash in New York, players talked about how he was a calming influence that night
— Mitch Rupert (@Mitch_Rupert) November 2, 2015
Williamsport Sun-Gazette sportswriter Mitch Rupert noted Morandini was well-regarded during his season there. Matt Winkleman, who runs Phillies Minor Thoughts, tweeted people in Reading raved about Morandini this season. The year Morandini managed Williamsport, Maikel Franco, Cody Asche, Aaron Altherr and Adam Morgan and other young players in the Phillies organization played there.
Pete Mackanin, who took over when Ryne Sandberg resigned, will manage the team in 2016. Also coaching next year are Larry Bowa (bench/infield), Steve Henderson (hitting), Rick Kranitz (bullpen), Bob McClure (pitching), John McLaren (catching) and Juan Samuel (third base/outfield).
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