A few weeks ago I wrote that 17 baseball players with Tucson backgrounds went on to become major-league managers. What I left out was that one Tucson manager, Rick Sweet, might've had a more productive career than any of those 17.
Rick Sweet, pictured in 2003, is closing in on the all-time minor league managerial wins record.
As of last week, Sweet had managed minor-league teams to 2,478 victories over 36 seasons. That includes 1993 when Sweet piloted the Tucson Toros to the Pacific Coast League championship. Sweet managed the Toros from 1993-95. Along the way he has managed minor-league teams called the Toros, Timbers, Beavers, Bats, Mudcats, Missions, Sky Soxs and SeaWolves.
Sweet needs to reach 2,531 victories to become No. 1 in minor league history. The leader, Stan Wozniak, had 2,530 from 1950-86. Sweet is 73 and managing this year for the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple A team, the Nashville Sounds. He has not managed an MLB game, but he played five big-league seasons.
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