Ron Gideon
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Dwayne Gideon is an American
professional baseball
coach
and manager
. He began the season as the field coordinator of instruction in the farm system of Major League Baseball
's Colorado Rockies
, a post he had held since , but on May 29, Gideon was named manager of the Tulsa Drillers
of the Double-A Texas League
, part of a chain reaction of promotions in the Rockies' organization that followed the firing of Colorado pilot Clint Hurdle
. During the baseball season, Gideon continued to hold the twin posts of Tulsa manager and field coordinator, but in will focus on the latter job.
In his playing days (1984-90), Gideon was a first baseman
and pitcher
in the minor league
organizations of the Philadelphia Phillies
and New York Mets
. He batted
.250 over his career — slugging 25 home runs in his best season, 1987 with the Class A Lynchburg Mets
— and losing four of five decisions with an earned run average
of 2.97 on the mound. He threw and batted left-handed, standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.9 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg).
Gideon became a coach and instructor in the Mets' system after his retirement as a player, and managed in the minor leagues from 1993 through 2005, joining the Rockies' system in 1996. He managed at every level but Triple-A before moving to the field coordinator post for the Rockies in 2006. On May 29, 2009, when Hurdle was replaced by Jim Tracy as Colorado's MLB manager, Triple-A skipper Tom Runnells
became Tracy's bench coach, Tulsa manager Stu Cole
took over Runnells' Colorado Springs Sky Sox
, and Gideon took the reins in Tulsa.
Gideon now lives in Hallsville, Texas with his family.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. He began the season as the field coordinator of instruction in the farm system of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, a post he had held since , but on May 29, Gideon was named manager of the Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
of the Double-A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, part of a chain reaction of promotions in the Rockies' organization that followed the firing of Colorado pilot Clint Hurdle
Clint Hurdle
Clinton Merrick Hurdle is a former Major League Baseball outfielder whose 10-year career was spent with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals. After retiring from playing baseball, Hurdle became a manager...
. During the baseball season, Gideon continued to hold the twin posts of Tulsa manager and field coordinator, but in will focus on the latter job.
In his playing days (1984-90), Gideon was a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
organizations of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. He batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.250 over his career — slugging 25 home runs in his best season, 1987 with the Class A Lynchburg Mets
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
— and losing four of five decisions with an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 2.97 on the mound. He threw and batted left-handed, standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.9 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg).
Gideon became a coach and instructor in the Mets' system after his retirement as a player, and managed in the minor leagues from 1993 through 2005, joining the Rockies' system in 1996. He managed at every level but Triple-A before moving to the field coordinator post for the Rockies in 2006. On May 29, 2009, when Hurdle was replaced by Jim Tracy as Colorado's MLB manager, Triple-A skipper Tom Runnells
Tom Runnells
Thomas William Runnells is the Bench Coach of the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, and a former infielder, coach and manager in American Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
became Tracy's bench coach, Tulsa manager Stu Cole
Stu Cole
Stewart Bryan Cole is a former Major League Baseball player. Cole played for the Kansas City Royals in the 1991 season. In nine games, Cole had one hit in seven at-bats, with two walks...
took over Runnells' Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
, and Gideon took the reins in Tulsa.
Gideon now lives in Hallsville, Texas with his family.