Tony Harris (left) is the Sydney Blue Sox's new manager. (Photo: Sydney Blue Sox)
The Sydney Blue Sox will have a new team manager heading into the 2021/22 Australian Baseball League season, signing three-time ABL Manager of the Year Tony Harris to the top coaching role.
Harris returns to the head role at the Blue Sox after previously holding the top job between the 2017 and 2019. His other ABL coaching exploits placed him in Adelaide where he lead the Giants from 1992 to 1999 and the Bite from 2009 to 2013, at a time when the modern-day ABL began.
Adding to his coaching profile, Harris has held roles with Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers (1993-2004), both senior and junior Australian teams throughout 1996 and 2019, as well as being a co-ordinator for the Australian MLB Academy across a 10 year period.
Harris reveals he is ready to be involved in the Sydney baseball community again and join the Blue Sox coaching staff.
“The city of Sydney is amazing with a very strong supportive baseball community, and I see it to be a great privilege to be a part of it again,” Harris said.
“There is limited managerial roles in our own ABL obviously, and I feel very grateful and extremely passionate to be given the opportunity by the new ownership group to assist in building our club’s culture and continued increased levels of professionalism in all aspects of the organisation, so that the Sydney Blue Sox can be league leaders both on and off the field in the very near future.
“We have an amazing core group of local Sydney players that are all hungry for ABL success, and I can’t wait to get to work with them all in our attack for season 2021 and beyond.”
By having a great relationship with Sydney’s Director of Baseball Operations Jason Pospishill, Harris believe the partnership will benefit the organisation.
“Pops and I have had a professional relationship for over 20 years. There is great mutual respect from and for each other, and this will only enhance our organisations future potential for overall success,” Harris said.
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Pospishill is adamant Harris fills the needs and believes he will fit back in well on his return.
“We are extremely lucky to acquire someone with a resume as extensive as Tony’s to lead our club over the next two seasons,” Pospishill said.
“Tony fits the bill in all aspects that we were looking for in a manager: experience, baseball acumen, man management skills and respect from the playing group. We are in a position where we need professional stability and Tony is the perfect fit for the organisation.”
The news of Harris’s appointment comes just four days after the Blue Sox and former manager Shane Barclay parted ways.
Barclay had been with the Blue Sox for two seasons where he lead the side into a playoff position last season, Sydney finishing the post-season with a 3-2 loss against the Canberra Cavalry in the wildcard game.
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