Torey Lovullo

Torey Lovullo
Lovullo in 2011.
Toronto Blue Jays
Utility infielder
Born: July 25, 1965 (1965-07-25) Santa Monica, California
Batted: Switch	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 10, 1988 for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
October 3, 1999 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Career statistics
Batting average	.224
Home runs	15
Runs batted in	60
Teams
Detroit Tigers (1988-1989) New York Yankees (1991) California Angels (1993) Seattle Mariners (1994) Oakland Athletics (1996) Cleveland Indians (1998) Philadelphia Phillies (1999) Yakult Swallows (2000) (NPB)

Salvatore Anthony "Torey" Lovullo (born July 25, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball infielder and current first base coach of The Toronto Blue Jays. He was the manager of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He is an alumnus of the University of California, Los Angeles. His father, Sam Lovullo, was a producer on the television show Hee Haw.

Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 5th round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft, Lovullo made his major league debut with the Tigers on September 10, 1988, and appear in his final game on October 3, 1999 for the Philadelphia Phillies. He played one season in Japan for the Yakult Swallows in 2000.

Lovullo was interviewed for the vacant managerial job for the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2006 season. He returned to managing in the Minor Leagues when the Dodgers settled on Grady Little for their manager position. In 2007, he was named as a leading candidate for the manager's post in Pittsburgh before the job fell to John Russell.[1]

Buffalo Bisons

Lovullo spent parts of three seasons with the Buffalo Bisons, the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. In 1995, Lovullo hit .255 with 16 HR and 61 RBI. Following that season, Lovullo signed a free agent contract with the Oakland A's, where he appeared in 65 games in 1996, his last extended stay in the majors. Lovullo signed a contract with the Montreal Expos heading into the 1997 season but lasted only 28 games with the triple-A Ottawa Lynx before being granted his release.

On May 20, 1997, Lovullo left the Expos chain to return to Buffalo and the Indians organization. In 97 regular season games with the Bisons, Lovullo hit just .227 but provided a steadying, veteran influence on a talent-laden roster that included future MLB all-stars Richie Sexson, Sean Casey, Bartolo Colón, Danny Graves, and several others headed toward big league success. Lovullo rebounded from a statistically sub-par regular season to lead the Bisons on their playoff run in the final season of the American Association. Lovullo hit .440 and was named MVP of the playoffs as the Bisons captured their first American Association crown, retiring that trophy forever.

Lovullo returned to the Bisons in 1998, their first season in newly realigned International League. Lovullo continued his great play from the '97 playoffs, hitting .326 with 17 HR and 65 RBI. And like Lovullo, the Bisons replicated their playoff success by capturing the Governors' Cup, their second consecutive championship.

Lovullo played the 1999 season in the Philadelphia Phillies organization, playing mostly at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, then played in Japan in 2000 for the Yakult Swallows. In 2001, he broke into the coaching ranks as a roving coordinator with the Cleveland Indians. Lovullo is a rising star in the managerial ranks, who has risen steadily through the ranks of professional baseball. He returned to Buffalo in 2006 after winning back-to-back Manager of the Year Awards with the Carolina League's Kinston Indians and the Eastern League's Akron Aeros in 2004 and 2005, respectively.

In 2003, Lovullo received the highest honor awarded to an alumnus of Buffalo baseball, as he was inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame. He was inducted alongside his teammate from the 1997 and 1998 championship squad, Jeff Manto.

In the 2006 season, Lovullo came back to Buffalo, but this time as a manager. In the 2006 season, he coached his former Buffalo teammate Einar Díaz. He led the team to a 73-68 season that year.

Columbus Clippers

Lovullo played for the Columbus Clippers in 1991 and 1992 when the club was the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Clippers were the International League champions in both seasons Lovullo played in Columbus, winning back-to-back Governor's Cup trophies in 1991 and 1992. In 106 games in 1991 he batted .271 with 10 HR and 75 RBI. In 1992 Lovullo appeared in 131 games for the Clippers, batted .295, had 19 HR and 89 RBI.

In September, 2008, the Cleveland Indians moved their Triple-A affiliation from Buffalo to Columbus, OH, signing a 4-year contract with the Columbus Clippers. Lovullo returned to Columbus, following the team, and managed them in 2009. This marked the second time he returned to a club he had played for to serve as manager.

Pawtucket Red Sox

On November 30, 2009, Lovullo was named the manager for Pawtucket for the 2010 season.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube