Merrimack – In a marginally surprising move Wednesday, The Merrimack Owls fired longtime manager and player favorite Ed Bailey. Hired in 2003, Bailey guided Merrimack to three major Championships including the All-Star Baseball League Championship, The Holiday Baseball Classic title and the Kansas City Baseball League title.
The Owls announce the move after being swept out of the playoffs at the hands of the McCall Mudhens in the KCBL NLCS on Monday night. Bailey was told of the decision late Tuesday night and given the option of remaining with the team in an undisclosed position.
“Ed Bailey is an incredible person and a very special leader who’s touched the lives of many people in this small Merrimack community and throughout baseball,” lifetimer and player representative Ron Santo said. “The Owls just need a change.”
Bailey has strung together an impressive run of playoff appearances, but in recent years has been unable to motivate his team in the playoffs. The recent downturn in the career of lifetime player Dale Murphy has also been speculated by the press as a reason for change.
“It was a hell of a run,” said Bailey, who spoke to reporters for 36 minutes after the announcement. “I have the ultimate respect for the people and the organization of the Merrimack Owls. I leave here with no regrets… Do I wish things could have turned out better? Sure, but honestly, when I got here this was a new franchise that had eaten through three managers, a gaggle of pitchers, 5 lifetimers and was searching for an identity… I am proud that I brought in Murph, I am proud that I brought in Ryne and Ronnie. My vision for this team was to be hands off and let the lifetimers be the personality of the franchise.”
Rumors of Bailey’s release began early last season, but an appearance in the Championship series of last years KCBL placed him in good standing with ownership. With the underperformance of this years team, Bailey became the scapegoat.
“I love Ed Bailey, I love him as a … ,” said Murphy, who needed several seconds to compose himself before continuing. “Obviously, this is tough. Relationships that are formed are very strong, I wish that I could have played better for him. He deserved a lot better from me.”
“Ed has been amazing and we have all learned a LOT from him through the years,” Sandberg said. “management thought they had to make decisions that were best for our baseball team and our organization.”
Bailey reached the Majors in 1953 with the Cincinnati Redlegs, spending nine and a half years with the Redlegs and Reds teams before moving to the San Francisco Giants (1961-63), Milwaukee Braves (1963-65), again with San Francisco (1965), and the Chicago Cubs (1965-66) and California Angels (1966). His most productive season came in 1956 with Cincinnati, when he posted career-highs in batting average (.300), home runs (28), and runs batted in (75) in 118 games played. A five-time All-Star, he also appeared in six games of the 1962 World Series with the Giants, hitting a home run in Game 3.
In a 14-season career, Bailey was a .256 hitter (915-for-3581) with 155 home runs and 540 RBI in 1212 games, including 423 runs and a .355 on base percentage. When his brother Jim joined the Reds in 1959, the Bailey brothers became one of the few brother-batteries in Major League history.
Replacement
The Owls have been mum on who would replace Bailey, but names have begun to surface as possible candidates.
I vote for Hoot Evers.