Gary DiSarcina Hired As Pawtucket Red Sox Manager

With Arnie Beyeler now first base coach of the Red Sox, the manager position for Triple-A Pawtucket has been vacant. According to Maureen Mullen, that spot will be filled with former big-leaguer, front office assistant, and minor-league coach Gary DiSarcina.

DiSarcina has already coached in the Boston system, as he was the Red Sox' minor-league infield instruction coordinator in 2010, and for three years prior to that, managed the short-season Lowell Spinners in the New York-Penn League. He's also worked for NESN as an analyst, and was the special assistant to former Angels general manager Tony Reagins back in 2010.

The Malden, Massachusetts native attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst before the Angels drafted him back in 1988 as a shortstop rather than a pitcher. He had a 12-year career in the majors, and while he wasn't much of a hitter, even for a shortstop, his glove was considered exceptional. When he managed to hit in 1995, he earned his lone all-star berth for his efforts. Years after his major-league career ended, DiSarcina was inducted into UMass Amherst's Hall of Fame for his three seasons of play.

It will almost be a shame if Jose Iglesias makes the team out of spring training, mostly because it would have been a treat to see him work with DiSarcina. But maybe having someone like DiSarcina around could help improve the defensive play of someone who needs the assist more, say, a Xander Bogaerts? (Or, more generally, everyone coming up through the system -- player development is what minor-league managing is all about.) Either way, the Red Sox liked him enough as a manager that they brought him back to the organization once more, and if recent history (Torey Lovullo, Beyeler) is any indication, it might mean a future place on Boston's big-league staff.