Grady Little

2025-09-10T01:36:25Z

2603:6080:5800:7D6A:E89A:F397:5E52:318A: /* Minor leagues */

{{Short description|American baseball coach and manager (born 1950)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Grady Little
|image =
|position=[[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1950|3|30}}
|birth_place=[[Abilene, Texas]], U.S.
|statleague = Managerial
|stat1label=Games managed
|stat1value=648
|stat2label=Win–loss record
|stat2value=358–290
|stat3label=Winning %
|stat3value=.552
|teams=
'''As manager'''
*[[Boston Red Sox]] ({{by|2002}}–{{by|2003}})
*[[Los Angeles Dodgers]] ({{by|2006}}–{{by|2007}})
'''As coach'''
*[[San Diego Padres]] ({{by|1996}})
*[[Boston Red Sox]] ({{by|1997}}–{{by|1999}})
*[[Cleveland Indians]] ({{by|2000}}–{{by|2001}})
}}
'''William Grady Little''' (born March 30, 1950) is an American former player and [[manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). He managed the [[Boston Red Sox]] from [[2002 Boston Red Sox season|2002]] to [[2003 Boston Red Sox season|2003]] and the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] from [[2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2006]] to [[2007 Los Angeles Dodgers season|2007]]. He recently served in the front office for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]].

In his second season with the Red Sox, Little guided the team to a record of 95–67 and an appearance in the [[2003 American League Championship Series]] against the [[New York Yankees]]. Despite his accomplishments, Little is best remembered for his decision to leave starting pitcher [[Pedro Martínez]] in the eighth inning of Game 7 while the Red Sox held a three-run lead, and faced blame for the team's subsequent loss when the Yankees were able to tie the score and win in extra innings.

==Playing career==
He graduated from [[Garinger High School]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], before he was selected by the [[Atlanta Braves]] in the 15th round of the [[1968 Major League Baseball Draft|1968 MLB Draft]].

After spending the 1969 season in the Marine reserves, Grady played in 167 games as a [[catcher]] over five [[Minor League Baseball|minor-league]] seasons in the Braves and [[New York Yankees]] organizations. He posted a career .207 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] with two [[home run]]s and 37 [[Run batted in|runs batted in]]. He retired from playing in 1973.

==Coaching career==
From 1996 to 2001, Little served as a [[Coach (baseball)|coach]] for the [[San Diego Padres|Padres]], [[Boston Red Sox|Red Sox]], and [[Cleveland Indians|Indians]].<ref name="AP-2002-03-12">{{cite news |last1= Maguire |first1= Ken |date= March 12, 2002 |title= Red Sox hire Grady Little as manager |url= http://old.chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2002/03/12/bas_338082.shtml |url-status= dead |department= Sports » Baseball |newspaper= [[The Augusta Chronicle]] |edition= Online |location= Augusta, Georgia |agency= Associated Press |at= Fort Myers, Fla. |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170407091552/http://old.chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2002/03/12/bas_338082.shtml |archive-date= April 7, 2017 |access-date= April 7, 2017 }}</ref>

===High school===
Grady Little was working in the front office of the Pittsburgh Pirates and spent time as the head of baseball operations as well as head coach for the varsity baseball team at Hickory Grove Christian School in Charlotte, NC. Now he is retired and living the rest of his life with his wife right where he grew up.<ref>https://obsprepspot.blogspot.com/2012/04/former-la-dodgers-and-boston-red-sox.html) {{User-generated source|date=August 2022}}</ref>

===Minor leagues===
Little became a player–coach for the [[West Haven Yankees]] while still playing in 1971 and continued through his retirement as a player, remaining as a coach with West Haven until 1974.

During the 1975–79 seasons he stayed away from baseball and worked as a cotton farmer.<ref>{{cite web | last=Nashawaty | first=Chris | title=GRADY LITTLE | website=Sports Illustrated Vault | date=2013-07-08 | url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2013/07/08/grady-little | access-date=2025-08-17}}</ref>

He managed in the minor leagues for 16 years, compiling a record of 1,054–903 (.539).

While serving as the manager for the [[Durham Bulls]], Little served as a baseball trainer for the cast of the movie [[Bull Durham]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514568/|title=Grady Little|website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>

==Managing career==
===Boston Red Sox (2002–2003)===
In March 2002, the [[Boston Red Sox]] hired Little as their manager.<ref name="v423">{{Cite web |date=March 11, 2002 |title=Red Sox hire Little as new manager |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/2002/0311/1349227.html |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Little was enormously popular with his players as he enhanced the loose nature of the clubhouse and supported struggling players. His tenure was successful, as the Red Sox won a combined 188 games in his two seasons and nearly took the pennant in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2002 Boston Red Sox Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2002.shtml |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 Boston Red Sox Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2003.shtml |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

However, the 2003 season (and Little's entire tenure with the Red Sox) is mostly remembered for his controversial decision during Game 7 of the [[2003 American League Championship Series]] against the [[New York Yankees]]. The Red Sox led the game 5–2 in the 8th inning, and were five outs away from reaching the [[World Series]]. Little visited the mound after [[starting pitcher]] [[Pedro Martínez]] gave up two hits, including a double from [[Derek Jeter]] and a single that scored him, but he decided against taking out the ace pitcher, who had thrown 115 pitches to that point. After a ground rule double from [[Hideki Matsui]] in the next at-bat, the Yankees tied the game with the following at-bat when [[Jorge Posada]] hit a two-run bloop double, and went on to win the game (and the pennant) in the 11th inning off of a home run by [[Aaron Boone]].

Little was the target of great angst in the aftermath of the Red Sox' loss (which turned out to be the final manifestation of the so-called [[Curse of the Bambino]]). Critics pointed out that Martinez' ERA almost tripled when his pitch count exceeded 100, and the Red Sox had three well-rested relief pitchers ([[Alan Embree]], [[Mike Timlin]], and [[Scott Williamson]]) in the bullpen waiting to take over in the eighth inning with a three-run lead. In fact, the strong performance of the bullpen in relief of Martinez that day would seem to suggest that Little's decision was ultimately responsible for the Game 7 ALCS result. Supporters responded that Little's decision to trust Martinez was in keeping with his intuitive style that had brought the Red Sox that far in the first place. Nevertheless, the Red Sox front office decided a change was needed and declined to renew Little's contract.<ref>{{cite web | last=Thamel | first=Pete | title=Red Sox Say Manager's Contract Won't Be Renewed | website=The New York Times | date=2003-10-27 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/27/sports/baseball/red-sox-say-managers-contract-wont-be-renewed.html | access-date=2025-08-17}}</ref>

In his post mortem of Little's ouster, sportswriter [[Rob Neyer]] argued that Little had ignored reams of data that showed Martinez was not the same pitcher after 105-110 pitches. As Neyer put it, Little "didn't make the decision he'd been ''told'' to make" by Red Sox management.<ref>{{cite book |last=Neyer |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Neyer |title=Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders |year=2006 |publisher=Fireside |location=New York City |isbn=0-7432-8491-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/robneyersbigbook0000neye }}</ref>

He was replaced by [[Terry Francona]], who would go on to manage the club from 2004 to 2011 and lead them to World Series titles in 2004 and 2007.

When Little's contract was not renewed by the Red Sox, the independent minor-league [[Brockton Rox (2002–2024)|Brockton Rox]] announced plans to give away Grady Little [[bobblehead doll|bobble arm dolls]] to the first 1,000 fans to attend the May 29, 2004, game. The doll's arm bounces to simulate a manager's call to the bullpen, displays the date October 16, 2003 (the date of Game 7 of the ALCS) and Little's win total from the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The plans were canceled when Little objected to his likeness being used. In an agreement with the Rox, Little permitted the dolls to be sold with the provision that the money raised from the sale would go "to the Professional Baseball Scouting Foundation, which provides relief to retired scouts in financial peril".<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/minors/2004-07-12-grady-little-bobble_x.htm
|author=Rod Beaton |date=2004-07-12 |title=Bobbin'-arm doll immortalizes Little's non-call to bullpen |work=USA Today |access-date=2007-11-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.brocktonrox.com/therox/news/index.html?article_id=72
|author=Rod Beaton
|date=2004-07-10
|title=GRADY LITTLE OK'S SALE OF HIS BOBBLE-ARM DOLL; PROCEEDS TO CHARITY
|publisher=Brockton Rox Press Release
|access-date=2007-11-02
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919004033/http://brocktonrox.com/therox/news/index.html?article_id=72
|archive-date=September 19, 2010
|df=mdy-all
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2004/07/11/these_guys_arent_half_bad?pg=2
|author=Gordon Edes
|author-link=Gordon Edes
|date=2004-07-11 |title=These guys aren't half bad:Land of the dolls |work=Boston Globe |access-date=2007-11-02}}</ref> The initial selling price was $38.36 (two times $19.18, 1918 being the last time the Red Sox won the World Series) but later auctions of autographed versions sold for as high as $255.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.brocktonrox.com/therox/news/index.html?article_id=27
|author=Gordon Edes
|author-link=Gordon Edes
|date=2004-08-24
|title=AUTOGRAPHED GRADY LITTLE BOBBLE-ARM DOLLS TO BE AUCTIONED ON EBAY
|publisher=Brockton Rox Press Release
|access-date=2007-11-02
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100919005819/http://brocktonrox.com/therox/news/index.html?article_id=27
|archive-date=September 19, 2010
|df=mdy-all
}}</ref>

===Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2007)===
Little spent 2004 and 2005 as a consultant, instructor, and scout with the [[Chicago Cubs]]. On December 8, 2005, after an organizational shakeup that resulted in the dismissal of both manager [[Jim Tracy (baseball)|Jim Tracy]] and general manager [[Paul DePodesta]], the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] turned to Little to be the team's seventh manager since its 1958 move to Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-12-06 |title=Dodgers hire ex-Red Sox manager Grady Little |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2250256 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref> As manager of the Dodgers, Little was reunited with several players from the 2002–2003 Boston Red Sox teams, including pitcher [[Derek Lowe]], third baseman [[Bill Mueller]], and shortstop-turned-first baseman [[Nomar Garciaparra]]. Little and new general manager [[Ned Colletti]] were widely credited for bringing a fresh outlook to a team that had been wracked by instability over the previous decade. The Dodgers won 88 games in 2006 and earned the NL wild-card spot in the playoffs during Little's first season; however, they were swept by the [[2006 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in the [[2006 National League Division Series|NLDS]]. Plagued by injuries to several key players and fielding a lineup loaded with youngsters, the Dodgers failed to reach the playoffs in 2007.

Dodgers general manager [[Ned Colletti]] initially confirmed that Little would return as manager of the ballclub in 2008. However, Little appeared hesitant to do so after Colletti partly blamed him and his staff for the Dodgers' disappointing 2007 season. Little failed to contact Colletti for over two weeks. This resulted in Colletti entering into a tentative agreement with [[Joe Girardi]], and when it fell through, negotiations with [[Joe Torre]] began. Citing personal reasons, Little subsequently resigned on October 30, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ti-brown103007&prov=yhoo&type=lgns|title = Dodgers chased Girardi before Torre| date=October 30, 2007 }}</ref>

==Front-office career==
===Pittsburgh Pirates (2014–present)===
On December 8, 2014, Little joined the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] as a senior advisor to the team's front office.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/106206360/former-big-leaguer-jamey-carroll-hired-as-special-assistant |title=Former big leaguer Jamey Carroll hired as special assistant |access-date=January 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180317/http://m.pirates.mlb.com/news/article/106206360/former-big-leaguer-jamey-carroll-hired-as-special-assistant |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Managerial record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[2002 Boston Red Sox season|BOS]]|| {{mlby|2002}}
||162||93||69||{{Winning percentage|93|69}}|| 2nd in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2003 Boston Red Sox season|BOS]]|| {{mlby|2003}}
||162||95||67||{{Winning percentage|95|67}}|| 2nd in AL East || 6 || 6 || .500 || Lost [[2003 American League Championship Series|ALCS]] ([[2003 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-
! colspan="2"|BOS total || 324 || 188 || 136 || {{Winning percentage|188|136}} || || 6 || 6 || .500 ||
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season|LAD]]|| {{mlby|2006}}
||162||88||74||{{Winning percentage|88|74}}|| 2nd in NL West || 0 || 3 || .000 || Lost [[2006 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2006 New York Mets season|NYM]])
|-
![[2007 Los Angeles Dodgers season|LAD]]|| {{mlby|2007}}
||162||82||80||{{Winning percentage|82|80}}|| 4th in NL West || – || – || – || –
|-
! colspan="2"|LAD total || 324 || 170 || 154 || {{Winning percentage|170|154}} || || 0 || 3 || .000 ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total<ref name="managerial record">{{cite web|title=Grady Little|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/littlgr99.shtml|website=Baseball Reference|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=September 25, 2015}}</ref> || 648 || 358 || 290 || {{Winning percentage|358|290}} || || 6 || 9 || .400 ||
|}

==Personal life==
Little with his wife, Debi, have a son, Eric, and three grandchildren (Braden, Luke, and Jace). His brother [[Bryan Little (baseball)|Bryan Little]] is a former major league infielder. He was inducted into the [[Kinston, North Carolina]] Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, [[Charlotte, North Carolina]] Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, and was inducted into the [[Municipal Stadium (Hagerstown)|Hagerstown Suns Hall of Fame]] on April 13, 2009.

{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}

==References==

{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats |brm=little003wil}}
*[https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/littlgr99.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] – Major League managerial record
*[http://www.mwlguide.com/managers/littleg.html Minor league managerial record]

{{S-start-collapsible|header={{S-sports}}}}
{{succession box | title=[[Bluefield Orioles|Bluefield Orioles manager]] | before=[[J. R. Miner]] | years=1980| after=[[Lance Nichols]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Hagerstown Suns|Hagerstown Suns manager]] | before=First manager | years=1981–1982| after=[[John Hart (baseball)|John Hart]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Charlotte Orioles|Charlotte Orioles manager]] | before=[[John Hart (baseball)|John Hart]] | years=1983–1984| after=[[Len Johnston]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Hagerstown Suns|Hagerstown Suns manager]] | before=[[Mark Wiley (baseball)|Mark Wiley]] | years=1984| after=[[Len Johnston]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Kinston Indians|Kinston Blue Jays manager]] | before=[[Doug Ault]] | years=1985| after=}}
{{succession box | title=[[Pulaski Braves|Pulaski Braves manager]] | before=[[Craig Robinson (baseball)|Craig Robinson]] | years=1986–1987| after=[[Cloyd Boyer]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Durham Bulls|Durham Bulls manager]] | before=[[Buddy Bailey]] | years=1988–1991| after=[[Leon Roberts]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Greenville Braves|Greenville Braves manager]] | before=[[Chris Chambliss]] | years=1992| after=[[Bruce Kimm]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Sox bench coach]] | before=[[Tim Johnson (baseball)|Tim Johnson]] | years= 1997–1999| after=[[Buddy Bailey]]}}
{{succession box | title=[[Richmond Braves|Richmond Braves manager]] | before=[[Chris Chambliss]] | years=1993–1995| after=[[Bill Dancy]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Boston Red Sox managers}}
{{Los Angeles Dodgers managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Little, Grady}}
[[Category:1950 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Baseball catchers]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox coaches]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox managers]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians coaches]]
[[Category:Durham Bulls managers]]
[[Category:Fort Lauderdale Yankees players]]
[[Category:Greenwood Braves players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Dodgers managers]]
[[Category:Magic Valley Cowboys players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball bench coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball bullpen coaches]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates scouts]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates executives]]
[[Category:Chicago Cubs scouts]]
[[Category:San Diego Padres coaches]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Abilene, Texas]]
[[Category:West Haven Yankees players]]
[[Category:Baseball coaches from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Charlotte, North Carolina]]

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Grady Little