Thomas Michael Jones (October 13, 1954 – January 15, 2009) was an American professional baseball player who later served as a

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2004. He was also a

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

in Minor League Baseball for 13 seasons. As a player, Jones was listed at and ; he batted and threw right-handed.

Biography

Jones was born in

Stockton, California Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Stockton was founded by Carlos Maria Weber in 1849 after he acquir ...

, and played college baseball for the

Pacific Tigers baseball The Pacific Tigers represent the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, in intercollegiate athletics. The Tigers compete in NCAA Division I, and are currently in their second stint as members of the West Coast Conference (WCC). C ...

team. Jones played in minor league baseball from 1976 through 1981. His first five seasons were spent in Class A and Class A Short Season leagues. In his final season, he played in Triple-A for the

Phoenix Giants Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

of the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

(PCL). Overall, Jones appeared in 223 games in six seasons, batting .258 with eight home runs and 92 RBIs. He made 125 appearances as an outfielder, while also making appearances at every infield position. Jones then was a

in the minor leagues from 1982 through 1993, and again in 1997. He worked for multiple franchises: the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners,

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

, and

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

. Jones managed Bo Jackson in 1986, when both were with the

Memphis Chicks Memphis Chicks may refer to: *Memphis Chicks (Southern Association), a Minor League Baseball team that played from 1901 to 1960 *Memphis Chicks (Southern League) The Memphis Chicks were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Southern Lea ...

of the Southern League. Jones managed at the Triple-A level for one season, with the Calgary Cannons of the PCL in 1990. His final season as a manager was spent with the

Lethbridge Black Diamonds The Lethbridge Black Diamonds were a minor league baseball team located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.Alberta, Canada, an early farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks, who entered MLB in 1998. In 13 seasons as a manager, his teams accrued a record of 760–768, for a .497 winning percentage. Jones gained Manager of the Year honors during the 1982, 1983, and 1992 seasons. Jones held several positions with the Diamondbacks; he was director of field operations in 1996 and 1997, and player development director from 1998 to 2004. He served as first base coach for the 2004 Diamondbacks, from early July through the end of the season. In 2005, he was a

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement **Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom **Scouts BSA, sectio ...

for the Mariners. He later worked as director of baseball operations for the Arizona Fall League during the 2008 season. Jones died of

brain cancer A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and secondar ...

at his Phoenix home at the age of 54. He was survived by a son and a daughter.

References

External links

, o
Midwest League Managers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Tommy 1954 births 2009 deaths Arizona Diamondbacks coaches Arizona Diamondbacks executives Seattle Mariners scouts Minor league baseball managers Grays Harbor Ports players Beeville Blazers players Boise Buckskins players Walla Walla Padres players Santa Clara Padres players Clinton Giants players Phoenix Giants players Baseball players from Stockton, California Pacific Tigers baseball players Deaths from brain cancer in Arizona