Dale Sveum
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Dale Curtis Sveum ( ; born November 23, 1963) is an American former
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB)
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and
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
. He most recently served as the bench coach for 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) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
. As a player, Sveum saw action in 12 major league seasons between 1986 and 1999. He was a member of the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
,
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
,
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
,
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
,
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
, and
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
. Following his playing career, Sveum managed in
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...
baseball for several seasons before becoming an MLB coach. Sveum briefly served as manager of the Brewers in 2008 during his tenure as hitting coach for the team. He was later named manager of the Cubs after the 2011 season and served for two seasons. His cousin is former Blue Jays All-Star John Olerud.


Playing career

During his time at Pinole Valley High School, Sveum was recognized as an All-State and
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
n
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, in addition to playing baseball and basketball. Drafted by the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
in the first round (25th pick) of the 1982 amateur draft, he went on to play 12 seasons in MLB, hitting .236 with 69
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s. Arguably, Sveum's finest season came in , when he hit 25
home runs In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run ...
and drove in 95 runs, mostly as the Brewers'
ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
hitter in the lineup. One of his personal highlights came early in the season, when he hit a walk-off home run at County Stadium to give Milwaukee a 6–4 victory over the Texas Rangers. This victory, which came on April 19 (
Easter Sunday Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek language, Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, de ...
), led the Brewers to a 12–0 record on the season. On July 17, 1987, Sveum totaled three homers and six RBIs during a 12–2 thumping of the
California Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
. On September 3, 1988, Sveum was involved in a severe collision with fellow Brewer Darryl Hamilton where Sveum's left leg was so badly broken he did not play again in and also sat out the entire MLB season, while seeing action only in 17 games in the minor leagues. In his first three major league seasons, Sveum's lowest yearly batting average was .242. Following his return to the majors in 1990, he only batted over .241 twice in parts of nine seasons. During his career, Sveum had the distinction of playing for five separate managers who would (at some point in their careers) win a league
Manager of the Year Award In Major League Baseball, the Manager of the Year Award is an honor given annually since 1983 to two outstanding manager (baseball), managers, one each in the American League (AL) and the National League (baseball), National League (NL). The winne ...
: *
Tony La Russa Anthony La Russa Jr. (; born October 4, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager (baseball), manager. His MLB career has spanned from 1963 to 2022, in several roles. He is the former manager of the St. Louis C ...
(1983, 1988, 1992, 2002), in Oakland *
Jim Leyland James Richard Leyland (born December 15, 1944) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He serves as a special assistant to the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Leyland led the Florida Marlins to t ...
(1990, 1992, 2006), in Pittsburgh * Gene Lamont (1993), with the Chicago White Sox *
Lou Piniella Louis Victor Piniella ( usually ; born August 28, 1943) is a former professional baseball player and manager. An outfielder, he played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals a ...
(1995, 2001, 2008), in Seattle *
Joe Torre Joseph Paul Torre Jr. (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball Senior management, executive and former player, Manager (baseball), manager, and television color commentator. He has served as a special assistant to the Commiss ...
(1996, 1998), in New York


Coaching career


Pittsburgh

Prior to coaching in Milwaukee, Sveum managed the Double A team in the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
organization from 2001–2003, compiling a 213–211 record. In 2003,
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tabbed Sveum as the best potential MLB manager in the Eastern League.


Boston Red Sox

Sveum was on the coaching staff of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
from 2004–05, serving as third base coach and working under manager (and former Brewers teammate)
Terry Francona Terrence Jon Francona (born April 22, 1959), nicknamed "Tito", is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is the manager of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously managed the Cleveland Indians/G ...
. Following Sveum's second season in Boston, he left the Red Sox to rejoin Milwaukee as the team's bench coach.


Milwaukee Brewers

On October 30, 2007, Sveum switched positions on the staff and became the team's third base coach. On September 15, 2008, he was named interim manager of the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
after manager Ned Yost was fired with the team at 83–67, having lost eleven of their last fourteen games while being tied for the Wild Card spot. Sveum led the team to a 7–5 record to close out the 2008 regular season, which was enough for the Brewers to make the playoffs for the first time since their World Series run in 1982. Under Sveum's leadership, the Brewers lost the 2008 NLDS to the
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
in 4 games. After the season ended, newly-extended general manager Doug Melvin announced Sveum was out of the running for the managerial spot and hitting coach Jim Skaalen was fired. Eventually, Ken Macha took over the Brewers for the 2009 season while Sveum stayed on as the team's hitting coach.


Chicago Cubs

On November 16, 2011 the Chicago Cubs offered Sveum their vacant managerial position. The following day, on November 17, 2011, he accepted the offer to become the new manager of the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
, and was introduced on November 18, 2011. Sveum was fired on September 30, 2013 after posting a record of 127–197 in two seasons with the Cubs. On August 16, 2017, Sveum received a World Series ring from the team.


Kansas City Royals

On October 3, 2013, 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) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
announced they had hired Sveum as a coach and infield instructor, reuniting him with Yost (serving as manager). On May 29, 2014, the Royals promoted Sveum to hitting coach in an effort to improve a lackluster offensive start to the season. Sveum departed the Royals when Yost retired from the team after the 2019 season.


Managerial record


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sveum, Dale 1963 births Living people Altoona Curve managers American expatriate baseball players in Canada Baseball coaches from California Baseball players from Richmond, California Beloit Brewers players Boston Red Sox coaches Calgary Cannons players Chicago Cubs managers Chicago White Sox players Denver Zephyrs players El Paso Diablos players Kansas City Royals coaches Major League Baseball bench coaches Major League Baseball hitting coaches Major League Baseball shortstops Major League Baseball third basemen Major League Baseball third base coaches Milwaukee Brewers coaches Milwaukee Brewers players Milwaukee Brewers managers Nashville Sounds players New York Yankees players Oakland Athletics players Philadelphia Phillies players Pikeville Brewers players Pittsburgh Pirates players Seattle Mariners players Stockton Ports players Tacoma Tigers players Tucson Sidewinders players Vancouver Canadians players