American Association Daily provides insights, features, and recaps of the action from around the American Association of Professional Baseball League, as well as player and coaching profiles and transactions. In today’s edition, the Minor League Sports Report and This Week in the Association name Kansas City Monarchs Joe Calfapietra as the PURE Performance Manager of the Year in the American Association for the 2021 season.

This Week in the Association and Minor League Sports Report Sponsored by PURE

Joe Calfapietra Given PURE Performance Manager of the Year

The Minor League Sports Report and This Week in the Association announced that Kansas City Monarchs manager Joe Calfapieta has been named in the PURE Performance Manager of the Year in the American Association for the 2021 season. This is the third time in the last four years that This Week in the Association has chosen the Kansas City Manager as their top skipper.

A number of factors are considered beyond the performance on the field for determining the PURE Performance Manager of the Year. This includes the ability of the manager to acquire players and to find ways to fill holes when players are lost to affiliate clubs or to injury. In those ways, there is no one better manager than Joe Calfapietra.

The Kansas City Manager lost 20 players to affiliate clubs and two others to the Mexican League. That is one complete roster, yet he still managed to find a way to lead the Monarchs to the top record in the American Association at 69-31. The three longest winning streaks in the league this season were set by Kansas City at nine, eight, and seven. They won seven games in a row twice.

One thing that has been the pattern for Kansas City since Calfapietra took over the job is that they normally get off to a slow start, then heat up as they move into the dog days of summer. This season was no different. The Monarchs were 4-6 coming out of May, but then went 16-9 in June, 24-7 in July, 21-8 in August, and finished 4-1 in September. They set club records for total games above .500 (38) and the 69 victories was also the most in franchise history.

Off the field he set marks as well. The 22 players whose contracts were purchased was the most of any team in any single season.

Joe Calfapietra was named as the Manager of the Year back in 2018 and 2019. He did not manage last season as the then Kansas City T-Bones opted not to play.

Jodie, Hobson Recognized as Well

Lincoln Saltdogs Manager Brett Jodie came in second in the PURE Performance Manager of the Year voting. Jodie did a spectacular job, taking over the team with just a month before the season began, yet led the Saltdogs to 0.5 games away from a playoff appearance. Lincoln went 53-47 overall.

Chicago Dogs Manager Butch Hobson finished third in the voting. Hobson led Chicago to their best record in franchise history at 63-37. This despite the fact that the team did not have a single player rank in the top five in homeruns, batting average, runs scored, extra-base hits, or RBI. It was truly an amazing team effort managed masterfully by Hobson.

For earning PURE Performance Manager of the Year, Joe Calfapietra will receive a check for $1000 from PURE as well as a trophy recognizing him as the PURE Performance Manager of the Year.

This Week in the Association and Minor League Sports Report Sponsored by PURE

About PURE

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Learn more about PURE by following the link where you can also order a trial pack.

by Robert Pannier