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, Kane County Cougars Manager George Tsamis as the American Association Manager of the Year by This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report.

Kane County Cougars George Tsamis Named American Association’s Top Manager

On Friday, This Week in the Association and the Minor League Sports Report named Kane County Cougars Manager George Tsamis as the 2022 American Association Manager of the Year. Tsamis led the Cougars to a first-place tie in the East Division, as the club finished 54-46.

Tsamis is in his second season with Kane County after spending 18 seasons with the St. Paul Saints. In his first season, the Cougars went 44-55 as the Manager had very little time to prepare for the season. Kane County was awarded a membership in the American Association in February, and Tsamis was named as the team’s manager a month later. That gave him a team with no players, affording him just two months to build the club from scratch.

With a full off-season, Tsamis made a number of wise moves to make this a championship caliber team. That included adding MVP candidate Jimmy Kerrigan, Sherman Johnson, Ernie De La Trinidad, Cornelius Randolph, and Dylan Busby, as well as adding Ryan Tapani, Westin Muir, José Fuentes, and Logan Nissen, just to name a few. Tsamis also re-signed former Major Leaguer Vance Worley, right-hander Jack Fox, infielder Galli Cribbs, outfielder Nick Anderson, and catcher B. J. Lopez.

However, it was the in-season moves made by the skipper that made the biggest difference. Logan moved into the closer’s role and was fantastic, but suffered a season ending injury before the All-Star break. Tsamis turned to veteran starter Tapani as the closer, and the right-hander saved five games down the stretch. Muir moved into the starting rotation and won seven straight games, and Fox also moved into the starting rotation permanently and led the American Association in victories. He moved De La Trinidad to the top of the batting order where he became one of the most formidable leadoff men in the league.

In addition, Tsamis added several key pieces as the season went along. Nick Franklin was acquired from Sioux City at the beginning of August and was heating up in the final two weeks of the season. In the final two weeks of the season, Tsamis added outfielder Mitchell Nay and right-hander Keith Rogalla, both of whom performed extremely well down the stretch.

This is the 24th season managing for George Tsamis. Tsamis has 1237 victories, putting him in the top five among independent baseball managers in terms of all-time victories. The skipper has won four championships, two in St. Paul and two in New Jersey.

Others Deserving Mention

George Tsamis was selected over Cleburne Railroaders Skipper Logan Watkins and Milwaukee Milkmen Manager Anthony Barone. In his first full season with the Railroaders, Watkins team got off to a terrible start, going 6-24 through the first 30 games. However, the skipper made a number of great moves, turning around the club’s fortunes, leading them to a 44-26 record, finishing just four games out for the top spot in the East Division. The club won their last seven games to reach the .500 mark.

Anthony Barone is in his third season with the Milkmen. He led the club to the American Association title in his first year (2020) and the club has reached the playoffs in each of his three seasons at the helm. This year he overcame a number of injuries and contract transfers to finish 53-47, one game behind the Chicago Dogs in the East Division standings. Barone has a 146-114 record.

By Robert Pannier