KANSAS CITY, Kan. 鈥� The Kansas City T-Bones have announced that John Massarelli has been hired as the club鈥檚 new manager.
Massarelli, 47, brings to Kansas City an overall record of 716-536 in 12 seasons as a professional baseball manager. Most recently, he managed the expansion Lake Erie Crushers of the independent Frontier League to a 211-170 record and league championship (2009) in four seasons (2009-12). Before that, he guided Washington of the Frontier League to four division championships and the championship series (2007) during four seasons (2004-07). Overall, as a manager in the Frontier League, Massarelli compiled a .590 (450-313) winning percentage.
鈥淛ohn was a perennial leader in the Frontier League,鈥� said T-Bones President Adam Ehlert. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a terrific fit philosophically, and bottom line, he鈥檚 a proven winner. He will elevate us, on the field, to the same level our front office has fought to bring us 鈥� as a leading independent franchise.鈥�
Lake Erie did not renew Massarelli鈥檚 contract after the 2012 season, giving him his first summer away from professional baseball in 26 years.
鈥淚 told people that I was semi-retired because I decided I wasn鈥檛 going to manage again unless it was a perfect fit,鈥� said Massarelli, who runs a baseball academy in Akron, Ohio. 鈥淭here were only a handful of places I鈥檇 get excited about managing, and Kansas City was one of them. So when I talked to Chris Browne (T-Bones Vice-President and General Manager), I knew this was the right situation and the right organization, and I jumped.鈥�
Massarelli began his full-time managerial career in 2000 with Auburn, the Houston Astros鈥� short-season single-A team in the New York-Penn League. He spent three more seasons managing in the Houston organization at both single-A and high-A. In 12 seasons as a manager, eight of Massarelli鈥檚 teams have reached their respective playoffs. (Three other teams missed the postseason by one game or less.)
Massarelli is the T-Bones鈥� fifth manager since the team moved from Duluth prior to the 2003 season. He replaces Kenny Hook, who went 91-109 in two seasons with Kansas City.
鈥淲e had an overwhelming amount of interest in the job,鈥� said Browne. 鈥淏ut at the end of the day, John鈥檚 background in affiliated baseball, his experience and perhaps more importantly, his success at the independent level, set him apart.鈥�
The Houston Astros selected Massarelli in the eighth round of the 1987 draft out of the University of Akron. He played 10 seasons in the minor leagues, reaching triple-A with Houston, Florida and Cleveland. In 932 games as mainly a catcher and outfielder, Massarelli batted .271 with 835 hits, including 144 doubles, 295 RBIs and 288 stolen bases.
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Massarelli, who is a member of the University of Akron鈥檚 Hall of Fame, lives in Perry Township, Ohio, with Kelly, his wife of 24 years. The couple has a daughter, Noel, who attends John Carroll University.
John Massarelli鈥檚 Managerial Career
2000 Auburn (Houston 鈥� New York-Penn League)听听听 32-42听听 .432听听听听 No Postseason
2001 Michigan (Houston 鈥� Midwest League)听 听听听听听听听听听听听 82-55听听 .599听听听听 Postseason
2002 Michigan (Houston 鈥� Midwest League)听 听听听听听听听听听听听 79-61听听 .564听听听听 Postseason
2003 Salem (Houston 鈥� Carolina League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 73-65听听 .529听听听听 No Postseason
2004 Washington (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 62-34听听 .646听听听听 Postseason
2005 Washington (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 63-32听听 .663听听听听 Postseason
2006 Washington (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 59-37听听 .615听听听听 Postseason
2007 Washington (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 55-40 听 .579听听听听 Lost League Championship
2009 Lake Erie (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 57-38听听 .600听听听听 Won League Championship
2010 Lake Erie (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 50-46听听 .521听听听听 No Postseason
2011 Lake Erie (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 51-44听听 .537听听听听 Postseason
2012 Lake Erie (Ind 鈥� Frontier League)听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 53-42听听 .558听听听听 No Postseason
Overall 鈥� 12 seasons
Photo: Courtesy John Massarelli.
