The true measure of a great manager isn’t always reflected in his win-loss record but in the respect he commands from his players in the locker room. Jeff Torborg undoubtedly earned that respect during his three seasons with the White Sox. While his time on the South Side was brief, his impact on the team and its culture was undeniable.
Torborg died on Sunday at the age of 83 in his hometown of West Field, New Jersey. A cause of death was not given in a social media announcement from the White Sox.
The New Jersey native spent his ten-year playing career on the West Coast, playing seven seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers before spending his final three seasons with the California Angles. During that time he won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1965 and caught Sandy Kofax’s perfect game against the Cubs that same season. Eight years later he was Nolan Ryan’s battery mate for what would be the first of Ryan’s seven career no-hitters.
They say catcher’s make great managers and that was certainly the case for Torborg who was named Manager of the Year with the White Sox in 1990 and finished sixth in the voting the following year.
He joined the White Sox after spending his three seasons as a manager of the Cleveland Indians. His first season in Chicago got off to a slow start. The White Sox went 69-92, winning two fewer games than they had the previous season. But things quickly turned around in 1990.
Torborg helped guide a young, hungry White Sox lineup featuring Lance Johnson, Sammy Sosa, Robin Ventura, and Ozzie Guillen to 94 wins, a 25-game improvement that helped him earn Manager of the Year honors.
Torborg quickly created a bond with his players, encouraging them to wear their emotions on their sleeves and express themselves on the field. However, he also expected his players to respect the game and compete hard.
“You were my first big league manager and I enjoyed playing for you. You gave me a chance to shine right away and I’m thankful,” Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas posted on X.
Guillen called Torborg a mentor, and one of the best managers he ever played for, citing the way he would later handle the clubhouse as a manager as something he learned from watching Torborg operate.
During an interview for the Last Comiskey documentary White Sox pitcher Donn Pall said that Torborg allowed players who were married to let their wives on the team plane, something that was unique for the majority of MLB ballclubs. White Sox outfielder Lance Johnson said added that his teammates would not let him go out after games, due to the culture that Torborg created.
Under Torborg, Johnson started 150-plus games in three consecutive seasons, after struggling to see consistent playing time under former manager Jim Fregosi. That confidence instilled in Johnson paid dividends as One Dog would lead the league in triples the next four seasons.
In 1991 the White Sox won 87 games, bringing Torborg’s record to 250-235 before he was replaced by Gene LaMont. He managed the final game in Old Comiskey’s Park history, beating the Seattle Mariners 2-1. Torborg went on to manage the Mets, Expos, and Florida Marlins, however, the White Sox were the only club he finished with a winning record with. He later spent time as a broadcaster.
From catching no-hitters to influencing a blossoming young White Sox team, Jeff Torborg left his mark on the game of baseball.
