1. Early Life and Playing Career
Jim Tracy's baseball career began in his youth, progressing through amateur ranks before reaching the professional level both in the United States and Japan.
1.1. Amateur Career
Tracy was recognized as an All-America baseball player during his time at Marietta College, an NCAA Division III institution located in Ohio. In 1976, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, where his performance earned him a selection as a league all-star.
1.2. Professional Playing Career
Tracy was drafted in the 4th round by the Chicago Cubs in 1977 and made his Major League Baseball debut in 1980. He played as an outfielder for the Cubs for parts of two seasons, during 1980 and 1981.
After his stint in MLB, Tracy moved to Japan to play for the Yokohama Taiyo Whales (now Yokohama DeNA BayStars) for two seasons, in 1983 and 1984. In his first year with the Whales in 1983, he performed well, achieving a batting average of .300. However, in 1984, an early-season disagreement over playing time and strategy with Whales manager Junzo Sekine (関根潤三Sekine JunzōJapanese) led to Tracy's abrupt mid-season departure from the team and his return to the United States. He retired from playing professionally after the 1984 season.
His professional playing statistics are summarized below:
| Year | Team | Games | Plate Appearances | At Bats | Runs | Hits | Doubles | Triples | Home Runs | Total Bases | Runs Batted In | Stolen Bases | Caught Stealing | Sacrifice Bunts | Sacrifice Flies | Walks | Intentional Walks | Hit By Pitch | Strikeouts | Double Plays | Batting Average | On-base Percentage | Slugging Percentage | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | CHC | 42 | 137 | 122 | 12 | 31 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 49 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 1 | .254 | .326 | .402 | .728 |
| 1981 | CHC | 45 | 76 | 63 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | .238 | .355 | .302 | .657 |
| 1983 | Taiyo | 125 | 508 | 469 | 61 | 142 | 29 | 2 | 19 | 232 | 66 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 74 | 8 | .303 | .350 | .495 | .845 |
| 1984 | Taiyo | 3 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .222 | .364 | .556 | .919 |
| MLB: 2 years | 87 | 213 | 185 | 18 | 46 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 68 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 3 | .249 | .336 | .368 | .704 | |
| NPB: 2 years | 128 | 519 | 478 | 62 | 144 | 29 | 2 | 20 | 237 | 68 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 9 | .301 | .350 | .496 | .846 | |
2. Coaching and Managing Career
Following his playing career, Jim Tracy transitioned into baseball management and coaching, eventually managing three Major League Baseball teams.
2.1. Early Coaching Roles
Tracy began his post-playing career as a minor league manager for several organizations. Among his early assignments, he managed the 1988 Peoria Chiefs, a period chronicled in the book "The Boys Who Would Be Cubs." He also managed the Ottawa Lynx in 1994. Later, he served as a bench coach for the Montreal Expos under manager Felipe Alou, and for the Los Angeles Dodgers under manager Davey Johnson in 1999 and 2000.
2.2. Los Angeles Dodgers (2001-2005)
Tracy was appointed manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers prior to the 2001 season, a position he held through 2005. During his five seasons, he led the team to four winning records and amassed an overall managerial record of 427 wins and 383 losses. In 2004, Tracy guided the Dodgers to win the National League West division title, marking a significant achievement. However, the team subsequently lost to the St. Louis Cardinals by 3 games to 1 in the National League Division Series. After finishing the 2005 season with a 71-91 record, Tracy and the Dodgers mutually agreed to part ways on October 3, 2005, citing "philosophical differences."
2.3. Pittsburgh Pirates (2006-2007)
On October 11, 2005, Jim Tracy was hired as the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. His tenure with the Pirates spanned two seasons, during which the team's performance was largely disappointing. He compiled a record of 135 wins and 189 losses. Following the 2007 season, Tracy was dismissed by the Pirates on October 5, 2007.
2.4. Colorado Rockies (2009-2012)
In November 2008, Tracy joined the Colorado Rockies as their bench coach. His role quickly changed when, on May 29, 2009, he was promoted to manager, replacing Clint Hurdle, who had been fired with the team holding an 18-28 record. Under Tracy's leadership, the Rockies experienced a remarkable turnaround, compiling a 74-42 record for the remainder of the season and securing a wild card berth in the postseason. Despite their strong run, the Rockies were defeated by the Philadelphia Phillies 3 games to 1 in the National League Division Series. For his exceptional efforts in the 2009 season, Tracy was awarded the National League Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and was also named the National League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News. This success led to him signing a three-year contract extension on November 19, 2009.
However, the subsequent seasons proved more challenging. In 2010, the Rockies experienced a late-season collapse, losing 13 of their final 14 games and finishing 8 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the wild card race. The 2011 season began promisingly with an 11-2 record, but the team's performance declined, concluding the season in 4th place with a 62-87 record. Despite this, Tracy was given an "indefinite" contract extension after the 2011 season. By August 1, 2012, the team's record stood at 37-65. Following a disappointing and injury-plagued 2012 season, where the Rockies finished with a 64-98 record-the second-worst in franchise history-Tracy resigned as manager on October 7, 2012.
2.5. International Coaching
On June 30, 2015, Jim Tracy was announced as the manager for the United States baseball team at the 2015 Pan American Games. Under his leadership, the U.S. team advanced to the tournament final but ultimately lost to Canada in a walk-off game, earning the silver medal.
3. Managerial Record
The following table details Jim Tracy's managerial record in Major League Baseball:
| Year | Team | Division | Age | Games | Wins | Losses | Win % | Rank / Teams | Notes | Postseason Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | LAD | NL West | 45 | 162 | 86 | 76 | .531 | 3 / 5 | ||
| 2002 | LAD | NL West | 46 | 162 | 92 | 70 | .568 | 3 / 5 | ||
| 2003 | LAD | NL West | 47 | 162 | 85 | 77 | .525 | 2 / 5 | ||
| 2004 | LAD | NL West | 48 | 162 | 93 | 69 | .574 | 1 / 5 | 1 Win, 3 Losses (NLDS) | |
| 2005 | LAD | NL West | 49 | 162 | 71 | 91 | .438 | 4 / 5 | ||
| 2006 | PIT | NL Central | 50 | 162 | 67 | 95 | .414 | 5 / 6 | ||
| 2007 | PIT | NL Central | 51 | 162 | 68 | 94 | .420 | 6 / 6 | ||
| 2009 | COL | NL West | 53 | 116 | 74 | 42 | .638 | 2 / 5 | 1 Win, 3 Losses (NLDS) | |
| 2010 | COL | NL West | 54 | 162 | 83 | 79 | .512 | 3 / 5 | ||
| 2011 | COL | NL West | 55 | 162 | 73 | 89 | .451 | 4 / 5 | ||
| 2012 | COL | NL West | 56 | 162 | 64 | 98 | .395 | 5 / 5 | ||
| Career Totals | 1736 | 856 | 880 | .493 | 2 Wins, 6 Losses | |||||
4. Personal Life
Jim Tracy's family has a strong connection to baseball. His oldest son, Brian Tracy, played baseball at UC Santa Barbara and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007. Brian later became a scout for the Pirates organization. Another son, Chad Tracy, played in the minor leagues for eight seasons, including four seasons in Triple-A across three different franchises. In 2011, Chad was one of the league leaders in RBIs in Triple-A, recording 109, alongside Bryan LaHair and Nick Stavinoha. Chad has since transitioned into a career as a minor-league manager. Jim Tracy's youngest son, Mark Tracy, also played minor league baseball from 2010 to 2013.
In 2003, Jim Tracy made a notable appearance on the popular American game show The Price Is Right. He was in the audience during a taping and was introduced to the crowd by the show's then-host, Bob Barker.
5. Awards and Honors
Throughout his distinguished career, Jim Tracy received several significant awards and recognitions for his achievements in baseball management:
- National League Manager of the Year Award (2009)
- National League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News (2009)
6. Jersey Numbers
During his professional playing career, Jim Tracy wore the following jersey numbers:
- No. 23 (1980-1981, Chicago Cubs)
- No. 20 (1983-1984, Yokohama Taiyo Whales)