Jim Essian
James Sarkis Essian Jr.
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
- High School St. Martin of Tours High School
- Debut September 15, 1973
- Final Game September 30, 1984
- Born January 2, 1951 in Detroit, MI USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Jim Essian played twelve seasons in the major leagues, mostly as a catcher, and went on to a second career as a manager in the minors and majors. As a hitter, he knew how to draw a walk and had moderate power. He had seven stops in the majors, and in his best year with the bat hit 10 home runs with a .374 on-base percentage for the Chicago White Sox in 1977, a team which won 90 games.
He hit an inside-the-park grand slam on June 10, 1979 as a member of the Oakland A's against the Toronto Blue Jays. Mike Willis was the pitcher.
Essian's son, also named Jim, played in the minors in 1999-2006. He is the uncle of Chris Demetral, Mike Demetral, Scott Demetral and Ted Demetral. Essian managed Chris when he guided the Greek national team to fourth place at the 2010 European Championship.
In 1989, Jim Essian played for the Gold Coast Suns of the Senior Professional Baseball Association.
| Preceded by Don Zimmer |
Chicago Cubs Manager 1991 |
Succeeded by Jim Lefebvre |
Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Miami Marlins | Florida State League | 38-58 | 10th | none | replaced Tom Burgess (20-25) on May 26 | |
| 1986 | Winston-Salem Spirits | Carolina League | 82-56 | 2nd | Chicago Cubs | League Champs | |
| 1987 | Pittsfield Cubs | Eastern League | 87-51 | 1st | Chicago Cubs | Lost in 1st round | |
| 1988 | Pittsfield Cubs | Eastern League | 76-64 | 3rd | Chicago Cubs | Lost in 1st round | |
| 1989 | Charlotte Knights | Southern League | 70-73 | 6th | Chicago Cubs | ||
| 1990 | Iowa Cubs | American Association | 72-74 | 5th | Chicago Cubs | ||
| 1991 | Iowa Cubs | American Association | 22-15 | -- | Chicago Cubs | replaced by Mick Kelleher on May 21 | |
| Chicago Cubs | National League | 59-63 | 4th | Chicago Cubs | replaced Don Zimmer (18-19) and Joe Altobelli (0-1) on May 22 | ||
| 1995 | Pueblo Bighorns | Texas-Louisiana League | 21-29 | -- | Independent Leagues | Team folded after first half | |
| 1996 | Norwich Navigators | Eastern League | 71-70 | 5th | New York Yankees | ||
| 2013 | Fort Worth Cats | United League | 49-30 | 1st | Independent Leagues | Lost League Finals |
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