Rick Manning
Richard Eugene Manning (born September 2, 1954) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current television color commentator for Major League Baseball's Cleveland Guardians.[1][2] Born in Niagara Falls, New York, Manning was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the second overall pick in the 1972 Major League Baseball Draft out of LaSalle Senior High School.[3][4] Manning made his MLB debut with the Indians on May 23, 1975, and spent the first eight and a half seasons of his career as their primary center fielder, earning a Gold Glove Award in 1976 for his defensive prowess.[3] Over 13 major league seasons, he appeared in 1,555 games, batting .257 with 56 home runs, 458 runs batted in, and 168 stolen bases, while compiling a positive defensive reputation that included catching the final out of Len Barker's perfect game on May 15, 1981.[4][3] Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1983 season, Manning played there through his retirement following the 1987 campaign, contributing as a veteran outfielder and occasional pinch-hitter in key moments, such as preserving a shutout with a walk-off single on August 26, 1987.[3][5] His playing career highlights include selection to the Cleveland Indians' all-time top 100 players list and induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.[3] Transitioning to broadcasting after his playing days, Manning joined the Indians' cable network as a color commentator in 1990, partnering initially with play-by-play announcer Dan Coughlin before teaming with Matt Underwood for over two decades.[3][6] His tenure as a Guardians broadcaster, on the team-managed streaming service CLEGuardians.TV as of 2025, marks the longest continuous stint by any television analyst in franchise history, spanning more than 35 seasons.[7][8] Manning's broadcast style emphasizes his insider perspective from his playing era, though he has faced criticism for occasional insensitive remarks, including a May 2025 comment during a game suggesting an opposing pitcher "wanted to kill himself" after allowing a home run, which drew backlash for its mental health implications.[9]Early life
Childhood and family
Richard Eugene Manning was born on September 2, 1954, in Niagara Falls, New York, to parents Roy and Doris (Bartlett) Manning.[3] He grew up in a large family that included his older brother Glenn (born July 14, 1951, died September 12, 2015), younger brother Kevin "Gopher" (born February 6, 1956, died December 13, 2017), brothers Gary and Terry, and sister Gwyn.[3] Manning's early exposure to baseball came through family influences, particularly his father's origins in St. Louis, which fostered his fandom for the National League's St. Louis Cardinals.[3] This familial connection sparked his initial interest in the sport during his childhood in Niagara Falls, setting the stage for later involvement in organized athletics.[3]Education and amateur career
Manning attended LaSalle High School in Niagara Falls, New York, where he graduated in 1972.[4] At LaSalle, he distinguished himself as a standout baseball player, primarily at shortstop, where his athleticism and skills as a left-handed batter and right-handed thrower drew significant attention from scouts.[3][10] These high school achievements, including his speed and defensive prowess, positioned him as one of the top amateur prospects in the country, leading to his selection by the Cleveland Indians as the second overall pick in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball Draft.[1][11]Professional baseball career
Draft and minor leagues
Manning was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the second overall pick in the first round of the 1972 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft, straight out of LaSalle High School in Niagara Falls, New York, where his standout athleticism as a center fielder had drawn national scouts.[3] The Indians signed him to a professional contract that included the largest salary and bonus package ever given to a Western New York athlete at the time, reflecting his high potential.[12] Following the signing, Manning was assigned to the Class A Reno Silver Sox of the California League, the Indians' affiliate, to begin his professional career at age 17.[3] In his debut season of 1972 with Reno, Manning adapted quickly to professional play, batting .241 with 3 home runs and 23 RBI over 57 games.[11] He returned to Reno in 1973 for a full season, where he demonstrated marked improvement, hitting .280 with 6 home runs, 67 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 137 games; he notably legged out 14 triples, highlighting his speed on the bases and in the field.[11][3] Promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City of the American Association in 1974 at age 19, Manning held his own against more seasoned competition, batting .269 with 5 home runs, 39 RBI, and 21 stolen bases in 122 games.[11] He began the 1975 season back in Oklahoma City, where he got off to a strong start with a .316 batting average, 9 stolen bases over 30 games.[11] This rapid progression through the minors in less than three full seasons, driven primarily by his exceptional outfield defense, led to his call-up to the major leagues on May 23, 1975, as a 20-year-old rookie.[3]Cleveland Indians years
Rick Manning made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cleveland Indians on May 23, 1975, at the age of 20, starting in center field against the Oakland Athletics and recording his first hit, a single off pitcher Jim Todd.[3] In his rookie season, he appeared in 120 games, batting .285 with 3 home runs, 35 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases, while demonstrating strong defensive skills in the outfield as he adjusted to the major leagues.[4] Manning's quick ascent from the minor leagues enabled him to contribute immediately as a reliable center fielder for a team that finished fourth in the American League East with a 79-80 record.[13] During his peak years from 1976 to 1981, Manning solidified his role as the Indians' primary center fielder and leadoff hitter, earning the American League Gold Glove Award in 1976 for his exceptional fielding prowess, where he batted .292 with 6 home runs, 43 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, and a 3.6 WAR in 138 games.[4] His defensive reliability was highlighted on May 15, 1981, when he caught the final out—a fly ball from Toronto Blue Jays pinch hitter Ernie Whitt—in Len Barker's perfect game against the Blue Jays, preserving the 3-0 no-hitter at Cleveland Stadium.[14] Manning reflected on the moment, stating, “Mentally it didn’t matter where that ball was hit, I felt I was going to catch it,” underscoring his confidence in the outfield.[3] In 1978, he played a full 148 games, hitting .263 with 50 RBIs, providing steady production during a season when the Indians improved to 69-90.[4] A back injury sustained on June 4, 1977, from a head-first slide that fractured a vertebra, limited Manning to 68 games that year and contributed to a gradual decline in his performance thereafter.[3] In 1982, despite playing 152 games, he managed a .270 average with 8 home runs and 44 RBIs, but his overall output waned amid the team's struggles.[4] By early 1983, after starting the season with a .278 average in 50 games, Manning's tenure ended when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 6.[4] Throughout his nine seasons with the Indians, Manning amassed 1,049 hits and 36 home runs while playing 1,063 games primarily in center field, establishing himself as a defensive anchor and emerging leader among younger players on a franchise seeking stability during a rebuilding era.[4] His consistent presence in the lineup and clubhouse helped foster team cohesion, even as the Indians posted losing records annually from 1975 to 1983.[3]Milwaukee Brewers years
On June 6, 1983, the Cleveland Indians traded Manning and pitcher Rick Waits to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Gorman Thomas and pitchers Ernie Camacho and Jamie Easterly, providing the Brewers with a seasoned center fielder to bolster their outfield depth.[4] Manning quickly integrated into the lineup as a reliable defensive presence, leveraging his experience to support Milwaukee's competitive push in the American League East that season, where the team finished second with 92 wins.[3] Despite batting struggles, posting a .229 average with 3 home runs over 108 games in 1983, his sure-handed play in center field helped stabilize the defense during a tight divisional race.[4] Manning's performance in subsequent seasons reflected ongoing batting challenges, with averages hovering in the low .200s to mid-.250s amid reduced power output, though he maintained his value through consistent defense. In 1984, he hit .249 with 7 home runs across 119 games, contributing to a Brewers squad that finished seventh in the AL East.[4] The following year, a hairline fracture in his right toe limited him to 79 games, where he batted .218 with 2 home runs.[15] By 1986, Manning rebounded slightly to .254 with 8 home runs in 89 games, but his role diminished as teammate Robin Yount shifted to center field, prompting Manning to play more in the corners.[3] In 1987, Manning's final season, he appeared in 97 games batting .228 without a home run, though he delivered a memorable walk-off single on August 26 against his former team, the Indians, preserving a shutout for starter Teddy Higuera amid a season highlighted by Paul Molitor's 39-game hitting streak.[16] The Brewers ended third in the division with 91 wins but missed the playoffs, continuing a pattern of strong regular-season contention without postseason advancement during Manning's tenure. At age 33, Manning retired after the season, influenced by persistent effects from earlier injuries and a decline in playing time and production.[3]Career statistics
Rick Manning played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1975 to 1987, primarily as a center fielder for the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers.[4] Over 1,555 games, he compiled a .257 batting average, 56 home runs, and 458 runs batted in (RBIs), with 1,349 hits in 5,248 at-bats.[4] His career on-base plus slugging (OPS) was .658, and he stole 168 bases while scoring 664 runs.[4] Defensively, Manning recorded 3,533 putouts in center field across 1,317 games at the position, achieving a .986 fielding percentage.[4] Manning did not appear in any postseason games during his MLB career.[4] Prior to his MLB debut on May 23, 1975, Manning spent four seasons in the minors (1972–1975) with Cleveland affiliates, batting .274 overall with 14 home runs and 144 RBIs in 346 games; his .316 average in Triple-A Oklahoma City that year facilitated his quick transition to the majors.[11]Batting Statistics
The following table summarizes Manning's year-by-year MLB batting performance.[4]| Year | Team | G | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CLE | 120 | 480 | 137 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 35 | 44 | 62 | .285 | .347 | .358 | .705 |
| 1976 | CLE | 138 | 552 | 161 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 43 | 41 | 75 | .292 | .337 | .393 | .730 |
| 1977 | CLE | 68 | 252 | 57 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 18 | 21 | 35 | .226 | .282 | .337 | .619 |
| 1978 | CLE | 148 | 566 | 149 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 38 | 62 | .263 | .309 | .337 | .647 |
| 1979 | CLE | 144 | 560 | 145 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 51 | 55 | 48 | .259 | .323 | .304 | .626 |
| 1980 | CLE | 140 | 471 | 110 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 52 | 63 | 66 | .234 | .321 | .306 | .627 |
| 1981 | CLE | 103 | 360 | 88 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 40 | 57 | .244 | .318 | .336 | .655 |
| 1982 | CLE | 152 | 562 | 152 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 44 | 54 | 60 | .270 | .334 | .352 | .686 |
| 1983 | CLE | 50 | 194 | 54 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 22 | .278 | .319 | .325 | .644 |
| 1983 | MIL | 108 | 375 | 86 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 33 | 26 | 40 | .229 | .279 | .312 | .591 |
| 1984 | MIL | 119 | 341 | 85 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 31 | 34 | 32 | .249 | .318 | .370 | .688 |
| 1985 | MIL | 79 | 216 | 47 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 14 | 19 | .218 | .265 | .296 | .562 |
| 1986 | MIL | 89 | 205 | 52 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 27 | 17 | 20 | .254 | .310 | .434 | .744 |
| 1987 | MIL | 97 | 114 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 12 | 18 | .228 | .299 | .307 | .606 |
| Career | TOT | 1,555 | 5,248 | 1,349 | 179 | 43 | 56 | 458 | 451 | 546 | .257 | .317 | .341 | .658 |
Fielding Statistics (Center Field)
Manning's defensive contributions are highlighted in the following year-by-year center field statistics, with putouts (PO) emphasized for their representation of his range and reliability in patrolling the outfield.[4]| Year | Team | G | GS | PO | A | E | FPCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CLE | 69 | 68 | 216 | 7 | 6 | .974 |
| 1976 | CLE | 136 | 134 | 361 | 8 | 5 | .987 |
| 1977 | CLE | 68 | 62 | 191 | 2 | 2 | .990 |
| 1978 | CLE | 144 | 139 | 377 | 6 | 2 | .995 |
| 1979 | CLE | 141 | 140 | 415 | 9 | 6 | .986 |
| 1980 | CLE | 139 | 136 | 377 | 8 | 4 | .990 |
| 1981 | CLE | 103 | 98 | 306 | 6 | 4 | .987 |
| 1982 | CLE | 152 | 152 | 386 | 10 | 8 | .980 |
| 1983 | CLE | 50 | 50 | 152 | 2 | 2 | .987 |
| 1983 | MIL | 108 | 105 | 322 | 1 | 3 | .991 |
| 1984 | MIL | 113 | 90 | 235 | 4 | 3 | .988 |
| 1985 | MIL | 57 | 44 | 126 | 1 | 4 | .969 |
| 1986 | MIL | 29 | 20 | 63 | 1 | 1 | .985 |
| 1987 | MIL | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Career | TOT | 1,317 | 1,138 | 3,533 | 55 | 50 | .986 |