LOS ANGELES — John Shoemaker is in his sixth straight year managing the Dodgers’ Class-A affiliate and his first year in Ontario after the previous five campaigns with Rancho Cucamonga. He’ll be at Dodger Stadium on Friday night as part of the annual celebration of longtime employees in the organization.
This is Shoemaker’s 50th year with the Dodgers, first as a player from 1977-80 as he was selected in both the MLB Draft and NBA Draft, then as a coach every season since 1981. He was named the Dodgers captain
of player development in 2015, and accordingly wears a C on the front of his jersey to this day.
There aren’t many things Shoemaker hasn’t done within the game of baseball, but come October he can check off another box. He will manage the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.
The AFL is the annual showcase of prospects throughout the game, with six Arizona teams comprised of prospects from five MLB teams each. Glendale, which plays its games at Camelback Ranch, the home of the Dodgers and White Sox, will consist of prospects of those two teams plus the Braves, Marlins, and Pirates.
Among the notes for Shoemaker in MLB’s press release is that he’s had 20 separate winning seasons as a minor league manager and his 1,984-1,863 lifetime record has him third among active minor league managers.
Before the Arizona Fall League begins on Monday, October 5, and runs through November 11, Shoemaker will be busy in the California League playoffs beginning on September 8, as Ontario won the second half in the South Division.
