Jeff Torborg

The word “grinder” is used to define a player who may not have great natural ability but succeeds through hard work and perseverance. “He grinded out a career” or “he was a real grinder.”

Jeff Torborg was that type of player. Noted as a defensive catcher who could handle a pitching staff, Torborg’s offensive capability was limited. He played 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the California Angels. A backup for most of his career, Torborg did not gain starter status until his final year in 1973 with the Angels. Torborg’s second-string standing did not preclude him from catching some of the biggest games in the history of both franchises, including three no-hitters.

After his playing career was over, Torborg spent another 30 years in the game as a manager, coach, and broadcaster. Beginning with his rookie season in 1964, Torborg was in the big leagues for over 40 years. A true baseball lifer, a grinder.

Jeffrey Allen Torborg was born on November 26, 1941, in Plainfield, New Jersey. He was the younger of two sons (following Robert E. Jr.) born to Robert E. Sr. and Winifred (née Kenney) Torborg. Jeff may have received some of his athletic ability from his father, who was a star in basketball and baseball at Westfield (New Jersey) High School. Robert Sr. earned his living as an insurance agent for the John Hancock Company.

Jeff followed the path of his father and starred at Westfield. His senior season, Torborg made All-Union County, batting .379.1 The lofty average placed Torborg in the top 10 in the Plainfield (New Jersey) area.2 After his graduation from high school, Torborg enrolled at nearby Rutgers University. After playing his initial season on the Rutgers freshman team, Torborg was a three-year starter for the Scarlet Knights (1961-1963). After his junior year, he was named Most Valuable Player of the Middle Atlantic Conference. Torborg capped off his collegiate career by leading the nation with a .537 batting average; he was named to the All-America team in 1963.3

On May 23, 1963, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Torborg to a $100,000 bonus contract. The Director of Scouting for the Dodgers, Al Campanis, and area scout Rudy Rufer were on hand at the Torborg home to seal the deal.4 “I don’t see how he can miss,” said Rufer, a former utility infielder for the New York Giants. “This young man is a great prospect. He has tremendous maturity and desire. Don’t be surprised if he’s with the Dodgers before the season’s over. We’re in need of good young catchers in our organization. We know Torborg can hit and handle himself behind the place. He’s definitely going to have a chance to make the Dodger catching staff next season.”5

Torborg began his professional career at Albuquerque of the Class AA Texas League. He was granted two days off so he could return home and marry his girlfriend. Suzie Barber, on June 6, 1963. Barber was crowned Miss New Jersey in 1960. Their honeymoon was put on hold as Jeff returned to the Albuquerque club. In return, the Dodgers sprang for a two-week trip to Hawaii for the newlyweds when the season ended.6

The Dukes had three catchers on their roster. Torborg split the backstop chores evenly with Hector Valle and Barry Erdos. Torborg found the pitching a little tougher at the AA level than what he saw in college. In 64 games, he batted .223 with one home run and 18 RBIs.

Despite his rather light hitting at Albuquerque, Torborg made the Dodgers roster in 1964. He served as the third-string catcher behind starter John Roseboro and Doug Camilli. Torborg was elevated to second string beginning in 1965. “He was aware that I couldn’t hit a lick,” Torborg said of Dodger manager Walter Alston, “but he still played me. I don’t know how he went to the Hall of Fame with that kind of judgement.”7

Perhaps one of the biggest nights of his career occurred on September 9, 1965. Sandy Koufax hurled a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs, a 1-0 win at Dodger Stadium. Koufax faced 27 batters, striking out 14. It was the fourth consecutive season that Koufax threw a no hitter, and the last of his career. “From the sixth inning on, he threw hard consistently,” said Torborg. “At the end, he really wanted it and he was bearing down hard. I was praying there at the last. I really wanted to catch that one.”8  

On September 16, Los Angeles (82-64) was in third place and trailed first place San Francisco by 4½ games. However, the Dodgers went on a 13-game winning streak and won 15 of their last 16 to clinch the National League pennant. In the World Series, they faced the Minnesota Twins. After dropping the first two games, the Dodgers came back to win in seven games. Torborg did not appear in the series.

The following season was much of the same for LA. They edged the Giants by 1½ games to win the pennant. However, they were swept by Baltimore in the 1966 World Series. Torborg did not appear in either of the fall classics. Still, as a young player, it was quite a thrill to win back-to-back pennants. “The first two or three years I am in the big leagues, we went to the World Series,” he later mused, “so I thought we were supposed to do that every year.”9    

The Dodgers’ success did not continue. Los Angeles sank to the bottom half of the National League standings in the next two seasons, finishing with a winning percentage below .500 both years.

On November 28, 1967, starting catcher Roseboro was traded to Minnesota. The Dodgers then acquired catcher Tom Haller from San Francisco on February 13, 1968. The acquisition of Haller, an All-Star with the Giants in 1967, meant that Torborg would remain the backup backstop. “Torborg gives us the experienced protection behind the plate that every manager would like to have,”10 said Alston.

On July 20, 1970, Torborg caught his second no-hitter. This time Bill Singer did the honors, whiffing 10 and walking none in defeating the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-0, at Dodger Stadium.

“I’ve always enjoyed the thinking side, the mechanical side of the game,” said Torborg. “I’ve always gotten a thrill from doing something that doesn’t show up in the box score like preventing a wild pitch. Unless you’re an exceptional hitting catcher like Johnny Bench, Manny Sanguillen or a Carlton Fisk, not many people notice you.”11

On March 13, 1971, Torborg was sold to the California Angels for the $20,000 waiver price. The Dodgers elected to go with Duke Sims and Bill Sudakis as the supporting cast for Haller.

Torborg’s role did not change immediately in 1971. He shared backup duties with Jerry Moses behind starting catcher John Stephenson. The following season, Torborg and Art Kusnyer each started 54 games, while Stephenson started 37.

In 1973, Torborg experienced pain in his right elbow. As it turned out, he had bone chips behind the elbow, giving him pain when he raised his arm to comb his hair or brush his teeth. “I was very much concerned,” said Torborg. “Not too many people want a catcher with a .212 lifetime batting average who can’t throw a ball. There’s not too much call for one of those.”12

After he recovered from his injury, Torborg took over the starting catcher position two weeks into the season. On May 15, at Royals Stadium, Nolan Ryan fired the first of seven career no-hitters as California topped the Royals, 3-0. Ryan faced 30 batters, striking out 12 and walking three. “Oh God, that was beautiful!” said Torborg. “He had good stuff early but when I saw nothing up there on the board in the fourth, I started counting the outs myself.

“I remember toward the end of the game with Sandy we went with just the best pitch. Show the curve but go with the fastball. That’s what we did this time, too. Nolan said, ‘I want to go with my best stuff.’”13

As of 2024, Torborg, Gus Triandos, Ron Hassey, Drew Butera, and Darrell Porter are the only men to catch a no-hitter in each league.

California traded Torborg to St. Louis for pitcher John Andrews on December 6, 1973. But he failed to make the roster and was released on March 25, 1974. For his career, Torborg batted .214 with eight home runs and 101 RBIs. Behind the plate, Torborg threw out 123 out of 342 baserunners, a 36% rate. His fielding percentage was .990.

Torborg returned home to Suzie and their three sons (Doug, Greg, and Dale) in New Jersey. He enrolled at Montclair State College and finished his studies to earn a master’s degree in athletic administration. His thesis was a study on platooning in major league baseball.14

But he wasn’t out of a job for long. Former Angels teammate Frank Robinson was traded to Cleveland at the end of the 1974 season. Robinson replaced Ken Aspromonte as Indians manager, thus becoming the first Black field leader in major-league history in 1975.

Robinson hired Torborg to be his bullpen coach. The Tribe showed improvement under Robby, finishing in fourth place in the American League East in 1975 and 1976. But the Tribe was 26-31 in 1977 when Robinson was fired on June 18. Torborg was named as his successor. “I have a lot of respect for Jeff Torborg,” said Indians relief pitcher Jim Kern. “I always say catchers make the best managers because they are right in the middle of things and watch everything going on. Jeff will be an excellent handler of pitchers. I think Torborg is an excellent choice.”15

However, managers are hired to be fired and Torborg’s fate was sealed two years later. The Indians sank to sixth place in 1978 with a 69-90 record. The following season, Torborg guided the Tribe to a 32-30 record as of June 16, 1979. But they dropped 10 straight games, six of them by one-run. Rumors swirled that Torborg was on the way out. Bob Lemon, who’d been fired as manager of the New York Yankees on June 17, was a sought-after replacement for Torborg.

Cleveland President Gabe Paul was persistent in his pursuit of the former Indians pitching star to return to his old stomping grounds. But after days of speculation, Lemon turned down Paul’s offer. As Dan Coughlin of the Cleveland Plain Dealer put it: “It ended like the Bay of Pigs fiasco with Indians’ president Gabe Paul shouldering the blame for an aborted assassination of his manager, Jeff Torborg.”16

Torborg was eventually fired on July 23, 1979, and replaced with Dave Garcia. Torborg’s record in Cleveland was 157-201.  

Three days after being relieved of his managerial duties in Cleveland, Torborg was hired by the Yankees on July 26. He joined Billy Martin’s staff as a bullpen coach. “I’m happy to have Jeff as a member of my staff,” said Martin. “I’ve admired him for a long time. He’s a thorough teacher, a detail man and a good fundamentalist. He will be a tremendous help to our pitchers and catchers.”17

Martin was replaced the following year by Dick Howser. Ironically, Lemon returned to the Yankees in 1981 and the early part of the 1982 season. The man thought to replace Torborg in Cleveland was now his boss in New York. Torborg was with the Yankees from 1979 through 1988. In all, he was on the staff of seven different managers, including Billy Martin in four different seasons. Although the Yankees won the pennant in the strike-shortened 1981 season, they would not return to the postseason again until 1995.

The Chicago White Sox hired Torborg to be their 32nd manager on November 3, 1988. “Jeff was the only one offered the job,” said Chicago General Manager Larry Himes. “He probably shouldn’t have had the job in Cleveland. He was too young. But it was a good experience for him. He’s intelligent enough to look back at it as a real learning experience.”18

The White Sox finished in the basement of the AL West in 1989 with a 69-92 record. None of the Sox starting pitchers finished above .500, with Mélido Pérez leading the team in wins with 11. No Sox player hit more than 15 home runs or drove in more than 90 runs in 1989.

The 1990 season was an emotional one for many. After the season, Comiskey Park was being torn down, and a new park was being built next door.19 . “It was the most emotional moment I had ever been through in baseball. There was such energy in the park…not one fan set foot on the field when the last out came, the fans stayed in the seats and sang and just refused to leave. I know we all took a victory lap around the field to say thanks to the fans for supporting us,” said Torborg.20  

In 1990, Robin Ventura was inserted in lineup as the starting third baseman. Frank Thomas, who was named the Minor League Player of the Year in 1990 by Baseball America, made his major-league debut on August 2. Jack McDowell and Greg Hibbard established themselves as leaders of the pitching staff with identical 14-9 records. Bobby Thigpen led the league with 57 saves.

Chicago finished in second place, nine games behind Oakland in the AL West. They were a young team, but the Sox were building a foundation for the future. Torborg was named American League Manager of the Year by both the Baseball Writers Association of America and The Sporting News in 1990. “Everyone in here respects him,” said Chicago outfielder Iván Calderón. “He was the same guy last year when we were losing as he is this year. If we lose, he just says ‘Let’s go get ’em tomorrow. There’s no reason to panic.’”21

Ron Schueler was hired as the Sox’ new general manager in November 1990. In 1991, Chicago won seven games in a row to pull within a game of division-leading Minnesota on August 11. But then they lost 15 of their next 17 to drop out of the race. In the final week of the season, Schueler informed Torborg that the New York Mets were interested in him for their manager position. Even though Torborg refused, saying he was happy to stay in Chicago, Schueler persisted, telling Torborg, “I think both of us would feel bad if you turned it down and then something happened.”22

Torborg, using the excuse that he was leaving Chicago to be closer to his family, accepted the Mets’ offer of four years and $1.9 million. The truth was that Torborg never wanted to leave Chicago, and his son Dale was beginning his freshman year at Northwestern University. “It was the best thing for me financially, but it was the worst move professionally,”23 said Torborg.

The Mets were a veteran club and less accepting of the family culture that Torborg tried to cultivate. They finished the 1992 season with a record of 72-90, 25 games back of first-place Pittsburgh. Mets beat writers Bob Klapisch and John Harper wrote a book called The Worst Team Money Could Buy. Its depiction of Torborg – and how he handled his underperforming, mutinous roster – was unflattering.

Like when Torborg was in Cleveland, the rumors swirled that he would soon be let go. When New York began the 1993 season with a 13-25 record, Torborg was fired on May 19. “I knew there was a challenge here,” said Torborg before he managed his last game. “I didn’t know exactly what it was going to be. I just wish I was able to get more out of the team then I did, that’s all.”24

In 1992, Rutgers University retired Torborg’s number 10 jersey. In 1994, he was inducted into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame.

Torborg joined CBS Radio, working on MLB broadcasts, and working three World Series (1995-1997) with Vin Scully. He called games simultaneously at FOX Sports from 1996-2000.

On May 31, 2001, Torborg replaced Felipe Alou as manager of the Montreal Expos. Torborg hired his former shortstop with the White Sox, Ozzie Guillén, for his coaching staff. “Ozzie was always asking when he played for me,” said Torborg, “he had a sharp mind for the game so when I took over Montreal, I said that I wanted him to join me if he was interested. I told the other coaches who were already there that I was bringing him in and that he could have any job he wanted…bench coach, first base coach, third base coach so they understood what was happening. Ozzie said he wanted to coach at third base and he was an excellent coach for me.”25

Jeffrey Loria, who owned the Expos, was a friend of Torborg. When Loria purchased the Florida Marlins in February 2002, Torborg and Guillén joined him. The Marlins finished 79-83 in 2002, 23 games out of first place. Torborg was fired on May 10, 2003, when his team broke out of the gate with a 16-22 record. He was replaced with Jack McKeon, who guided the Marlins to a 75-49 record and a wild card berth. Florida defeated San Francisco and then the Chicago Cubs to reach the World Series. The Marlins proceeded to defeat the New York Yankees in six games to capture the franchise’s second world championship.

Torborg, always the class act, was happy for the Marlins’ success. “I wish I was the guy sitting in the dugout,” said Torborg, “but (McKeon) has done a heck of a job. The proof is in the pudding. He’s pushed all the right buttons for that team.”26

Torborg did not get a managerial job after that. His lifetime record was 634-718 (.469 winning percentage).

In 2010, Torborg was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. As a result, like many who are stricken with this disease, he tends to shake. However, he has kept his humor about his illness. “I’m fortunate it’s a mild case,” said Torborg. “I’ve got some new talents. I could go to Home Depot and shake up their paint and save them a lot of electricity.”27

Son Dale Torborg, a former professional wrestler known as “The Demon,” also served as a strength and conditioning coordinator for the Florida Marlins (2002-2003) and the White Sox (2004-2010, 2019-2021).

On September 7, 2019, a youth baseball field was dedicated in Torborg’s honor at Echo Lake Park in Westfield. Torborg threw out the first pitch to his grandson, also named Jeff Torborg, to commemorate the dedication.

As of this writing in 2024, Torborg cheers on his beloved Rutgers University sports teams from his longtime home in Mountainside, New Jersey. Always described as a classy, decent, dignified person, Torborg stayed true to himself, and strongly held the convictions that made him respected by so many others.

Last revised: November 4, 2024

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Darren Gibson and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Dan Schoenholz.

Sources

In addition to the sources shown in the Notes, the author used Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes

1 Hugh Delano, “Westfield’s Jeff Torborg Excels in Met’s Trial at Polo Grounds,” Plainfield (New Jersey) Courier-News, June 29, 1962: 28.

2 Hugh Delano, “Bienkowski Tops Scholastic Hit Parade,” Plainfield Courier-News, June 17, 1959: 44.

3 Hugh Delano, “Jeff Torborg Shakes off Slump, Hikes Average in Texas Loop,” Plainfield Courier-News, July 5, 1963: 28.

4 “Dodgers Sign Jeff Torborg,” Plainfield Courier-News, May 23, 1963: 31.

5 Hugh Delano, “Torborg Destined for Dodgers, Says ex N.Y. Giant Infielder,” Plainfield Courier-News, June 7, 1963: 26.

6 Delano, “Torborg Destined for Dodgers, Says ex N.Y. Giant Infielder.”

7 Ed Lucas and Paul Post, “Jeff Torborg: A Baseball ‘Lifer’ Still Enamored by the Game,” Baseball Digest, February 2002: 68.

8 Charles Maher, “Even Koufax Admits Game ‘Nearly Perfect,’” Los Angeles Times, September 10, 1965: 3-4.

9 Lucas and Post, “Jeff Torborg: “A ‘Baseball Lifer’ Still Enamored by the Game.”

10 Ed Rumill, “No Better Receiver Anywhere in NL,” Christian Science Monitor, August 14, 1976: Baseball Hall of Fame Clip File.

11 Dick Miller, “Torborg Jumps Off Bench, Earns No. 1 Angel Mitt Job,” The Sporting News, July 14, 1973: 16.

12 Ron Rapoport, “Torborg Feels Fortunate Injury Did Not Cost him Angels’ Job,” Los Angeles Times, April 10, 1973: 3-5.

13 Ron Rapaport, “Ryan Gives Royals a No-Hit Pitch, 3-0,” Los Angeles Times, May 16, 1973: 3-6.

14 “Jeff Torborg,” ‘1977 Cleveland Indians Scrapbook – Baseball Hall of Fame Clip File.

15 Dennis Lustig, “Indians: Grace in Exit, No Surprise but Timing,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 20, 1977: 4-C.

16 Dan Coughlin, “Lemon Says No; Torborg Stays,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 2, 1979: 1-E.

17 Phil Pepe, “Torborg Hired to Work with Yankee pitchers,” New York Daily News, July 27, 1979: 45.

18 Jerome Holtzman, “Sox Pick Torborg as Manager,” Chicago Tribune, November 4, 1988: 4-1.

19 At first the new stadium was called Comiskey Park, then Cellular One Field. As of this writing, it is called Guaranteed Rate Field.

20 Mark Liptak, “Jeff Torborg,” Society for American Baseball Research, Oral History Collection, Jeff Torborg (2010) – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org), Accessed November 2, 2024.

21 Melissa Isaacson, “Torborg Manages a Family Affair,” Chicago Tribune, August 12, 1990: 3-3.

22 Liptak, “Jeff Torborg,” , Oral History Collection,

23 Liptak, “Jeff Torborg,” SABR Oral History Collection.

24 Steve Serby, “Torborg is Axed; Mets Name Green,” New York Daily News, May 20, 1993: 80.

25 Liptak, “Jeff Torborg,” Oral History Collection.

26 Steve Politi, “Torborg is at Ease being an ex,” New Jersey Star-Ledger, October 19, 2003: 14.

27 Paul Skrbina, “Dale Torborg’s Journey: From Baseball to Pro Wrestling and Back,” Chicago Tribune, September 5, 2016: 3-1, 3-5.