SSZ talks with Lakewood BlueClaws skipper Greg Legg about his cup of coffee in the big leagues and working with the future of the Philadelphia Phillies
Greg Legg has over 30 years of experience as a Phillies player, coach and manager. After spending the last five seasons as BlueClaws hitting coach, Legg is back as a manager leading the low-A Philadelphia affiliate in 2014. Legg was the original BlueClaws manager in the club’s inaugural season in 2001.
Greg Legg downplays his brief major league career, but he’s in rare company in the baseball encyclopedia. Legg was called up to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1986 and went 9 for 20 for a .450 batting average in 11 games playing on a roster that included Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton. After two games and an 0 for 2 performance in 1987, Legg’s major league career batting average stands at .409. He says his highlight is a base hit off of then Chicago Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux making him 1 for 1 lifetime against one of the all time great hurlers.
Legg says to be a manager at this level you need to be a little bit of everything – a father figure, a friend, a psychologist and anything else the young Phillies prospects need to make it to the next level on their goal of making the major leagues.