The UMass great and former All-Star with the Angels has hit prime real estate in minor-league managing -- Pawtucket.
Before he became an everyday major-leaguer, Gary DiSarcina was big man on campus at UMass.
Gary DiSarcina of Billerica arrived at the University of Massachusetts in the fall of 1985, following a family legend. His uncle, Joe DiSarcina, had been a basketball/baseball star at Somerville High School, then at UMass under coaches Jack Leaman and Dick Bergquist.
Joe DiSarcina served as team captain in both sports as a UMass senior in 1968-69.
Nephew Gary did all right at UMass, starting at shortstop for three years and leading coach Mike Stone’s team to a 36-16 record as a junior in 1988.
He was drafted and signed that spring by the California Angels, marking the start of a pro career that continues today.
For seven full seasons, Gary DiSarcina served as the Angels’ regular shortstop. He had his best season in 1995, when he hit .307 and made the American League All-Star team.
Injuries forced him out as a player, but he stayed with baseball as a minor-league manager, and for a time, an analyst with NESN.
Now he’s taking a big step back onto the field, as manager of Boston’s Triple-A farm club, the Pawtucket Red Sox. DiSarcina was named to that post Tuesday as the successor to Arnie Beyeler, who has advanced to the majors as Red Sox first-base coach.
“It’s a great opportunity for Gary, moving up the baseball ladder,” said Stone, who has been coaching at UMass for 25 years.
FALCONS REACH OUT: Springfield Falcons management has never wavered in its commitment to community outreach.
The latest example came Thursday, when defenseman Nick Holden and forward Andrew Joudrey delivered sweatshirts, socks, gloves and other items to the Friends of the Homeless at 755 Worthington St. The items were sponsored by all Falcons players.
Holden and Joudrey also gave out 25 tickets to the team’s Dec. 30 game with Norfolk. During that game, the Falcons will hold a socks drive to benefit Friends of the Homeless. Fans are asked to bring new and packaged white socks, which will be accepted at a table in the concourse behind Section 1.
A MONSON YANKEE: Matt Ferry of Monson, a 2011 graduate of Springfield College, has been hired by the New York Yankees as video coordinator for player development and amateur scouting.
He’s based at the Yankees’ minor-league offices at Legends Field in Tampa, Fla.
Ferry played baseball for a short time at Springfield before health issues caused him to drop the sport. Meanwhile, he was pursuing a degree in sport management, which helped him land his place in professional baseball.
Prior to being hired by the Yankees, he did internships locally with the Falcons, Springfield Armor, Holyoke Blue Sox and the Basketball Hall of Fame. He also did an internship with the Tampa Bay Rays.
BEST BET for the weekend: Violence, in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood.
Garry Brown can be reached at geeman1918@yahoo.com