Greg Jelks
From BR Bullpen
Gregory Dion Jelks
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 2", Weight 190 lb.
- School Gadsden State Community College
- Debut August 20, 1987
- Final Game October 3, 1987
- Born August 16, 1961 in Cherokee, AL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Infielder Greg Jelks was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981. The following summer Jelks made his professional debut with the Bend Phillies of the Northwest League. In his second professional season, Jelks hit 24 home runs and 75 RBI for the Single A Spartanburg Spinners of the South Atlantic League. In 1987 Jelks appeared in 123 AAA games for the Maine Guides of the International League, where he hit 23 home runs and had 79 RBI. That summer, Jelks was promoted to Philadelphia for 10 games, where he got his only major league hit, a double, off Montreal Expos pitcher Neal Heaton. Jelks became a free agent again in 1989 and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals to a Minor League contract and assigned to the Louisville Redbirds of the American Association. Over the course of eight minor league seasons, Greg Jelks totaled 771 games, 96 home runs, 361 RBI, and a career batting average of .245.
During the 1990s, Greg Jelks played professionally in Italy and Australia. Jelks set up residence in Perth, Australia, where he earned dual citizenship. He played on his new homeland's national team from 1997 to 1999 and was an assistant coach for Australia in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Jelks hit .278/.395/.389 as the regular left fielder for Australia in the 1998 Baseball World Cup.
Jelks coached for Australia in the 2000 Olympics, 2001 Baseball World Cup and 2006 World Baseball Classic.
In 2002, Jelks began his professional managerial career when he took the helm of the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League. He led the Otters to a league championship in 2006. The following season, he was hired by the Frontier League as the manager of the fledgling expansion team the Slippery Rock Sliders. The Sliders were a concept team, building off a unique relationship with Slippery Rock University. Following a year of poor fan reception and a last place finish in the league, the Slippery Rock Sliders folded and the franchise became the Midwest Sliders, a traveling team in the league's Eastern Division. Greg Jelks was hired by the Washington Wild Things the following December, and will begin the 2008 season managing his third Frontier League franchise.
Jelks' brother, Pat Jelks, was an outfielder in the Boston Red Sox (1982-1986) and San Diego Padres (1988) organizations.
[edit] Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 33-51 | 11th | Independent | |
| 2003 | Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 51-37 | 3rd | Independent | Lost League Finals |
| 2004 | Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 54-42 | 4th | Independent | Lost League Finals |
| 2005 | Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 52-43 | 5th | Independent | |
| 2006 | Evansville Otters | Frontier League | 46-50 | 6th | Independent | League Champs |
| 2007 | Slippery Rock Sliders | Frontier League | 29-66 | 12th | Independent | |
| 2008 | Washington Wild Things | Frontier League | Independent |
