BaseballDuraHit+HittingPro BlogsThe 4 A’s | A Tribute to Buddy Bailey

This week the baseball world lost a cornerstone in player development with the passing of legendary minor league manager Welby Sheldon “Buddy” Bailey, who finished his career as the 4th winningest minor league manager in history with 2,417 regular-season victories over 36 years.

Think of the amount of players, coaches, scouts, and executives he has touched in his career that have had the pleasure of learning from him. He was demanding and entrenched in the old-school values of the game even as our game evolved into what we now know as modern baseball. He believed in players but had a real feel for preparing a player of what was to come and would grind with them daily through early work to post game in molding them into the players they can become. He would invest in his coaches and pass on wisdom that can only be amassed from year after year of managing a clubhouse and dugout.

My own experience with Buddy came during my time as a Special Assistant with the Chicago Cubs as I got to travel to Myrtle Beach (our Low-A affiliate) and spend many series watching Buddy pour his wisdom into our organization from the prospects, to the coaches, the many stakeholders (such as the athletic trainers and the nutritionists) and to our traveling party. There were many that did not understand him within our organization. But for those who listened to the message—not the delivery—walked away with building blocks to success. At his core, he was a teacher. When I—or any other member of the organization for that matter—would sit in his office we would walk away better. He cared. He was tough, but the heart was always there. What made Buddy special was how he saw the complete player through his ‘4 A’s’ framework – he never focused solely on physical ability, but equally valued a player’s learning aptitude, mental alertness, and character attitude.

It baffled me to watch the inexperienced staffers dismiss the opportunity they had to sit with him when they came into town. Instead of diving in, they would go out of their way to avoid their exposure with Buddy (probably because they were afraid he would sniff them out for being incompetent or in some cases a fraud). But for everyone of those, there were guys like Mark Johnson, Doug Dascenzo, Carlos Chantres, D’Angelo Jimenez, Matt Dorey, Eric Patterson, Tom Beyers, Dave Keller, Will Remillard, Justin Stone, and many others that would fully embrace the experience and the ability to share and learn. Post games were the ultimate classroom of breaking down a game and building camaraderie over a meal and beverage. Connecting with Buddy was easy…it just was difficult for some.

An example of how immortal Buddy is he once shared the story of how he was managing the Durham Bulls in the 1980’s and a young director named Ron Shelton came to sit with him days on end to learn from Buddy. They spoke about players, managing, and stories of a life in the minor leagues. In 1988, Ron Shelton’s work released in theaters as a portrayal of a minor league baseball team called Bull Durham. The manager in the film was a fictional depiction of Buddy’s mannerisms and sayings, which included the adjective Buddy gave to Ron Shelton in those meetings as “lollygaggers”. As a huge fan of the movie, each night in the dugout with Buddy was a surreal experience of bringing the manager Joe Riggans from the silver screen to real life.

I cared for Buddy. I always looked forward to my time with him. But I definitely am not the person to be writing the history of Buddy’s life, but I am grateful for him and wanted to use this platform to help Buddy’s teachings have a life posthumously. For those of you reading this, I hope that you can honor his memory by applying his teachings in your own journey in our game.

 

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Buddy Bailey’s 4 A’s Player Evaluation Model

Throughout his legendary 36-year minor league managerial career, Buddy Bailey developed and utilized a comprehensive player evaluation framework known as the “4 A’s.” This model served as his roadmap for assessing what it took for players to advance through the minor league system and ultimately contribute to Major League success.

Unlike modern analytics-driven evaluation methods, Bailey’s 4 A’s model was rooted in his keen observational skills and decades of experience developing talent. He would openly discuss each player’s strengths and weaknesses within this framework, using it as both an evaluation tool and a developmental roadmap.

Bailey believed that while ability might get a player noticed, it was the combination of all four A’s that determined long-term success. He used this model not just to evaluate talent, but as a communication tool to help players understand their current development status and identify specific areas for improvement. This holistic approach to player development was a hallmark of Bailey’s coaching philosophy and contributed to his success in developing countless players who reached the Major Leagues.

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Welby Sheldon “Buddy” Bailey (1957-2025)

Legendary Minor League Baseball Manager

Welby Sheldon “Buddy” Bailey, who passed away on September 23, 2025, at age 68 after a battle with cancer, stands as one of the most accomplished and beloved figures in Minor League Baseball history. With 2,417 regular-season victories over a 36-year managerial career spanning 11 cities and three organizations, Bailey ranks fourth all-time on the MiLB managerial wins list.

Playing Career and Early Beginnings

Born March 28, 1957, Bailey was a graduate of Amherst County High School in Virginia and Lynchburg College. The Atlanta Braves selected Bailey, a catcher, in the 16th round of the 1979 draft. Though he never reached the Major Leagues as a player, hitting .210 with six home runs over four minor league seasons, Bailey’s playing experience reached as high as Double-A with the Savannah Braves in 1982.

Managerial Excellence

Bailey took his first managing job with rookie ball in Pulaski, Virginia in 1983, launching what would become one of the most successful minor league careers in baseball history. He amassed a .521 winning percentage (2,417-2,220) over 36 seasons, presiding over many playoff appearances and division titles during his time in the Braves (1983-90), Red Sox (1991-2004), and Cubs’ (2006-24) systems.

Notable Achievements

Among Bailey’s most significant accomplishments was leading the South Bend Cubs to their first Midwest League Championship as a Chicago Cubs affiliate in 2019, sweeping the postseason with a perfect 7-0 record. In 2016, his Myrtle Beach Pelicans won the Carolina League championship, and he served as a two-time International League Manager of the Year while managing the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Major League Experience

Bailey’s only Major League experience came in 2000 when he served as bench coach for the Boston Red Sox under manager Jimy Williams. He also served as an advance scout and field coordinator of minor league instruction for the Red Sox organization.

Venezuelan Winter League Legend

Beyond his domestic success, Bailey found outsized success managing winter league ball in Venezuela, where he turned the middling Tigres franchise into one of the most dominant dynasties in league history, leading the club to six LVBP titles and more than 500 wins. In 2009, Bailey managed the franchise to its first Caribbean Series championship, cementing his legacy in the country’s baseball lore.

Legacy and Impact

Current Cubs players remembered Bailey as a demanding but caring manager who helped shape their careers. As one former player noted, “He was a tough guy on me, but everything he did he told me he did it out of care and love so that I could go up to the next level.”

With over 2,400 wins, Bailey achieved everything one could in Minor League Baseball, becoming a father figure to players, a mentor to colleagues, and a beloved figure in the baseball community. His passing marks the end of an era for a man who dedicated his life to developing the next generation of baseball talent.