John Boles (baseball) - Early Career

Early Career

In 1981, John Boles got his first managerial job with the White Sox's Rookie League affiliate. By 1986, Boles rose up the ranks in his managerial career to Triple-A. Having grown up as a White Sox fan, Boles wanted the chance to coach or manage his hometown team. In 1986, Jim Leyland was hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to manage the team; Leyland had previously been the third base coach for the White Sox, and then-manager Tony La Russa wanted the front office to hire Boles as the new third base coach. But Ken Harrelson, then-Director of Baseball Operations, hired Doug Rader instead, Boles was hired by the Kansas City Royals as manager of the Triple-A Omaha Royals. He was later promoted to Director of Player Development by the Royals, under then-General Manager John Schuerholz. In 1989, he accepted an executive position with the Expos under then-General Manager Dave Dombrowski. In 1991, Dombrowski left to become the first GM of the expansion Florida Marlins, and Boles soon joined him to become the fledgling team's first Vice President of Player Development.