Former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams dies at the age of 80

BOSTON -- Former Red Sox manager Jimy Williams, known for his fiery demeanor and excellent instruction on the diamond, has died. Williams died Friday at the age of 80 after a brief illness.

Williams managed the Red Sox from 1997-2001, guiding the team to a 414-352 record and a pair of playoff berths. Those 414 wins ranks eighth on the franchise's all-time managerial games and wins lists. Williams took over at a time when Boston was still trying to end its historic World Series drought, and brought a little fire back to Red Sox baseball.

He joined the Red Sox after a six-year stint as the third-base coach of the Braves, which saw him win a World Series with Atlanta in 1995. Boston hired Williams in November of 1996 after the team had fired manager Kevin Kennedy.

The Red Sox went 78-84 in Williams' first year on the job, but he got Boston to the playoffs the following year. With Pedro Martinez's arrival giving Boston a true ace at the front of the rotation, the Red Sox went 92-70 and finished second in the AL East. As a Wild Card team, the Sox lost to the Cleveland Indians, 3-1, in the divisional round.

An even better 1999 season followed though, with Martinez putting together one of the best single-season pitching performances in baseball history. Boston went 94-68 and once again claimed a Wild Card berth, earning Williams Manager of the Year honors. 

The Red Sox were victorious over Cleveland, 3-2, in the divisional round in the playoffs, but lost to their hated rivals, the New York Yankees, in the American League Championship Series in five games, and they wouldn't play any more playoff games under Williams. The team went 85-77 in 2000 and were 65-53 in 2001 when Dan Duquette decided to make a change at manager.

Williams was fired in August, and the Red Sox went 16-17 under interim manager Joe Kerrigan to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. 

Following his time in Boston, Williams went on to manage the Houston Astros for two-plus seasons. He compiled a 215-197 record with the Astros, but was fired after a 44-44 start in 2004. Overall, between his managerial stints for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Red Sox, and the Astros, Williams compiled a 910-790 record in the regular season. The Red Sox were the only team he led to the playoffs, leading Boston to a 5-9 record in the postseason.

He also picked up 33 ejections throughout his career, a dozen of which came during his time in Boston. 

After being let go by the Astros, Williams went on to win his second World Series in 2008 as a bench coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.