Kansas City T-Bones, manager agree to multi-year contract extension through 2020

The Kansas City T-Bones and manager Joe Calfapietra have agreed to a contract extension through the 2020 season. Terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed.

The American Association Manager of the Year has guided the T-Bones to back-to-back 57-win-plus seasons in 2017, his first year with KC, and 2018. The T-Bones this year won their second league title and first in the independent American Association.

The T-Bones won a franchise-record 62 games in 2018 and went 6-3 in the postseason. They had a club-record nine-game winning streak from June 18-28 and were 26 games above .500 on Sept. 1.

“I am very appreciative to John and Adam Ehlert along with Chris Browne to have the confidence in me to run their baseball operations for the next two years,” Calfapietra said. “My family and I love the T-Bones organization, fans and surrounding area. We consider this our second home.”

Before his hire by the T-Bones in November 2016, the Pennsylvania native Calfapietra spent 14 years managing the New Jersey Jackals of the Can Am League. Before that, he was the first manager of the Can Am’s Gary SouthShore RailCats. His career managerial record stands at 967-820 entering the 2019 season.

“We are proud that Joe Calfapietra returns as our league-champion manager,” T-Bones president Ehlert said in a statement. “In two short years, he built a powerhouse team.”

Calfapietra’s philosophy includes helping his players rise up the baseball ranks. Eight players’ contracts were sold to affiliated clubs in 2018, and another pair signed with AAA Mexico. The T-Bones promoted a total of 14 players this year.

“We’re thrilled to have Joe as our manager,” said Browne, the T-Bones’ vice president and general manager. “He’s an excellent leader, and we share his passion and respect for the game. I am looking forward to seeing No. 44 in the T-Bones dugout for years to come.”

This story was originally published December 20, 2018 at 4:28 PM.