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Tampa skipper nears FSL wins record

06/15/2012 12:46 PM ET
By YESNetwork.com Staff

Luis Sojo is just a handful of wins away from Florida State League history.(AP)
Luis Sojo, who won four World Championships as an infielder with the New York Yankees, is now on the verge of leading one of the franchise’s Class-A affiliates to Florida State League history.

Through June 15, Sojo has won 409 games as the manager of the Advanced-A Tampa Yankees, leaving him just nine short of the Florida State League record held by Luis Dorante, who piloted the Jupiter Hammerheads to 418 wins in his three stints as manager from 1999-2007.

The FSL All-Star break is this weekend, and when play resumes, Sojo could mathematically tie and then break the record as soon as June 26 and 27 against the Fort Myers Miracle – who are, somewhat fittingly, the FSL affiliate of the Yankees' heated rivals, the Boston Red Sox.

A 13-year Major Leaguer and noted fan favorite in the Bronx, Sojo came to the Yankees in 1996 and spent parts of six seasons in pinstripes, winning World Championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000. Sojo retired as a player following the 2003 season but stayed with the organization, serving as the Yankees’ third base coach in 2004 and 2005 before taking the top job in Tampa in 2006.

Sojo, then with 287 wins, stepped down after leading the FSL’s Yankees to the 2009 Florida State League Championship, but returned 2011 to lead the Baby Bombers to a 74-64 record.

Tampa is 28-36 in 2012 as of June 15.

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