Part of the Dodgers' switch-hitting infield of the mid-1960s
with Jim Gilliam, Maury Wills, and Wes Parker, Lefebvre had good
power for a second baseman. His 12 homers as a rookie in 1965 were
the lowest total to lead a pennant winner since 1947. On May 7 the
following year, he homered from both sides of the plate in the same
game, and his homer off Dave McNally in the 1966 World Series
opener provided one of the two runs the Dodgers would score all
series in a four-game sweep by the Orioles.
Lefebvre played in Japan from 1973 to 1976 and later coached the
Dodgers, Giants, and A's. A short career detour in the late '60s
saw him appear in a few TV shows (including a role as one of the
Joker's henchmen in an episode of Batman) but after retirement
Lefebvre returned to baseball. He was named the Mariners' manager
in the winter of 1988 after gaining respect as the batting coach of
the AL champion A's.
In Seattle, Lefebvre met with mixed success. After two losing
seasons, his focused and studied approach led the Mariners to a
winning record (83-79) for the first time in franchise history. But
his strong personality, ruthless intensity and what some considered
questionable motivational tactics rubbed a few Mariners the wrong
way. Slugger Jay Buhner, who resented Lefebvre's decision to bench
him late in the 1991 season, was stunned to hear his manager
publicly challenge GM Woody Woodward to fulfill his preseason
promise to acquire a new right-handed power hitter.
Such vocal differences of opinion soured Woodward's relationship
with Lefebvre, who was let go after the season. As Seattle
collapsed to a 64-98 record the following season, Lefebvre took the
helm of the Chicago Cubs and quickly won the respect of key players
Ryne Sandberg and Mark Grace, even though he angered George Bell by
criticizing the slugger's defense. "You want defense, you play Doug
Dascenzo," Bell replied. "You want two, three home runs, you play
me."
In Chicago, Lefebvre again righted an underachieving club,
taking the Cubs over the .500 mark for the first time in eleven
years in 1993 despite the defection of defending Cy Young Award
winner Greg Maddux to Atlanta before the season. But even so,
Lefebvre's team didn't meet GM Larry Himes's lofty expectations,
and Lefebvre got the axe.
One of Lefebvre's most memorable moments with the Cubs came when
he invited the columnist George Will to address his team before a
workout. "I never really understood the deficit until he was done
talking," said coach Tom Trebelhorn. "He put us 45 minutes behind
our workout schedule - now I understand how the deficit began."
Lefebvre joined the Brewers as batting coach in 1999 and was
named interim manager of the team when Phil Garner was fired in
mid-August.
After Beijing was selected as the host city for the 2008
Olympics, MLB received a call from the Chinese Baseball Association
requesting some help teaching their players how to play 'Major
League style' baseball,'" Lefebvre's reputation and international
experience led to him being selected to manage the China National
Team in September 2003. Along with former MLB pitcher Bruce Hurst,
they began revamping the baseball program in China.
(China Daily November 30, 2006)