"I know how they feel," Cash told The Post-Gazette in February 1972. "That's why I try to talk to them when I get a chance. It's not easy being a younger player in a big league camp. I feel if I can help any of them, I will try to do it."
Helping younger players was something Cash would go on to do full time. After his 12-season major league career was complete, Cash went on to a long career as a manager and coach in the minors. He also got time back in the majors as a first base coach.
Cash's baseball career began 1966, taken by the Pirates in the fifth round of the draft, out of Proctor High School in Utica, NY.
With the Pirates, Cash made AAA in 1969. He also made Pittsburgh that year, debuting Sept. 13. He got into 18 games in Pittsburgh that year and 69 the next, including two appearances in the NLCS.
In 1971, Cash became a regular in Pittsburgh, getting into 123 games. He hit .289, knocking in 34 and stealing 13. He was also a regular in the World Series that year, playing in all seven games.
Cash stayed with the Pirates through 1973, when he was traded to the Phillies. Cash stayed with the Phillies for three seasons, hardly missing a game. He also made the All-Star team each year there. He hit .300 in 1974, then .305 in 1975 and .284 in 1976.
By 1977, Cash was a veteran, and still looking toward the younger players. He signed that off-season with the Expos.
"Dave is going to provide the Montreal Expos with exactly what they've been looking for," agent Jerry Kapstein told The Associated Press, "a leader."
Cash stayed with the Expos for three seasons, then played one final season in 1980 with the Padres. In all, he ended with a career .283 batting average, 120 stolen bases and 426 RBI.
By 1988, Cash had started his coaching career, returning to the Phillies as a hitting coach at short-season Batavia. He got his first managerial job at Batavia in 1990, but left after only a few weeks following a dispute between his wife and the team's mascot, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Cash didn't return to the managerial office for another decade. In the meantime, though, he served as hitting coach at AAA over six seasons. In 1996, he served as first base coach in Philadephia.
In 2001, Cash served as manager at high-A Frederick. In 2002, as manager at AA Bowie. In 2005, Cash returned to the majors, serving as first base coach in Baltimore, returning there for 2006.
In April 2006, Cash talked stolen bases with The Carroll County Times, the Orioles running off 18-straight swipes to start the year.
"The key to their success has been their reads off the pitcher," Cash told The Times. "You don't steal off the catcher, and they've been getting great jumps on the pitchers. When they get guys on who are basestealers, they try to quicken up their tempo, which sometimes makes them make bad pitches."
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 29, 1972: Playing Games
- Daytona Beach Morning Journal, Associated Press, Nov. 18, 1976: Expos Sign Dave Cash
- Philadelphia Inquirer, July 14, 1990: Cash Out As Manager After Dispute With Mascot
- Carroll County Times, April 29, 2006: Birds adept at thievery
Players/Coaches Featured:1,184
Made the Majors: 679 - 57.3%-X
Never Made Majors: 505-42.7%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 292
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 174
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