9 7 1 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁draft . ▁He ▁played ▁three ▁seasons ▁of ▁Minor ▁league ▁baseball ▁( M i L B ), ▁playing ▁for ▁five ▁lower - level ▁affili ates ▁in ▁the ▁Card inals ' ▁organization . ▁ ▁Co aching ▁C resse ▁was ▁released ▁by ▁the ▁Card inals ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁then ▁tried , ▁but ▁failed , ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁California ▁Ang els . ▁Later ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁D od gers , ▁as ▁a ▁b ull pen ▁catch er ▁and ▁batt ing ▁practice ▁pitch er ▁— ▁which ▁were ▁( then ) ▁non - ro ster ▁positions . ▁C resse ▁was ▁( o fficial ly ) ▁named ▁b ull pen ▁coach ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁by ▁Tommy ▁Las ord a , ▁making ▁him ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁young est ▁coach es ▁in ▁professional ▁baseball , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁twenty - five . ▁ ▁In cluding ▁his ▁time ▁as ▁b ull pen ▁catch er , ▁C resse ▁had ▁a ▁ 2 5 - season ▁run ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁D od gers ' ▁co aching ▁staff , ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁trust ed ▁ad visor ▁to ▁the ▁D od gers ' ▁man agers . ▁He ▁served ▁on ▁five ▁National ▁League ▁( NL ) ▁p enn ant - w inners ▁and ▁two ▁( 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 8 ) ▁World ▁Series ▁champions . ▁ ▁After ▁co aching ▁Mark ▁C resse ’ s ▁son