Hillman spent a 12 years working in the New York Yankees' system and won a couple of manager of the year awards in the minors. He then went to Japan for five years and was considered a major league manager-in-waiting.

Thomas Brad "Trey" Hillman (born January 4, 1963 in Amarillo, Texas) was the manager of the Kansas City Royals from 2008 to 2010. The Royals replaced him with Ned Yost on May 13, 2010.

Hillman is the former manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League. On September 8, 2007 he announced that he would resign at the end of the season in order to spend more time with his family. On October 19, Hillman was hired as the manager of the Kansas City Royals.

But Last day Trey Hillman became the first manager to get fired this season when the Kansas City Royals let him go Thursday after a final win.

The 47-year-old Hillman was in his third season with the Royals and went 152-207. Kansas City was 75-87 in 2008, then dropped into a last-place tie in 2009 at 65-97.

Hillman built a great reputation for working with younger players, was attentive to details and had good communication skills.

But with the Royals, many of the young prospects such as Alex Gordon haven't panned out so far. Expectations were raised this season, coming off a year in which Zack Greinke won the AL Cy Young Award.

The Royals couldn't score for Greinke, who was winless in seven starts before beating the Indians at home in Hillman's last game.





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