Stan Cliburn returns as manager of Chicago Dogs, reunites with twin brother
The Chicago Dogs have a new manager this season with a successful background as a coach and player.
Stan Cliburn was the Dogs' bench coach during their inaugural year in 2018.
He's racked up over 2,000 wins as a minor league manager and is back in Chicago. The move also reunited him with his twin brother.
Stan Cliburn is in his first season as manager of the Chicago Dogs, but a chance to return to a familiar franchise was special for many reasons.
"Just the opportunity to get back here with my twin brother, he's been the pitching coach here for six years and I felt like, you know, the time is right," he said.
"Stan was here in 2018 as a coach and now here he is in 2026 as our manager and we got to reunite and work together again," said Stu Cliburn.
Eighteen years after they last were together in Minnesota coaching the Twins' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, these twins first shared a bond as players.
"This was our lifelong dream to get into professional baseball and that happened for us and we both were very fortunate to go to the major leagues, actually the same team, the California Angels out in Los Angeles back in the 80s," Stan said.
A truly unique accomplishment. The Cliburns are one of 10 sets of twins in MLB history to reach the major leagues.
"A lot of people got confused, you know, myself being a catcher, Stu being a pitcher. These guys change positions or what's going on here, but we are two people," Stan said.
Two former pros who are now making a difference with the Dogs.
"He's been a thing for me I've been trying to soak up as much information from him as I can. You know, anybody who has been to that level is someone I want to learn from. Him and Stu have both been valuable assets," said catcher Jaxx Groshans.
"They're just different coaches in general and they're very kind people and I feel like it makes this team special," said infielder and outfielder Derek Maiben.
Maiben has something in common with his coaches—playing on the same team as his twin brother Jacob.
"It's pretty unreal at the professional level. I never expected to be on the same team as my brother, but, you know, the Chicago Dogs made it happen. Very grateful for that," said infielder and outfielder Jacob Maiben.
"I still can't tell them apart. I've seen twins. I can see why people had trouble telling Stan and I apart when we were younger," Stu said.
But looking alike is only part of what makes twins similar.
"You know, it's something to be said about twins think alike. You know, I can be on the bench as a manager, think about who we're going to put in for the pitcher and I ask Stu, 'Who do you want to put in right now because we need to make a pitching change,' and he said the same thing I was thinking, so it's a pretty unique bond," Stan said.
"We as coaches now we try to instill and put ourselves back in their mindset where they are right now to try and help them as much as we can just like our coaches did for us to get to the major leagues," Stu said.
On gamedays in Rosemont, fans will be seeing double twice.
The Dogs win over the Kane County Cougars on Saturday night marked Stan's 2100th career managerial win.
