[2] Previously, in 2015, he had spent his fourth consecutive season and fifth year overall as manager of the Tennessee Smokies, the Cubs' Double-A Southern League affiliate.

[6] He managed in the Atlanta organization from 1983–90, winning the Southern League pennant as pilot of the Greenville Braves in 1988.

Bailey spent 2007 as pilot of the Iowa Cubs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, and finished second overall in the PCL American North Division standings with a 79–65 record.

His 2011 Daytona Cubs finished 76–61 during the regular season and won the first-half championship of the Florida State League's Northern Division.

[9] The Cubs then won the FSL playoff championship, earning Bailey a promotion to his second term as manager of the Double-A Smokies for 2012.

The Smokies then fell to the eventual league champion Birmingham Barons in the first playoff round, three games to two.