FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 10, 2015 2015 INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FIELD MANAGERS EXPERIENCED MANAGERIAL GROUP TO GUIDE LEAGUE'S PROSPECTS Following the International League's 131st season of play in 2014, three managers departed the circuit to become their organization's Major League third base coach. The other eleven skippers all return in 2015, joined by a pair of Triple-A rookies and one former IL and big league manager, and all stand ready to guide the League's top prospects in pursuit of the Governors' Cup championship. Durham's all-time leader in managerial victories, Charlie Montoyo, was named Tampa Bay's third base coach in December, prompting the promotion of Jared Sandberg to pilot the Bulls. The 36- year-old Sandberg is the nephew of Philadelphia Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, who served as manager of Lehigh Valley from 2011-12. Jared will be one of two IL managers making his Triple-A debut in 2015 along with Delino DeShields, who replaces Jim Riggleman as skipper of the Louisville Bats. Riggleman was named third base coach of the Cincinnati Reds in November, shortly before the Minnesota Twins named former Rochester Red Wings manager Gene Glynn as their third base coach. This season the Red Wings will be led by former Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade, who returns to the IL for the first time in two decades. Quade was the IL Manager of the Year in 1993 with Ottawa. The League's other eleven teams all return their manager from last season, including the Governors' Cup champion Pawtucket Red Sox. Kevin Boles claimed the Cup in his debut season at the Triple-A level, though he'll face stiff competition once again from the team who beat out the PawSox for the regular season North Division title. Billy Gardner, Jr. was the 2014 IL Manager of the Year after leading Syracuse to a League-best 81-62 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 1998. The North Division managers also include former Governors' Cup winner Dave Brundage of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, former IL Most Valuable Player Gary Allenson of the Buffalo Bisons, and IL Hall of Famer Dave Miley at the helm of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The only skipper who has served more seasons as his team's manager than Miley is also an IL Hall of Famer. Larry Parrish is back in Toledo for his tenth season managing the Mud Hens. Parrish faces formidable opposition in the West from last year's division winner Chris Tremie and the Columbus Clippers, as well as the manager of the 2012-13 West champion Indianapolis Indians, Dean Treanor. Three managers also return in the IL South Division. Joel Skinner of the Charlotte Knights is one of four former Major League skippers managing in the IL this season along with Miley, Parrish, and Quade. Ron Johnson is back for his fourth season piloting the Norfolk Tides, top affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. Rounding out the group of 2015 International League managers is Brian Snitker, who serves as skipper in Gwinnett for a second straight year in what will be his 39th consecutive season as a member of the Atlanta organization. The men charged with developing their major league affiliate's top prospects this season bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge to their Triple-A team. The 2015 International League field managers include seven of the top sixteen winningest active skippers in all of Minor League Baseball with Miley (2nd), Johnson (7th), Gardner (11th), Brundage (12th), Quade (13th), Snitker (14th), and Allenson (16th). The entire group has combined to win over 14,000 Minor League games as well as six Governors' Cup titles. Just one manager, however, is destined to have his name etched onto the IL's coveted postseason trophy when the 2015 season concludes this September.
GARY ALLENSON BUFFALO BISONS (Toronto Blue Jays) Opening Day Age: 59 Season With Bisons: 2nd Minor League Managing Record: 1,177 1,286 (.478) Season With Blue Jays: 3rd Triple A Managing Record: 579 610 (.487) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 10th Born: Culver City, California Coaches: Richie Hebner, Randy St. Claire In Buffalo, Gary Allenson returns for his second season as manager of the Bisons and his 21st overall as a skipper in the Minor Leagues. In 2014 the Bisons posted the League's fourth-best record but missed out on the Wild Card by 1.5 games. Allenson joined the Blue Jays in 2013 and piloted Double-A New Hampshire. Before that he spent five seasons as manager of the Norfolk Tides. Allenson has guided two other IL clubs to the postseason. He led the 2003 Ottawa Lynx to a 79-65 record, earning the team a Wild Card berth. His only previous Triple-A managing experience came in 1998-99 with Louisville, where he led the then-riverbats to one West Division title. After his two years in Louisville, Allenson spent three seasons as a coach for the Milwaukee Brewers before joining the Baltimore organization. As a player, Allenson spent seven seasons (1979-85) as a Major League catcher with Boston and Toronto, hitting.221 with 19 HR and 131 RBI. In 1978 he was named the International League s Most Valuable Player after hitting.299 with 20 HR and 76 RBI for the Pawtucket Red Sox. JOEL SKINNER CHARLOTTE KNIGHTS (Chicago White Sox) Opening Day Age: 54 Season With Knights: 4th Major League Managing Record: 35 41 (.461) Season With White Sox: 4th Minor League Managing Record: 804 712 (.530) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 5th Triple A Managing Record: 297 279 (.516) Born: La Jolla, California Coaches: Rich Dotson, Ryan Newman, Andy Tomberlin The winningest manager in Knights franchise history is back for a fourth season at the helm. Joel Skinner has won 211 games as Charlotte's skipper, highlighted by a trip to the Governors' Cup finals in 2012. Prior to joining the Knights, Skinner spent the 2011 season on the Oakland A's staff. He had been a long-time member of the Cleveland organization, where he managed Double-A Akron in 2010. Skinner spent the previous nine seasons on the Indians major league staff. That run included a stint as Cleveland's interim manager in 2002 when Skinner took over for Charlie Manuel. The 2015 campaign will mark Skinner's 12th overall as a manager. His managerial career began in 1995 when he led Watertown to the New York-Penn League Championship as the League Manager of the Year. He won division titles in 1996 with Class-A Columbus (Ga.), in 1997 with Class-A Kinston, and in 1998 in his first stop in Akron. In 2000 he made his Triple-A managerial debut with Buffalo, capturing the IL North Division flag and prompting his promotion to Cleveland. Skinner had formerly played in the Indians organization, and the last six games of his career came as a member of the Charlotte Knights. As a player he spent nine seasons in the Major Leagues with the White Sox, Yankees, and Indians. CHRIS TREMIE COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (Cleveland Indians) Opening Day Age: 45 Season With Clippers: 3rd Minor League Managing Record: 543 548 (.498) Season With Indians: 10th Triple A Managing Record: 150 138 (.521) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 3rd Born: Houston, Texas Coaches: Rouglas Odor, Carl Willis Back for a third season managing the Clippers is Chris Tremie, who guided Columbus to a West Division title in 2014 after a 2nd place finish his first year at the helm. Before arriving in Columbus, Tremie managed seven seasons in the lower levels of the Cleveland organization. A highlight of his managerial career came in 2012 when Double-A Akron won the Eastern League Championship during Tremie's first trip to the postseason. Before he became manager of Akron in 2011, Tremie piloted the rookie level Arizona League Indians in 2010, as well as Class-A Kinston in 2008-09, Class-A Lake County in 2007, and the rookie level Gulf Coast League Indians in 2006. Before managing, Tremie enjoyed a 14-year playing career that included stops in the White Sox, Phillies, Rangers, Pirates, Marlins, and Astros organizations. He appeared in 22 games at the big league level over parts of four seasons. Tremie was originally a 39th-round selection of the Chicago White Sox in the 1992 draft, having graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Kinesiology.
JARED SANDBERG DURHAM BULLS (Tampa Bay Rays) Opening Day Age: 37 Season With Bulls: 1st Minor League Managing Record: 309 256 (.547) Season With Rays: 8th Triple A Managing Record: 0 0 (.000) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 0 Born: Olympia, Washington Coaches: Dave Myers, Kyle Snyder In January, Jared Sandberg was named the fourth manager in Durham's 18-season era as a Triple-A franchise. He takes over for Charlie Montoyo after the longtime Bulls skipper was promoted to third base coach of the Rays in December. Currently 36 years of age, Sandberg will be the youngest manager in Triple-A Baseball in 2015. During his 12-year playing career he spent parts of five seasons in Durham, appearing in 326 games as a member of the Bulls. After playing nine seasons in the Tampa Bay organization, including nearly 200 games with the Rays between 2001-03, Sandberg returned to the organization as a coach in 2008 following his retirement. Since 2009 he has been a Minor League manager, beginning with rookie level Princeton before spending 2010-12 with Short-Season Class-A Hudson Valley. After guiding Hudson Valley to a New York-Penn League title in his final season and being named the Baseball America Short-Season Manager of the Year, he moved on to Class-A Bowling Green and led the Hot Rods to the playoffs in 2013. Last year he piloted High Class-A Charlotte (Port Charlotte, FL) to a 63-70 mark. Sandberg is the Tampa Bay organization's all-time Minor League leader in home runs (113), RBI (473), and runs (417). He is the nephew of Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg. BRIAN SNITKER GWINNETT BRAVES (Atlanta Braves) Opening Day Age: 59 Season With Gwinnett: 2nd Minor League Managing Record: 1,205 1,222 (.496) Season With Atlanta: 39th Triple A Managing Record: 122 163 (.428) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 3rd Born: Decatur, Illinois Coaches: John Moses, Marty Reed Brian Snitker is back for his second season as manager of the Gwinnett Braves, before which he spent the previous seven seasons as the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves. Overall this will be Snitker's 19th year as a manager in the Minor Leagues. Prior to 2014, his only time as a Triple-A manager came in 2006 when Atlanta's affiliate was in Richmond. That came on the heels of four years as the Braves' Double-A manager in Greenville (2002-04) and Mississippi (2005). Snitker first joined the Braves organization as a player in 1977 and has served in a variety of roles ever since. The former catcher retired after the 1980 season and began his coaching career as a roving instructor for the Braves in 1981. He took his first managerial job in 1982 with Class-A Anderson. Snitker managed Class-A Durham for three seasons in the 1980's before spending three years on the major league staff. He returned to managing in 1992 with Class-A Macon, then after coaching in the Atlanta system from 1993 to 1995 he began an eleven-year stint as a manager by taking over the helm of Class-A Danville. In 1999 and 2000 his Myrtle Beach club won back-to-back Carolina League titles while Snitker earned back-to-back honors as Manager of the Year. DEAN TREANOR INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS (Pittsburgh Pirates) Opening Day Age: 67 Season With Indians: 6th (5th as Mgr.) Minor League Managing Record: 823 811 (.504) Season With Pirates: 7th Triple A Managing Record: 747 682 (.523) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 11th Born: San Luis Obispo, California Coaches: Stan Kyles, Butch Wynegar Dean Treanor returns in Indianapolis, where he has piloted the Indians to four straight winning seasons including back-to-back West Division championships in 2012-13. Treanor, who was named Manager of the Year in the Dominican League this winter, is now in his 27th season in baseball. Before joining the Pirates system as pitching coach of Double-A Altoona in 2009, Treanor was manager of the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League from 2005 to 2008, part of a seven-year stint in the Florida organization. He was the Marlins minor league pitching coordinator in 2004, after having managed Albuquerque in 2003 and Calgary in 2002 before Florida's Triple-A team moved to New Mexico. Treanor's only other managing experience came in 1988 with Class-A Fresno and in 1990 with Rookie League Winter Haven. Every other season between 1989 and 2001 saw Treanor serving as a pitching coach, working in the Cleveland, San Diego, Montreal, and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations. Treanor was signed as a player by Cincinnati in 1971. His minor league pitching career took him as high as the Double-A level when he played for Three Rivers Quebec in the Eastern League.
DAVE BRUNDAGE LEHIGH VALLEY IRONPIGS (Philadelphia Phillies) Opening Day Age: 50 Season With IronPigs: 3rd Minor League Managing Record: 1,223 1,176 (.510) Season With Phillies: 3rd Triple A Managing Record: 645 643 (.501) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 10th Born: Salem, Oregon Coaches: Ray Burris, Mickey Morandini, Sal Rende After guiding the IronPigs to a record of 138-150 over his first two seasons at the helm, Dave Brundage returns to Lehigh Valley for the 2015 campaign. Brundage was formerly manager of Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate. He guided the Gwinnett Braves to a record of 293-281 during the franchise's first four seasons of existence, which included a Wild Card playoff berth in 2009. Before the move south, Brundage managed the Richmond Braves to a 140-142 mark from 2007 to 2008. The R-Braves won the Governors Cup in 2007 during Brundage s first season in the IL. His Triple-A debut had come just one year earlier in the Pacific Coast League with Tacoma, piloting the Rainiers to a 74-70 mark. Brundage spent the previous five seasons as manager of Double-A San Antonio, guiding the Missions to back-to-back Texas League Championships in 2002-03. He earned distinction as Baseball America s Minor League Manager of the Year in 2003. He began his managerial career with Seattle s Class-A clubs in the California League, Riverside in 1995 and Lancaster in 1996. In 1997 he was promoted to manager of the Mariners Double-A affiliate in Memphis. Brundage spent the next three seasons (1998-2000) as a coach for Tacoma before returning to the manager s role in San Antonio. Brundage played ten seasons in the Minor Leagues, including six with the Triple-A Calgary Cannons where he became a player-coach in 1993. DELINO DESHIELDS LOUISVILLE BATS (Cincinnati Reds) Opening Day Age: 46 Season With Bats: 1st Minor League Managing Record: 300 331 (.475) Season With Reds: 7th Triple A Managing Record: 0 0 (.000) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 1st Born: Seaford, Delaware Coaches: Tony Jaramillo, Ted Power With former manager Jim Riggleman joining the Reds staff as third base coach, the Louisville Bats will be piloted by Delino DeShields in 2015. DeShields has spent the past two seasons managing Cincinnati's Double-A affiliate in Pensacola, guiding the Blue Wahoos to a 119-159 record. This will be the seventh season overall for DeShields in the Cincinnati organization and sixth as a manager. He joined the Reds in 2009 to serve as hitting coach for rookie level Billings, and a year later he was named manager of the Mustangs. DeShields then went on to manage the Class-A Dayton Dragons in 2011 and 2012 before he arrived in Pensacola. DeShields was a first round draft pick of the Montreal Expos in 1987. Between 1990 and 2002 he played in 1,615 games at the Major League level with the Expos, Dodgers, Cardinals, Orioles, and Cubs, primarily as a second baseman. He currently ranks 48th all-time with 463 career stolen bases.. RON JOHNSON NORFOLK TIDES (Baltimore Orioles) Opening Day Age: 59 Season With Tides: 4th Minor League Managing Record: 1,477 1,478 (.500) Season With Orioles: 4th Triple A Managing Record: 733 699 (.512) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 11th Born: Long Beach, California Coaches: Sean Berry, Mike Griffin, Jose Hernandez Ron Johnson returns for his fourth season in Norfolk. After leading the Tides to winning records each of his first two years at the helm, Norfolk went 65-79 last season. Johnson in his fourth season overall with the Baltimore organization after spending the previous twelve years in the Boston Red Sox organization. He was Boston's first base coach during the 2010-11 seasons, which followed five years as manager of the Pawtucket Red Sox. Johnson managed for nine seasons total in the Boston farm system, piloting Class-A Sarasota (2000-01), Double-A Trenton (2002) and Portland (2003-04), followed by the PawSox. Prior to his time with the Red Sox, Johnson served as a manager for eight seasons with the same organization that drafted him as a player. In the Kansas City Royals system, Johnson managed Class-A Baseball City (1992) and Wilmington (1993), Double-A Memphis (1994) and Wichita (1995-97), and Triple-A Omaha of the Pacific Coast League (1998-99). His playing career was mostly spent in the minors, though he reached the majors for a total of 22 games with the Royals and Expos. Ron's son Chris Johnson is the third baseman for the Atlanta Braves.
KEVIN BOLES PAWTUCKET RED SOX (Boston Red Sox) Opening Day Age: 39 Season With PawSox: 2nd Minor League Managing Record: 876 851 (.507) Season With Boston: 8th Triple A Managing Record: 79 65 (.549) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 2nd Born: Chicago, Illinois Coaches: Bruce Crabbe, Rich Gedman, Bob Kipper After delivering a Governors' Cup championship in his very first season managing at the Triple-A level, Kevin Boles is back for a second goaround in Pawtucket. Boles managed the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs from 2011-13, prior to which he spent the first ten years of his managerial career at either the Rookie or Class-A level with the Marlins, Royals, Twins, and Red Sox organizations. Boles guided his first club, the Gulf Coast League Marlins, to a division title in 2000 as a 25-year-old skipper. He managed Florida's short-season Utica club in 2001 before joining the Royals organization. There he served as a coach in 2002 prior to managing Kansas City's Arizona League Royals in 2003. Boles next joined the Minnesota organization, managing Class-A Quad Cities in 2004. He took teams to the playoffs each of the following two seasons, Beloit of the Midwest League in 2005 and Ft. Myers of the Florida State League in 2006. Boles later moved on to the Boston organization and was skipper of Class-A Greenville in 2008-09, taking the team to the South Atlantic League finals the second season. 2010 was spent as manager of Salem of the Carolina League. A catcher in his playing days, Boles was selected in the 42nd round of the 1998 June draft by the Chicago Cubs and played one season of pro ball for Williamsport of the New York-Penn League in 1998. Kevin is the son of former Florida Marlins manager John Boles, who is currently a senior advisor to Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore. MIKE QUADE ROCHESTER RED WINGS (Minnesota Twins) Opening Day Age: 58 Season With Red Wings: 1st Major League Managing Record: 95 104 (.477) Season With Twins: 1st Minor League Managing Record: 1,207 1,160 (.510) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 10th Triple A Managing Record: 648 620 (.511) Born: Evanston, Illinois Coaches: Tim Doherty, Marty Mason Former Chicago Cubs skipper Mike Quade has been named manager of the Rochester Red Wings following the promotion of Gene Glynn to the position of third base coach with the Twins. Quade became manager of the Cubs in August of 2010 when Lou Pinella retired, guiding Chicago to a MLB-best 24-13 record down the stretch. The Cubs went 71-91 in Quade's one full season as a big league manager in 2011. Quade joins the Minnesota organization after spending 2014 as a roving outfield coordinator with the Yankees. This will be his 18th season as a Minor League manager and his first in the International League in two decades. He's guided teams in the Pittsburgh, Montreal, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Chicago Cubs chains, finishing with a winning record ten times. Quade has led five teams to league championship series, winning titles with Class-A West Michigan in 1996 and Triple-A Vancouver in 1999. He's twice been named his league's Manager of the Year, including his first year in the IL in 1993. Quade piloted the Ottawa Lynx in 1993 and the Scranton/WB Red Barons in 1994-95. As a player, Quade spent five seasons in the Pirates organization after being chosen in the 22nd round of the 1979 draft out of the University of New Orleans. He played 424 career games, topping out with a season at Double-A Buffalo in 1981. DAVE MILEY SCRANTON/WB RAILRIDERS (New York Yankees) Opening Day Age: 52 Season With SWB: 9th Major League Managing Record: 125 164 (.433) Season With Yankees: 10th Minor League Managing Record: 1,817 1,426 (.560) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 19th Triple A Managing Record: 1,312 1,091 (.546) Born: Tampa, Florida Coaches: Scott Aldred, Marcus Thames, Justin Tordi Dave Miley is back for another season piloting the Yankees top affiliate after his RailRiders have gone 68-76 in consecutive seasons. Miley, who was a member of the International League Hall of Fame Class of 2014, has been at the helm of the Scranton/WB franchise for eight seasons, winning five North Division flags. He was the IL Manager of the Year in 2007 and 2012, and also led SWB to its only Governors' Cup Championship in 2008. It was the second Governors' Cup for Miley, who also won it with Louisville in 2001. Miley piloted the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in Columbus in 2006. Prior to joining the Yankees, Miley spent 26 years in the Cincinnati organization, highlighted by his stint as manager of the Reds over parts of three seasons between 2003 and 2005. Miley also spent several years as manager of Cincinnati s Triple-A team, including four years with Louisville (2000-03), a period which included the first of three times he would manage the IL All- Stars in the Triple-A All-Star Game (2002, 2008, 2013). Prior to his time in Louisville, Miley was at the helm for four seasons in Indianapolis (1996-99). Miley was named the American Association Manager of the Year in 1997. He was honored in 1995 as both the Southern League and Double-A Manager of the Year. Miley was a catcher for seven seasons (1980-86) in the Reds organization, all in the Minor Leagues.
BILLY GARDNER, JR. SYRACUSE CHIEFS (Washington Nationals) Opening Day Age: 48 Season With Chiefs: 2nd Minor League Managing Record: 1,343 1,311 (.506) Season With Nationals: 2nd Triple A Managing Record: 81 62 (.566) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 2nd Born: New London, Connecticut Coaches: Joe Dillon, Bob Milacki The 2014 International League Manager of the Year, Billy Gardner, Jr., returns for his second season at the helm in Syracuse. In his first campaign as a Triple-A skipper, and first in the Washington organization, Gardner guided the Chiefs to the franchise's first playoff appearance since 1998. Gardner joined Syracuse after 19 seasons managing in the Boston, Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Tampa Bay organizations. Most recently he had been manager of the Rays' Double-A affiliate in Montgomery where he won nearly 500 games from 2007-13. He won a Southern League championship and Manager of the Year Award, and along the way was rated by Baseball America as the Southern League's Best Managerial Prospect. Before arriving in Montgomery, Gardner won a title in the South Atlantic League (1999 with Augusta) and was named Midwest League Manager of the Year (1998 with Michigan). Gardner played in the Royals system in 1987 and 1988 after being selected in the 50th round of the 1987 MLB Amateur Draft. His father, Billy Gardner, Sr., managed the Minnesota Twins from 1981-1985 and the Kansas City Royals for part of the 1987 campaign. LARRY PARRISH TOLEDO MUD HENS (Detroit Tigers) Opening Day Age: 61 Season With Mud Hens: 10th Major League Managing Record: 82 104 (.441) Season With Tigers: 21st Minor League Managing Record: 911 900 (.503) Season as Triple A Mgr.: 10th Triple A Managing Record: 638 625 (.505) Born: Winter Haven, Florida Coaches: Leon Durham, Mike Maroth International League Hall of Famer Larry Parrish is back for his second consecutive season and 10th overall as manager of the Mud Hens. He began his third stint in charge of the club in 2014 by finishing 3rd in the West Division. Parrish was the team's skipper for most of the past decade, highlighted by back-to-back Governors' Cup championships in 2005 and 2006 and a Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year award. He departed Toledo in 2011 to become hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves before moving on to manage the Class-A West Michigan Whitecaps in 2013. Parrish was serving as bench coach for the Tigers in 1998 when he was asked to replace Buddy Bell as Detroit s manager for the final month of the season. In his only full Major League managerial season he led the Tigers to a 69-92 record in 1999. He then served as a Major League scout for Detroit during the 2000-2002 seasons. Before becoming a manager, Parrish enjoyed a 19- year professional playing career, spending parts of 15 seasons in the Major Leagues with Montreal (1974-81), Texas (1982-88), and Boston (1988), earning two All-Star berths (1979 & 1987).