Minor-league coaching updates for 2011

Minor-league coaching updates
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on October 18, 2010 at 5:38 PM

The Tigers have become known for giving former players a shot at managing with minor-league posts, from Bruce Fields in the 1990s to Tom Brookens, Matt Walbeck and Phil Nevin more recently. Ernie Young wasn't a Tigers player for long, and he already has a few years of managerial experience, but he's set to be the next ex-Tigers player to manage.

The Tigers normally don't announce their Minor League coaching staffs until they're just about set at every level, and that hasn't happened yet. But they have an opening to fill at low Class A West Michigan, after Joe DePastino shifted into a teaching role as the organization's roving catching instructor.

AOL FanHouse reported over the weekend that Young, a longtime Minor League veteran who spent 2003 in the Tigers system, will take over. No final hire has been made, according to a team source, but unless something falls through, all signs point to Young getting the job.

It would not be a first chance. Young managed in the White Sox organization the last two years at Class A Kannapolis, and just finished a stint last week managing Team USA in the Pan Am Games qualifying tournament. His hitting coach for Team USA: Leon "Bull" Durham, his hitting coach as a player at Triple-A Toledo in 2003 and still the Mud Hens hitting coach.

Young went 2-for-11 in his brief stint as a Tiger that year, one of 17 seasons he spent in pro ball. He made it to the big leagues one more time, with the Indians in 2004, before retiring after the 2007 season.

Joining Young at West Michigan could be another ex-Tiger, Ben Ogilvie. TigsTown.com reported Ogilvie is expected to be named the Whitecaps' hitting coach.

DePastino's move is not being taken necessarily as a demotion. Speculation pointed towards a change back in August when another former Tiger, Kevin Hooper, told the Wichita Eagle he had been offered the West Michigan job. At that point, the Whitecaps were rallying towards a wild card spot in the Midwest League playoffs, making them the only Tigers affiliate to reach the postseason.

"My new job is one I've always wanted," DePastino told the Grand Rapids Press. "I've been a catcher my whole life, and while I love managing, being with the catchers full time is a good gig."

Andrew Graham was the roving catching instructor this season, but he's expected to move into a full-time coaching role, possibly a managerial post.

Tigers confirm Ernie Young hire at West Michigan
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on October 21, 2010 at 9:08 PM

The Tigers made official Thursday their hire for manager at Class A West Michigan. It'll be ex-Tiger (albeit not a Tiger long) Ernie Young, a longtime former Minor Leaguer who's building a wealth of experience managing in the farm system.

Joining Young at West Michigan is another ex-Tiger, Ben Ogilvie, as first reported by TigTown.com.

The Young move fills the opening created when Joe DePastino shifted into a teaching role as the organization's roving catching instructor.

Young managed in the White Sox organization the last two years at Class A Kannapolis, and just finished a stint last week managing Team USA in the Pan Am Games qualifying tournament. His hitting coach for Team USA: Leon "Bull" Durham, his hitting coach as a player at Triple-A Toledo in 2003 and still the Mud Hens hitting coach.

Young went 2-for-11 in his brief stint as a Tiger that year, one of 17 seasons he spent in pro ball. He made it to the big leagues one more time, with the Indians in 2004, before retiring after the 2007 season.

DePastino's move is not being taken necessarily as a demotion. Speculation pointed towards a change back in August when another former Tiger, Kevin Hooper, told the Wichita Eagle he had been offered the West Michigan job. At that point, the Whitecaps were rallying towards a wild card spot in the Midwest League playoffs, making them the only Tigers affiliate to reach the postseason.

"My new job is one I've always wanted," DePastino told the Grand Rapids Press. "I've been a catcher my whole life, and while I love managing, being with the catchers full time is a good gig."

Andrew Graham was the roving catching instructor this season, but he's expected to move into a full-time coaching role, possibly a managerial post.

Larry Parrish named Braves hitting coach
Beck's Blog
Posted on October 29, 2010 at 2:35 PM

Just when it looked like the Tigers had their minor league coaching staffs filled, they have a big void to fill in Toledo. The Braves named Larry Parrish as their hitting coach on Friday, ending his seven-season stint as Mud Hens manager.

Parrish is the winningest manager in Hens history. Except for a 2007 season lost to ankle surgery, he'd been there since 2003, an amazing tenure for a minor-league skipper at any level. He led them to back-to-back International League titles in 2005 and '06, and he was named Sporting News manager of the year for his efforts. They've been around a .500 team the last few years, due in no small part to a short-handed roster from injuries and call-ups, but he played his part in developing players.

"Larry has a great reputation in the game and came highly recommended," new Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "His background truly speaks for itself."

It's great news for Parrish, whose last big-league stint was as Tigers manager in 1999. He moved his offseason home to Georgia a few years ago, so he'll be close to home. It's tougher news, of course, for the Tigers, who now have a big position to fill and no automatic conclusions to filling it.

Tigers vice president and assistant general manager Al Avila said Friday evening that it's too early to tell which way they'll go in filling the post. He added they will look at candidates outside the organization as well as internal options. Atlanta had to get permission to interview Parrish, so the Tigers have been kept up to speed on the move. They also gave a glowing recommendation for Parrish.

The internal options aren't numerous. Phil Nevin just completed his first season at Double-A Erie, while Detroit just hired Ernie Young to manage at low Class A West Michigan. Nevin could be a candidate, but it's far from an automatic promotion. Joe DePastino just went from Whitecaps manager to roving catching instructor and supposedly likes the idea of being home more often. Another internal possibility could be Andy Barkett, who has managed at Class A Lakeland for three years.

As for guys outside the system, an intriguing name is Matt Walbeck, let go by the Pirates in a bizarre move after leading Double-A Altoona to the Eastern League title this year. Walbeck is rumored to be seeking a job on a big-league coaching staff, but might be enticed to Triple-A as a potential springboard to the Majors. He knows the system, having managed at West Michigan and Erie before leaving to take a third-base coaching job in Texas after the 2007 season.

Another intriguing thought: Would a Bruce Fields return be out of the question? He managed the Hens in 2001 and '02, spent three years on Alan Trammell's coaching staff, then was out when Jim Leyland was hired as manager. He has been a roving instructor in the Indians farm system since. It would be retracing his steps, obviously, but would being close to home again with the possibility of managing his son in a couple years bring him back?

One thought raised by John Wagner at the Toledo Blade was Kevin Hooper, who reportedly turned down the West Michigan job earlier to stay with the independent team in Wichita. There's a big difference on many levels between managing low Class A and managing at Triple-A, and the latter might have more appeal to him. Again, though, his managerial experience is limited to the past two years in Wichita.

Tigers look to fill Toledo managing vacancy
Parrish's departure has club searching for new Triple-A skipper
MLB.com | 11/01/10 6:00 PM ET

DETROIT -- The Tigers have had names and faces come in and out of their Minor League coaching ranks, but Larry Parrish has been a mainstay at the top. Now that Parrish is getting a shot at the big leagues again after eight seasons managing at Triple-A Toledo, the Tigers have a major void to fill.

They couldn't be happier, and they gave a glowing recommendation to the Braves on why he would fit as a Major League hitting coach. Replacing him, of course, is the tough part.

Add up Parrish's time on the Tigers coaching staff, including a season-plus as manager and his other stops in the farm system, to his Mud Hens tenure, and he spent the past 19 years in the Tigers organization -- longer than any other current on-field personnel. He earned the Mud Hens' wins record this past summer, and he had long since become a trusted voice for the Tigers front office in player development.

The number of Major League players who passed through Toledo under his watch is piling up, including current Giants postseason hero Cody Ross, San Francisco teammate Andres Torres and Rangers starter Colby Lewis, 3-0 this postseason. Much of the young corps that helped Detroit overcome its numerous injuries this summer, including Brennan Boesch, Casper Wells and Will Rhymes, began the season with Parrish in Toledo.

Parrish's no-nonsense, honest input was important in player moves -- even when they didn't involve his players. After watching Austin Jackson play for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate last season, Parrish's evaluation played a big part in the Tigers' desire to acquire him.

The chance at a Major League coaching job, and one just a few hours from his Georgia home, was too much to pass up.

"A lot of people told me, 'How can you even think about this?' But I had to stop and think about it," Parrish told the Toledo Blade. "[A big league job] wasn't what drove me. Teaching players and feeling I did something to help a guy get to the Majors is what drove me.

"Toledo had become a second home for me. I have a lot of friends in Toledo. I know I'm leaving a great situation there; I had the same trainer and same hitting coach for a long time, and that was like family."

That family, Mud Hens athletic trainer Matt Rankin and hitting coach Leon 'Bull' Durham, was already in place when Parrish succeeded Bruce Fields as Hens skipper in 2003. They'll likely be back next season, though Durham's name is building for Major League coaching jobs after he interviewed for Seattle's hitting coach opening last month.

Who will be managing in Toledo, obviously, is the question -- one that doesn't have an obvious answer. Double-A Erie manager Phil Nevin just completed his first season there after managing in independent ball, while the Tigers just hired former player Ernie Young to manage at Class A West Michigan. Andy Barkett, who played at Toledo under Parrish in 2004, has managed at Class A Lakeland for the past three seasons and at short-season Class A ball before that.

Tigers vice president and assistant general manager Al Avila said they'll look at candidates inside and outside the organization for the opening -- and that they'll be looking for somebody with managerial experience. It was too early, though, to get into names.

One outside name who could be an intriguing candidate is Matt Walbeck, who managed in the Tigers farm system for four seasons before leaving after the 2007 campaign. He's believed to be seeking a Major League coaching job or Triple-A managerial post after leading the Pirates' Double-A Altoona squad to an Eastern League title -- after which he was let go in a move that seemingly defied logic.

Another interesting possibility would be Bruce Fields, Parrish's predecessor as Mud Hens manager before spending three seasons on Alan Trammell's coaching staff with the Tigers. The Detroit resident has been working as a hitting instructor in the Indians organization for the past five years, but he also has a son, highly regarded outfield prospect Daniel Fields, in the Tigers system.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Phil Nevin expected to take over in Toledo
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on November 10, 2010 at 2:48 PM

The Tigers haven't made it official, but barring a last-minute shocker, Phil Nevin is getting a promotion in the farm system. He's expected to be introduced Thursday as the new Mud Hens manager, filling the job Larry Parrish handled capably for eight years before the Braves hired him as their hitting coach last month.

Mark Anderson of TigsTown.com first reported the move. Tigers player development director Mike Rojas told MLB.com they haven't made a final hire and wouldn't get into names, but hoped to have something to announce after meeting with officials in Detroit Thursday.

Nevin joined the organization last year as the manager at Double-A Erie, a move made by former Tigers player development Glenn Ezell after Nevin spent 2009 managing in independent ball. Nevin wanted a shot, and the Tigers gave it to him. While the SeaWolves finished 66-76, the record was a little deceiving. They got off to a terrible start, losing their first eight games, and played pretty close to .500 ball the rest of the way.

The 39-year-old Nevin played in Toledo in 1995 after he was the player to be named later from Houston in the Mike Henneman trade. He was a Mud Hen again in 1997 before the Tigers traded him to the Angels. He also was a Tiger in 1996 and '97.

No word yet who will replace Nevin in Erie. One in-house candidate could be Andy Barkett, who managed at Class A Lakeland for the past few years, but he is a Florida native.

Tigers unveil Minor League coaching staffs
Managerial position remains unoccupied at Double-A Erie
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 11/16/10 8:38 PM EST

DETROIT -- The Tigers still haven't filled their managerial vacancy at Double-A Erie, but the rest of their Minor League coaching staffs are pretty much set. The team announced most of its instructional and coaching rosters on Tuesday.

Former Erie manager Phil Nevin and his staff at Triple-A Toledo were unveiled last week, with Nevin joining hitting coach Leon Durham and pitching coach A.J. Sager. Jerry Martin will take over as Erie's hitting coach, a spot that Andrew Graham filled for much of last season, alongside pitching coach Ray Burris. The staff at Class A Lakeland will remain intact with manager Andy Barkett, pitching coach Joe Coleman and hitting coach Larry Herndon.

Coaches Ben Ogilvie and Mark Johnson will join new manager Ernie Young at Class A West Michigan, and Graham will get his first managerial post at short-season Class A Connecticut. Former Tigers player Mike Rabelo gets a shot as a hitting coach with the Gulf Coast League Tigers.

The roving instructional roster is also set. Former Whitecaps manager Joe DePastino takes over as the Tigers' Minor League catching coordinator, while Kevin Bradshaw was promoted to field coordinator once Mike Rojas became player development director. Hitting coordinator Toby Harrah, pitching coordinator Jon Matlack and outfield coordinator Gene Roof are all back. Dave Owen joins the ranks as the new infield coordinator.

The moves pretty much ensure that the new SeaWolves manager will come from outside the organization. Club officials have declined to discuss names.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers hire Cron, Huppert as Minors skippers
By Kelly Thesier / MLB.com | 12/13/10 4:00 PM EST

The Tigers rounded out their Minor League coaching staffs on Monday, when the club announced it has hired Chris Cron to manage at Double-A Erie and Dave Huppert to serve as the manager at Class A Lakeland.

Cron joins the Tigers organization after managing the past 16 seasons in the Minor League systems of the Chicago White Sox (1995-99, 2003-10) and Colorado Rockies (2000-02). Cron spent 12 years playing professional baseball before he began his managing career. He's guided his club to the postseason seven times, including leading his Great Falls team to the Pioneer League championship in 2008. He was also named Manager of the Year in the Carolina League in 1998 and the Pioneer League in 2010.

Cron will be the third manager at Erie in the past three years and the fourth in five years. Phil Nevin was the manager at Erie last season, but he was promoted to manage Triple-A Toledo for the 2011 season.

Huppert will be entering his first season managing in the Tigers organization. He has managed 21 seasons at the Minor League level with the Milwaukee Brewers (1986-91), Chicago White Sox (1994-97), Florida Marlins (1999-2001), Montreal Expos (2002-04) and Philadelphia Phillies (2006-10). Huppert, who played 10 seasons of pro baseball, led Class A Lakewood to the South Atlantic League championship in 2006 and Class A Clearwater to the Florida State League championship in 2007.

The moves now mean that the Tigers will have a new manager at every one of their Minor League affiliates teams, from short-season Class A ball on, up for the 2011 season.

The Tigers also announced that Andy Barkett, who managed at Lakeland for the past three seasons, has joined the Florida Marlins organization to serve as their manager at Double-A Jacksonville in 2011. Barkett would have been a candidate for managing spot at Erie, but taking the job at Jacksonville allowed him to stay near his Florida home while still providing him with a promotion.

Kelly Thesier is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Kelly's Corner and follow her on Twitter at kellythesier. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.