FORT MILL, SC – The Charlotte Knights and their parent club, the Chicago
White Sox, announced the Knights field staff for the 2005 season today.
Nick Leyva returns to the Knights as manager after three years away from
Charlotte. Juan Nieves will join Charlotte as the pitching coach, Manny
Trillo has been named hitting coach and Scott Johnson will return as the
trainer for the Knights.Nick Leyva, 51, managed the Charlotte Knights in 2000 and 2001 and led the Knights to a record of 145-142 (.505). Leyva has spent the last three years as a roving instructor for the Chicago White Sox. Last season he replaced Ken Dominquez as manager of the Winston-Salem Warthogs and led Winston-Salem to the second half Southern Division title with a record of 45-25 (.643). Winston-Salem lost in the first round of the Carolina League Playoffs to Kinston two games to one. Leyva has a 680-584 (.538) record in 13 seasons as a minor league manager in the White Sox, St. Louis, and Toronto systems. Leyva also managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1989 to April 23, 1991, compiling a 148-189 record. He was named Appalachian League Manager of the Year in 2002 after guiding Advanced Rookie Bristol (White Sox) to a 43-25 record and the league championship in his first season at the helm. One of Leyva's career coaching highlights was as Toronto's third base coach when Joe Carter homered off Phillies' Mitch Williams to win the 1993 World Series. Leyva also coached with St. Louis during the 1985 and '87 World Series.
Juan Nieves, 39, will enter his seventh season as a pitching coach in the White Sox organization and his first in Triple-A with the Charlotte Knights. Nieves spent three seasons as the pitching coach for Double-A Birmingham. The 2004 Barons pitching staff ranked second in the league in ERA (3.43), tied for second in wins (73) and surrendered the fewest homers (80) and walks (391). He was the pitching coach for the Southern League West Division All-Star Team in 2002. Nieves spent three seasons (1999-2001) at Single-A Winston-Salem and his staff tossed the first combined no-hitter in Warthogs history on April 15th, 2001 vs. Myrtle Beach. He also worked in the New York Yankees system for five seasons (1992-96). Nieves was 32-25 with a 4.71 ERA (257 ER/490.2 IP) and 352 strikeouts over three major-league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1986-88. He recorded the only no-hitter in Brewers' history on 4/15/87 vs. the Baltimore Orioles (W, 7-0). At age 22, became the 14th-youngest player to pitch a no-hitter and was also the first Puerto Rican to accomplish the feat.
Manny Trillo, 53, will begin his second season in the Chicago White Sox organization as a hitting coach and his first in Charlotte. Trillo was the hitting coach for Double-A Birmingham in 2004. The Barons ranked fourth in the league in hitting .262, second in triples (43), third in runs scored (635), hits (1,214) and walks (494) and struck at the fewest times (956). Before joining the White Sox organization he served as hitting coach for two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers organization at Double-A Huntsville (2002) and Single-A High Desert (2001). Trillo spent the 2000 season in the same capacity with Double-A Norwich in the New York Yankees organization. He served as the minor league infield coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1999. Trillo worked three seasons as a hitting coach in the Chicago Cubs system at Single-A Rockford (1998), Double-A Orlando (1997) and Single-A Williamsport (1996). Trillo played 17 Major League seasons with Oakland (1973-74), the Chicago Cubs (1975-78, 1986-89), Philadelphia (1979-82), Cleveland (1983), Montreal (1983) and San Francisco (1984-85). He hit .263 (1,562-5950) with 61 home runs and 571 RBI over his Major League career. Trillo was a four-time All-Star (1977, 81-83) and three-time Gold Glove Award winner (1979, '81-82). He hit a career-high .292 (155-531) in 1980 to help the Phillies win the World Series. Trillo was named Most Valuable Player of the 1980 National League Championship Series vs. Houston after hitting .381 (8-21) with two doubles and one triple. He was the first player to start at second base in consecutive All-Star Games in different leagues (1982-83). Trillo owns the major-league record for most consecutive chances handled without an error by a second baseman in one season (479 with Philadelphia in 1982).
Scott Johnson returns for his seventh season with the Charlotte Knights in 2005 and his 17th season with the Chicago White Sox organization. Johnson was named International League Trainer of the Year in 2001 and 2002. He was also the trainer for the Team USA Baseball World Cup that competed in Chinese Taipei in November 2001.
"We are delighted to have Nick Leyva back with the Charlotte Knights for the 2005 season. Nick's track record speaks for itself," said Knights General Manager Bill Blackwell. "Juan and Manny add many years of Major League experience to the coaching staff and we are excited to have them in Charlotte."
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