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SAL1 Charleston Dirty Birds

West Virginia Power Coaching Staff Returns

December 18, 2009 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Charleston Dirty Birds News Release


Charleston, WV (December 18, 2009) - The 2010 season will be the second for West Virginia as a Class A Affiliate for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and on Friday, December 18th the Pirates announced that Gary Green will return to manage the West Virginia Power. Returning alongside Green will be hitting coach Edgar Varela and pitching coach Jeff Johnson.

Green, 47, moved from the Hickory Crawdads to the join the Power staff in 2009. His return to Charleston this coming summer will mark his eleventh as a manager in minor league baseball. The Pittsburgh native was drafted by the San Diego Padres as a shortstop in 1984. He played five years in the Padres organization, two years in the Texas Rangers system and concluded his 11-year playing career with the Cincinnati Reds. He made his major league debut with the Padres in 1986 and played 106 major league games in his career. He began coaching with the Detroit Tigers in 1997 as a coach at Class A Jamestown in the New York-Penn League. Green played four years of baseball at Oklahoma State and was the starting shortstop for team USA in the 1984 Olympics.

Varella, a former first and third baseman will return as the hitting coach for the Power. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 31st round of the 2002 draft. The 28-year old native of Los Angeles spent time in the White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks and Florida Marlins organizations. The 2010 season will be his third as a coach, and his third with the Pirates. He played his college ball at Long Beach State University and made his coaching debut in 2008 with the Bradenton Pirates of the Rookie-Gulf Coast League.

Johnson, a former pitcher for the New York Yankees will again serve as the pitching coach. The former left handed pitcher also played for the Cleveland Indians and Toronto BlueJays. He was selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 1988 draft and spent a total of three seasons in the big leagues with a record of 8-16 and posted an ERA of 6.52. Johnson graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1988 with a degree in economics. He spent the 2008 season with the Hickory Crawdads before making the move to Charleston in 2009. The 2010 season will be his third with the Pirates and his third as a coach.

The Power will open the 2010 season against the Asheville Tourists on Friday, April 16th at Appalachian Power Park.

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