Erie SeaWolves 2013 Field Staff Announced
January 15, 2013 - Eastern League (EL1)
Erie SeaWolves News Release
(Erie, PA) - The Erie SeaWolves, in conjunction with their parent club the Detroit Tigers, announced their 2013 field staff today. Chris Cron, the 14th manager in SeaWolves history, returns for his third season with Erie. He is the first manager in club history to return for a third season.
Joining Cron will be hitting coach Gerald Perry and pitching coach Jaime Garcia, both in their first seasons in the Tigers organization. Athletic trainer Chris McDonald returns for his eighth season while strength and conditioning coach Fred Murphy returns for his third season.
Cron, a native of Albuquerque, NM, was originally a second round pick in the 1984 amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. He played in 1,250 minor league games and appeared in a total of 12 major league games (six with the California Angels in 1991 and six with the White Sox in 1992). His playing career spanned 11 seasons from 1984-1995.
Cron has been a manager in Minor League Baseball for the last 18 seasons and has managed at every level in the minors. He earned his 1,000th career victory during the 2012 season.
The SeaWolves open the 2013 season against the Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates) at Jerry Uht Park on Thursday, April 4. Season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available now by calling 814.456.1300.
CHRIS CRON - MANAGER
Chris Cron returns to the Tigers organization in 2013 to serve as the manager at Double A Erie for the third consecutive season.
Prior to joining the Tigers organization, he managed for 16 seasons at the minor league level with the Chicago White Sox (1995-99, 2003-10) and Colorado Rockies (2000-02). He guided his club to the postseason in seven of the 16 seasons and his club captured the Pioneer League championship in 2008.
Cron has been tabbed his league's Manager of the Year twice during his career, earning the honor in the Carolina League (1998) and the Pioneer League (2010). He collected his 1,000th career victory as a manager on April 21, 2012 at Bowie.
Chris played professionally for 12 seasons before beginning his managing career, seeing action at the minor league level with the Atlanta Braves (1984-86), California Angels (1987-91), White Sox (1992-93, 1995) and Cleveland Indians (1994). Cron saw action at the major league level with the Angels (1991) and White Sox (1992).
Chris' oldest son, C.J., was a first-round selection (17th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2011. His other son, Kevin, currently plays baseball at Texas Christian University.
GERALD PERRY - HITTING COACH
Gerald Perry joins the Detroit Tigers in 2013 as the hitting coach of the SeaWolves. He spent last season as the hitting coach for the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA-Boston). Perry has also served as the Major League hitting coach for the Oakland A's (2006 & 2011), Seattle Mariners (2000-02), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003-05) and Chicago Cubs (2007-June 2009). In March, he will serve as the hitting coach for Team USA in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Originally an 11th round selection by Atlanta in the 1978 Draft, Perry played parts of 13 Major League seasons with the Braves (1983-89), Kansas City Royals (1990) and St. Louis Cardinals (1991- 95). A .265 lifetime hitter with 59 home runs and 396 RBI in 1,193 games, the Savannah, Ga. native was named to the National League All-Star Team in 1988 when he batted .300 with 29 doubles, eight homers, 74 RBI and 29 stolen bases for the Braves. In 1987, he set an Atlanta record with 42 stolen bases, the most by a full-time Major League first baseman since Rod Carew swiped 49 with Minnesota in 1976. When he finished his career in St. Louis, he left as the Cardinals' all-time leader in pinch hits (70).
Perry is a 1978 graduate of H.E. McCracken High School in Buffton, S.C. He and his wife, Tara, have three children, Portia, Falon and Gerald Jr.
JAIME GARCIA - PITCHING COACH
Jaime Garcia joins the Detroit Tigers organization in 2013 as the pitching coach of the Erie SeaWolves. Garcia has spent the last six seasons with the Houston Astros organization.
In 2012, Garcia was the pitching coach with the GCL Astros and Latin Pitching Supervisor. He also served as the Astros' minor league pitching coordinator (2011) and four seasons as assistant pitching coordinator (2007-10).
Prior to his stint with the Astros, Garcia joined the Reds organization in 2003 as the pitching coach at Class A Dayton and spent the next three seasons (2004-06) in the same capacity with the Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League Reds. Garcia also spent two seasons as the Latin American pitching instructor for the Kansas City Royals before joining the Reds. Prior to that role, he served as the Royals pitching coach at Class A Charleston and has held various coaching positions with the White Sox (1988-96), Brewers (1997) and Rangers (1998-99) organizations.
CHIRS McDONALD - ATHLETIC TRAINER
Chris McDonald enters his 13th season as an athletic trainer in the Tigers organization and his eighth with the SeaWolves. Before joining the 'Wolves, McDonald spent three seasons with Class A Lakeland. The Troy, Michigan native graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2000 with a bachelor's of science in education after majoring in sport management with an emphasis in athletic training. In 2011, Chris was named Eastern League Trainer of the Year by the Professional Baseball Athletic Training Association. He currently resides in Orlando, Florida.
ERIE SEAWOLVES MANAGERIAL HISTORY (1995-Present)
Manager Record Percentage
Scott Little (1995) 34-41 .453
Whitey Richardson (1996) 30-46 .395
Marty Brown (1997) 50-26 .657
Tracy Woodson (1998) 26-50 .347
Garry Templeton (1999) 81-61 .570
Don Wakamatsu (2000) 46-96 .324
Luis Pujols (2001) 84-58 .592
Kevin Bradshaw (2002-03) 124-159 .438
Rick Sweet (2004) 80-62 .563
Duffy Dyer (2005-06) 123-160 .434
Matt Walbeck (2007) 81-59 .561
Tom Brookens (2008-09) 139-144 .491
Phil Nevin (2010) 66-76 .465
CHRIS CRON (2011-12) 124-159 .438
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