2011 Hillcats Coaching Staff Announced
Published on November 18, 2010 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
The Atlanta Braves announced today their 2011 minor league coaching staffs. The Hillcats staff will be headed by manager Luis Salazar, who most recently was a minor league coach and manager in the Los Angeles Dodgers system and during his playing days was in the Carolina League for a pair of seasons. Pitching coach Derek Botelho, hitting coach Bobby Moore and Athletic Trainer Chas Miller will also be a part of the Hillcats coaching staff for the upcoming campaign.
Salazar, 54, enters his first season in the Braves organization after serving as the Los Angeles Dodgers Class AA hitting coach for three seasons (2007-09). In 2009 he was with the Chatanooga Lookouts in the Southern League. During the 2006 season he was the manager for the Class A Advanced Vero Beach Dodgers. That same year he also was the hitting coach for his home country of Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Salazar also managed the Gulf Coast League Dodgers for four seasons before that (2002-05), which included an East Division title in 2002.
Prior to his time in the Dodgers organization he spent seven years in the Milwaukee Brewers system, serving as a minor league manager and coach and as the Major League first base coach under manager Davey Lopes in 2001. He began his coaching career with Chandler in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 1995, then spent two seasons (1996-97) as manager of Class Low A Beloit before moving to up to serve as the Brewers Class AAA hitting coach over the next three years (1998-2000).
The former utility man spent 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, splitting time between the San Diego Padres (1980-84, 1987 and 1989), Chicago White Sox (1985-86), Detroit Tigers (1988) and Chicago Cubs (1989-92). He played every position on the diamond except catcher during his playing career (including two appearances as a pitcher). In 1,302 games in the big leagues he compiled a .261 batting average with 94 home runs and 455 RBI. In 1977-78 Salazar was with the Salem Pirates in the Carolina League while playing in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. He is the second consecutive Hillcats manager with previous CL experience (Pat Kelly with Kinston in 1979).
Botelho, 54, has been a coach in the Braves system for the past 10 seasons. The last two years he has served as the pitching coach for the Gwinnett Braves at the Class AAA level. Botelho also had the same title with the Mississippi Braves (Class AA, 2007-08), Richmond (Class AAA, 2006) and Danville (Rookie level, 2005). From 2003-04 he was a part of the Gulf Coast League Braves coaching staff. During the 2009 season he also was the pitching coach U.S. team in the Future's Game.
Prior to his time in the Braves organization, Botelho spent 12 seasons as a pitching coach in the Cincinnati Reds organization and 10 years as a player and coach in the Venezuelan winter leagues.
As a right-handed pitcher he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976 after he was selected in the second round of the draft out of Miami Dade South Junior College. He spent 12 seasons in professional baseball that included two Major League stints (Kansas City Royals, 1982 and Chicago Cubs, 1985). He finished his career with three big league wins and a minor league record of 101-91 with a 4.11 ERA.
Moore, 45, has spent all 14 years of his coaching career in the Atlanta organization. The last 10 seasons he has served as the hitting coach for the Class Low-A Rome Braves. Moore spent the 1999 and 2000 season as a coach for the Braves Class Low-A affiliate in Greenville. In 1998 he worked with Class Rookie level Danville and the year prior he began his coaching career with the Braves Class Short-Season Low-A affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds.
The Ohio native spent 10 years in professional baseball, including time in the Major Leagues with the Kansas City Royals in 1991. In 845 games in the minors Moore batted .279 and swiped 175 bases. He also hit .357 (5-for-14) in his 18 games in the big leagues with the Royals.
Miller, spent the last two season with the Braves Class A Advanced affiliate, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. In 2009 he was named the 2009 Carolina League Trainer of the Year. After starting with the Braves organization with Danville in 2006, he spent two years at the Rookie level before his promotion to Class Low-A Rome in 2008. Prior to his time in the Braves organization, Miller worked as an intern for the Pittsburgh Pirates and has also served as a seasonal athletic trainer with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.
Carolina League Stories from November 18, 2010
- 2011 Hillcats Coaching Staff Announced - Hill City Howlers
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