2016 Coaching Staff Announced; Shelley Duncan Returns
January 4, 2016 - Northwest League (NWL1)
Hillsboro Hops News Release
Hillsboro Hops Manager Shelley Duncan
(Hillsboro Hops, Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer/Hillsboro Hops)
Hillsboro, OR - The defending back-to-back Northwest League champion Hillsboro Hops (@HillsboroHops) will be managed in 2016 by returning skipper and former major league outfielder Shelley Duncan. The fourth-year franchise's coaching staff will include former MLB pitcher Mike Parrott, who is in his 19th year as a coach in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization; and Jose Amado, who has served as the hitting coach of the Wichita Wingnuts (American Association) for the last six years and played 14 seasons of professional baseball, logging a career .307 batting average with 108 career home runs. Hillsboro native and former major leaguer Ben Petrick will be with the Hops for his fourth year as consultant. The announcements were made Monday by Hillsboro's parent club, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to return to Hillsboro as the Manager of the Hops and defend our back-to-back Northwest League titles," said returning Hops Manager Shelley Duncan. "I was blown away by the fan support, facilities and championship-caliber mindset that exists in Hillsboro and I am looking forward to returning to the Pacific Northwest this summer."
Shelley Duncan (@ShellDunc) led the Hops to a 45-31 record, which included the team's second consecutive Northwest League title with a win in the championship series against the Tri-City Dust Devils. Duncan played at the University of Arizona and was drafted by the Yankees in the second round in 2001. Six years later, he made his major league debut with New York, appearing in 34 games, hitting .257 with seven home runs, and going 2-for-4 in the Yankees' four-game Division Series loss to Cleveland. He spent parts of seven seasons in the major leagues-three with the Yankees (2007-09), three with Cleveland (2010-12) and one with Tampa Bay (2013), totaling 330 games. This will be his second season as manager.
"We look forward to Shelley Duncan returning to the Hops to lead the team as we defend our back-to-back Northwest League titles," said Hops General Manager K.L. Wombacher. "Mike Parrott is one of the most experienced pitching coaches in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Jose Amado and Ben Petrick have a wealth of baseball experience they will bring to our young players and both are tremendous teachers of the game."
Mike Parrott pitched in the major leagues for five seasons and he compiled a record of 19-39 with a 4.87 ERA in 495 career innings. He made his debut with Baltimore in 1977 and played with Seattle from 1978-1981. Nicknamed "Bird", Parrott begins his 19th season as a coach in the Diamondbacks organizations.
Jose Amado, a native of San Cristobal, Venezuela, demonstrated terrific plate discipline throughout his career, drawing 421 walks against just 281 strikeouts. Amado hit .290 or better in nine of his 14 professional seasons, and finished at .333 or better in four of them. His best season came in 2006 when he split time with the Northern League's Joliet Jackhammers and the Mexican League's Cordoba Cafeteros, hitting a combined .355 with 23 home runs and 99 RBI-all career-bests. Amado totaled more base hits (1,387) than games played (1,220) in his career, and owns a lifetime .373 on-base percentage.
Ben Petrick, a lifelong Hillsboro resident, returns to the Hops' coaching staff for his fourth year and has been with the Hops since their arrival in Hillsboro. A second-round draft selection of the Colorado Rockies out of Glencoe High School in 1995, Petrick spent parts of five seasons in the major leagues with the Rockies and Detroit Tigers.
Doug Drabek, the Hops' pitching coach for the team's first three years in Hillsboro, has been promoted to the Mobile BayBears, the D-backs' affiliate in the Southern League. Javier Colina, the Hops hitting coach in 2015 was promoted to Visalia where he joins former Hops Manager J.R. House.
The Hops will open their 2016 campaign on Friday, June 17 on the road against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. The three-game series will be the first meeting between the two teams since the dramatic 2015 NWL South Division Series, won by the Hops in three games.
The Hillsboro Hops will host their home opener at Ron Tonkin Field on Monday, June 20th against the Eugene Emeralds. A fireworks show will start at the conclusion of the game. Eleven of the team's first seventeen contests are road games.
2016 season tickets and mini plans are on sale now by calling the Hillsboro front office at (503) 640-0887 or online.
Images from this story
 Hillsboro Hops Manager Shelley Duncan (Craig Mitchelldyer/Hillsboro Hops) |
Northwest League Stories from January 4, 2016
- 2016 Coaching Staff Announced; Shelley Duncan Returns - Hillsboro Hops
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