C. J. Bauer new Coastal Bend GM
April 28, 2009 - United League Baseball (ULB)
Coastal Bend Thunder News Release
Florida native C.J. Bauer, known in business circles as a corporate turnaround specialist, has been named general manager of the Coastal Bend Thunder professional baseball club, United League Baseball President Byron Pierce announced.
His selection completes filling all six of the league's general manager positions, as well as the six field manager posts, Pierce said.
"We believe that with his 20 years experience in management positions as well as in baseball, he is the right person to be manager for this important position," Pierce said.
"With strong assistant general managers like Ray Hunt and Javier Limon working with Bauer, the Thunder, our newest pro ball franchise, has one of the strongest management teams in the United League," Pierce said. The operation is located in the Coastal Bend area of South Texas.
"I'm real excited with this opportunity with the Coastal Bend operation," Bauer said. "When I first looked at the area and the ball park, I had my own kind of Field of Dreams moment.
"I see a stadium full of fans. I'm aware of the past, but that's what makes it so appealing," he said. "I have no doubt that we will get the support of the fans and the business communities.
"Throw in (Field Manager) Al Gallagher to run the baseball side, with all his years of pro ball experience, I see a full stadium."
Bauer graduated from Clearwater, Fla., High School and the University of Tampa, with a bachelor of science degree in Business Management.
His business experience includes national sales manager for Bob CAD/CAM software, helping it become a leader in the industry.
He served as general manager of Corporate Development Department with PODS and chief executive officer for BMA Financial Corp. of Atlanta.
He also was general manager of BMW of Atlanta, which under his guidance became one of the top 10 volume dealers in the nation.
His involvement in baseball includes being general manager for the Florida Performance Baseball. He also helped Harlingen Field Manager Eddie Dennis with AAU baseball operations in Florida.
He last played for the Florida Tropics of the Men's Senior Baseball League and has served as president-general manager of the St. Petersburg Monarchs in the Southern Diamond League.
He is the father of two boys.
The other five general managers in the ULB are:
Mark Lee, Amarillo, who is a former major league player and who played for the Amarillo Gold Sox in the Texas League, and who has been GM there since 2006;
Mike Babcock, San Angelo, and former GM for the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings in Harlingen, who has 15 years experience in baseball management, and who has held the San Angelo post since 2006;
Jose Melendez, Laredo, manager at Laredo since 2006, and who previously held executive positions with the San Antonio Missions; Doug Leary, Edinburg, who has more than two decades of management experience in sports and entertainment;
And Cory Dirksen, who has returned as general manager of the Harlingen ball club, which he managed in 2006 and 2007, who also has management experience in the Frontier League.
The field managers are: Brady Bogart, whose Amarillo Dillas won the ULB title in his first year in 2008; Doc Edwards, San Angelo, who has more than a half century of playing and managing baseball teams, including being a former manager of the Cleveland Indians; Ricardo Cuevas, Laredo, who is a former coach in the Mexican League and who was previously with the Cincinnati Reds organization; Vince Moore, Edinburg, who will be in his fourth year as manager there; and Eddie Dennis, Harlingen ,who returns to the WhiteWings and is the only manager to give that franchise a league championship (in 2000).
United League Baseball Stories from April 28, 2009
- Colts Sign Two More - San Angelo Colts
- C. J. Bauer new Coastal Bend GM - Coastal Bend Thunder
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