Flying Squirrels Announce 2010 Field Staff
January 5, 2010 - Eastern League (EL1)
Richmond Flying Squirrels News Release
RICHMOND, VA - The Richmond Flying Squirrels in conjunction with the San Francisco Giants have announced that Andy Skeels will guide the club as the team's manager for the 2010 season. Skeels will be joined by pitching coach Ross Grimsley, hitting coach Russ Morman, and trainer Eric Ortega on the Flying Squirrels inaugural coaching staff.
The 2010 campaign will mark Skeels' Double-A managerial debut and sixth season with the Giants organization. A proven winner, the Thousand Oaks, CA, resident has compiled more victories (181) than any other minor league manager the past two seasons including two league championships. He spent the 2009 season with the San Jose Giants (Advanced-A - California League) where he led the club to a 93-47 record, the second-most wins in all of the minor leagues, and a California League championship. The club was recently named MiLB.com's Advanced-A Team of the Year. Prior to his stint in San Jose, Skeels guided the August GreenJackets (Low-A - South Atlantic League) to a league-best 88-50 mark in 2008 and the club's first league title since 1999. Following the season, the GreenJackets were named MiLB.com's Best Overall Team. Skeels served as the Augusta's hitting coach for two seasons (2006-07) prior to managing the team.
Prior to joining the Giants organization, the 44-year-old spent time as a manager or coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999), Texas Rangers (2000), and Montreal Expos' (2002-04) organizations. He also spent two seasons working in the independent leagues. A former catcher, Skeels was originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the seventh round of the 1987 draft and played parts of 12 seasons in the minor leagues with the Padres, New York Yankees, and Dodgers.
Former National League All-Star and 20-game winner, Ross Grimsley enters his 12th season in the Giants organization. The 59-year-old served as the pitching coach for the Eastern League Northern Division Champion Connecticut Defenders in 2008 and helped guide the pitching staff to the third-lowest ERA in the league (3.53) and a berth in the Eastern League Championship Series. Before his stint in Connecticut, Grimsley spent four seasons (2005-08) with Augusta, teaming with Skeels during the final three. The Owings Mill, MD, resident has also spent time at the Triple-A level, serving as pitching coach in Fresno (Pacific Coast League) in 2004, as well as a roving organizational pitching instructor (1999) since joining the Giants' organization. Before his time with the Giants, Grimsley served as a coach in the Seattle Mariners, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies organizations.
A former first-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds (17th overall) in the 1969 draft, Grimsley spent 11 seasons pitching in the Major Leagues with the Reds (1971-73), Orioles (1974-77, '82), Montreal Expos (1978-80), and Cleveland Indians (1980). The left-hander's finest season on the mound came in 1978 when he earned National League All-Star honors and became the first pitcher in Expos' history to notch 20 wins. Grimsley finished his Major League career with a 124-99 record and 3.81 ERA in 345 appearances on the mound.
New to the Giants' organization, Morman joins the Flying Squirrels coaching staff after spending the previous seven seasons managing or coaching in the Boston Red Sox organization. The 47-year-old served as hitting coach with the Pawtucket Red Sox (Triple-A - International League) the previous two seasons after working in the same capacity with the Eastern League's Portland Sea Dogs for four seasons (2004-07). Morman managed Augusta in 2003 after spending a pair of seasons managing in the Florida Marlins' organization with the Kane County Cougars (Low-A - Midwest League). He guided Kane County to a Midwest League title in 2001 and was named Midwest League Manager of the Year.
A former first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1983, Morman played 17 seasons in professional baseball including parts of nine seasons in the Major Leagues with the White Sox (1986,1988-89), Kansas City Royals (1990-91), and Marlins (1994-99).
Ortega enters his fifth season as an athletic trainer within the Giant's organization and second at the Double-A level. He served as Connecticut's trainer during the 2009 season. Ortega has also spent time with Augusta (2008) and the Arizona Rookie League Giants (2006-07) during his tenure. The Watsonville, CA, resident earned his B.S. in Kinesiology at CSU-Sacramento where he played baseball for two seasons and is certified by the National Athletic Trainer's Association (NATA).
The Flying Squirrels also presented 20 different charities and non-profit organizations a ceremonial combined check for nearly $15,000 to celebrate the club's "Season of Giving." Each charitable partner was given a selected day in the Squirrels Nest merchandise store from December 2nd to December 23rd. The organizations then received 10% of the total sales from the Squirrels Nest on that particular day. Since announcing baseball's return Richmond on September 23rd, the Flying Squirrels have also helped to collect over 500 coats during the Puritan Cleaners Coats for Kids Ballpark Warming Party as well as fill eight collection bins of new, unwrapped toys during the Toys for Tots Holiday Party.
Season-ticket packages, including mini-plans for the inaugural season of Flying Squirrels baseball are currently available. For more information, call the Flying Squirrels at 804-359-FUNN (3866) or log on to SquirrelsBaseball.com.
Eastern League Stories from January 5, 2010
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