Hillcats Announce Coaching Staff
Published on December 27, 2005 under Carolina League (CarL1)
Hill City Howlers News Release
(Lynchburg, Va.) - The Pittsburgh Pirates have officially announced the coaching staff to lead the 2006 Lynchburg Hillcats. Former major leaguer Gary Green will be spending his inaugural season in the Pirates system as manager of the Hillcats. Bob Milacki is the only returning member of the 2005 Hillcats field staff, and will serve as pitching coach. Ramon Sambo joined the Pirates organization in 1995, but will be making his first tour of duty in Lynchburg as hitting coach. Rounding out the staff will be veteran trainer Bryan Housand.
Gary Green, 43, most recently served as manager with Lakeland, the Tigers Class-A affiliate in the Florida State League, in 2004. He spent three years (2002-2004) in that position after managing Oneonta, the Tigers New York-Penn League affiliate for two seasons.
Originally drafted by the Padres in the first round (27th overall) of the 1984 June draft, Green played in the San Diego organization until 1989. He also spent two years in the Texas Rangers system and concluded his playing career in the Cincinnati organization from 1992-1995. Green played in 106 major league games, making his big league debut with the Padres in 1986.
Green's father, Fred, pitched for the Pirates and was a member of the 1960 World Champion team.
Bob Milacki, 41, enters his sixth season in the Pittsburgh organization and his second consecutive in Lynchburg. The former major leaguer spent three of his first four seasons in the organization with Hickory (A, South Atlantic League) while spending 2002 with the Altoona Curve (AA, Eastern League).
Originally selected by San Diego in the first round of the 1983 January free agent draft, Milacki went on to appear in 143 major league games. In his first full campaign, Milacki went 14-12 with a 3.74 ERA in 37 games (36 starts). In addition, he started the last no-hitter in Orioles history, a 2-0 blanking of the Oakland A's on July 13th 1991.
Ramon Sambo, 44, began his coaching career in 1995, serving as the manager of the Dominican Summer League Pirates. The Dominican Republic native spent both last season and the 2002 campaign as Hitting Coach of the Williamsport Crosscutters (A, NY-Penn). Additional roles in the system include serving as Pittsburgh's Latin American Field Coordinator, coaching in the Gulf Coast League with Bradenton and working as a Roving Coordinator.
Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in 1982, Sambo went on to a 10-year playing career in the Philadelphia (1982-85), Cincinnati (1986-88), Milwaukee (1989), Chicago-AL (1990) and California (1991) organizations. As a player, he was named to both the 1984 South Atlantic League and 1989 Texas League All-Star teams.
Bryan Housand, 31, will be spending his sixth season in the organization and his first in the Hill City as Head Athletic Trainer of the Hillcats. The Wilmington, North Carolina native held an identical post with the Hickory Crawdads for each of the past three campaigns. Prior experience includes serving as a trainer at the 1999 World Games Special Olympics, working as an athletic trainer at John T. Haggard High School (Wilmington, NC) and working at Cape Fear Hospital Rehab Center. Bryan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina with a degree in Physical Education.
Carolina League Stories from December 27, 2005
- Hillcats Announce Coaching Staff - Hill City Howlers
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