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AA St. Paul Saints

Saints' coaching staff to return

January 5, 2006 - American Association (AA)
St. Paul Saints News Release


ST. PAUL, MN - The nature of independent professional baseball is that players come and go. Fortunately for the St. Paul Saints, the same is not true of the coaching staff.

As the Saints enter their first season in the American Association, manager George Tsamis, beginning his fourth season at the helm (and eighth overall), announced today his 2005 coaching staff will return for the 2006 season.

"These guys are great to work with," he said. "They understand how to play the game and how to teach it. They coach they way I like my players to play - to win."

This means Jackie Hernandez, the ex-Twins shortstop who has been with Tsamis his entire managerial career, will be back for his 46th season in pro ball as the third base coach. "I don't know of anybody in baseball who doesn't like or respect Jackie," Tsamis said.

Jason Verdugo returns for his second season as pitching coach. Verdugo, who is also assistant athletic director and head baseball coach at Hamline University, won five regular season games and a pair in the playoffs (including a complete game shutout) during the Saints' 2004 Northern League championship run.

Lamarr Rogers is back for his seventh season as a coach and his ninth with the organization. He will again serve as the team's hitting coach and handle the first base box duties. In two seasons as a player here (1997-98), Rogers recorded a .320 batting average with 49 stolen bases.

T.J. Wiesner will again serve as the bullpen coach. The St. Paul native's father, Jim, worked for the Minnesota Twins and the old Saints as the clubhouse manager is also coaching as an assistant at Concordia University. A former bullpen catcher with the Twins, T.J. joined the Saints in the same capacity in 1997 and was later promoted to his current position.

The entire staff will be on hand when the Saints open training camp April 29 at Midway Stadium. After 13 seasons in the Northern League, the team starts its first year in the new league Friday, May 12 at Sioux City. The regular season opener is set for Monday, May 16 at Midway against St. Joseph (MO).

NOTES - Derek Sharrer, the team's Vice President/General Manager, said he will formalize a preseason schedule by the middle of January The Saints are expected to play three or four preseason home games. ... Jim Eppard, a member of the 1993 Saints, is rumored to be in the running for the managerial position at Salt Lake City, the Angels' Pacific Coast League team. Dino Ebel, who managed the Bees last year, was promoted to the major league team's coaching staff. Eppard, who managed in the minor leagues before, has been the Bees' hitting coach the last two seasons. ...

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