NYPL State College Spikes

Spikes 2008 Coaching Staff Announced

Published on January 15, 2008 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced the coaching staffs for each of their minor league affiliates for the 2008 season. For the third consecutive year, a new face will lead the State College Spikes.

Veteran Brad Fischer will assume the managerial duties for the Spikes in 2008 after spending the previous 29 seasons in the Oakland organization, including the last 12 at the major league level as both a bullpen coach and first base coach. Joining Fischer on the Spikes bench will be returning pitching coach Wilson Alvarez and new hitting coach Sid Bream. Bream is well-known for his 12 seasons as a major league player, including six with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1985-90.

Fischer, 56, brings a bevy of minor league managerial experience with him to the Happy Valley. Fischer began an 11-year managerial career starting with Single-A Medford in 1980. The following year, he captured the Northwest League championship and Manager-of-the-Year honors after guiding Medford to a 42-28 regular-season record in 1981. Fischer experienced similar success a year later after he skippered Madison to a Midwest League title in 1982 and a playoff appearance in 1984. He then managed at Double-A Huntsville for three years (1985-87) and took his team to the playoffs each season, winning the Southern League championship in 1985 before finishing his managerial career in the Oakland system with Triple-A Tacoma (1988-1990), where he reached the post-season his final year. Overall, Fischer posted a 743-670 record and nine winning seasons in his 11 years as a minor league manager.

Fischer also served as a minor league instructor for the Athletics following his managerial career (1991-93) and spent two seasons as the assistant director of player development.

A non-drafted free agent signed by the Athletics prior to the 1978 season from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Fischer played his only season in the minors that year with Bend of the Northwest League.

Bream, 47, begins his first professional coaching assignment after an outstanding major league playing career that spanned over a decade. Remembered most by Pittsburgh fans for scoring the series winning run against the Pirates in game seven of the 1992 National League Championship Series as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Bream's best years came as a member of the black and gold, playing six years with the Pirates.

A native of Carlisle, PA, Bream was originally drafted in the second round of the 1981 draft by the Los Angeles out of Liberty University in Virginia. After playing parts of three seasons with the Dodgers, Bream was traded along with Cecil Espy and R.J. Reynolds to the Pirates midway through the 1985 season in exchange for third baseman Bill Madlock.

Bream was an important part of the resurgence of the Pirates in the late 1980's and was with the Buccos in 1990 when they won their first of three straight National League Eastern Division crowns.

In a Pirates uniform, Bream hit 57 career home runs with 293 RBIs in 643 games. Bream still holds the club record for most assists in one season by a first baseman (166) which he set during the 1986 campaign.

After the 1990 season, Bream signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves before hooking on with the Houston Astros in 1994, which was his last season in the big leagues.

Alvarez, 37 returns for his second season as Spikes pitching coach after his 2006 pitchers posted a 3.81 ERA and were second in the New York-Penn Leage in saves recorded with 24.

Alvarez was originally signed by the Texas Rangers as a 16-year old out of Venezuela. After breaking in to the big leagues with the Rangers in 1989, he was traded along with Sammy Sosa, to the Chicago White Sox, where he would have the most successful years of his career. From 1991-1997 as a member of the White Sox, the lefty won 67 games and was named to the 1994 American League All-Star team. The highlight of the Venezuelan's career came in 1991, during his second big league start, and first start with the White Sox. The southpaw tossed a complete game, no-hitter to beat the Orioles, 7-0. Alvarez walked five during the game, and became the first rookie since Dave Righetti in 1983 to pitch a no-hitter.

Alvarez was later traded to the San Francisco Giants during their playoff push in 1997, before signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as their marquee free-agent prior to their inaugural season in 1998. He struggled with injuries in Tampa Bay appearing in only 76 games over his five years there, posting a 17-26 record. The lefty closed out his career with three seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and retired with a record of 102-92, while posting a 3.96 ERA.

"We're thrilled to welcome Brad and Sid to State College, and we're excited to see that Wilson is returning" said General Manager Rick Janac. "They're an extremely decorated staff and we're very fortunate to have coaches with the type of major league experience they bring to the table."

The Pirates' minor league managerial and coaching assignments, which were announced today by Director of Player Development Kyle Stark, are listed below:

Indianapolis (AAA)- Trent Jewett (Manager), Hensley Muelens (Hitting), Ray Searage (Pitching), Jose Ministral (Trainer)

Altoona (AA)- Tim Leiper (Manager), Brandon Moore (Hitting), Brad Holman (Pitching), Thomas Pribyl (Trainer)

Lynchburg (A)- Jeff Branson (Manager), Chris Truby (Hitting), Bob Milacki (Pitching), Bryan Housand (Trainer)

Hickory (A)- Gary Green (Manager), Rudy Pena (Hitting), Jeff Johnson (Pitching), Jared Destro (Trainer)

Bradenton (Rookie)- Tom Prince (Manager), Edgar Varela (Coach), Woody Huyke (Coach), Miguel Bonilla (Pitching), Keito Homma (Trainer)

The Spikes 2008 season opens June 17 at Jamestown, with the first pitch at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park slated for June 19 against Jamestown. For season ticket package information, call the Spikes front office toll-free at 1-877-99-SPIKES or visit www.StateCollegeSpikes.com.

NOTES - Last year's manager Turner Ward left the Pirates organization and will be the hitting instructor with the Mobile BayBears (AA - Arizona Diamondbacks).

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