SAL1 Hagerstown Suns

Suns Name Coaching Staff for 2005 Season

Published on February 21, 2005 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Hagerstown Suns News Release


The Hagerstown Suns and the New York Mets are pleased to announce their coaching staff for the 2005 season, set to begin on Tuesday, April 5th when the Suns host Hagerstown Community College in an exhibition game. The regular season begins at Municipal Stadium on Thursday, April 7th.

The Suns new manager will be former big leaguer Gene Richards. Richards, a former San Diego Padre and San Francisco Giant, will lead the Suns as they enter their first year as a Mets affiliate.

Richards, 51, played eight years in the majors as a speedy outfielder and first basemen until retiring after the 1984 season. The native of Monticello, SC, was the 1st overall selection in the 1975 draft. His career batting average of .290 was a Padres franchise high until Tony Gwynn later donned a Padres uniform. Richards stole 56 bases his rookie season in 1977, finishing with 247 for his career. He also led the National League in triples in 1981 and the majors in outfield assists in 1980. He spent the 2004 season as the Los Angeles Dodgers' Outfield & Baserunning coordinator.

Richards will be joined in the Suns dugout by hitting coach Luis Natera and pitching coach Shawn Barton.

Natera, a former draft pick of the Mets, was the hitting coach for Single-A Kingsport the last two seasons. As manager of the Dominican Mets for five prior seasons, Natera amassed an overall record of 270-160.

Like Richards, Barton joins the Mets farm system by way of the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he has been the pitching coach for the Dodgers Triple-A club in Las Vegas and, most recently, pitching coach of the team's Single-A club in Columbus, GA.

The Hagerstown Suns, of the South Atlantic League, are the new single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. The Suns' season opener is April 7th against West Virginia, and the season runs through September 5th. Ticket packages and sponsorships are available by calling 301-791-6266. The Suns are owned by Los Angeles based Mandalay Baseball Properties.

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South Atlantic League Stories from February 21, 2005


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