Bulls Manager Named to Devil Rays Coaching Staff

Durham Bulls Manager Bill Evers will move to Tampa Bay to serve as Bench Coach for the Devil Rays for the 2006 season.

In eight seasons with the Durham Bulls, manager Bill Evers has helped countless players reach the major leagues. In 2006, he’s going to join them.

New Tampa Bay Devil Rays Manager Joe Maddon today announced Evers will serve as the bench coach for the Rays, an organization he’s served in some capacity since October 16th, 1995.

“It’s hard to put into words. It’s something I’ve been working towards for the last 30 years and it’s just really a dream come true,” Evers said.

Evers 51, enjoyed remarkable success with the Bulls, amassing seven winning seasons, six playoff appearances, five division titles, four appearances in the Governors’ Cup Finals and back-to-back International League Championships in 2002-2003. His 613 career wins are the most by any manager in the Bulls 103-year history.

Evers has spent 30 years in minor league baseball, the past 19 as a manager. Along with Durham, he also managed the Gulf Coast League Rays in 1996 and the St. Petersburg Devil Rays in the Florida State League in 1997. He has compiled a 1,381-1,206 (.534) record, second most wins among active minor league managers behind Tom Kotchman’s 1,401 wins in the Angels’ organization.

Thanks to DBBC’s Matt DeMargel for this capcom story & photo.