Charlie Montoyo, an 11-year vet as a manager in the Devil Rays organization, will step up as the Manager of the Durham Bulls for the 2007 season. |
The Durham Bulls, in conjunction with their parent club Tampa Bay Devil Rays, on Wednesday, November 29, 2006, released the names of their 2007 coaching staff. Former Montgomery Biscuits Manager Charlie Montoyo will become the third manager in Durham Bulls Triple-A history when the team takes the field on Thursday, April 5th for the 2007 season opener. Pitching Coach Xavier Hernandez, Hitting Coach Gary Gaetti and Trainer Mark Vinson will round out the staff.
Montoyo returns for his 11th year as a manager in the Rays organization, first at the Triple-A affiliate. He led the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits to the Southern League Championship last season and has a career winning percentage of .497 (626-634) with three postseason appearances (also 1998-Hudson Valley and 2001-Bakersfield). Montoyo spent 10 years as an infielder in the Milwaukee Brewers, Montreal Expos and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, reaching the major leagues for 27 games in 1993 with the Expos.
Hernandez also makes the jump from Montgomery to Durham for his sixth season as a pitching coach in the Rays organization, first at the Triple-A level. Last season, the Biscuits staff tied for tops in the minors with 19 shutouts under Hernandez’s watch. He played 10 season in the major leagues for the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers compiling a career 40-35 record with a 3.90 ERA.
Gaetti joins the Rays organization as Durham’s hitting coach. He spent the previous four seasons with the Astros organization including a two-year stint as the major league hitting coach (July 2004-July 2006). A veteran of 20 major league seasons, Gaetti is one of 37 players all-time to record at least 2,250 hits and 350 home runs. He was a two-time All-Star infielder (1988-89), won four Gold Glove Awards (1986-89) and earned a spot on The Sporting News’ Silver Slugger Team (1995). A former first round pick by the Twins in 1979, he ranks sixth all-time among third basemen with 360 homers.
Trainer Mark Vinson also joins the Durham staff from Montgomery in this, his second season with the Rays organization. Mark spent three years in the Texas Rangers organization before taking over as head trainer at Bluefield College in Virginia in 2004.
In Other News
MiLB.com, the official website of Minor League Baseball, today announced Durham Bulls relief pitcher Juan Salas was named the 2006 Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year.
Salas joined the Bulls in mid-June and solidified the bullpen, posting a 1.57 ERA in 27 appearances. In 28.2 innings he allowed only 15 hits and 11 walks while striking out 33. Salas also pitched for the World Team in the 2007 All-Star Futures Game.
To read the full story about the award, click here. |
Thanks to DBBC’s Matt DeMargel for this capcom story & photo.
