The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their 2011 minor league coaching assignments today. The changes and some notes below:
AAA – Indianapolis Indians
Manager – Dean Treanor
Treanor was the pitching coach for Indianapolis, but will take over as the manager now that previous manager Frank Kremblas has moved on to be the minor league field coordinator.
Coach – Jeff Branson
Branson returns for his third season as hitting coach for the Indians.
Pitching Coach – Tom Filer
Filer was the pitching coach for the Altoona Curve last year, and will move up to replace Treanor, likely also moving up with a good portion of the 2010 Altoona pitching staff.
Trainer – Bryan Housand
Housand enters his 11th season with the Pirates’ organization. He was the trainer in Altoona last year, and in Lynchburg the year before.
AA – Altoona Curve
Manager – P.J. Forbes
Forbes replaces former Altoona manager Matt Walbeck. Forbes has been with the Pirates’ organization for two seasons, both in high-A. He managed the 2009 Lynchburg Hillcats, and the 2010 Bradenton Marauders.
Coach – Brandon Moore
Moore was the hitting coach for the State College Spikes in 2010. He replaces Ryan Long as the hitting coach in Altoona, with Long going to Bradenton to coach the high-A team.
Pitching Coach – Wally Whitehurst
Whitehurst has been the pitching coach in high-A for the last two seasons, and moves up to replace Tom Filer, who moved to AAA.
Trainer – Mike Zalno
Zalno was the trainer in State College last year.
A+ – Bradenton Marauders
Manager – Carlos Garcia
Garcia was the infield coach for the Pirates in 2010, and moves to manage the high-A team in 2011, replacing P.J. Forbes.
Coach – Ryan Long
Long moves from AA to high-A to fill the same role.
Pitching Coach – Mike Steele
Steele was the pitching coach for the State College Spikes the last two years. He was also the pitching coach who took over in high-A for Bob Milacki in 2008, after Milacki was fired for leaving pitchers in too long.
Trainer – Keito Homma
Homma returns as the trainer in high-A.
A – West Virginia Power
Manager – Gary Robinson
Robinson jumps from the manager in State College to West Virginia, replacing 2010 manager Gary Green, who moved on to become the infield coordinator.
Coach – Dave Howard
Howard moves down a level, from the hitting coach in high-A in 2009 and 2010, to the same role in low-A for the 2011 season.
Pitching Coach – Jeff Johnson
Johnson remains as the pitching coach in West Virginia for the 2011 season.
Trainer – Dru Scott
Scott returns as the trainer for West Virginia.
A- – State College Spikes
Manager – Dave Turgeon
Turgeon is the former associate head coach and pitching coach at Virginia Tech. He replaces Gary Robinson, who moved up to West Virginia.
Coach – Edgar Varela
Varela was the hitting coach in West Virginia in 2010, and moves down a level in 2011.
Pitching Coach – Justin Meccage
Meccage is the former pitching coach at Arkansas State, and replaces Mike Steele, who moved up to Bradenton.
Trainer – Thomas Pribyl
Pribyl was the trainer in AAA in 2010, and moves down to State College in 2011.
GCL Pirates
Manager – Tom Prince
Prince returns as the manager for the GCL Pirates in 2011.
Pitching Coach – Miguel Bonilla
Bonilla returns as the pitching coach for the GCL Pirates in 2011.
Coach – Mike Lum
Coach – Woody Huyke
Lum and Huyke each return as coaches for the GCL Pirates in 2011.
Trainer – Jose Ministral
Ministral returns as the trainer for the GCL Pirates in 2011.
Minor League Coordinators
Brad Fischer, Advisor to Player Development staff
-Fischer was the State College manager in 2008, and the Minor League catching coordinator, before going to Milwaukee to be the third base coach.
Jim Benedict, Pitching coordinator
-Benedict returns as the minor league pitching coordinator.
Frank Kremblas, Coordinator of instruction (Field coordinator)
-Kremblas moves from the AAA manager to the field coordinator, replacing Jeff Banister, who is now the bench coach in Pittsburgh.
Jeff Livesey, Hitting coordinator
-Livesey was with the Pirates from 1998-2005 as the hitting coach and manager in the GCL. He was in Japan for the last five years. He replaces Gregg Ritchie, who moved up to become the hitting coach in Pittsburgh.
Kimera Bartee, Outfield/baserunning coordinator
-Bartee remains in his position as the outfield/baserunning coordinator.
Gary Green, Infield coordinator
-Green moves from the manager in West Virginia to the infield coordinator, replacing Steve Lombardozzi from the 2010 season.
Luis Dorante, Latin American field coordinator
-Dorante moves from the bullpen coach in the majors to the Latin American field coordinator.
Scott Mitchell, Assistant pitching coordinator
-Mitchell is a former AAA pitching coach for the Florida Marlins.
