Graham back to defend championship as Whitecaps manager
COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The Detroit Tigers today announced that Andrew Graham will return to the defending Midwest League Champion West Michigan Whitecaps in 2016 for a third season as the team's manager.
The Tigers also announced that Mark Johnson will be returning to the Whitecaps as pitching coach and Edgar Alfonzo will join the organization as Whitecaps hitting coach for the 2016 season.
Graham has put together an impressive stint as Whitecaps manager in his first two seasons. In his first season as Whitecaps manager, he guided the 2014 team to an 82-58 record, the most successful team on the field since 2007. He led the 2014 team to the Midwest League Eastern Division first-half championship and a berth in the league playoffs for the first time since 2010.
His 2015 stint was even better, leading the team to a strong second half and ultimately winning the Midwest League Championship. After a rough first half of the season that was littered with injuries to key players, the team came back in the second half with an infusion of fresh talent from the June draft. Graham molded the team into winners, posting a 42-28 second-half record and marching through the playoffs on their way to the franchise's sixth Midwest League Championship and first since 2007.
Graham is the first former Whitecaps player to become the team's manager. A native of Sydney, Australia, Graham was drafted by the Tigers in 2003 as a catcher. He played in 26 games for the Whitecaps in 2004 (.253 batting average) and 32 games in 2005 (.190 batting average) before advancing to Class A-Advanced Lakeland, Class AA Erie and finally Class AAA Toledo in 2007. In 2009 and 2010, Graham served as a coach for the rookie Gulf Coast League Tigers, and in 2011, at the age of 29, he earned his first managerial assignment with the short-season Class A Connecticut Tigers. He spent three years there, compiling a 107-117, before being promoted to West Michigan in 2014.
Whitecaps Vice President Jim Jarecki said the organization is very happy that Graham is returning.
"After working with Andrew for the last two seasons, welcoming him back for the third season is easy," said Jarecki. "His competitive nature and professionalism, both on and off the field, has always put the Whitecaps in a great position to continue the success that we have come to know and enjoy. The players respond well day in and day out, and Whitecaps fans truly appreciate his managing style-that is a direct reflection of Andrew's work ethic and drive to be successful."
Johnson returns to West Michigan for the second straight year and seventh season overall. He was the Whitecaps pitching coach from 2008 to 2012, then spent two seasons with the organization's short-season Class A Connecticut Tigers before returning to the Whitecaps in 2015.
Johnson was a first round pick by the Houston Astros in the 1996 draft and pitched nine seasons with the Astros, Marlins, Yankees, Tigers, Brewers and Dodgers organizations. He spent part of the 2000 season in the Major Leagues with the Tigers.
Alfonzo, the older brother of former Major League Baseball player Edgardo Alfonzo, played minor league baseball from 1985-96 in the Baltimore and Anaheim systems. He joined the Mets organization as a coach in 2000, spending 11 seasons with the Mets in different capacities, including hitting coach, minor league infield coordinator, and manager of several different teams. He then joined the Astros as hitting coach of the rookie Gulf Coast League Astros in 2011 and 2012 before managing the team in 2014. In 2014, he joined the Detroit Tigers as the hitting coach of the GCL Tigers, spending a year and a half there before being moved to Class AA Erie Seawolves in the middle of the 2015 season.
The Whitecaps will open the 2016 season at home on Saturday, April 9 at 4 p.m. against the South Bend Cubs. Season and group tickets are on sale now; individual game tickets will go on sale in the early spring. Please visit www.whitecapsbaseball.com for more information.
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