Zephyrs announce 2013 field staff
Joining Hassey on the Zephyrs' bench will be pitching coach Charlie Corbell and hitting coach Damon Minor, both returning for a third consecutive season. Athletic trainer Chris Olson will make his Triple-A debut, while strength and conditioning coach Cesar Vasquez will return for a second year.
In his first season with the Zephyrs in 2012, Hassey helped the club to its first winning record since 2007. Hassey will be entering his fifth season as a manager in the Marlins organization, having previously skippered Class AA Carolina in 2004 and Class A Jupiter from 2010-11. He also enjoyed a two-year stint as the bench coach for the Seattle Mariners under manager Mike Hargrove in 2005 and 2006. Hassey batted .266 over 14 seasons in the majors as a catcher for six teams, and is the only catcher in Major League history to catch two perfect games, working with Cleveland's Len Barker in 1981, and Montreal's Dennis Martinez in 1991. A member of three consecutive American League pennant winners with Oakland from 1988-90, Hassey earned a World Championship ring with the A's in 1989. Following his retirement, he spent time as a big league coach with the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals, then worked in a variety of roles in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for seven seasons.
Corbell returns to New Orleans for a third consecutive season, and fourth season overall, after guiding the Zephyrs' pitching staff to a Pacific Coast League-leading 3.96 team ERA in 2012. Corbell is entering his 12th year as a minor league pitching coach, and his seventh year in the Marlins organization, after two-year stints with Jamestown (2007-08) and Greensboro (2009-10). Originally selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 21st round in 1983, Corbell went 54-42 with a 3.67 ERA in 141 career minor league appearances (133 starts) in the Giants and Oakland Athletics systems.
Minor also returns to New Orleans for a third season. After making his professional coaching debut in 2011, Minor presided over a Zephyrs offense that set a franchise record by hitting 153 home runs in 2012. Minor played in 136 games over parts of four seasons with the San Francisco Giants, and established career highs in 2002 by playing in 83 games and hitting 10 home runs, helping the Giants to the National League pennant. Following his retirement in 2006, Minor returned to his alma mater at the University of Oklahoma as a hitting instructor, and operated the Minor-Foral Baseball Academy.
Olson is entering his second season in the Marlins organization, after spending last year with Class A Greensboro, where he handled the trainer's duties for the Northern Division All-Stars in the South Atlantic League All-Star Game. Prior to joining the Marlins, Olson served as the athletic trainer for the Texas Rangers' Dominican Summer League affiliate. Olson earned his Master of Science in athletic training from Florida International University.
Vasquez returns for his second season in New Orleans as strength and conditioning coach, his second season in the Marlins organization and sixth season overall in professional baseball. Vasquez previously spent time in the Cincinnati Reds system, working at the Class A and Class AA levels, and as the assistant strength coach for the major league club in 2009. He attained his Master of Science in exercise physiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Zephyrs open the 2013 season in Nashville on Thursday, April 4 and begin the home slate against the Round Rock Express on Friday, April 12. Ticket packages, as well as tickets for the March 30 exhibition game with the Miami Marlins, are available now at the Zephyr Field box office, or by calling (504) 734-5155.