Mariano To Return As Manager In 2013

FRESNO, Calif. - Bob Mariano will return as the Fresno Grizzlies manager for the 2013 season, the 2012 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants announced. Mariano, who guided the Grizzlies to a 74-70 record in 2012, will be joined by a familiar coaching staff in hitting coach Russ Morman and pitching coach Pat Rice. Eric Ortega, the Grizzlies' Athletic Trainer in 2012, will also return to the Grizzlies in the same capacity. Jim Bose is the only newcomer to the Grizzlies staff. Bose will serve as the team's Strength & Conditioning Coach.

Mariano, 55, made his managerial debut with the San Francisco Giants organization in 2012 and led Fresno to its best start in franchise history. The Grizzlies finished with a winning record last season, which was the franchise's fifth winning season in the team's 15-year history. Mariano has a career managerial record of 243-239 over four seasons. The 2013 season will be Mariano's ninth consecutive season with the Giants organization after serving as the Minor League Hitting Coordinator from 2005-2011. The Phoenix, Arizona resident has also worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2001-2004), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2000), Milwaukee Brewers (1993-1997), New York Yankees (1988-1992), and Baltimore Orioles (1985-86) organizations.

Morman, 50, will return for his third season as the Grizzlies hitting coach and fourth season in the Giants organization. In 2012, the resident of Blue Springs, Missouri oversaw a Grizzlies offense that batted .276 as a team and was third in the Pacific Coast League in triples with 48. The 48 triples are a Grizzlies franchise record for a single season. Morman was also one of three coaches for the PCL in the 2012 Triple-A All-Star Game. Morman, a former first round pick by the Chicago White Sox in the 1983 Draft, has previously worked for the Boston Red Sox (2003-2009) and Florida Marlins (2000-2001) organizations. He was named 2001 Midwest League Manager of the Year after piloting Single-A Kane County to a league championship.

Rice, 49, will enter his fifth year as the Grizzlies pitching coach in 2013. The Colorado Springs, Colorado resident helped the Grizzlies pitching staff compile the best team ERA for April (3.04) and eventually finished seventh in the PCL in team ERA in 2012. Twelve Grizzlies pitchers pitched for both the Grizzlies and Giants last season, including nine hurlers who started with the Grizzlies before ascending to the Majors later in the season. The former Major League pitcher spent the 2008 campaign with the Single-A Advanced San Jose Giants and worked in the Seattle Mariners organization for 13 seasons, including eight as the Mariners' Minor League Pitching Coordinator (2000-2007).

Ortega returns for his second consecutive season with the Grizzlies and eighth overall campaign with the Giants farm system. Ortega has also worked for the Double-A Connecticut Defenders/Richmond Flying Squirrels (2009-2011), Class Low A Augusta GreenJackets (2008), and Arizona League Giants (2006-2007). The resident of Watsonville, California earned a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology in 2003 from Cal State Sacramento.

Bose enters his third season in the Giants organization after spending 2012 with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. The native of Chicago, Illinois served as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Class Low A Augusta GreenJackets in 2011. He worked for the Seattle Mariners organization in 2010. Bose earned a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from Cornell College (Iowa).

The Grizzlies open their 2013 season on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at Chukchansi Park against the Tacoma Rainiers.