Fran Riordan returns as Aviators manager for 2022 campaign!
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 3, 2022 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of Triple-A West (formerly the Pacific Coast League, PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, announced today, in conjunction with the A’s Communications Department, that Fran Riordan will return for his fourth season as manager
(Las Vegas, NV) – February 3, 2022 – The Las Vegas Aviators® professional baseball team of Triple-A West (formerly the Pacific Coast League, PCL), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, announced today, in conjunction with the A’s Communications Department, that Fran Riordan will return for his fourth season as manager for the A’s Triple-A affiliate for the 2022 season and his third season with the Aviators. Riordan is the 25th manager in the history of the Las Vegas franchise (1983 – 2019, 2021; 38 seasons). Riordan served as manager for the A’s Triple-A affiliate in Nashville during the 2018 campaign.
The Aviators coaching staff was also announced as Steve Connelly was named pitching coach; Brian McArn returns as hitting coach (assistant hitting coach in 2021) and Jason Hart was named as assistant hitting coach. Justin Whitehouse was named athletic trainer and Shane Zdebiak returns as assistant athletic trainer. Matt Mosiman was named sport performance coach.
"I'm so excited to be in Las Vegas again for the 2022 season!," Fran Riordan said. "The organization, fans and stadium are the best in baseball. Looking forward to winning a lot of games!"
Riordan (pronounced REAR-den), 46, has compiled 21 seasons overall in professional baseball and has been a member of the Oakland Athletics organization for the past seven seasons (2015-21).
He has compiled an overall managerial record over 20 seasons of 1,089-1,043 (.511). In 2021, he guided the Aviators to an overall record of 65-61 (.516) in Triple-A West (Western Division) and finished in third place. In 2020, with the Minor League Baseball season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Riordan worked with the Athletics' 60-man player pool at the team's alternate training site located in San Jose, California.
In 2019, he led Triple-A Las Vegas to the second-best record in the 16-team PCL (83-57, .593) and the Aviators captured the Pacific Southern Division Championship. Las Vegas returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and lost to Sacramento, 3-games-to-2, in the conference championship series. The 83-57 record marked a single-season franchise record for winning percentage at .593 (140-game season).
In 2018, he made his Triple-A debut as manager with the Nashville Sounds and compiled an overall record of 72-68 (.514) and finished in second place in the American Southern Division to the PCL and Triple-A National Champion, the Memphis Redbirds. Nashville compiled a PCL-best 15-game winning streak from July 29 – August 14.
In 2017, he compiled a record of 67-71 (.486) with Double-A Midland and his squad captured the Texas League Championship. The prior two seasons, he was the skipper of Single-A Beloit of the Midwest League.
Before joining the Oakland organization, Riordan spent four seasons as manager of the Florence Freedom of the Frontier League (2011-14). He led the team to two playoff berths and is the all-time Frontier League leader in wins with 625. He was a 2014 Frontier League Hall of Fame inductee. Prior to his time with Florence, he managed the Northern League’s Lake County Fielders (2010) and Kalamazoo Kings for six seasons (2004-09), leading the Kings to the 2005 Frontier League title. He also served as player-manager in the Frontier League from 2000-02, leading the Richmond Roosters to back-to-back-league championships in 2001 and 2002.
The Virginia Beach native played seven seasons of professional baseball as a first baseman/outfielder (1997-2003) after playing college baseball at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.
Fran the Man is BACK as the manager for the Las Vegas Aviators in 2022 🎉
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) February 3, 2022
Coaching staff updates: https://t.co/yG2j6ojnSN pic.twitter.com/hBxJq6Xkcl
Las Vegas Franchise All-Time Managers List (1983-2019, 2021):
1983, Harry Dunlop (83-60, .580)
1984-85, Bob Cluck (136-144, .486)
1986, Larry Bowa (80-62, .563, PCL Champions)
1987, Jack Krol (69-73, .486)
1988-89, Steve Smith (148-135, .523, ’88 PCL Champions)
1990, Pat Kelly (58-86, .403)
1991-92, Jim Riggleman (139-145, .489)
1993-94, Russ Nixon (114-172, .399)
1995, Tim Flannery (61-83, .424)
1996-98, 2005-06, Jerry Royster (323-387, .455)
1999, Mike Ramsey (67-75, .472)
2000, Duane Espy (30-20, .600)
2000, Tony Franklin (43-50, .462)
2001, Rick Sofield (68-76, .472)
2002, Brad Mills (85-59, .590, PCL Manager of the Year)
2003 , John Shoemaker (76-66, .535)
2004, Terry Kennedy (67-76, .469)
2007-08, Lorenzo Bundy (141-146, .491)
2009, Mike Basso (71-73, .493)
2010, Dan Rohn (66-78, .458)
2011-12, Marty Brown (150-137, .523)
2013-16, Wally Backman (309-267, .536) – 2014 PCL Manager of the Year
2017, Pedro Lopez (56-86, .394)
2018, Tony DeFrancesco (71-69, .507)
2019, Fran Riordan (83-57, .593, PCL Manager of the Year)
2020, Minor League Baseball season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021, Fran Riordan (65-61, .516; career LV manager record: 148-118, .556)
Las Vegas Triple-A Affiliation History:
San Diego Padres, 18 seasons (1983-2000), 1,227-1,329 (.480), 7 playoff appearances
Los Angeles Dodgers, 8 seasons (2001-08), 561-586 (.489), 1 playoff appearance
Toronto Blue Jays, 4 seasons (2009-2012), 287-288 (.499), 0 playoff appearances
New York Mets, 6 seasons (2013-18), 436-422 (.508), 2 playoff appearances
Oakland Athletics, 2 seasons (2019, 2021 - present), 148-118 (.556), 1 playoff appearance
ALL-TIME RECORD: 2,659-2,743 (.492)
The Las Vegas Stars/51s/Aviators have captured the PCL Championship twice (1986 & 1988) and appeared in the playoffs 11 times (21-32 record, .396).
Steve Connelly enters his first season with Triple-A Las Vegas as pitching coach. He spent the previous four seasons as pitching coach at Double-A Midland of the Texas League and Double-A Central (2018-2021).
His minor league coaching career also includes: two seasons as pitching coach for Single-A Stockton of the California League (2016-17); pitching coach for one season with Single-A Beloit of the Midwest League (2015); pitching coach for Short-Season Vermont of the New York-Penn League for one season (2014). Prior to joining the A’s organization in 2014, he served as pitching coach at the University of Alabama-Huntsville from 2011-13.
He was selected by Oakland in the 24th round of June 1995 First-Year Player Draft and pitched four seasons in the A’s organization (1995-98). He made his Major League debut in 1998 and posted a 1.93 ERA (0-0 record) in three relief appearances with Oakland. He also played four minor league seasons in the San Francisco organization with Triple-A Fresno of the Pacific Coast League (1999-2001, 2003). The native of Long Beach, Calif., starred at the University of Oklahoma and was a member of the 1994 team that won the College World Series. He played three seasons for the Sooners (1993-95).
Brian McArn returns to Triple-A Las Vegas for his second season. He will serve as hitting coach and was the assistant hitting coach last season. In 2021, he completed his 24th season overall in the Oakland Athletics organization. He spent three seasons as hitting coach (2018-2020) for Single-A Stockton of the California League.
His minor league coaching career includes: three stints as hitting coach for Single-A Stockton of the California League for a total of seven seasons (2011-12, 2014-15, 2018-20); Double-A Midland of the Texas League hitting coach for four seasons (2004, 2013, 2016-17); Triple-A Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League for six seasons (2005-10); the A's former Single-A affiliate in Modesto of the California League where he served as hitting coach for six seasons (1998-2003).
Prior to joining the A’s organization, he spent one season as the hitting coach for Single-A Vermont of the New York-Penn League. He has been a minor league coach for a total of 24 seasons and began his coaching career at American River Junior College in Sacramento, where he served as assistant coach.
McArn was selected by the Athletics in the 26th round of June 1991 First-Year Player Draft. He spent two seasons in the A’s organization before injuries ended his career in 1992.
Jason Hart joins the Oakland Athletics organization after 13 seasons in the Texas organization. He served as hitting coach for Single-A Hickory in 2020. Hart also spent two seasons with Hickory of the South Atlantic League from 2010-11. He was then the hitting coach for Double-A Frisco of the Texas League for eight seasons (2012-19).
In 2015, Hart was named the Mike Coolbaugh Texas League Coach of the Year for his work with the RoughRiders hitters. His tenure with the Rangers organization began after he assisted the Single-A Clinton staff with coaching responsibilities for a portion of the 2008 season and continued when he accepted the role of hitting coach for rookie-level Arizona Rangers prior to the 2009 campaign.
Hart was originally drafted by Oakland in the fifth round of June 1998 First-Year Player Draft and was acquired by Texas in a January 2002 trade with the Athletics. He played professionally for parts of eight seasons from 1998-2006, with stints in the Oakland, Texas and Minnesota organizations. He made his Major League debut with Texas in 2002.
He attended Southwest Missouri State University where he led the conference in home runs in 1988 and was selected as a Missouri Valley Conference All-Star in 1998.
Justin Whitehouse will enter his 22nd season in the Oakland Athletics organization and his first campaign with Triple-A Las Vegas as athletic trainer. In 2021, he served as the A’s Infection Control Prevention Coordinator.
He previously spent 12 seasons with Double-A Midland of the Texas League (2008-19), five with Single-A Kane County (2003-07) and two years with Single-A Visalia of the California League (2001-02) as an athletic trainer. He was named Midwest League athletic trainer of the year in 2007.
Whitehouse earned his degree in health education at the University of Nevada at Reno and received his master’s in physical education, with an emphasis in athletic training and biomechanics, at San Diego State. He interned with the San Francisco 49ers during spring and summer training camps in 1997 and 1998.
Shane Zdebiak (pronounced Zah-deb-ee-ack) will enter his second season with Triple-A Las Vegas. In 2022, he will serve as assistant athletic trainer. He was the athletic trainer for Single-A Stockton in the California League for three seasons (2018-2020).
Prior to that, he was athletic trainer for Single-A Clinton in the Seattle Mariners organization in 2016 after serving as athletic trainer for Short-Season Everett from 2014-15, also in the Seattle system. Prior to joining the Mariners, he worked as the athletic trainer of the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the independent American Association from 2010-13 and two seasons with the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Zdebiak graduated from the University of Manitoba in 2009 with a B.A. in kinesiology and is certified as an athletic therapist through the Canadian Athletic Therapists’ Association and as an athletic trainer through the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Board of Certification.
Matt Mosiman will enter his first season with Triple-A Las Vegas as sport performance coach. He spent the 2021 campaign as sport performance coach with Double-A Midland of Double-A Central.
He spent the 2017 season with the Dominican Summer League A’s and 2018-19 with Single-A Stockton of the California League.
Prior to joining the A’s, Mosiman interned with Notre Dame, New Mexico State University and the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. A graduate of La Crosse, he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the institution.
The Aviators will open their 40th calendar season in the Silver State in both the season and home opener on Tuesday, April 5 against intrastate rival, the Reno Aces, Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, at Las Vegas Ballpark.
The Aviators led 2021 Triple-A West in home attendance with a total of 428,369 for an average of 6,590 in 65 dates which included six sellouts.
2022 Las Vegas Aviators season tickets, including suites and party decks are available by calling the Aviators administrative offices at (702) 943-7200.
Official licensed Aviators team merchandise is available on the “Team Shop” section of the website at www.aviatorslv.com.
About Las Vegas Aviators®
The Las Vegas Aviators® have the proud distinction of being the longest enduring franchise in the history of professional sports in the state of Nevada. The 2021 campaign marked the 39th calendar season in the Silver State as a proud member of Triple-A professional baseball of Triple-A West (formerly the Pacific Coast League, PCL) and the second season in Las Vegas Ballpark (8,196). The Aviators led all minor league baseball in 2019 attendance with a total of 650,934 for an average of 9,299. Las Vegas recorded 47 sellouts and 23 crowds of 10,000+. In 2021, Las Vegas led Triple-A West in home attendance with a total of 428,369 for an average of 6,590.
The Aviators were the recipient of the 2021 Baseball America Triple-A Freitas Award, given to the organization of the year at each level of the Minor Leagues.
The Stars (1983-2000)/51s (2001-18)/Aviators (2019 - present) have reached the 300,000 mark in “home” attendance in all 38 seasons (36 seasons at Cashman Field, 1983-2018; Las Vegas Ballpark, 2019, 2021). The Aviators also completed their second season as the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics and the franchise won the PCL championship in 1986 and 1988.
About Las Vegas Ballpark®
Las Vegas Ballpark®, located on eight acres in Downtown Summerlin® just south of City National Arena – practice facility for the Vegas Golden Knights, is the home of the Las Vegas Aviators®, the city's professional Triple-A baseball team of Triple-A West (formerly the Pacific Coast League, PCL) and affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. The team is wholly owned by The Howard Hughes Corporation®, developer of the award-winning master-planned community of Summerlin® and developer of Las Vegas Ballpark. With a wide range of seating options including 22 suites, club seats, berm seating, party zones and decks, picnic tables, kids' zone, bars and a pool beyond the outfield wall, Las Vegas Ballpark boasts a capacity of 8,196. Designed to host a variety of events in addition to baseball, the site is landscaped to complement the surrounding master-planned community. The site is easily accessed from all regions of the valley via the 215 Beltway. For more on Las Vegas Ballpark, visit www.thelvballpark.com.
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Contact:
Jim Gemma
Media Relations Director
Las Vegas Aviators, Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics
(702) 493-4510