Former Tiger Bill Haselman Named Loons Manager

Dodgers announce that 13-year MLB vet will serve as Great Lakes skipper

By Bruce Gunther

December 23, 2013

MIDLAND, Mich. - The Great Lakes Loons will have a former Detroit Tiger as their manager next season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced that Bill Haselman, who played for the Tigers in 1999, will manage the Loons - their Single-A Midwest League affiliate - in 2014. Haselman replaces Razor Shines, who managed the Loons last season and will manage the Dodgers' Double-A Chattanooga club next season.

The Dodgers also announced that Bill Simas will return as the Loons pitching coach, while Johnny Washington will serve as hitting coach.

Haselman joins the Dodgers' organization after spending the past two seasons with the Inland Empire 66ers, the Single-A affiliate of the Anaheim Angels, and led the team to a California League Championship in 2013. He managed Single-A Bakersfield (Texas Rangers) in 2010.

A New Jersey native and UCLA product, Haselman was a first-round pick (23rd overall) of the Rangers in 1987. His 13-year major league career included stops in Texas, Seattle, Boston and Detroit. With the Tigers, Haselman appeared in 48 games and had a .273 batting average with four home runs and 14 RBIs.

Haselman appeared in 589 major league games overall, batting .259 with 47 home runs and 210 RBIs. He also was the Red Sox catcher when Roger Clemens struck out 20 batters against the Tigers in 1996.

Shines managed one season at Dow Diamond, guiding the Loons to an overall record of 67-72, but the team finished 40-29 in the second half to earn a Midwest League Eastern Division playoff spot. He also served as the Loons hitting coach in 2012.

Simas, 42, returns as pitching coach after a 2013 season in which the Loons led the Midwest League in strikeouts (1,113) and tied for second with 15 shutouts.

Washington is returning for his sixth season as a minor league coach and first with the Loons. He was the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga hitting coach in 2012 and 2013.

Washington spent seven seasons as a minor league player in the Rangers and Dodgers organizations. He was drafted by Texas in the 27th round of the 2003 draft.

Mike Eylward, the Loons' hitting coach last season, will serve in the same role with Rancho Cucamonga in 2014.

The Great Lakes Loons are an eighth-year Single-A partner of the Dodgers. For tickets or general information, visit Loons.com or call 989-837-BALL.