Brian Rupp Set to Return in 2009
The 2009 campaign will be Rupp's sixth season in the Royals organization and ninth as a minor league manager. Previously, he had four successful seasons as the skipper in short-season Idaho Falls. There he led the Chukars to the playoffs in three of four seasons. The 1999 season in Peoria was his managerial debut when he led the Chiefs to a 63-76 record. He stayed in the Cardinals organization for three more years. He was the hitting coach for Double-A Arkansas in 2000, managed New Jersey in the short-season New York-Penn League in 2001, and managed Johnson City in the short-season Appalachian League in 2002. His career managerial record is 361-363.
As a player, Rupp was drafted by the Cardinals in the 43rd round of the 1992 draft after a standout career at the University of Missouri-St. Louis where he is a member of the UMSL Sports Hall of Fame. He played seven seasons in the Cardinals minor league system, getting as high as Triple-A. He was the Arizona League MVP and batting champion in his first year and won the South Atlantic League batting title in 1993 with Savannah. He had a .295 career average over 742 career games. Rupp makes his home near St. Louis in Florissant, MO. He and his wife Stacie have one son, Andrew.
The Royals also announced that the Bees will have a new pitching coach and hitting coach in 2009. Jerry Nyman will join the staff as the pitching coach after spending two years in Idaho Falls. Rupp and Nyman previously worked together in 2007 in Idaho Falls. This season will mark Nyman's 22nd year as a professional coach. From 2004-2006, he was the Minor League Pitching Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Rays. Nyman has also spent time as a coach in the Padres, Brewers, Braves, and Pirates organizations. As a player, Nyman made 30 career appearances in the Majors with the White Sox and Padres from 1968-1970, going 6-7 with three complete games, and a 4.57 ERA. A native of Logan, Utah, he resides in Missoula, Montana.
Pookie Wilson returns to the Royals organization as the hitting coach for the Bees. Wilson previously worked as a hitting coach in the Kansas City system from 2002-2004, including one year under Brian Rupp in Idaho Falls in 2004. He joined the Royals after coaching in the Florida Marlins Minor League system as outfield and baserunning coordinator in 1999, and outfield coordinator in 2000. As a player, Wilson spent five seasons in the Marlins farm system and was a member of Portland's Northern Championship teams in 1995-1997.
Yoshi Kitaura will return for his third season with the Bees as the trainer.
Ryan Long, who was the Bees hitting coach the past two seasons, recently accepted a hitting coach position within the Pirates organization. 2008 pitching coach, Doug Henry, will remain in the Royals organization as the new roving pitching coach. Former Bees manager, Jim Gabella, will return to Idaho Falls for his second season as manager of the Chukars. A full listing of the Royals field staffs and roving instructors for the upcoming season is available on the Royals website at www.kcroyals.com.
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Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
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