Coaches set for Southern All-Star Game

MARIETTA, Ga. -- The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced the coaching staffs and umpiring crew for the 2013 Southern League All-Star Game, which is scheduled for July 17 at Bragan Field at Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The league selected the staff of the host Jacksonville Suns to coach the South Division and the staff of the Jackson Generals to coach the North Division.

South Division Manager
Andy Barkett, Jacksonville Suns
In his third season as manager for the Jacksonville Suns, Andy Barkett has accumulated a .532 winning percentage so far in 2013 and has 419 overall wins to his credit in his seven season managerial career. From 2008-2010, he managed the Lakeland Flying Tigers, the Detroit Tigers' Class A Advanced affiliate in the Florida State League and posted an overall record of 193-212. His managing debut in professional baseball was in 2007 with the Oneonta Tigers in the New York Penn League where the team reached the League Semi-Finals with a record of 44-32. A former first baseman and outfielder, Barkett spent 11 years in professional baseball with the Rangers, Braves, Pirates, Devil Rays, Tigers and Mariners organizations.

He saw 17 games in the Majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001 and amassed 14 hits including one homerun and three RBIs in 46 at-bats.

Joining Barkett will be Suns pitching coach John Duffy, hitting coach Kevin Randel and athletic trainer Masa Fujimoto.

North Division Manager
Jim Pankovits, Jackson Generals
Also in his third year as manager for the Jackson Generals, Jim Pankovits has a .442 winning percentage for 2013 and has 919 overall wins in 15 seasons of managing professional baseball. Before joining the Generals (Mariners) in 2011, Pankovits spent 16 years working in the Houston Astros Player Development department, including the last two seasons with the organization as the manager of the Tri-City ValleyCats. In 2010 he led the ValleyCats to the New York-Penn League Championship.

Pankovits also managed at various levels in the Astros Minor League system from 1995-99 and 2006-08. In 2006, he led Class A Advanced Salem to its first Carolina League Playoff berth since 1988 and was named the league's Manager of the Year. Prior to 2006, Pankovits served for six seasons as Houston's Minor League Defense Coordinator. He also served as the Minor League infield coordinator in 2000.

Pankovits began his managerial career managing Boston's Double-A affiliate in New Britain from 1992-94. As a player, he spent parts of five seasons with the Astros, compiling a .250 average in 318 games. He also played in various stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox.

Accompanying Pankovits will be Generals pitching coach Terry Clark, hitting coach Cory Snyder, and athletic trainer Eduardo Tamez.

Southern League Umpires
The four-man umpiring crew for the All-Star Game will consist of Jonathan Bailey (crew chief), Brandon Henson (1B), Derek Mollica (2B) and Thomas Newsom (3B).

Release Schedule:

• July 2 - North-Division All-Stars Named
• July 3 - South Division All-Stars Named
• July 8 - North Division Starting Lineup and Pitcher
• July 9 - South Division Starting Lineup and Pitcher