SeaWolve Announce 2015 Field Staff
The Erie SeaWolves, in conjunction with their parent club the Detroit Tigers, announced their 2015 field staff today. Lance Parrish, the 15th manager in SeaWolves history, returns to the club in 2015 for his second season. He will be only the fourth to manage multiple seasons in Erie. Parrish led the SeaWolves to a 71-71 record in 2014, including a 17-13 record during the final month of the season.
Joining Parrish will be hitting coach Gerald Perry and pitching coach Mike Henneman. Perry returns for his third season with the SeaWolves while Henneman joins Erie after spending the last two seasons with the Class-A West Michigan Whitecaps. Athletic trainer T.J. Saunders returns to the club for his second season.
Parrish, a native of Clairton, Pennsylvania, was originally a first-round pick (16th overall) by the Tigers in the 1974 draft. He played in 1,988 Major League games spanning 19 seasons with the Tigers (1977-86), Philadelphia Phillies (1987-88), California Angels (1989-92), Seattle Mariners (1992), Cleveland Indians (1993), Pittsburgh Pirates (1994) and Toronto Blue Jays (1995). Parrish was an eight-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove Award winner a six-time Silver Slugger Award recipient.
LANCE PARRISH - MANAGER
Lance Parrish returns for his second season as manager of the Erie SeaWolves.
Parrish, a native of Clairton, Pennsylvania, was originally a first round pick (16th overall) by the Tigers in the 1974 draft. He played in 1,988 Major League games spanning 19 seasons with the Tigers (1977-86), Philadelphia Phillies (1987-88), California Angels (1989-92), Seattle Mariners (1992), Cleveland Indians (1993), Pittsburgh Pirates (1994) and Toronto Blue Jays (1995). Parrish was an eight-time MLB All-Star, three-time Gold Glove Award winner and six-time Slugger Award recipient
Following his playing career, Parrish joined the Kansas City Royals as their roving catching coordinator in 1996. He coached with the Dodgers affiliate in San Antonio (Double-A) in 1997 and the first half of 1998. He was named the club's manager in the middle of the 1998 season when Ron Roenicke was promoted to Triple-A manager. The team secured a postseason berth but lost in the first round of the Texas League playoffs.
In 1999, Parrish joined the Tigers coaching staff and spent three seasons as the team's Major League bullpen coach and third base coach. He spent the 2002 season as a color analyst for the Tigers before returning to the field in 2003 to spend three seasons as the bullpen coach on Alan Trammel's staff.
In 2006, Parrish rejoined the Dodgers organization to manage Ogden (Rookie) before moving on to Great Lakes (Class-A) the following year.
Parrish and his wife Arlyne have three children, David, Matthew and Ashley. David was a first-round selection (28th overall) of the New York Yankees in the 2000 draft. His daughter Ashley is married to former SeaWolves first baseman Kelly Hunt.
GERALD PERRY - HITTING COACH
Gerald Perry returns in 2015 as the hitting coach of the SeaWolves. Prior to joining the Tigers organization, Perry was the hitting coach for the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA-Boston) in 2012. Perry has also served as the Major League hitting coach for the Oakland A's (2006 & 2011), Seattle Mariners (2000-02), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003-05) and Chicago Cubs (2007-June 2009). Gerald served as a hitting coach for Team USA in the 2013 World Baseball Classic and the U.S. Team in the 2014 Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game.
Originally an 11th round selection by Atlanta in the 1978 draft, Perry played parts of 13 Major League seasons with the Braves (1983-89), Kansas City Royals (1990) and St. Louis Cardinals (1991- 95). A .265 lifetime hitter with 59 home runs and 396 RBI in 1,193 games, the Savannah, Georgia native was named to the National League All-Star Team in 1988 when he batted .300 with 29 doubles, eight homers, 74 RBI and 29 stolen bases for the Braves. In 1987, he set an Atlanta record with 42 stolen bases, the most by a full-time Major League first baseman since Rod Carew swiped 49 with Minnesota in 1976. When he finished his career in St. Louis, he left as the Cardinals' all-time leader in pinch hits (70).
Perry is a 1978 graduate of H.E. McCracken High School in Buffton, S.C. He and his wife, Tara, have three children, Portia, Falon and Gerald Jr.
MIKE HENNEMAN - PITCHING COACH
Mike Henneman enters his third season in the Tigers organization and his first as the SeaWolves pitching coach. Henneman spent the last two seasons with the Class-A West Michigan Whitecaps.
Henneman played 10 seasons at the Major League level with the Tigers (1987-95), Houston Astros (1995) and Texas Rangers (1996). He compiled a 57-42 record, 3.21 ERA with 533 strikeouts in 561 career appearances.
Henneman was originally selected by the Tigers in the fourth round of the 1984 Draft. He ranks second in Tigers history with 154 saves and fifth with 491 appearances. Mike was named an American League All-Star in 1989.
T.J. SAUNDERS - ATHLETIC TRAINER
T.J. Saunders enters his 6th season as an athletic trainer in the Tigers organization and his second with the SeaWolves. Before joining Erie in 2014, Saunders spent three seasons with the Class-A West Michigan Whitecaps.
The Annapolis, Maryland native graduated from Florida State University in 2001 with a Bachelor's of Science in Sports Medicine, with an emphasis in athletic training. In 2009, he graduated with a Master's of Science in Exercise Physiology from the University of Tennessee.
T.J. is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the Southeastern Athletic Trainers Association and the Athletic Trainers Association of Florida. T.J. currently resides in Lakeland, Florida.