Darren Bush introduced as River Cats manager
Bush, who steered Midland to the 2009 Texas League Championship during his two seasons with the Double-A RockHounds, has been promoted to River Cats manager. Joining Bush in the Capitol City will be pitching coach Scott Emerson and hitting coach Todd Steverson.
Emerson served in the same capacity for Midland the past four seasons, while Steverson returns to Sacramento after two years as first base coach on Bob Geren's Major League staff. Brad LaRosa remains the River Cats' head trainer in 2011.
The River Cats will hold a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 2:30 p.m., with Bush, prior to the start of the organization's seventh annual Winter Wonderland, a holiday event at Raley Field for families in need. The Press Conference will be streamed live at www.rivercats.com.
Bush, 36, replaces former Sacramento manager Tony DeFrancesco, who led the River Cats to three Pacific Coast League titles and six Division titles in his seven years coaching the River Cats. In 2011, DeFrancesco will coach the Oklahoma City Redhawks, the Triple-A affiliate for the Houston Astros, who face the River Cats in Sacramento from May 19-22. Former River Cats pitching coach Rick Rodriguez will serve as the Oakland A's bullpen coach in 2011, while former Cats hitting coach Brian McArn will serve in the same role with the Stockton Ports.
Darren Bush
Bush owns a 288-272 managerial record (.514) in four seasons in Oakland's farm system, serving as manager of Single-A Stockton in 2007-08 before assuming the managing reins in Midland in 2009. He guided the Stockton Ports to a California League title in 2008. Bush first joined the Athletics in 2005 as hitting coach at Stockton for two seasons. Prior to Stockton, he managed independent teams, spending 2004 with Quebec, 2003 with Berkshire and 2002 with Yuba-Sutter. A former catcher, Bush spent three season in the Minor Leagues with San Diego (1999-2000) and Philadelphia (2001). Before signing as a Minor League free agent in 1998, he played three seasons in the Frontier League.
Scott Emerson
Emerson will enter his ninth season as a pitching coach in the A's organization after four seasons with the RockHounds. He spent the previous four season with the A's Single-A affiliates, spending 2005-06 with Stockton and the 2003-04 season with Modesto. Emerson previously served in the same capacity for three season in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system, spending two season with the Rookie League club at Bradenton (2000-01) before moving to Single-A Williamsport in the New York-Penn League (2002). He was selected by Baltimore in the 40th round of the 1991 June draft and played parts of four seasons in the Orioles farm system before being traded to Boston during the 1995 campaign. He was a 10-game winner with Single-A Albany in 1993 and retired as a player following the 1998 season.
Todd Steverson
Steverson joined the A's organization in 2004 as a hitting coach for their short-season Single-A affiliate in Vancouver. Since then he has had previous managerial stints with Sacramento (2008), Midland (2007) and Stockton (2005-06) before recently spending two seasons on the A's coaching staff. While managing in the A's farm system he compiled a 297-264 (.529) record. Steverson had a seven-year playing career that included major-league appearances with Detroit (1995) and San Diego (1996). He finished his Minor League career in 1998 with Triple-A Memphis of the Pacific Coast League. Steverson was originally drafted out of Culver City (Calif.) High School by the Cardinals in the sixth round of the June 1989 amateur draft but elected to attend Arizona State University. Three years later, in 1992, he was a first-round draft pick (25th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays.
Brad LaRosa
LaRosa, 34, enters his fourth season with the River Cats and in the A's organization. Prior to joining the River Cats, LaRosa spent the past three seasons as a Minor League Athletic Trainer in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. In addition to his athletic training duties, LaRosa, a 2000 graduate of Southern Illinois University who earned a graduate degree in 2003, assists with the team's travel and equipment responsibilities.